Protein skimmer for 90 gallon tank. Mounting options......

I am new to marine setups, and am just costing up relevant equipment.

I have my tank (60x24x18) currently setup as tropical. I intend to covnert this to marine, and am researching this now.

I have my eye on a protein skimmer, but am unsure how much space I require, and exactly where.
here's the one i'm looking at : -


I don't understand how you mount these things. If I mount it to my tank (attached) and it hangs on the back, will I need to put my tank further into my lounge to make room, or can I actually set this up underneath the tank in one of the spaces below (middle will be a refugium).

Please help, as I can't imaging its common to mount a skimmer this size on the back of a tank?

 

Hmm.. From looking at the photo on ebay it must be held on by the intake and return tubes. The pump (powerhead) would go inside the tank and force water up and into the skimmer which would process the water and return the skimmed water back into the tank. It's gotta be resting on the input and output tubing? That looks like one you'd place in a sump though.

Wait- just found a photo on
It does have a "ledge" to hang it from.

Size - 212 x 131 x 500 mm

 

WOW! Beautiful tank set up! Envious, even though I want saltie, yours is very tempting!

Why not just get a skimmer for the sump? Eliminate the guessing work.

 

Thanks hehe.

I was looking for something to fit a sump tank, but this is literally my first look. I am going to start getting the equipment together, and then "go for it". the issue is that the space underneath my tank setup is only around 12 inches, as I custom made the stand so that little kids could see into it, and so that it didn't intrude into the lounge. There is space on the floor next to it though. Could I take the above mentioned unit (oh, and thanks for that shop find, sounds good, anyone know if its high quality?), and adapt it to the floor, having the pipes go into and then back out of the sump tank instead?

I am looking at books now etc to understand it all.

 

I don't know about doing that with the one you mentioned, since I don't know it at all, but, I know it CAN be done.

 

looking like I will go for a hng on version for now.

my intention is this.
Get all the expensive equipment for marine out of the way, and up and running on the tropical tank.

then, when I eventually change over, its a case of clean-down, and start backup. then adding my sand and live rock. Hopefully this will give me the minimum headaches.

 

How will the change of bacteria affect the media though? I wonder!