Help with skimmer choice (have a few choices)

[law086]

Hi folks,

Long time member, been a bit quiet lately.

I take care of a 300 gallon reef aquarium at the place that I work. It's pretty lightly stocked at the moment and running off a SRO 3000INT. I really like the skimmer and it preforms well. The pump died, so instead of replacing the pump, I decided it's time for a new skimmer (it's a bit underpowered for the system anyhow, came from our previous 180 system).

Important info:
Main display - 300 gallon DD
Sump - 75 gallon
Total - oh, I dunno, let's call it 350 gallons

Limitations:
Budget - trying to stay less than $800, can go a bit over, happy to stay under.
Location - want internal - I just do.
Stocking - I'm light now, but want the flexibility to stock on the heavy side, so I want a healthy sized skimmer.

I'm a bang for the buck kind of guy, so I have a few choices in mind that should allow my stocking level to grow quite nicely.

Option 1: SRO 5000INT, $600ish, BRS rating 450 gallons

Option 2: RO Regal 300INT $675ish, BRS rating 600 gallons

Option 3: Skimz SM251 $750, BRS rating ??? Skimz rating 800 gallons

Open to other suggestions as well.

So far I think I'm liking the RO Regal for a few reasons. It's a 12" body with a hybrid cone design. Comes with 1 DC pump that pulls good air and it's controllable. I don't know much about those RO DC pumps and what to expect there, so that's a bit of an unknown for me.

I think the SRO 5000INT is a safe choice. I'm sure I'd like it since I liked the SRO 3000. I was pretty impressed with the bubble blaster pump on the 3000INT, well, until it broke.

I try to keep this system as low maintenance as possible, so one downside to the Skimz is that there are two pumps to keep clean and running. Not sure I like that idea. Also don't know much about the quality of those pumps, so that's an unknown for me too.

Anyhow, all thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Ron

 

[ghellin]

I would say option 1 then option 2 based on cost. But option 2 would probably be the better skimmer.

 

[law086]

bump

 

[sfsuphysics]

I looked into the Skimz model for my 375g tank w/ 270g sump/fuge (tank is that size the amount of water in there isn't) as an upgrade over my ATI bubble master 250, only to be afraid of the size it says it's good for... considering it's only a 10" skimmer, so makes me think the company is padding their numbers quite a bit.

From options 1 and 2, I'd lean more towards 2 for the simple fact that it's overkill for your tank BUT it's a DC powered skimmer so you can dial back the pump until you get to that heavily stocked level you want, honestly coming down a notch to the 250INT model could be another cost saving choice still with some overhead to play with. It was a skimmer I was looking at for my system, still haven't made the call because I think the old girl I have still has some life left in her (and I can't find anyone who'll take it off me to help mitigate some of the cost of a new skimmer )