Need help deciding please...$1,500

[JRaquatics]

Keep your existing skimmer on line for about 2 weeks until the new skimmer breaks in. You get Reeflo skimmers at Premium Aquatics and Reef Specialty. I got mine from Reef Specialty, and their customer service is top notch and Mike has great knowledge of these skimmers and the reef hobby for that matter. I think RS are also still shipping them for free.

 

[luke33]

Even if he keeps his css going the oils from the reeflo will affect it as well causing it to break in again. Either way it won't affect your tank much.

 

[JRaquatics]

IMO and experience, In that size of tank the oils will not affect the other skimmer. My AquaC ran while I was breaking in my Reeflo 200. As everyone knows AquaC are very finicky to any changes in water chemistry. I kept the AquaC on until the Reeflo out competed it for skimmate.

 

[Tangwich]

YOu guys are very knowledgeable which is funny to me because I thought I knew a lot in this hobby but had no clue once I got my big tank.
I'm unclear as to what size sump I have now, by this picture would you be able to tell how many gallons it is? It's almost 3 feet long as my stand is 6 feet long. Or is there a formula to figure this out?

What is a large size sump good for, other than the possibility of adding a refugium and so that it doesn't flood in case of a power outage? Thanks

 

[Lucky-rc]

I have the reeflo 250... They rock! I'm sure the 200 does also. I saw a 200 earlier today for the first time in person, For the difference in price I would go with the 250. IMO
Not to beat up the 200 or their owners but with the 250 you could grow big time in tank size.

Lucky

 

[Lucky-rc]

L x W x H divided by 231 = total gal.

 

[Tangwich]

Thanks Lucky, but here's my question. What's the difference in price, about $500? Also I have a friend that said when I upgrade tanks, which should be in about 3-5 years, she wants to buy the complete setup so I will be buying all new components for a larger tank.

 

[Tangwich]

Also, what are the benefits of having a large sized sump other than the possibility of adding a refugium and so that it doesn't flood in case of a power outage?

 

[JRaquatics]

Give Mike at Reef Specialty a call. He has installed enough of them to be able to direct you in your purchasing decision. 773-851-3861

 

[McCrary]

Dude, I doubt you are going to need the power of the 250, but I would get it just because, lol. But thats just me, I am a big fan of oversized skimmers.

 

[Tangwich]

McCrary and Jr, how often do you guys do water changes and how big are your tanks? Trying to see how much maintenance I'm going to have to do..

 

[JRaquatics]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11780785#post11780785 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by McCrary
Dude, I doubt you are going to need the power of the 250, but I would get it just because, lol. But thats just me, I am a big fan of oversized skimmers.

Me too.

 

[Tangwich]

I am too, but remember, we are TRYING to work with the $1,500 that I am getting back...not trying to rack up more debt :lol:

 

[McCrary]

I have a 110 gallon tank with a 30 gallon sump/fuge, I just did a 25 gallon water change yesterday, but thats about a once a month thing or so. Sometimes I will do them more often, but its a pain for me because I have to get my RO/DI from the LFS. My bioload is light and I run an H&S 200-1260, so I wouldn't have to do them as often if the tank wasn't competely SPS.

 

[JRaquatics]

I do about 20-30 gals WC every month. I have a 180AGA with a 75 gal fuge. I estimate the is a little over 200 gals total.

 

[Tangwich]

Wouldn't I, in essence, be able to keep my current sump and just get the Reeflo 200 and be ok? What are the pros and cons of having a sump the size of mine (between 10-20 gallons..I THINK)? lol

 

[Tangwich]

oh wait, no pros, just cons..hahaha

 

[Lucky-rc]

??? My 250 came from Mike at R.S. I paid 1200 free shipping.
If your wanting to save space (I was) then set your sump up as small as you can.. Of course unless you want part of it to be a fuge and you want to keep a lot of other equip. in it.
Most sumps are "not as big as people claim. They are not mis-leading anyone but they just don't take into account that 30-40 or even 50% of it is fuge. Like I had mentioned before my sump is only 45gal. It has a chamber where Bio-balls were at one point. But now all it has is two filter socks for the tank drains (2,000gph)
and one filter sock for the skimmer return. Now My overflow drain filter socks are doubled up (for better filteration) I have zero micro-bubbles. As far as flooding during a power outage, Just set your return spouts so that they stop siphoning when the sump starts getting too full. For example: during normal running and toped off my sump only has about 5-6 inches in it. This is enough to keep the HammerHead pump from sucking air. If I shut everything off it will fill up but stop draining about 3 inches from the top.
My tank has got me beat up quiet a bit here on RC...But it is not a DIY project. I called Inovative Plastics in MI. I told them what I wanted and asked them what would work. And they built the tank and sump. They called it a "High Flow" sump. I love my set up. The sump needed to fit under the stand, And I wanted enough power at the over flow boxs to pull out the fish waste. ( I started with a fish only set up)

Lucky

 

[JRaquatics]

large sump: larger water volume, room for expansion of extra equipment, fuge possiblity and room for extra Live rock to name a few +s.

small sump: hard to expand, have to work with little space inside sump, have to rely on enough rock in your display, but on the plus side you will have more room under your stand.

FWIW I always put the largest sump possible under my tanks.

 

[McCrary]

I would get a 75 gallon and use half of it for a refuge with a DSB and some live rock and macros. The rest can be used to hold the phosban reactor and the heaters, filter sock etc. Not to mention that you are going to want and factor in about 20-25 gallons of extra room so that if the power goes off you don't flood the floor.