Skimmer Q&A Thread

[pells61]

Ok I have read through most of this thread and my eyes are bugging out.

I need a new skimmer but I would like the very best I can get in terms of reliability and efficiency. My price ceiling is around $700.

Background

I have a 180 mixed heavy stock with a 55gl sump, my net vol is some where in the ball park of 200 gallons. right now I have an SRO int1000 running on the tank and it sucks bad.

I have been looking at the following skimmers

Reef Octopus Super Reef 2000 External Skimmer

Reef Octopus Diablo DCRS 200 EXT Recirculating Protein Skimmer

AquaMaxx EcoMaxx EM300

SWC 230 Cone

I would like an external but am not heart set on it although it would like to open up my sump a little. Also my baffles are high on the sump and I have about 10 inches of water, so I build little egg crate boxes for my skimmers to stand on but then they get close to the bottom of my 180.

Any thoughts are welcome, as I am very confused at this point.

 

[Drae]

Ok I have read through most of this thread and my eyes are bugging out.

I need a new skimmer but I would like the very best I can get in terms of reliability and efficiency. My price ceiling is around $700.

Background

I have a 180 mixed heavy stock with a 55gl sump, my net vol is some where in the ball park of 200 gallons. right now I have an SRO int1000 running on the tank and it sucks bad.

I have been looking at the following skimmers

Reef Octopus Super Reef 2000 External Skimmer

Reef Octopus Diablo DCRS 200 EXT Recirculating Protein Skimmer

AquaMaxx EcoMaxx EM300

SWC 230 Cone

I would like an external but am not heart set on it although it would like to open up my sump a little. Also my baffles are high on the sump and I have about 10 inches of water, so I build little egg crate boxes for my skimmers to stand on but then they get close to the bottom of my 180.

Any thoughts are welcome, as I am very confused at this point.

Aquamaxx cone 3 or 5. The 5 would cost 699 and it would be great if you decide to upgrade tanks also.

 

[pells61]

How much Clarence would that need? What water depth?

 

[Drae]

How much Clarence would that need? What water depth?

The skimmer is about 24" tall and need about 9" of water to function correct.

 

[salajander]

Hi all,

Looking for recommendations for an in-sump skimmer for a 55g + 15g sump (+ 10g refugium eventually).

Two requirements, really:
* Quiet operation, as the tank's in our living room
* Skimmer cup height shouldn't be much more than 4", as that's how much room I have between the top of the 15g high sump and the bottom of the stand door frame.

I've seen AquaMaxx ConeS CO-1 Skimmer mentioned a few times, as well an general recommendations for Tunze. liveaquaria support suggested the Coralife Super Skimmer Needle Wheel Protein Skimmer or the Marineland Marine Pro.

Thanks!

 

[cpllongjk]

Would you say by looking at these photos that my skimmer is dialed in? It is a vertex omega 150. My display is approx. 50g, sump 25g, and a medium bioload. The tanks been set up for 1 year this month.

I have the venturi turned out 4 turns and am currently getting a tea colored skimmate. It darkens over the week but starts off tea colored. I currently have the bubbles popping just above the bottom part of the collection cup.

If you think I can fine tune a bit more let me know how since this is the first time I've used this venturi to adjust water/air flow. Im used to using a air flow valve.

 

[H.reidi.MN]

Looks decent maybe check here for more info on the 150.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2222623 Vertex Omega Skimmer - First Test

I have a 150 and tbh its way oversized for your tank load most likely so that might be all the skimming you get out of it.?

 

[Drae]

Would you say by looking at these photos that my skimmer is dialed in? It is a vertex omega 150. My display is approx. 50g, sump 25g, and a medium bioload. The tanks been set up for 1 year this month.

I have the venturi turned out 4 turns and am currently getting a tea colored skimmate. It darkens over the week but starts off tea colored. I currently have the bubbles popping just above the bottom part of the collection cup.

If you think I can fine tune a bit more let me know how since this is the first time I've used this venturi to adjust water/air flow. Im used to using a air flow valve.

Your not going to get much more or darker skimmate with a omega 150 on a 50 gallon display.

 

[cpllongjk]

Yeah, probably so. I bought this with a 40g frag tank added in mind. Once my full system is going, my total volume will be 50g display, 40g frag, 20-30g sump. So around 110-120g total system volume.

 

[jfeva0049]

any pros/cons to running skimmer wet vs dry (skimmate)???

which setting is better to run??

 

[Drae]

any pros/cons to running skimmer wet vs dry (skimmate)???

which setting is better to run??

Dry skimmate stinks more and is thicker when I discard it so I'd imagine it has more doc's in it.

 

[DV2027]

Can you mod an sro xp 2000 SSS?

Can you mod an sro xp 2000 SSS?

Hey mojo,

Would a neck cleaner and skimmate locker help the performance on my sro xp2000 SSS that is on my 210 mixed reef (lightly stocked now but want to add a few more fish and sps). Or what would you recommend for a skimmer under $500? My budget is small due to My wife accidentally backed over my brand new 3000xp SSS that I was putting together in the garage (my fault for leaving it there). The skimmer and pump are toast.

 

[Raoul5Duke]

Looking for recommendations for ~360 gallon DT with an additional 80 gallons in the sump and a 40 gallon frag tank so approximately 500 gallon total system. I never fully understood if I should include total tank volume or just display volume. Regardless I always try to employ the +1 theory. Tank will be primarily SPS & LPS, but likely will have a little of everything.

I currently have a Vertex Alpha 170 on a 4 tank system that's about 150 gallons which I've been pleased with. I kind of like the idea of a recirculating skimmer since I won't have to worry about the water level and I think I want to stay with internal skimmers, however I am open to all suggestions. The Octopus DCRS 300 skimmer and the Vertex Alpha 300 have been suggested. I think its an important piece of equipment, but when we start getting over $1,500 I really begin to wonder if its worth the $$.

Suggestions?

 

[Drae]

Looking for recommendations for ~360 gallon DT with an additional 80 gallons in the sump and a 40 gallon frag tank so approximately 500 gallon total system. I never fully understood if I should include total tank volume or just display volume. Regardless I always try to employ the +1 theory. Tank will be primarily SPS & LPS, but likely will have a little of everything.

I currently have a Vertex Alpha 170 on a 4 tank system that's about 150 gallons which I've been pleased with. I kind of like the idea of a recirculating skimmer since I won't have to worry about the water level and I think I want to stay with internal skimmers, however I am open to all suggestions. The Octopus DCRS 300 skimmer and the Vertex Alpha 300 have been suggested. I think its an important piece of equipment, but when we start getting over $1,500 I really begin to wonder if its worth the $$.

Suggestions?

Sump volume shouldn't be added imo. It adds to the stability of the system but doesn't add any bio load. The frag tank doesn't really have much detritus build up either but its ok to add the frag tank when considering a skimmer. Manufacturer rating are usually bs also. A good rule of thumb (imho)is body size and air/water ratio. You want at minimal a 12" diameter skimmer pulling at least 2000 lph of air. Anything bigger would be great. Check out the jns cone 7 for $999. 16" diameter with 2 sicce shark 5 pumps on it. Theres not many needle wheel, in sump skimmers that can compete at this price point. (Jmho). I do have a buddy that runs one on a 490 gallon mixed reef and it works great. Pulls out coffee colored putred skimmate to.

 

[mfinn]

Time to look for a new skimmer.
I have a 240 packed to the gills with soft corals and beginning to add lps corals.
10 fish looking for a few more.

Was looking at the Aquamaxx ConeS Co 3

Price is about right.

 

[cjobo]

Need Help!! Remora..........

Need Help!! Remora..........

Hey all...short time lurker, first time poster. The amount I've learned just from reading here is fantastic; I really appreciate the wealth of info available.

My new tank:

36g bow, short term intent FOWLR, 40# LS, 40+# LR, cycled. Aqueon 55/75 HOB w/cut-to-size floss and Purigen. Koralia 850gph head, soon to be split to (2x) Koralia Nano 425gph. 5 hermits, 1 clown. 1.024 sg, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5-10 nitrate, 8.1 pH, 77-78°.

I just added a Remora w/MJ1200, and I think it has a problem. The bottom of the collection cup doesn't fit tightly into the body, such that a lot of bubbles sneak by it, collecting under the cup and going back into the tank (popping along the way and generally making a salty mess). I tried the duct tape trick to seal the gap, but the cup just fills up immediately, no matter how high it's adjusted.

Is it normal for the Remora to allow bubbles past the rectangular bottom of the collection cup? This much:

It's a constant flow of bubbles past the cup and back into the water flow.

Thanks for reading and I appreciate any comments / advice from some very knowledgeable folks.

 

[Drae]

Time to look for a new skimmer.
I have a 240 packed to the gills with soft corals and beginning to add lps corals.
10 fish looking for a few more.

Was looking at the Aquamaxx ConeS Co 3

Price is about right.

Considering actual water volume ,accounting for water displacement, your 240 probably has about 210 +/- gallons in the display and being a softie tank I'd say the cone co-3 would be just about right on the money.

 

[mfinn]

Considering actual water volume ,accounting for water displacement, your 240 probably has about 210 +/- gallons in the display and being a softie tank I'd say the cone co-3 would be just about right on the money.

I have a sump that holds right around 70 gallons too.

 

[Raoul5Duke]

Sump volume shouldn't be added imo. It adds to the stability of the system but doesn't add any bio load. The frag tank doesn't really have much detritus build up either but its ok to add the frag tank when considering a skimmer. Manufacturer rating are usually bs also. A good rule of thumb (imho)is body size and air/water ratio. You want at minimal a 12" diameter skimmer pulling at least 2000 lph of air. Anything bigger would be great. Check out the jns cone 7 for $999. 16" diameter with 2 sicce shark 5 pumps on it. Theres not many needle wheel, in sump skimmers that can compete at this price point. (Jmho). I do have a buddy that runs one on a 490 gallon mixed reef and it works great. Pulls out coffee colored putred skimmate to.

That thing looks pretty impressive Drae. The shark fins are a little goofy, but I think I would rather save the $400 over the Aquamaxx without them.

 

[VanceL]

Looking for recommendations for an in sump skimmer. Tank is 70 gallons heavily stocked, feed a lot. Need something with a diameter of 8" or smaller, sump is tiny. Currently running a super skimmer 60? I think. Preforms well couple cups a week and no algae just feel I could be doing better.