Equipment positioning

Altohombre

Is there a preferred positioning for a HOT protein skimmer and a heater in my tank. Should it be in the middle or is one of the ends ok. Also in terms of Powerheads, where should they be positioned in the tank? Is there any diagrams on the web on this?

bettababy

The skimmer will probably end up where you can fit it, but I always suggest skimmer be on opposite end as filter. Heater can go anywhere, however, if it's near the filter intake it will help to circulate the heated water through the tank instead of creating a "warm spot".
Powerheads should be positioned so as not to blow fish around, but to create circulation that runs through the tank, especially directing water from the far side to past the filter intake. The powerhead positioning will usually be dependent on the animals in the tank, especially corals and other inverts who may need higher circulation. Because its dependent on the animals and how the tank is decorated, there is no diagram that I am aware of that is a "basic guide". Every tank will require something different.