Protein skimmer sizing

[edieglin]

I have a 75g tank with a stock tank as a sump roughly 90g water volume in the sump, the tank has a colony of hairy mushrooms, small hammer coral, a medium gsp colony, few button polyp colonys and a good sized leather coral the fis are
4x chromies
2x Clown
scopas tang
Yellow tail damsel
Lawnmower blenny
Flame hawkfish

So I was wondering what size protein skimmer I need and what brand or specific skimmer is a good skimmer
I do want to get some stoney corals

 

[legionofdoon]

Reef octopus is what SeaWorld for their coral rehab facility uses. I myself am partial to the lifereef skimmers. Look at (reef octo)their recommendations for sizing for heavily stocked. I like the Life reef because you can use whatever pump you want and they are easily upgradeable.

 

[edieglin]

Reef octopus is what SeaWorld for their coral rehab facility uses. I myself am partial to the lifereef skimmers. Look at (reef octo)their recommendations for sizing for heavily stocked. I like the Life reef because you can use whatever pump you want and they are easily upgradeable.

Oh sorry I somehow for forgot it included this question in the initial post. Do get a skimmer rated for the display water volume or over all water volume?

 

[legionofdoon]

Oh sorry I somehow for forgot it included this question in the initial post. Do get a skimmer rated for the display water volume or over all water volume?

Overall, though typically your scape will subtract and your sump will add volume, so unless you have a 3D scanner and know displacement of your scape it's really just a rough estimate. My tank volume is 80 gallons and my sump is 19. And I have about 40 pounds of rock and 20 of sand. So I just estimate everything at 80 gallons.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I always oversize my skimmers, I go one size up from the recommended size.

 

[Freenow54]

I have a 75g tank with a stock tank as a sump roughly 90g water volume in the sump, the tank has a colony of hairy mushrooms, small hammer coral, a medium gsp colony, few button polyp colonys and a good sized leather coral the fis are
4x chromies
2x Clown
scopas tang
Yellow tail damsel
Lawnmower blenny
Flame hawkfish

So I was wondering what size protein skimmer I need and what brand or specific skimmer is a good skimmer
I do want to get some stoney corals

I do believe that Manufacturers will Recommend sizing. As to make I'm sold on OCTO

 

[Liquid361]

I have a 280g volume mixed reef. I did an awful lot of research on each component I purchased. Cost was no object, but should’ve been. I opt’d for the Reef Octopus, SSS Elite. It was a very good choice and I’ve been nothing but happy with it. I’ve owned others including NYOS and maxspect.

 

[Pntbll687]

Oh sorry I somehow for forgot it included this question in the initial post. Do get a skimmer rated for the display water volume or over all water volume?

One rated for the total volume of water.

BUT, I will say I oversize my skimmers and turn the pumps down. Nothing worse than getting a skimmer and then outgrowing it in a year or two.

Always check clearance sections. Coralvue has the K3 on closeout, here's one rated for 200g heavy stock, only $215. I bought the next size down for one of my frag systems, I just turn the pump down to about 50%.
https://store.coralvue.com/icecap-k3-200-ovp-in-sump-protein-skimmer

 

[Freenow54]

One rated for the total volume of water.

BUT, I will say I oversize my skimmers and turn the pumps down. Nothing worse than getting a skimmer and then outgrowing it in a year or two.

Always check clearance sections. Coralvue has the K3 on closeout, here's one rated for 200g heavy stock, only $215. I bought the next size down for one of my frag systems, I just turn the pump down to about 50%.
https://store.coralvue.com/icecap-k3-200-ovp-in-sump-protein-skimmer

Interesting never thought that technology could be developed as air to flow of water seems critical. Another thing I dont know how the flow is controlled , but if you opt for sometning more conventional, set the flow valve once and leave it alone. Just turn off power when cleaning playing with the valve is disrupting to it after water changes I have found

 

[Pntbll687]

Interesting never thought that technology could be developed as air to flow of water seems critical. Another thing I dont know how the flow is controlled , but if you opt for sometning more conventional, set the flow valve once and leave it alone. Just turn off power when cleaning playing with the valve is disrupting to it after water changes I have found

There's a gate valve to control water height and a dc pump with 10 different speeds to control the water flow through the skimmer. The pump sucks water from below skimmer, outside the body

 

[edieglin]

I'm eyeballing the OCTO Elite 150-int it's rated 160g medium bioload excluding sump, what do y'all think I'm fairly new to this

 

[Freenow54]

There's a gate valve to control water height and a dc pump with 10 different speeds to control the water flow through the skimmer. The pump sucks water from below skimmer, outside the body

Then I am more confused unless you set the speed once. The conventional ones ( I will use that language ) used the valve to set the air mixture. The impeller does the mixing. I assume then that the air venturi is fixed? as to size ?

 

[Pntbll687]

Then I am more confused unless you set the speed once. The conventional ones ( I will use that language ) used the valve to set the air mixture. The impeller does the mixing. I assume then that the air venturi is fixed? as to size ?

Yeah, it still has an air line that comes out of the body and connects to a silencer on the neck of the skimmer.

The speeds on the pump will determine how much air and water is mixed. Less speed less water and air mixed, faster speed more air and water mixed.

Now I say more and less as in total overall quantity, I have no idea if the ratio of air to water changes at all through the different speeds.

 

[Freenow54]

Yeah, it still has an air line that comes out of the body and connects to a silencer on the neck of the skimmer.

The speeds on the pump will determine how much air and water is mixed. Less speed less water and air mixed, faster speed more air and water mixed.

Now I say more and less as in total overall quantity, I have no idea if the ratio of air to water changes at all through the different speeds.

I wonder if you set the speed then play with the globe valve. That would make sense. Going to see if I can find the manual

 

[C_AWOL]

Are you using a filter roller? If so then sizing downward for your skimmer is more ideal since you will get very inconsistent performance with an oversized unit.
If not then typically sizing for your bioload + display volume only is your best bet to get consistent performance (sump volume dilutes how much impact X bioload has on the calculation)

 

[edieglin]

Are you using a filter roller? If so then sizing downward for your skimmer is more ideal since you will get very inconsistent performance with an oversized unit.
If not then typically sizing for your bioload + display volume only is your best bet to get consistent performance (sump volume dilutes how much impact X bioload has on the calculation)

I have a great sized colony of Caulerpa and had a vertex skimmer I got off-hand but that didn't last long so right now it's just the Caulerpa, if I had to guess it'd fill a 5g bucket