n00b - Quietest Protein Skimmer

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timfederwitz

New member
Hello RC! I am extremely new to the forum and marine in general. I am doing as much research as I possibly can before making the first step. I also have no idea if this is the right place for this particular post, so apologies if this is in the wrong thread (I didn't see an "Equipment" area to post this in).

I am contemplating several different size tanks, and I currently have a standard 55 gallon that is unused (not an AIO). However, the ONLY place I could place this tank at the moment would be in my home office which is actually in the master bedroom. My wife is a VERY light sleeper, so I am wondering if there is a HOB Protein Skimmer that is extremely quiet.

Because I have never owned *any* protein skimmer, I have no idea how loud they might be at all. For the rest of the filtration I was considering the Fluvial G3 as I have read more than once the thing is nearly silent. However, I feel I might still need a protein skimmer and would have to go HOB since I don't plan on using a sump due to noise issues there too.

I guess this is two parts:
1) Could the Fluvial G3 provide all of my filtration needs?
2) If I need a protein skimmer, what would be near silent?

Thanks for any help!!
 
+1 on the bubble magnus curve 5. I just got one last week, produced dark skimmate in a day without breaking in. I believe it uses only 8w for the pump. You can't hear this skimmer and it sure performs!

There shouldn't be any noise if you run a sump, it depends on how you setup your drain line(s). I am running a 90g DT and 40B sump and it's virtually silent. My computer fan and backup battery fan is louder than my entire reef setup lol.
 
Bent said:
My bubble magus curve 5 is pretty durn quiet.
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Thanks Bent, I'll look into that one!

vooDoo213 said:
+1 on the bubble magnus curve 5. I just got one last week, produced dark skimmate in a day without breaking in. I believe it uses only 8w for the pump. You can't hear this skimmer and it sure performs!

There shouldn't be any noise if you run a sump, it depends on how you setup your drain line(s). I am running a 90g DT and 40B sump and it's virtually silent. My computer fan and backup battery fan is louder than my entire reef setup lol.
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VooDoo, I guess I have always thought of sumps as having a lot of "water noise", and my wife is hell bent against anything like that.

In the end, I may still not be able to convince her on a tank in my office and have to go with a much smaller tank in the living room. Looking at the Coralife BioCube 29G as well as some others. It's hard to pick just one and make the plunge. I am also seriously considering the Red Sea MAX C-130 because it seems so put together and the most contained for a living room. It's a bit pricey for a first tank, but I love the integration they have in it. My wife is adamant that whatever I do can't be an eye sore.
 
I'd suggest one of the AIO's like the RSM130 you mentioned... Add a Tunze skimmer in the back, a small Tunze nanostream inside, and you'll be all set with a great little rig that will be nearly dead silent and rock solid reliable.
 
I'd knock a hole in the wall and put a sump on the other side. Is that an option?
I'd also use the 55 for that sump and get any other size in the world for a display tank. There's a lot you can do to quiet a sump that you can't do with an hob, I lined mine with yoga mats for example.

If your wife's like me, sound isn't the only thing that'll bug her, I wouldn't put a fish tank in my bedroom cause of the smell and lights too (plus like weird diseases). But I am very persnickety
 
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Could put the skimmer on a timer, my 75 bedroom tank only runs a power head and a heater at night. Might want to think about black sand to as it doesn't reflect much light. Which my white sand was somewhat annoying when trying to watch tv at night. Just encase you were thinking reefocto hobs, I have the hob reef octopus bh-2000 and it's loud even with a bunch of foam pillows around it.

edit: and definitely get a canopy to block the lights.
 
I have an Aquamaxx HOB1 skimmer and it is pretty quiet. Just a low background noise that you only notice if you are thinking about it. Skims really well also.
 
CStrickland, are you recommending something other than the 55 for my display tank because of how narrow it is? Just curious why you are suggesting "any other size in the world for a display tank". ;-)
 
TylerHaworth said:
I'd suggest one of the AIO's like the RSM130 you mentioned...
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Tyler, or anyone else, does the Coralife BioCube 29 seem like a good tank? Reason being, I did the math on everything I will need (long list) and it still winds up about $500-700 cheaper than the RSM130 in the end, with a much lower up front out-of-pocket.

Aside from the cleaner looks and better integration with the RSM130, am I going to be disappointed with other quality issues?
 
reef_fish said:
Could put the skimmer on a timer, my 75 bedroom tank only runs a power head and a heater at night. Might want to think about black sand to as it doesn't reflect much light. Which my white sand was somewhat annoying when trying to watch tv at night. Just encase you were thinking reefocto hobs, I have the hob reef octopus bh-2000 and it's loud even with a bunch of foam pillows around it.

edit: and definitely get a canopy to block the lights.
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I *did* consider the idea of using a timer for anything loud like the skimmer, but I wasn't sure if this would minimize its effectiveness at its job.

Also, when you say "canopy", are you just referring to a hood? Or something more elaborate?
 
timfederwitz said:
I *did* consider the idea of using a timer for anything loud like the skimmer, but I wasn't sure if this would minimize its effectiveness at its job.

Also, when you say "canopy", are you just referring to a hood? Or something more elaborate?
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Unless you are doing a full on sps tank you'll probably be able to get away with putting it on a timer. Could try it out and keep testing as you go. My ammmonia/nitrtie/nitrate have always read zero and it's been running a part time skimmer coming up on two years. Just point a power head slightly up to agitate the surface of the water.

Yeah hood/canopy pretty much the same, just go to google images and type in fish tank canopy. I couldn't live without mine, it blocks the lights from shinning directly into my eyes specially since the bed is lower.
 
timfederwitz said:
CStrickland, are you recommending something other than the 55 for my display tank because of how narrow it is? Just curious why you are suggesting "any other size in the world for a display tank". ;-)
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Mostly. It's not easy to pile rocks over a foot high without leaning on the glass when your base is as wide as a sheet of notebook paper. Even when you get it scaped ok, once you add water the refraction of light flattens the depth further so that what looked kinda like a rock wall looks like a flat pic of a tank. Also, I worry about gas exchange if you don't have the surface skimming that an overflow provides. That's not a given though, you can def workaround it. Also not being able to drill it.

I have one, I like it but I wouldn't do it again.
 
The 40 breeder tanks from petco are very popular for smaller tanks and only cost $40 during their dollar-per-gallon sales.
 
Shawn O said:
The 40 breeder tanks from petco are very popular for smaller tanks and only cost $40 during their dollar-per-gallon sales.
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Yes. When I was in Petco and saw that tank I was thinking it would be much better than the 55 gallon from a dimensions perspective. We bought the 55 gallon for my wife to get a bearded dragon, but she hasn't used it yet and I thought I might snag it. But the more I think about it (and *try* to talk my wife into it) I am leaning more towards a smaller AIO for the living room.

I have several in mind. Would love any thoughts from anyone around these:
Rimless AIO Tanks - Love the look of these
  • Fluval M60 - The older models back compartment had zero water direction, but new ones now direct water down and up between the chambers.
  • Innovative Marine NUVO Fusion 20

Cube AIO Tanks
  • Coralife BioCube 29 - Seems fairly popular and lots of accessories for it available, but not the best looking for living room aesthetics
  • Red Sea MAX C-130 - The best looking cube I've seen with (seemingly) high-end equipment to make it fairly plug-and-play
 
Thanks for the reasoning CStrickland. I had thought of most of those reasons as why NOT to use the 55... but since I had it, was considering using it. I think I'm going a different tank direction now and not in the bedroom either.

BTW, earlier you mentioned smell, and YES that would bug her. ;-)
 
Just an update - I have decided (for now) that I am going to go with the Red Sea REEFER 170. I saw it at a LFS and it is gorgeous with great attention to detail. Has a sump in the cabinet with integrated ATO and RO tank that sits on top of the sump. AND it's rimless! Really nice. Just not sure how quickly I will be getting it. My wife doesn't want me to spend that much money up front ($1K for the tank setup, but no lighting and need a pump, and then everything else), so I'm going to have to save for it over a couple months. Putting $500 away for it for now.
 
If you go with the Red Sea Reefer series, you might consider the 250 instead of the 170, presuming it will fit in the space you have allotted for it. The price differential is about $300, and nearly doubles the display tank volume (54g vs 34g).

Most experienced folks on the forums will tell you that it's a lot more difficult to keep a nano tank than a bigger tank. And the small size of a <40g tank can be quite frustrating for a beginner when it comes to fish selection.

Doing some research on fish that you have your eye on and what size tank is suitable for the species would be well worth doing before you make a final selection on your tank.
 
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