It's been 15 years! These new skimmers have my head spinning1

[CayeCaulker]

I used to run HSA beckett skimmers. I have been out of the hobby for 15 years..

I always oversized my skimmers!


I am setting up a 150 show and want to over size again. In the past my over sized skimmer solution saved me from a few possible disasters and I want to do it again. Problem is HSA is out of business and I don't know what to buy.


Ideas/

 

[Clawfish]

I used to run HSA beckett skimmers. I have been out of the hobby for 15 years..

I always oversized my skimmers!


I am setting up a 150 show and want to over size again. In the past my over sized skimmer solution saved me from a few possible disasters and I want to do it again. Problem is HSA is out of business and I don't know what to buy.


Ideas/

reef octo and bashsea twister skimmers are both great choices. i’ve had both one on a 220 and one on a 90
currently have the reef octo 110sss in my 65g and love it!

 

[t5Nitro]

I think LifeReef will get you a skimmer performing better than bubble king. Its just dated looking and use energy hogs for pumps if you take the standard mag drive.

 

[JNalley]

I mean, not for nothin', but I've been out of the game for 20 years and just came back. I think you should embrace the newer technology out there rather than oversizing a skimmer. Use a Filter Roller Mat and an Undersized skimmer. It will be far more efficient.

 

[zirky]

LIFE REEF for many reasons,there is no second place.

 

[mehaffydr]

I would recommend looking at one with a DC pump, There adjustable and more energy efficient

 

[Big Smelly fish]

I love lifereef, but am using octopus now an older Diablo 10 inch who’s is now this one.

Regal 250EXT 10" Recirculating Protein Skimmer (VarioS)

BRS Recommended for tanks up to: Heavy Bioload (Most Common) - 250 Gallons Medium Bioload - 375 Gallons Light Bioload - 550 gallons Reef Octopus Recirculating 10" Protein Skimmer from Reef Octopus - with a controllable VarioS DC pumps to process more or less water, depending on your aquariums...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[CayeCaulker]

I had some spawnings and my skimmer saved me. I know when it's tuned in and the system is mature and running smooth I probably won't need much of anything but it's a safety factor for me. I want to be able to save my system and power clean it if needed.

I really want over kill and understand I won't use it 99% of the time.

 

[CayeCaulker]

I would recommend looking at one with a DC pump, There adjustable and more energy efficient

I have been reading about dc controlled recirculating skimmers. My head is just spinning.

I do have some fears about a DC pump impeller housing cracking and causing problems. I like the reliability of a iwasaki pump. I am going external for sure.

 

[Big Smelly fish]

I always go oversized. The DC pump is great, no noise , adjustable, just a fantastic skimmer. Large footprint, my is external outside of the stand

 

[X-37B]

Tunze 9430dc. I run one on my 120 total 150g's. Most underrated skimmers out their.
Its rated for 900g's or 270 full sps.
My 120 is sps.
Set and forget Just empty the cup and you dont even have to turn it off.
Skims 300ml of dark skim a day.

 

[CayeCaulker]

so I should just pass on digging out a downdraft beckett skimmer and go for the new stuff?

 

[Big Smelly fish]

If you already have a decent skimmer , use it and upgrade later if you think you need to. Use the money for other needed things.

 

[Yodeling]

I have tried lots of skimmers and here's my unbiased opinion on which you should buy.... said no one ever.

 

[Derrick0580]

I run a reef octo 200sss regal 8” on my 120. I love it and it pulls some of the darkest skimmate I have seen!

 

[PlumberDude]

Reef octopus skimmers are great. I currently run a bubble king SM 250 on a heavily stocked 250 DD it is pretty finicky and honestly my octopus diablo was just as good or better.
On the BK I hate having to mess with the bayonet adjustment constantly because it overflows. I’m going to pull it this weekend and give it a bath… see if that helps. Anyway there are lots of good skimmers and they all work, some are designed better than others and it’s all about what works for you.

 

[jda]

The current trend is needle wheel, but mostly because most don't know what beckett, downdraft or venturi can do, or even what they are... or they don't have tanks large enough to support them.

I am an oversize guy. I run multiple skimmers on all of my tanks. I use a few AMS, a EuroReef 12-2, a few LifeReef, downdraft and a RO with the Sicce PSK. The ASM and EuroReef skimmers with the Sedra pumps still outperform nearly anything new on the market except for LifeReef, Tunze and a VERY few others. The older ROs with the Sicce Pumps were really good too, but they stopped making them with Sicce pumps, so you have to find a used one. You can use whatever pumps you want with a LR - I am using a lower wattage Tunze or Sicce on mine (about half of a Mag Drive) and it works just as good.

In the end, what was really good when you got out is probably really good today. Cones, bubbles plates and all of that is just hogwash.

Here is a photo of about a week's work of downdraft as the THIRD SKIMMER in this system - I have a LifeReef and a large RO with Sicce PSK on this tank too. This is along with about good amount of skim mate - probably 32 ounces of 10w30 sludge down the drain into the container. I am not recommending downdraft since not everybody can fit them, want to deal with them, or whatever, but they sure do work well and no needle wheels outside of a select few can still do what they do.

On 14th after cleaning and running for a few hours:

On 19th after running for just about a week:

 

[MBruun]

Tunze 9430dc. I run one on my 120 total 150g's. Most underrated skimmers out their.
Its rated for 900g's or 270 full sps.
My 120 is sps.
Set and forget Just empty the cup and you dont even have to turn it off.
Skims 300ml of dark skim a day.

I have the same skimmer. Best choice ever
The air inlet sock air through a large CO2 scrubber (getting air from outside) instead of the mini noise reducer so now it is near silent.

 

[ReefGeezer]

I just replaced my big, old (15+ years), and noisy Reef Octopus recirculating skimmer. I went the efficiency route. My tank is pretty mature, so splitting hairs about which method of producing air bubbles is more effective wasn't important. It came down to which one did the job for the cost to own/operate it, was quiet, and fit in the space I had. A needle wheel internal skimmer seemed to be a good choice. There are a ton of brands including Reef Octopus that offer models like these. Some cost a lot. Some are inexpensive. I went with inexpensive. Unfortunately, it is too soon to tell if I made the right decision.

 

[Yodeling]

They all make a lot of bubbles, that's pretty much it. I never used a beckett, but I had a number of venturi skimmers and they worked fine. I also had a few needle wheels, and they werked fine too. Currently I'm running a Bubble King Deluxe 300 and it also works fine.

I could post a picture of my collection cup as proof of how good my skimmer is, but does anybody really have a skimmer that doesn't produce skimmate?

Anywho, my point is, you'd be hard-pressed to find a skimmer that doesn't perform its designated duty admirably.