Skimmer Q&A Thread

[InnerMonkey]

Thanks for the input mojo. What size tank do you run the 5.5 on? I've wondered if maybe I was looking at too much skimmer for my load. Medium-heavy is likely to be the most load this tank sees, but not near there yet. I think the options I picked are sized appropriately, but smart enough to defer to more educated opinions.

The SRO line gets a lot praise, but do you consider the SSA to be on par? As far as the CS7 goes, it's about the same price unless I manage the $236 deal mentioned above. Still, I've bought enough bad skimmers in years past, and would rather spend a little more if it's really worthy it.

 

[Jamesus]

I have a 180 gallon heavily stocked tank with a 50 gallon sump. Whats the best in sump skimmer for under $700?

out of these two which would you pick and why?
Reef Octopus Extreme 10 Inch XS250 or Super reef octopus XP3000?

 

[sahicharles]

Mojo, always enjoy reading your post and appreciated sharing your knowledge. I am planing setting up a 250G, having hard time to choose the skimmer now.

BK Deluxe 250 internal, BK SM 250, and ATB Deluxe 8.5. Do you think these skimmers will be too much for the heavy bio load? Which one performance better on skimming? Which one you think is better on performance/value ? Do you have other recommendation? Thanks,

 

[Gotcha!]

I played around with one a little at MAcna. Not a fan of the bubble plate in the neck. Just a place for bubbles to pop and loose effeciency. The pumps are good and the build is good as well. But there are some things they could do to improve effeciency IMO. great folks though the do really good work.

Well I used the Bashsea Blu-demon for a while and then put the Elos PS-1000 into the trial over the old NS-1000 and boy does the PS-1000 work nicely for the footprint. I am leaving this skmmer in it does one heck of a job. I love the build of the Bashsea and it was a nice skimmer yet after a few months of use I am in agreement that I do not think they should have put the top bubble plate on the skimmer. It seems to really break down the bubbles and IMO cripples some of the ability of really getting the gunk out.

Thanks for your reply. I did not want to make a comment until I gave the skimmer a good run in the tank. Great people at Bashsea. great products and great customer support and I look forward to upcoming changes from them yet I am back to Elos and their newer PS-1000 for now. Small footprint in the sump and a great skimmer performer.

 

[dmpeyton]

I have a question for the skimmer experts. My tank is a 55 gallon with a 20 gallon sump. I have a Reef Octopus NWB 110 that is about a year and a half old. It works well most of the time. I feed once a day and I shut off the return pump and skimmer via my RKL. When I restart the return, the skimmer restarts after 2 minutes. On rare occasions, the skimmer will overflow after startup. This is puzzling since it was skimming perfectly fine before I fed. Is there any way that I could troubleshoot this, or do I just need to be more watchful when I restart the skimmer? By the way, I thoroughly cleaned the entire skimmer in vinegar about three months ago, and I had done it a couple of times before that. Could it be a blockage of the air intake that causes the overflowing when it is dislodged? Any advice from more experienced skimmer owners would be much appreciated!

 

[rsg4]

I can't make my mind up on this. I've got a 45g + 20 sump + 29 fuge. Vertex 80 or 100 or something else? Thanks alot.

 

[nivram]

What budget skimmer would you recommend for 250 gallon? Tank will be mixed reef with a medium to high bio load?

The bubble kings are way out of my price range. I've been thinking about SWC or Bubble Magus options. Before I build my stand I want to determine the skimmer height do I can plan accordingly.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mojo~]

I have a question for the skimmer experts. My tank is a 55 gallon with a 20 gallon sump. I have a Reef Octopus NWB 110 that is about a year and a half old. It works well most of the time. I feed once a day and I shut off the return pump and skimmer via my RKL. When I restart the return, the skimmer restarts after 2 minutes. On rare occasions, the skimmer will overflow after startup. This is puzzling since it was skimming perfectly fine before I fed. Is there any way that I could troubleshoot this, or do I just need to be more watchful when I restart the skimmer? By the way, I thoroughly cleaned the entire skimmer in vinegar about three months ago, and I had done it a couple of times before that. Could it be a blockage of the air intake that causes the overflowing when it is dislodged? Any advice from more experienced skimmer owners would be much appreciated!

I assume your water level is back down. could be something in the food that you are feeding. Maybe have it wait 10 minutes before restarting. But the small hole on the venturi on the nw octo pumps are known for getting clogged easily with salt creep.

 

[jfeva0049]

please help.. i have a euro reef rs100 on my 90 gal with 30 gal sump.. do you think that i need to upgrade or will this work ???? thanks.

 

[JHawlz9989]

I am plumbing a sump for my 20 long, and I'm planning on having about 100 gph going through a 5.5g. I would like to plumb the overflow directly into the skimmer (aquamaxx hob 1), but since the skimmer handles significantly more waterflow than the return will, I'm wondering what problems I would run into.

If it is recommended to have the overflow have as much flow as the skimmer would naturally create, would I be able to help solve that problem by drilling a small hole or two at the very bottom of the overflow plumbing, just before the elbow into the pump? That way if the pump needed to pull in more water it could do so by recirculating the previously skimmed water. That way the overflow still feeds directly into the skimmer, but the skimmer is still operating t it's rated gph.

Thanks,

Josh

 

[Sonny n Colleen]

I have been looking at the Reef octopus BH100T that has the built in auto top off. I haven't found much about this skimmer and wonder if anyone uses or used one to find out if this is a good skimmer ATO combo. This would be for my 30g QT.

 

[rsg4]

I can't make my mind up on this. I've got a 45g + 20 sump + 29 fuge. Vertex 80 or 100 or something else? Thanks alot.

Anybody? I seem to have bad luck picking skimmers, I usualy go too big or way to small, never just right. Thanks again.:headwallblue:

 

[mojo~]

please help.. i have a euro reef rs100 on my 90 gal with 30 gal sump.. do you think that i need to upgrade or will this work ???? thanks.

I would just run what you have. it will work just fine. When it dies then upgrade.

 

[mojo~]

Anybody? I seem to have bad luck picking skimmers, I usualy go too big or way to small, never just right. Thanks again.:headwallblue:

the 80 and 100 use the same pump. They are both good but the pump is slightly undersized on the 100 body.

I would go with the 80 in your case.

 

[rsg4]

the 80 and 100 use the same pump. They are both good but the pump is slightly undersized on the 100 body.

I would go with the 80 in your case.

Thanks, one more. What about the cs3.5?

 

[rsg4]

Thanks, one more. What about the cs3.5?

Well what about the seaside aquatics cs5.5? Would that be too big for my volume? Thanks again for your help.

 

[mojo~]

the 5.5 would be a better choice in my opinion. IT will move a little more water. I have one of these right now. It compares to the skim 121 or wm 121. Very comparable skimmers.

 

[CAPSLOK]

Looking for surface skimmer opinions...

I have an old Prizm HOB skimmer. It works as well as it ever did, but the way it is designed it draws from the middle of the water column. The surface scum is driving me nuts, and the skimmer isn't as effective as it could be.
20g long FOWLR, upgrading to 46g bowfront FOWLR within a year.

Will the Hagen Fluval surface skimmer ( http://www.amazon.com/Hagen-A240-Fl...id=1343701914&sr=1-2&keywords=surface+skimmer ) work with the Prizm intake pipe? Or is it more worthwhile to get the Prizm "upgrade kit" to get the surface skimmer attachment specifically designed for it?

What would you recommend as a good, cost effective 20-60g HOB skimmer if the Prizm should need to be replaced?

Thanks much for any advice!

 

[ChadRaay86]

In sump skimmer for a 170 gallon reef tank?

In sump skimmer for a 170 gallon reef tank?

I've been looking at skimmers for a 170 gallon reef tank I'm getting and came across the Bubble Magus BM-NAC7 Cone Protein Skimmer on BRS. For under $300 and with all of the good reviews, it seems to be a solid choice.

Any thoughts? I'd hate to go cheap and regret it immediately, but at the same time, I'm not looking to spend $600-800 on a skimmer at the moment. I was even thinking of laying off a skimmer for awhile given the lower bio load (4 fish) with no corals/anenomes. From what I've been told a skimmer is a must, unless this isn't entirely true in my case.

 

[uf_gators]

I just bought a Seaside aquatics cs7 for my new tank. Got a smoking price on it, and couldnt pass it up

same here, just ordered today..... for 237.00... from 399.00 online price. got a price match, cause Pet mtn had them on sale. but rather done business elsewhere. Still got the same price hook up...:dance::dance::dance: