Skimmer Decision Paralysis

[srobertb]

I’m having a mental breakdown over here.

I am trying to pick a skimmer. I’m vacillating between Simplicity 320 and 540 models. I have room for either. I’d guess my bioload will be medium-high with an emphasis on “low” for the first few months here as things get back to normal.

My tank is 200g with a 100g sump and a 40g refugium. I use filter socks which I change weekly. Brain says get 540 but internet says that “too big” is now a thing and a little undersized is better.

I don’t have a budget per se but this has been a big build and less is more right now. I’ve been cycling the sump and refugium while I wait for the tank to arrive and it would be great to have the skimmer in place and broken in before the tank arrived.


Someone tell me what to do!!

 

[doubleshot00]

I would get the bigger one if funds allow it. It has a DC pump so that's a HUGE advantage to ramp it up and down.

I have a red sea 300 and its doesnt have a dc motor and im ALWAYS messing with it to skim. Hate this skimmer. Had a Tunze doc 9012 before and never had to mess with it.

 

[Dburr1014]

Bigger, you will want more fish later.
And as said, dial this one down for now.

 

[doubleshot00]

YEAH AND NOW YOU GOT ME LOOKING AT NEW SKIMMERS!

 

[srobertb]

I would get the bigger one if funds allow it. It has a DC pump so that's a HUGE advantage to ramp it up and down.

I have a red sea 300 and its doesnt have a dc motor and im ALWAYS messing with it to skim. Hate this skimmer. Had a Tunze doc 9012 before and never had to mess with it.

That’s good to know. I was just looking at the Red Sea 900 on BRS. The extra $300 for the DC pump gave me pause.

 

[srobertb]

YEAH AND NOW YOU GOT ME LOOKING AT NEW SKIMMERS!

The Simplicity lineup is on sale at Chewy.com plus a $30 gift card. I’m seeing if anyone will price match the 540DC and I’ll report back if someone says yes but they have the 2 smaller ones in stock. Makes it like $50-$100 off I think.

 

[doubleshot00]

The Simplicity lineup is on sale at Chewy.com plus a $30 gift card. I’m seeing if anyone will price match the 540DC and I’ll report back if someone says yes but they have the 2 smaller ones in stock. Makes it like $50-$100 off I think.

Man i may do this. I hate this Red Sea skimmer.

 

[srobertb]

Man i may do this. I hate this Red Sea skimmer.

Sorry to hear that. The Red Sea made the list this morning as I thought I could probably automate the neck cleaner with a little 24v motor. I have only found one bad review for the Simplicity lineup but several for the Red Sea.

 

[Typhon]

The problem with oversized skimmer is they tend not to pull anything instead of too much.

But with DC skimmer, you can ramp it down and won't be an issue.

I run an oversized Deltec on my 75g tank, but I dial it down 1/2 and it is doing a great job.

 

[srobertb]

The problem with oversized skimmer is they tend not to pull anything instead of too much.

But with DC skimmer, you can ramp it down and won't be an issue.

I run an oversized Deltec on my 75g tank, but I dial it down 1/2 and it is doing a great job.

Can you walk me thru it?

Do I set the pump to 100% power, dial in the gate valve, then turn down the pump OR do I set the pump at my best guess (let’s say 50%) then dial in the gate valve after?

 

[doubleshot00]

Sorry to hear that. The Red Sea made the list this morning as I thought I could probably automate the neck cleaner with a little 24v motor. I have only found one bad review for the Simplicity lineup but several for the Red Sea.

Yeah i knew the red sea had adjustment issues but thought how bad could it be. Well ill say ive had mine running for 6 months and have only had efficient skimmate 2x. It literally has a mind of its own. They are made by Maxspect so you would think they know how to design a good skimmer.

 

[Dburr1014]

Set the pump, dial the skim.

I have the pump flow so the water is just below the neck, then turn on the air.
After it breaks in you'll have to adjust.

 

[doubleshot00]

Can you walk me thru it?

Do I set the pump to 100% power, dial in the gate valve, then turn down the pump OR do I set the pump at my best guess (let’s say 50%) then dial in the gate valve after?

Its a lot of trial and error to get it skimming. At the beginning you will want the motor turned all the way down then turn it up as you see the bubbles rise. Then adjust the air flow.

 

[Fish Styx]

I would go bigger and dial it back via the DC pump.

 

[srobertb]

Yeah i knew the red sea had adjustment issues but thought how bad could it be. Well I’ll say ive had mine running for 6 months and have only had efficient skimmate 2x. It literally has a mind of its own. They are made by Maxspect so you would think they know how to design a good skimmer.

I mean, all skimmers are basically the same in function. Lots of extra features and doo dads and things but It’s the pump that really matters. I would have thought the Sicce would be reliable which is one of the reasons I was looking at it vs the Simplicity which uses a Jebao (or similar).

 

[Typhon]

I agree with everyone's comments. First dial down the pump to about 1/2 and dial the gate valve to get the bubbles up to the neck.

Mostly trial and error for me. Took me a couple of tries. But my skimmer runs best when the pump is dial back 1/2 way.

 

[doubleshot00]

I mean, all skimmers are basically the same in function. Lots of extra features and doo dads and things but It’s the pump that really matters. I would have thought the Sicce would be reliable which is one of the reasons I was looking at it vs the Simplicity which uses a Jebao (or similar).

LOUD. They are LOUD. I hate sicce pumps. Yes they are reliable but no way to adjust the pump. Its either on or off.

 

[mnl119]

I’m having a mental breakdown over here.

I am trying to pick a skimmer. I’m vacillating between Simplicity 320 and 540 models. I have room for either. I’d guess my bioload will be medium-high with an emphasis on “low” for the first few months here as things get back to normal.

My tank is 200g with a 100g sump and a 40g refugium. I use filter socks which I change weekly. Brain says get 540 but internet says that “too big” is now a thing and a little undersized is better.

I don’t have a budget per se but this has been a big build and less is more right now. I’ve been cycling the sump and refugium while I wait for the tank to arrive and it would be great to have the skimmer in place and broken in before the tank arrived.


Someone tell me what to do!!

I have 2 Simplicity 320DC skimmers. One on a 120 gallon reef, and the other on a 187 gallon FOWLR setup. Both produce huge amounts of skimmate under medium bio load. I can't imagine going bigger on my two tanks. I already empty both every other day, if not every day on the FOWLR setup.

Only other negative I can see is the bigger skimmer with have a bigger heat load on the tank due to a bigger pump on the 520DC. My tanks always have problems with overheating here in Texas. I have a 1/3 HP JBJ chiller on the FOWLR and a 1/5 HP JBJ chiller on the reef to keep things cool.

 

[srobertb]

I have 2 Simplicity 320DC skimmers. One on a 120 gallon reef, and the other on a 187 gallon FOWLR setup. Both produce huge amounts of skimmate under medium bio load. I can't imagine going bigger on my two tanks. I already empty both every other day, if not every day on the FOWLR setup.

Only other negative I can see is the bigger skimmer with have a bigger heat load on the tank due to a bigger pump on the 520DC. My tanks always have problems with overheating here in Texas. I have a 1/3 HP JBJ chiller on the FOWLR and a 1/5 HP JBJ chiller on the reef to keep things cool.

Hello fellow Texan!

My sump is in our unfinished basement which holds between 60-85. Fingers crossed I don’t need a chiller but I’m prepared. Right now I’m hoping for evaporative cooling (aka big-butt fans).

We keep our actual home around 68-70 year round so I’m hoping that helps too.

I don’t typically see heat issues with DC pumps but it is something to consider. I’m running DC return pumps too and didn’t consider heat but they’re big pumps (20k liters/hr) so maybe I should.

Thank you for the insight on the simplicity skimmers. I’m going to go with the 540 and dial it back.

If you have any time- do you dial back the pump or just run them at full bore and dial back the gate valve? I’m familiar with tuning skimmers but am confused on how to dial back the pump- something I’ll need to do for the first month or two while I’m stocking.

 

[mnl119]

If you have any time- do you dial back the pump or just run them at full bore and dial back the gate valve? I’m familiar with tuning skimmers but am confused on how to dial back the pump- something I’ll need to do for the first month or two while I’m stocking.

I did not do anything special to dial these in. Currently both pumps are running at a little over 1/2 capacity, and the gate valve is closed about 1/4 to 1/2 way. I currently tune with the gate valve if needed and rarely touch the pump controller. Your settings will vary with the water height in your sump. If you have to add PraziPro at any point, turn the skimmer off for a day or you'll blow the lid off as Prazi affects surface tension in the water.

The first few days, the gate valve will be wide open, then closed as needed. I play with the air screw sometimes too if I feel like the skimmate is too thick.

Both my tanks run at about 8F over ambient. During the winter, the house is at 71F so temps are about right, but in summer we're at about 77F in the house, so the chillers will kick in several times per day.

DC pumps will actually run hotter per pump rate because they use lower voltage, and hence more current, all other things being equal.