Skimmer Q&A Thread

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14580134#post14580134 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mojo~
Hands down the Bk 160. All the others are great units. But the Bubble king 160 is so quiet and smooth. Built like a tank and I love everything about the bubbleking. I miss mine to be honest. I cant wait to get the Vertex/BK alpha Cone skimmer here in another couple weeks. The pm skimmer will be a little louder and cycle more water. Great skimmers...just not the same as a BK in my opinion.
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Thanks for your input. I'm going over tomorrow to buy his Tunze osmolator. Who knows what else I'll walk away with. I would not be considering such a prices expenditure right now, but come on $550 for almost new. Very tempting.

I know the Bullets are good and I will be happy. However, I'm looking at around $350 for an upgrade to a BK 160 after I sell my other stuff. Hard to pass up.

Question The ever popular capacity question. How do you think it would do on a heavily stocked 90g? Mine isn't heavily stocked now, just asking.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14581289#post14581289 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mojo~
The 160 will be just fine. No worries at all with your tank size. Even heavily stocked.
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I walked away with the 160. Quite impressive in person. Don't know if it's necessary, but it is impressive. Can't wait to set it up.
 
Any recommendations for our setup? We're setting up a used 120g that will be a mixed reef. I was thinking maybe something like an MSX200. Skimmers more than any other piece of equipment just seem to overwhelm me with the selections. I'd like to set this up as internal and need to keep the noise to the lowest level possible while doing a brilliant job of skimming. Thank you.
 
Hey i was wondering if you can tell me what is wrong with my skimmer. I have a 72 gallon bowfront that i am cycleing. i have a reef devil skimmer with a mag 7 pump and 6 bioballs in it. it has been running for about 5 weeks now and i still can't get the skimmate dialed in. I either get to much to the point where it overflows the skimmer cup of it never gets out of the tube. I have a ball valve on the skimmer but it seems that even just half a turn is enough to over flow the skimmer.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14590521#post14590521 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tracey2
Can anyone tell me if a Tunze 9010 will work on a 150 gallonDT, 40g sump and 20g fuge?
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I think it will work ok. Not really my top choice but if it is what you want I think it will work just fine.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14591176#post14591176 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PermaNoob
Any recommendations for our setup? We're setting up a used 120g that will be a mixed reef. I was thinking maybe something like an MSX200. Skimmers more than any other piece of equipment just seem to overwhelm me with the selections. I'd like to set this up as internal and need to keep the noise to the lowest level possible while doing a brilliant job of skimming. Thank you.
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The msx 200 would work just fine. Very nice skimmer I would say that the msx 200 or the warner marine as 200 would be what you want to be looking at. Unless you want to spend a little more and Get a Cone skimmer .... but you are looking at more $$$ if you want the least amount of hassle with the msx and pull a good amount of air get the msx200 and go to reefspecialty and get the atb pinwheel. It pulls more air than the stock one and no mesh to worry about.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14591613#post14591613 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coopdogyo
Hey i was wondering if you can tell me what is wrong with my skimmer. I have a 72 gallon bowfront that i am cycleing. i have a reef devil skimmer with a mag 7 pump and 6 bioballs in it. it has been running for about 5 weeks now and i still can't get the skimmate dialed in. I either get to much to the point where it overflows the skimmer cup of it never gets out of the tube. I have a ball valve on the skimmer but it seems that even just half a turn is enough to over flow the skimmer.
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The downdraft skimmers from etss work very well but how is the water level it is in? Is a constant level. If it fluctuates the skimmer will overflow. adjust it so the bubbles are breaking about 1/3 the way up the cup and let it run for a while. see what that does and let me know. Mojo~
 
hello, I currently have a BK, mini 200. My tank total volume will be around 300 with around 150 in the display. My sump is in the basement so noise is not an issue if i were to change skimmers. I plan on running a mixed reef sps, lps, and a few select softies. Do you think the BK can keep up or should i go for a larger skimmer?

Thanks
 
I think the 200 is a great skimmer but I dont think it moves enough water volume to be sufficient for your sytstem. Check into the new alpha 250 cone from royal exclusive or maybe the super marin 250 or 300
 
ASM G3

ASM G3

I HAVE AN ASM G3 SKIMMER IN A 30 GAL ACRYLIC SUMP ON A 120gal TNK, IN THE 2 WEEKS MY COLLECTION IS STILL ONLY 1/2 FULL. I WENT FROM EMPTING A FULL DARK BROWN ALMOST BLACK COLLECTION CUP EVERY WEEK TO ONLY A 1/2 CUP IN 2 WEEKS. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY POINTERS OR IDEAS, IF SO CAN YOU EITHER REPLY HERE OR PM ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
 
mojo - I have an octo extreme 200. The sicce pump is obnoxious. I had coralvue send me a new impeller because my LFS tells me the magnets can occasionally be out of balance. This did not help. It doesn't matter if I run mesh or pinwheel.

I really just don't want to deal with the sicce pumps at this point. Can you recommend another pump. It doesn't necessarily have to be plug and play, I can fab something up. Something silent that pulls between 35-60 scfh.

thanks
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14590521#post14590521 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tracey2
Can anyone tell me if a Tunze 9010 will work on a 150 gallonDT, 40g sump and 20g fuge?
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Depends on what you want to keep. I think Tunze rates the 9010 for up to 264g, but that is pretty much for a fish only system. If you are thinking a lot of sps, you might want to check out their new Tunze Master DOC 9440 or others that Mojo is suggesting.

I've got the 9010 on a 65g tank, heavily sps stocked, and it does a great job, but I probably wouldn't want to go with it on much more than a 90g tank if you want to keep a lot of sps.
 
Re: ASM G3

Re: ASM G3

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14592436#post14592436 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by brando07
I HAVE AN ASM G3 SKIMMER IN A 30 GAL ACRYLIC SUMP ON A 120gal TNK, IN THE 2 WEEKS MY COLLECTION IS STILL ONLY 1/2 FULL. I WENT FROM EMPTING A FULL DARK BROWN ALMOST BLACK COLLECTION CUP EVERY WEEK TO ONLY A 1/2 CUP IN 2 WEEKS. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY POINTERS OR IDEAS, IF SO CAN YOU EITHER REPLY HERE OR PM ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
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pull the pump apart. You may have salt creep in the air intake or calcium build up in the pump housing.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14592500#post14592500 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefKeeperRob
mojo - I have an octo extreme 200. The sicce pump is obnoxious. I had coralvue send me a new impeller because my LFS tells me the magnets can occasionally be out of balance. This did not help. It doesn't matter if I run mesh or pinwheel.

I really just don't want to deal with the sicce pumps at this point. Can you recommend another pump. It doesn't necessarily have to be plug and play, I can fab something up. Something silent that pulls between 35-60 scfh.

thanks
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You might want to try another Sicce pump with the ATB pinwheel you can get from reefspecialty. Otherwise you might want to look at a laguna or askoll pump. You will want a smaller one. like a 1000 model. any other pumps I think are just too big to try to mount on the octo 200. On pinwheel you shouldnt have any issues with the sicce. something has to be wrong with your pump and should be covered under warranty.
 
mojo~ I need something newer for my tank 100 gal total volume, I want something bigger, for when I upgrade but dont feel like spending a huge lump sum of money I was thinking about max price ~500ish. Which would you reccommend. I also have a heavy bio load. I was thinking on the realm of bubble magus 250S possibly. I have the BM100 on my 30G total vol frag tank and it performs very very well. Even though it is a cheap chinese knock off, it is built pretty darn well.
 
For your system volume and budget. I First pic the warner marine as 150 . Two reasons I would pick this over the msx 200. THe WM as 150 uses a sedra 7000 and runs on a pinwheel and cycles more water than the sicce. Also no worries about running in reverse as well. With the increased water volume it will cycle the water a little more often. The build quality is amazing.
Second I would go with the MSX 200. Great bang for he buck.
Another option is wait for a nice used BK mini 160, or a used cone skimmer if you can find one. Might be something to look at. Hope this helps.
 
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