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...

 

[HankstankXXL750]

I run the Red Sea RSK300 in my 350. You could measure the skimmer compartment to verify that an RSK600 would fit. They are not DC, but I find them to be super quiet. I run these in all my tanks. 300,600,900 based on aquarium size. I have an XL525, XXL750, and an S1000 all in the same room. When the overflows are properly adjusted you really don’t hear a thing. 300 $349
, 600 $449 on bulk reef supply.

 

[Jekyl]

Not sure what an RS350 consist of but I recommend reef octo skimmers.

 

[Max Rackstraw]

I run the Red Sea RSK300 in my 350. You could measure the skimmer compartment to verify that an RSK600 would fit. They are not DC, but I find them to be super quiet. I run these in all my tanks. 300,600,900 based on aquarium size. I have an XL525, XXL750, and an S1000 all in the same room. When the overflows are properly adjusted you really don’t hear a thing. 300 $349
, 600 $449 on bulk reef supply.

In honesty the red sea skimmer has everything i need and therefore i would purchase one however i have heard really mixed reviews on the noise level from it. You say it's quiet... So do many others... But then lots of people complain saying its the loudest skimmer theyve ever had?!

I am very concerned about noise so this is of high importance

 

[Max Rackstraw]

Not sure what an RS350 consist of but I recommend reef octo skimmers.

I have heard good things about them. Do you recommend that i get the skimmer one size up from the recommended size by the manufacturer for my tank size since it may eventually be heavily stocked? I dont know if doing this will mean the skimmer will not function until the system is heavily stocked due to insufficient bioload for bubbles to form in the neck of the skimmer

 

[Jekyl]

I have heard good things about them. Do you recommend that i get the skimmer one size up from the recommended size by the manufacturer for my tank size since it may eventually be heavily stocked? I dont know if doing this will mean the skimmer will not function until the system is heavily stocked due to insufficient bioload for bubbles to form in the neck of the skimmer

I would follow tank recommendations from the manufacturer. If concerned just make your tank at the low end of their recommendation.

 

[Max Rackstraw]

I would follow tank recommendations from the manufacturer. If concerned just make your tank at the low end of their recommendation.

Thank you, your advice is appreciated!

 

[HankstankXXL750]

Measure your skimmer chamber if the RSK600 fits I would go that way. I wish I had gone larger as I stock my tanks as well.
I’m going to try to attach a video. If it works great. Otherwise I don’t know how to make a you-tube video as I’ve seen others do. I can’t comment on other brands as when I got back into the hobby last May the Red Sea was recommended by my lfs where I bought my first XL525. I now have 6 systems each running these skimmers. I hate to send the video because it sounds really loud on it when I play it back I don’t know if holding my phone in the cabinet amplifies it? But play back was definitely louder than me actually sitting there listening. And I’ll admit I don’t have the worlds best hearing (rock music, firearms, tractors and power tools have ensured that) but none of my family complains and I have 5 of them running in cabinets in our family room where we watch TV. I get a ton more noise from my QT’s with HOB filters.
Let me know if videos don’t work.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

Although you can get too big of a skimmer I don’t think going up one size is too much. However the 300 is rated for 75g heavy bio-load which is what the 350 is for Display volume, but 90g total. The 600 rated at 150 gallons heavy bio load. What I looked up says that if the skimmer is too big it may have to run wetter to remove the nutrients.
I have included pics of what Red Sea has for water volume capacity for both.

 

[Lavey29]

I have the XL300 tank and run an Eshopps S200 skimmer very effectively with mixed reef and good bioload level.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

Although you can get too big of a skimmer I don’t think going up one size is too much. However the 300 is rated for 75g heavy bio-load which is what the 350 is for Display volume, but 90g total. The 600 rated at 150 gallons heavy bio load. What I looked up says that if the skimmer is too big it may have to run wetter to remove the nutrients.
I have included pics of what Red Sea has for water volume capacity for both.

I currently run the 900 in a 110g dis/139g total, a 160g dis/200g total and a 210g dis/260g total. All heavily stocked. I am fighting really high nutrients in my predator tank but they are not clean feeders (puffer, shark, 2 groupers and a large wrasse.

 

[Corman00]

I have a Red Sea 350 and ran a red sea skimmer 300 for 2 years and just recently switched to the simplicity 240DC skimmer. Its rated for I believe 100 gallon heavy bioload also costs around 280 and is a DC pump. So far I enjoy it much better then I did the redsea 300 skimmer. Its foot print is also smaller and much less noise!
https://www.simplicityaquatics.com/skimmers/

 

[Max Rackstraw]

Although you can get too big of a skimmer I don’t think going up one size is too much. However the 300 is rated for 75g heavy bio-load which is what the 350 is for Display volume, but 90g total. The 600 rated at 150 gallons heavy bio load. What I looked up says that if the skimmer is too big it may have to run wetter to remove the nutrients.
I have included pics of what Red Sea has for water volume capacity for both.

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!

 

[Rudzbrewski]

I run a RS 600 in my reefer xl425. It is very quiet. The hose to be able to empty the skimmate without removing the cup is awesome and so is the wiper feature. I will caution you that there was a 10-14 break in period that is quite loud and concerning. I was definitely panicking at first, but after the first week or two it quieted right down.

 

[Max Rackstraw]

I run a RS 600 in my reefer xl425. It is very quiet. The hose to be able to empty the skimmate without removing the cup is awesome and so is the wiper feature. I will caution you that there was a 10-14 break in period that is quite loud and concerning. I was definitely panicking at first, but after the first week or two it quieted right down.

good to know about that break in period, that may explain a fair few of those reviews where people returned it due to noise levels being too high.

 

[Max Rackstraw]

I have a Red Sea 350 and ran a red sea skimmer 300 for 2 years and just recently switched to the simplicity 240DC skimmer. Its rated for I believe 100 gallon heavy bioload also costs around 280 and is a DC pump. So far I enjoy it much better then I did the redsea 300 skimmer. Its foot print is also smaller and much less noise!
https://www.simplicityaquatics.com/skimmers/

ill look into the simplicity aquatics skimmers, would you say you are pleased with the overall build quality of the unit?

 

[Max Rackstraw]

If i was to purchase a red sea AC powered skimmer like the RSK300 or RSK600 and found the pump to be too noisy... could i replace it with a DC pump later down the line? If so anybody got some decent recommendations on which DC pump to go for? I don't want anything too high in cost, just a reliable, good quality, quiet DC pump that will work in the Red Sea skimmers

 

[Max Rackstraw]

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!

The videos are working now, must have been an issue on my end? Thanks for sending them

 

[topjimmy]

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...

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

 

[Pod_01]

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...

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.