Help setting up sump/fuge

[atcaw94]

I just moved from a 55 to a 58 with a 30gal sump/fuge.
Currently I have it set up as follows (from left to right)

intake (6"X12"), LR rubble/skimmer
Fuge (15"X12") sand/LR/heater/cheato/light
return (7"X12")

One of the problems is the intake is so small, it's hard to get a skimmer in there. Currently the skimmer is set up where the water flows over the baffles in to the fuge. Shouldn't the water flow back in to the intake?What would be a decent, reasonably priced small skimmer? Would it be o.k. to put the skimmer in the fuge? I could then go with a lot bigger skimmer.
Also, there are no teeth cut in to the baffle between the fuge and return so I had to put a piece of eggcrate in to keep my cheato from going in to the return. The baffles are glass.
I also seem to get micro bubbles coming out of the return in the tank.

Thanks
DJ

 

[hackman72]

to fix the micro bubbles, if at all possible, put a 90 deg elbow on the intake side of the return pump and turn the inlet toward the bottom of the sump. You might need to raise the pump as you'll need a minimum of 1" between the sump bottom and the elbow.

 

[atcaw94]

I was wrong, the intake is only 4" wide. Could I swap the return and intake sides of the sump? This would allow me to fit a bigger skimmer, but the baffles would be towards the return side.