Choosing a skimmer for a RS Reefer 350

[Max Rackstraw]

Finding the perfect skimmer for my Reefer 350 is proving quite difficult... There is a plethora of options from so many brands of which i have no experience since this will be my first skimmer ever.

-Application
I need recommendations for my particular application which will be a mixed reef undergoing gradual stocking over the course of a year or two. Initially the tank will be lightly stocked but eventually medium to heavily stocked with some sps coral. Therefore i want a skimmer that would still be useful in the beggining of my tank's lifecycle and be fully capable of handling the bioload of the fully stocked system in the future. For this reason i believe i should have an oversized skimmer compared to the manufacturer recommendations?

-DC Pump
I am concerned about noise, i like my system to be as close to silent as i can get it and for that reason i am interested in DC pump skimmers and would pay a bit more for a DC option.

-Overflow hose
I want the skimmer to feature an overflow hose out of the collection cup into a container so that i can run the skimmer for longer without removing the cup for emptying aswell as the reliability factor that having a overflow container provides.

-Budget
My budget is not particularly leaniant here (£350 / $420 at MOST) unfortunately so second hand options are certainly an option and probably the best option.


Any suggestions, recommendations or advice is much appreciated! With all these options out there i cannot make a decision on which size is right let alone which particular skimmer...

 

[Max Rackstraw]

Some suggestion. 1) in general corals reduce biological load because they they act like a bunch of filter. 2) sump act like a filter so sump volume is not part of the overall volume, display volume should be used to size skimmer 3) filter socks/ rollers also reduce bio load 4) heavy bio load is 1/2” of fish per display gallon 5) oversized skimmer will not skim consistent, it will make bubbles until organically build up, skim them and wait again. It is better to stick to recommended size so it skims consistent.
I use Bubble King Double Cone 130 on my Reefer250 and it is about right size for my system and silent.
Good luck on your selection.

Thanks for the concise and clear advice. I want a relatively reliable and pain free setup so i think i am not going to oversize my skimmer and instead stick to the manufacturer recommendation for my display tank size as you say

 

[Max Rackstraw]

I love my Tune 9410 skimmer. I don't have the DC model but I understand it's just as good if not better

Tunze skimmers are one to look at then, thanks

 

[ptrusk]

X2 on the Simplicity 2400DC. Running one on a 90 gallon for about a year and a half. Build quality is good, pulls a ton of gunk and is dead silent. Once it is dialed in, it is very consistent and does not require constant adjusting.

At first, it made kind of a whining noise, but that has since gone away. Not sure if it needed tweaking or just wear in a bit but now it is dead silent.

These really are a good value.

Also available on Amazon if that matters.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

I'll measure the sump later and see what comes up. Currently the RSK300 would be what i buy if i had to get one right this second. But the rsk600 might serve me better in the long run.

Your videos dont want to work by the way but the fact that your family does not complain about those skimmers says a fair bit to me!

Yes I’m don’t know how to post videos to here. Many other don’t work for me. I think it has to do with iPhone. I’ll research that sometime this week as I would like to be able to post videos. Best of luck.