Help me pick my new skimmer

CDavmd · Mar 15, 2019

Looking for some insights- Finishing up my 425xl build and currently cycling. Last item to get is the skimmer. Over the years I've used all sorts of skimmers from the HOB's that sounded like hissing freight trains to some solid work horses like my old SWX and Bubble magus. I have the old SWX running in my basement frag tank and want a shiny new top end skimmer for the build.

I prefer a DC skimmer and want it to be extremely quiet. A small footprint would be ideal but I do not want to sacrifice skimmer performance. I'm also hoping to get an automatic neck cleaner.

I was earlier considering a bubble king cone 130 or 150 but they are AC skimmers and I'm not sure what options are available for a neck cleaner. Their footprints are a bit large and of course $$$!

I have started to really seriously consider the Reef Octopus Elite 150 int, its footprint is still big but I like the ability to easily clean the pump without removing the entire skimmer. The neck cleaner they sell and the apex ready are a plus too! The SSS version of that skimmer has the ideal footprint for my sump but I'm worried I will be sacrificing skimming efficiency with the pump inside the skimmer.

From what I can tell, it appears that all of these are pretty quiet skimmers.

Just looking for user opinions and a nudge to make me commit one way or the other.

Thanks all!

Sod Buster · Mar 15, 2019

Budget? Deltec if you want the Cadillac.

CDavmd · Mar 16, 2019

Thanks, I haven't really looked into Deltec. I owned one of their hang on back monsters back around 2006 and it was insanely loud. I really don't know much about the insump skimmers they make. Budget? eh....trying to stay below $800.

Dkeller_nc · Mar 16, 2019

I would guess that the Reef Octopus 150 might be a bit small/under capacity for your tank, depending on how you intend to run it. I personally use a RO 150 "classic" on my 20g nano setup (in the sump, obviously!), but it's also the main export method for the tank. One thing I'll say about it; while it's an extremely effective skimmer, it's loud.

In contrast, I have the SeaSide Aquatics ES5 on my 50g tank, and have been running it for 5 years. It's absolutely silent. Essentially, the SSA ES5 is a Bubble Magus body with a Sicce PSK200 pump - you can buy them on Amazon if you're interested, and they make several models that correspond to the Bubble Magus sizes.

The bottom line is that an AC-powered skimmer doesn't have to be loud, and they're a heck of a lot cheaper than a DC-pump skimmer. While some may appreciate the controllability, I don't personally see the use case for a skimmer that's typically going to be running flat-out all of the time.