which skimmer for my nano?

[tonkadawg]

I am looking to pick up a skimmer for my 16 gal bow and have narrowed it down the the Aqua Remora Nano and the CPR BakPak 2R Reef Ready. Wanted to see what everyones opinions on these were.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

I like remoras, but IMO you dont need a skimmer on that small of a tank unless you're planning to do sps or something a bit more difficult like that. For softies and lps, i wouldnt even bother.

 

[tonkadawg]

yeah I have used a remora pro in the past and liked it. I figure the nano will behave the same as the pro just on a smaller scale. I don't have any experinence with the bakpak though. The one thing I don't like about it is it's pretty big.

My tank is going to be probably 90-95% sps with the rest being lps (acans) and clams. Might also have some rics in there but not sure at this time.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

wow your tank sounds exactly like my 16g bowfront will be lol. I'm gonna be doing as many sps as i can and a clam for sure. I've already got an aqua c remora that i've had on other tanks for around a year now and i'll probably use that on my 16. But i've got a 29g sump on mine tho, so i suppose i would need a bigger skimmer than the nano remora, in which case the regular should work out great. I just gotta figure out how to get it in the sump.

Sorta sidetracked, but what light are you gonna use on yours?

 

[tonkadawg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9435609#post9435609 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sir_dudeguy
wow your tank sounds exactly like my 16g bowfront will be lol. I'm gonna be doing as many sps as i can and a clam for sure. I've already got an aqua c remora that i've had on other tanks for around a year now and i'll probably use that on my 16. But i've got a 29g sump on mine tho, so i suppose i would need a bigger skimmer than the nano remora, in which case the regular should work out great. I just gotta figure out how to get it in the sump.

Sorta sidetracked, but what light are you gonna use on yours?

yeah I am running this without a sump, so the skimmer has to be HOB. I also might run another HOB filter with some floss and some charcoal.

As far as lighting I am using a RO 3+ 250HQI that I had from an old tank. The bulb is a phoenix 14K about 10" off the water.

 

[tonkadawg]

just 3 votes????

 

[Radiography14]

the 65 gallon small coralife superskimmer for about 100 bucks is a great skimmer probally for you applications. Alot of good ratings promoted me to buy one and i have in my collection cup a dark black muck

 

[paradicio]

I've got the Remora on my 24g AquaPod. Good skimmer. I had the Rio before and it was just awful.

 

[cimdxb2]

I just installed the saphire skimmer (not sure if they make one to fit your tank), but I love it. Amazing how fast that stuff picks off the crud in the water.

 

[hahnmeister]

Coralife Superskimmer 65. The rest are POSs IMO.

 

[tonkadawg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9451716#post9451716 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cimdxb2
I just installed the saphire skimmer (not sure if they make one to fit your tank), but I love it. Amazing how fast that stuff picks off the crud in the water.

yeah I looked at those, and I don't think you can run one as an HOB.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9454250#post9454250 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
Coralife Superskimmer 65. The rest are POSs IMO.

I saw that, but at 25.5" tall, I think it's too big for the tank.

 

[chelskisw6]

i vote for no skimmer... but you are gonna be having mostly SPS, so maybe you should get one. i havent run a skimmer since my big reef tank a few years ago, so i cant be much help. best of luck though!

 

[rockindacheeks]

Euroreef told me that they will be comming out with a hob skimmer here pretty soon. Of the 2 you picked id go with the AquaC.

 

[hahnmeister]

Dude, I hate to rain on ya, but ER has been promising that skimmer for a while.

 

[tonkadawg]

yeah, I saw that MRC was coming out with one too. I really didn't want to get one of these new to the market skimmers and then find out they don't perform as well as another one. I ended up going with something I knew worked well and ordered a Remora with the mj1200 last night.

Thanks for everyones input!

 

[BeachBum843]

My Aqua-C is a pretty reliable skimmer. A surface overflow cup will greatly improve the skimmer's performance. I don't think Aqua C makes one yet specifically for the nano like they do the remora but you can make your own.

 

[paradicio]

They do make one for the Nano.

 

[cherubfish pair]

nano remora, love it!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9450432#post9450432 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by paradicio
I've got the Remora on my 24g AquaPod. Good skimmer. I had the Rio before and it was just awful.

paradicio, are you getting microbubbles back into your tank?

 

[paradicio]

I was getting loads of microbubbles with the Rio. I got some for the first couple weeks with the Remora, but after that they went away. I've got the MJ900 on my Remora.

 

[hahnmeister]

I dont like remoras because they are a venturi/nozzle design. The restriction used to suck in air produces alot of back pressure on the pumps. Now, on larger, shaft driven pumps like iwaki's and their like, the back pressure isnt so bad (like with a beckett), but on little pumps that suck at dealing with back-pressure in the first place, the output is greatly reduced.

Thats why needlwewheels like the CoralifeSS are the best for smaller tanks... needlewheels are able to make 2-3x the bubbles with the same pump when compared to a pressure-induction system (venturi, beckett, downdraft, etc).

One mod my cousin did on his urchin (in sump remora) was to remove the nozzle all together, and replace the pump with a needlewheel MJ1200... easily 3x the bubbles.