Skimmer Q&A Thread

[gus5946]

its a perfect fit. You have all new water. Give it a chance to cycle and break in along with the tank.

Mojo,

I crushed some flake food under the water surface for the chromis tonight and the skimmer went crazy with foam. After a little while the foam died down, so I can only assume it is related to the low bioload like you thought.

Thanks for the feedback.
Gus

 

[mojo~]

Mojo,

I crushed some flake food under the water surface for the chromis tonight and the skimmer went crazy with foam. After a little while the foam died down, so I can only assume it is related to the low bioload like you thought.

Thanks for the feedback.
Gus

NP at all. I get asked that same question quite a bit actually. A lot of people set up new tanks and buy a skimmer and wonder why it doesnt work. I to wondered this back in the day. But as your tank cycles and builds up nutrients your skimmer will start working like a champ. You will be happy with that skimmer on your tank. Great bang for the buck skimmer.

 

[mojo~]

Wow, glad I came across this thread!

I have an older AquaEuroUSA 135 recirc. No bubble plate. I think it's an 8" body with a 6" neck, but I can double check that. I swapped out the stock pump for an Aquabee 2000/1.

I'm direct feeding it off my return (100% of my return), and am wondering what a good feed rate would be. Also not sure if a mesh mod would make sense. Thanks!

A good rule of thumb for recirc skimmers is 1.5 times your system volume. So if your tank is a 70 gallon then you will want to run ~105 gph thru your skimmer. Feeding it from its own small pump is is more consitant than running it off a drain. I know it makes it simple but if your skimmer start overflowing you will want to switch to the little pump. I would just use a little maxijet if you dont want ot spend the money.

 

[sbleile]

IS the Hurricone Cat 2E the replacement for the Reeflo Orca 250? If so, how do they compare?

 

[TheFishMan65]

I have finally finished this whole thread. I have a 75 gallon with about 5 gallons in the sump. Are you still recommmending either:

• ATB 840
• Warner Marine 150
• Vertex 180

A lot of upfront work, but maybe you could post a chart (and repost/update periodically) with your recommendation. A lot (80% maybe it just seemed like it) just want to know what size for this tank. So something like
50-75...Skimmer A
........Skimmer B (good bang for your buck)
75-100..Skimmer B
....... Skimmer C
It might answer (it would mine) a lot of questions. Gee after previewing I can see it is a pain to create a table. However if you can create it, I will figure out a way to get it up here if you want help.

Thanks again for a great thread.

 

[rtparty]

Mojo,

Just an update on my NAC6. I am sure glad I got this skimmer! It is currently sitting in a sump curing some rock. Only one rock needed to be fully cured. The other few were dead or live (already cured).

The skimmer works like a champ! I hear people talk about how the pumps aren't that great but I don't see any issues with mine. The only thing I would change is they should make the skimmer a bit taller IMO.

Thanks for the reco and help!

 

[killagoby]

Thanks! I also just read the previous post on the MRC Ocean Force 100 skimmer. How does it compare to the following:

Octo Ext 160
Euro Reef RS100
Vertex In100

Looking for under $300 skimmer best bang for the buck but relatively quiet.

Thanks!

I love my new MRC OF100. The construction on it is solid. Once I drilled a hole in the top of the elbow where the water exits it stopped making "bubbling" noises from backpressure. It has been skimming for a week and pulling out brown "gunk".

 

[mojo~]

Mojo,

Just an update on my NAC6. I am sure glad I got this skimmer! It is currently sitting in a sump curing some rock. Only one rock needed to be fully cured. The other few were dead or live (already cured).

The skimmer works like a champ! I hear people talk about how the pumps aren't that great but I don't see any issues with mine. The only thing I would change is they should make the skimmer a bit taller IMO.

Thanks for the reco and help!

Thanks for the kind words

Mojo~

 

[wirenut]

newbie question for mojo
i am getting a 220 gal tank set for predator fowlr set up
not sure what size sump, space not a issue?
also would like to know what skimmer would be good for that setup
price 500 and up thank you for your time.

 

[Apisto]

Great info here. After reading a major chunk of this thread, I have narrowed my choice for a new skimmer down to 2.

I am upgrading a 30g. SPS nano to a 70g, w/a 25g. sump. The sump has a 10"x10" skimmer section. My 2 choices are the MRC Ocean Force 100 (because of the footprint and reviews here) or the Vertex IN 100 (which is my first choice).

A couple of questions:

1) I am finding many conflicting statements (vendor and other resources) about the correct footprint of the Vertex. Several say 10x8...good for me! But others go up to as much as 10x13...not so good for me! Can someone give me first hand knowledge of the footprint of this skimmer?

2) If the Vertex is OK for my sump, then I also have a question about which of the 2 will handle the heavier bioload. Won't be an issue for awhile, but eventually I plan to have a heavy bioload system with vodka dosing. I might switch skimmers at that point, but which skimmer will handle to load the best?

Thanks again to mojo and all who participate in this thread for the great resource!

 

[fishysteve]

Mojo I need a new skimmer for my 50 gal mixed reef that is moderately stocked. What would you recommend? I don't have a sump so I need a hang on skimmer.

 

[mojo~]

Warner Marine h1

 

[Tyronius]

Anyone know how deep of water my ASM G2 should be in?

Thanks

 

[mojo~]

Anyone know how deep of water my ASM G2 should be in?

Thanks

I would start around 8 inches

 

[tingleyl]

Newbie here, with a question for Mojo...

I just got my first tank, 200 gallon. Preparing for a reef tank. Plan on using about a 60 gallon ADHI sump/fuge. The cabinet I will be placing the sump & skimmer in is only 25" high so I'm very concerned about skimmer height, access to dump collection cup & minimal ability to raise the skimmer up to keep it at required running depth.

Will any of the skimmers below work with these limitations, and if so, what would you recommend? Or would you recommend something else entirely?

ATB 840/10.5
RE Vertex 200-250
WM K2 or AS-200

Thanks!

 

[Tyronius]

I would start around 8 inches

Thanks

 

[waldomas]

Wow!! What a thread!

From what i've seen in the last few pages, you like the vertex for a 92 gal?
I was originally thinking of an Octopus 160 w/ the sicce (sp.?).

Right now its lightly stocked, however... i'd like to add 1 or 2 more fish and some SPS once I beef up my flow.

Whats your recommendation Mojo?

 

[PowermanKW]

bump for tingleyl... I'm curious how all those compare on a ~250.

 

[OldNemo]

Great info here. After reading a major chunk of this thread, I have narrowed my choice for a new skimmer down to 2.

I am upgrading a 30g. SPS nano to a 70g, w/a 25g. sump. The sump has a 10"x10" skimmer section. My 2 choices are the MRC Ocean Force 100 (because of the footprint and reviews here) or the Vertex IN 100 (which is my first choice).

A couple of questions:

1) I am finding many conflicting statements (vendor and other resources) about the correct footprint of the Vertex. Several say 10x8...good for me! But others go up to as much as 10x13...not so good for me! Can someone give me first hand knowledge of the footprint of this skimmer?

2) If the Vertex is OK for my sump, then I also have a question about which of the 2 will handle the heavier bioload. Won't be an issue for awhile, but eventually I plan to have a heavy bioload system with vodka dosing. I might switch skimmers at that point, but which skimmer will handle to load the best?

Thanks again to mojo and all who participate in this thread for the great resource!

Bump for Apisto as well. I am curious too. Thanks!

 

[pjewett]

Good upgrade for Remora?

Good upgrade for Remora?

I have a 65 gallon with a megaflow3 sump with a mag 7 who's return is plumbed into a HOB Remora skimmer. A ball valve allows me share the flow of the mag with the skimmer which empties into a sock.

I'm wondering if I could do much better insofar as the skimmer is concerned but I don't have much room under that cabinet at all.

Would going to a Remora Pro be worth it and maybe a more powerful pump? Or is there a better HOB skimmer out there that is approx the same size as the remmora?

Thanks!