Skimmer Q&A Thread

Looking for skimmer options for a 180 gallon reef tank with 125 gallon tank as sump. Tank will have sps lps fish. Medium to heavy bio load. Budget is around $600 not opposed to looking for used skimmer. Skimmer would be in sump style.
 
I'm looking for a decent skimmer for a 60 gallon tank with about an additional 10 gallons in the sump (sump is a 20 tall). I don't want to break the bank, but not go cheap either. Just looking for a good perfomer, easy to adjust and maintain. I guess I'm looking for everything lol. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Looking for skimmer options for a 180 gallon reef tank with 125 gallon tank as sump. Tank will have sps lps fish. Medium to heavy bio load. Budget is around $600 not opposed to looking for used skimmer. Skimmer would be in sump style.

For $649 you could get an atb840 v2. The cone that started it all. You could also get an aquaxx cone 3 for $489. Another option would be the em300, sea side aquatics es7, es2, or cs2.
 
Thanks I'll look those up now. Should I look at getting something rated more then what I have now since later on I would like to link in a frag tank with this system just to future proof. I had a dcs250 I planned to use but sold to a friend that need a skimmer ASAP.
 
Thanks I'll look those up now. Should I look at getting something rated more then what I have now since later on I would like to link in a frag tank with this system just to future proof. I had a dcs250 I planned to use but sold to a friend that need a skimmer ASAP.

Your talking a substantial price jump going up to a 10" skimmer. If it's not going under a stand I would suggest looking into life reef mazzi's.
 
Its going in a stand but it has no sides or anything since it is in a fish room more or less just supports and a top. I could do a external or slide the 125 down and have endless height room.
 
Its going in a stand but it has no sides or anything since it is in a fish room more or less just supports and a top. I could do a external or slide the 125 down and have endless height room.

Aquamaxx cone 5 or a life reef might be in order. Check them out.
 
Aquamaxx cone 5 or a life reef might be in order. Check them out.

The cone 5 would actually fit right in the sump no problem. But omg thank you so much I was looking at the life reef skimmers a long time ago but forgot the name. Time to read back up on these!
 
Hi!
Im trying to decide a skimmer for my 450g DT + 100g sump + 100g frag tank mixed reef heavy fish load. I have 2 options bubble king Super marine 300 or Reef Dynamics HIR 1250E. What would you run? Take in consideration that BK uses 2 pump around 800$ each and the Reef Dynamics uses 6 pump of the same model around 350$. The bubble king is $2200 and reefdynamics $4100. I need to have a replacement pump in hand bc it would be 1 week before I could get a replacment!
Help please!?!?!
 
Hi!
Im trying to decide a skimmer for my 450g DT + 100g sump + 100g frag tank mixed reef heavy fish load. I have 2 options bubble king Super marine 300 or Reef Dynamics HIR 1250E. What would you run? Take in consideration that BK uses 2 pump around 800$ each and the Reef Dynamics uses 6 pump of the same model around 350$. The bubble king is $2200 and reefdynamics $4100. I need to have a replacement pump in hand bc it would be 1 week before I could get a replacment!
Help please!?!?!

Jeff at reef dynamics is an awesome guy and I really like him and the fact that he's an american manufacturer but but the eheims are still german pumps and they don't compare to the red dragons at all. BK all day imo. You be hard pressed to find a skimmer built as well as a bubble king. You could however find one that produces as well though. Jmo
 
Can some experienced skimmer peeps help me out please? So here are my plans...

I'm setting up a custom 75 gallon SPS tank which will have a very high bioload of fish that require multiple feedings daily, about 5-6 times a day, with NPS corals such as sun corals, dendros, gorgonians, etc. So I'll be doing a lot of daily and night feedings. So, my tank will be getting fed almost 24/7... What kind of skimmer should I get and at what rating? Price and electricity cost is not an issue, except for the bubble king lol, other than that, I don't... What do you guys think?

Oh, also, I have a height clearance of 34" from rim to rim, in which I can fit a skimmer that's about 32" tall.. just putting it out there..
 
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I'm looking for a decent skimmer for a 60 gallon cube tank with about an additional 10 gallons in the sump (sump is a 20 tall). I don't want to break the bank, but not go cheap either. Just looking for a good perfomer, easy to adjust and maintain. I guess I'm looking for everything lol. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Can some experienced skimmer peeps help me out please? So here are my plans...

I'm setting up a custom 75 gallon SPS tank which will have a very high bioload of fish that require multiple feedings daily, about 5-6 times a day, with NPS corals such as sun corals, dendros, gorgonians, etc. So I'll be doing a lot of daily and night feedings. So, my tank will be getting fed almost 24/7... What kind of skimmer should I get and at what rating? Price and electricity cost is not an issue, except for the bubble king lol, other than that, I don't... What do you guys think?

Oh, also, I have a height clearance of 34" from rim to rim, in which I can fit a skimmer that's about 32" tall.. just putting it out there..

There are too many to list. Can you at least provide the top three skimmers you have researched, and we can comment.
 
I'm looking for a decent skimmer for a 60 gallon cube tank with about an additional 10 gallons in the sump (sump is a 20 tall). I don't want to break the bank, but not go cheap either. Just looking for a good perfomer, easy to adjust and maintain. I guess I'm looking for everything lol. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Look at the es5 from sea side aquatics.
 
Drae,

Thanks for the recommendation. I looked for that skimmer online and didn't find much info. I also called my local reef shop who carries seaside aquatic skimmers and they said they have not heard of that model. Is that model still being produced? Thanks!
 
Drae,

Thanks for the recommendation. I looked for that skimmer online and didn't find much info. I also called my local reef shop who carries seaside aquatic skimmers and they said they have not heard of that model. Is that model still being produced? Thanks!

Socaltropicalfish has them also. Closer to you with you being in cali.
 
New Reef Setup...looking for skimmer now.

New Reef Setup...looking for skimmer now.

Greetings everyone!
I've just now started into the hobby with a 30g display tank with Aqueon Proflex 2 sump (17.5g). I'm really excited and I'm having fun with everything but I'm a little stumped and overwhelmed looking at skimmer options. Any advice would be awesome.

Here's what I've learned/read so far. The skimmer should handle/be rated for about 2x the volume, so I'm looking for a 90g-ish skimmer. I want to put the skimmer in the sump (not hob), but I shouldn't put it next to the return. With the Proflex, I've got the segment where the water comes in through filter socks running to the refugeum area and then to the last section where I've got the return pump. Aqueon suggests I put the sump in the same section as the return or even in the refugeum.

So here's my question, regardless of any particular skimmer you might suggest, is it possible and even a good thing to run tubing from the skimmer in the return section to the first area where the water first comes in? If that doesn't work, I guess I'd need to find one that fits in the refugeum right? :spin1:

Thank you kindly for your feedback.
 
Hi all, Iam looking for a skimmer.
My tank a 30x30x26. 100 gallons
I would like to have your opinions, there's so many brand for skimmer.
My budget is 700-800$
Thanks
 
Why not just build a skimmer, I did!
 

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