HOB Skimmer Options

Maobea · Dec 8, 2018

Hi guys,

I'm in the market for an HOB Protein Skimmer (I dont have a sum) for my 70 gal reef tank and I'm looking for some suggestions. I've been looking at these:

https://www.amazon.com/AquaMaxx-HOB...aquamaxx+hob-1.5+hang-on-back+protein+skimmer

https://www.amazon.com/Reef-Octopus...8-3&keywords=reef+octopus+hob+protein+skimmer

https://www.amazon.com/CoralVue-Tec...8-4&keywords=reef+octopus+hob+protein+skimmer

https://www.amazon.com/Reef-Octopus...8-5&keywords=reef+octopus+hob+protein+skimmer

Has anybody have any experience with any of these or any others? I have a budget of around $250.00

Also, I currently have a regular filter with mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration. Could I replace that with a HOB skimmer or should I use both?

Thank you all!

Mauricio

Flippers4pups · Dec 8, 2018

Bump.

nashvillian · Dec 8, 2018

I just set up a RO BH90 I bought off a fellow reefer here, and it is a beast. Pulled out coffee in 30 minutes of being setup (very nutrient rich tank). Apparently the cone design is more efficient, but the agitation is immense. The outflow isn’t terribly strong either.

ReeferReefer · Dec 8, 2018

I have used a Reef Octopus BH-2000 that I've been using on a 90 gallon reef tank for around 3 years. I don't have experience with other hob skimmer but I like this one.

Maobea · Dec 9, 2018

Hmm, I was leaning towards the AquaMaxx, but it seems that everyone is getting the Octo. Haven’t seen many reviews of the AquaMaxx. I just like the fact that is has the Sicce pump.

ReeferReefer · Dec 9, 2018

Maobea said:
Hmm, I was leaning towards the AquaMaxx, but it seems that everyone is getting the Octo. Haven’t seen many reviews of the AquaMaxx. I just like the fact that is has the Sicce pump.

It will probably work well, I just don't have personal experience. RO is just a more established brand and there are a lot of them floating around.

I have seen plenty of people who like their Aquamaxx skimmers though, generally on smaller tanks.

I would look for one second hand. I got mine from my local reef club.

Maobea · Dec 9, 2018

ReeferReefer said:
It will probably work well, I just don't have personal experience. RO is just a more established brand and there are a lot of them floating around.

I have seen plenty of people who like their Aquamaxx skimmers though, generally on smaller tanks.

I would look for one second hand. I got mine from my local reef club.

I have been looking on eBay, but I’m always a bit finicky about eBay, though I’ve seen some good prices. I’m just not sure about it

ReeferReefer · Dec 9, 2018

Maobea said:
I have been looking on eBay, but I’m always a bit finicky about eBay, though I’ve seen some good prices. I’m just not sure about it

Have you check out your local reef club? Mine has a Facebook group we use. Just make a post asking if anyone has hob skimmers. That's how I got mine for free.

Maobea · Dec 9, 2018

Ill have to check if there’s a reef club. I live in a little town in Missouri, but maybe there’s one in Kansas City. That’d be the closest city

ReeferReefer · Dec 9, 2018

Maobea said:
Ill have to check if there’s a reef club. I live in a little town in Missouri, but maybe there’s one in Kansas City. That’d be the closest city

Patience is key with the groups. Check regularly for people tearing down their tanks and stuff.

SteveEreef · Dec 9, 2018

I have an Aqua Maxx hob. I like it a lot. But I have it on a 32 gallon Biocube so cant say about it on the 70. As mentioned have heard great comments on the Reef Octopus HOBs

Homebrewer · Dec 9, 2018

Adding my opinion and some info....

First, +1 on the Reef Octopus BH-2000. I'm running that one right now and I ran its previous version for 9 years! I've said it before on this site but the older version would have lasted longer if I had broken it down and cleaned it more often than every 3 years! The new one is quieter, more energy efficient, and is a fantastic HOB skimmer.

Also, though I was biased toward the new BH-2000 before I bought, I did take a hard look at the Aquamaxx. One thing I'll point out is that if you have a canopy on your tank like I do, be sure to measure and make sure that the aquamaxx will fit. If you look at both designs, the RO intake and return are piped into the body at the exact same level, but with the aquamaxx, the plumbing is at two different heights. I called marine depot and they actually measured the difference in distance for me and the aquamaxx was not going to work for me. That made my final decision easy.

Hope this helps!

Maobea · Dec 10, 2018

Thank you all so much for the input! Sounds like both brands are pretty solid. Just have to check prices and see which will fit. I don’t have a canopy, but I do have a mesh cover on the tank, so I’ll have to see if the intake and return pipe will fit where I currently have my filter.
On that note, does anybody know if I’d still have a need for a filter or will the skimmer take on the job of a filter?

Homebrewer · Dec 10, 2018

That is a good question and one where you will get a variety of opinions I’m sure. Skimming is a form of mechanical filtration and for me, I consider it my main method of nutrient export (outside of water changes). Depending on your system, you’ll have to decide if you need/want additional mechanical, biological, and/or chemical filtration.

For me, I’m one of the few who run a canister filter instead of a sump. I use Seachem Matrix for additional biological filtration, and I run Chemipure Blue for my chemical filtration... but that’s about it.

Again, gonna depend on a lot of things and I would imagine you’ll get a lot of opinions on this.

ReeferReefer · Dec 10, 2018

Maobea said:
Thank you all so much for the input! Sounds like both brands are pretty solid. Just have to check prices and see which will fit. I don’t have a canopy, but I do have a mesh cover on the tank, so I’ll have to see if the intake and return pipe will fit where I currently have my filter.
On that note, does anybody know if I’d still have a need for a filter or will the skimmer take on the job of a filter?

Plenty of people are running tanks without mechanical filtration these days (I don't personally consider a skimmer mechanical filtration), meaning you might not need to run a filter. That being said even if you are not running a sponge in your hob filter, you can put carbon or other chemical filtration in it if you need to run some.

Maobea · Dec 10, 2018

Yeah, I’m debating on wether or not to keep my hob filter. I currently have it set up with mechanical, chemical and biological pads. If it’ll help keep my water that much cleaner, then I could cut a hole on the other side of the cover, but if it isn’t necessary or even damaging (as I know filters can sometimes be nitrate factories) then i could just remove it and place the skimmer in its place.

tweeter · Dec 10, 2018

I have the Reef Octopus 1000 for my 55. It has been going for 6 yrs now and is a work horse for my tank! I've never had any problems from it, and it is super easy to adjust! I love it! For your 70, I would recommend the 2000

tweeter · Dec 10, 2018

Maobea said:
Yeah, I’m debating on wether or not to keep my hob filter. I currently have it set up with mechanical, chemical and biological pads. If it’ll help keep my water that much cleaner, then I could cut a hole on the other side of the cover, but if it isn’t necessary or even damaging (as I know filters can sometimes be nitrate factories) then i could just remove it and place the skimmer in its place.

I have used a HOB filter for my 55 reef mixed tank with sps for 6 yrs along with my HOB skimmer. As long as you keep up with weekly water changes, it works just fine. I would say my bio load on my tank is heavy....

Neil57 · Dec 10, 2018

I have been using the Aquamax HOB on my 55 gallon for the past year and it has been great. I like that i can adjust the skim rate to be wet or a little dryer. My nitrates have been between 4 and 6 ppm even feeding fairly heavy. I think it's a good choice.

Maobea · Dec 11, 2018

Neil57 said:
I have been using the Aquamax HOB on my 55 gallon for the past year and it has been great. I like that i can adjust the skim rate to be wet or a little dryer. My nitrates have been between 4 and 6 ppm even feeding fairly heavy. I think it's a good choice.

How often do you feed? I’ve been feeding every other day, but I feel that’s too little. At the same time, I don’t want to have my nitrates shoot up