Skimmer Q&A Thread

[reeftivo]

I'm thinking about changing the skimming paint. What do you recommend? Within 300 pieces

i would lean towards the regal 150 int. the neck size is like 3 inches which is much better for your size system and the varios DC pump gives you more ability to fine tune the foam head for better skimming. DC pumps are almost silent too. the classic will work too. just not as quiet and less control with the fixed speed AC pump.

 

[Lou City Reefing]

I'm starting a 75 gallon tank and need advice on a skimmer. I've had a 20 gallon long for a year and didn't use a skimmer, so I'm pretty ignorant on this topic! I'm looking at a Bubble Magnus Elite Curve 5, Reef Octopus s-130, or an AquaMaxx ConeS Q-1. From what I've read, out of these 3, is just pick one and go with it because they're all decent/good. Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I’ve lost Track of the different Skimmers I‘ve had over the years. The best and easiest to use has been the LifeReef.

 

[Kasrift]

I have a question about a new skimmer. I'm replacing the Fluval skimmer on my flex 32 and I just got the Icecap K1-nano, and the hole for water intake is loose and not sealed. I looked at another one and the piece isn't loose. Should I return the one I just got? I'm afraid it will cause bubbles to leak. See video of the piece I'm referring to.

 

[reeftivo]

I have a question about a new skimmer. I'm replacing the Fluval skimmer on my flex 32 and I just got the Icecap K1-nano, and the hole for water intake is loose and not sealed. I looked at another one and the piece isn't loose. Should I return the one I just got? I'm afraid it will cause bubbles to leak. See video of the piece I'm referring to.

you can fix that easily with a cheap hot glue gun with silicone adhesive stick.

personally, i would submit a return ticket and have them send you out a new one. It should be correct out of the box

 

[Kasrift]

Thanks. I figured I could glue it/silicone it as well, but have the same conclusion that it shouldn't be loose and am returning it for a new one.

 

[reeftivo]

Thanks. I figured I could glue it/silicone it as well, but have the same conclusion that it shouldn't be loose and am returning it for a new one.

solid choice!

 

[eqbal9947]

What is the quietest skimmer that is not $1000

 

[MrsBugmaster]

What is the quietest skimmer that is not $1000

What size tank? Pretty much all DC pumps are very quiet.

 

[OscarHaglund]

I just got mu first skimmer a maxspect msk400 and i have a few questions.
I have heard that its possible to oversize your skimmer but i dont quite understand how that would work.
The explanat i hear is that you might not have enough organics with a small tank and large skimmer but that makes no sense. It must be the concentration of organics that matter not the total ammount.
If so, oversizing a skimmer would just mean that you skim out all the organics faster and then the foam head would collapse while with a smaller skimmer you would maybe reach some steady state of continious removal. One would then not necessarily be better than the other.

this seems to be what i have observed with mine. The first day it was pulling out lots of dark skimmate while the day after it could not sustain the foam head.

i measured nitrate and it was slightly higher than the day before. But im huesssing a skimmer can’t actually pull out nitrate only larger molecules. Have my large skimmer more or less stripped the water of large proteins?

 

[Jglanzberg]

I have a Vertex Omega 150 and looking to replace the original pump with a DC. I am leaning toward VarioS-4S. It will go on a new build with a 170 Gallon Tanks. Will be mixed LPS and SPS. Does anyone have any experience or feed back?

 

[reeftivo]

I just got mu first skimmer a maxspect msk400 and i have a few questions.
I have heard that its possible to oversize your skimmer but i dont quite understand how that would work.
The explanat i hear is that you might not have enough organics with a small tank and large skimmer but that makes no sense. It must be the concentration of organics that matter not the total ammount.
If so, oversizing a skimmer would just mean that you skim out all the organics faster and then the foam head would collapse while with a smaller skimmer you would maybe reach some steady state of continious removal. One would then not necessarily be better than the other.

this seems to be what i have observed with mine. The first day it was pulling out lots of dark skimmate while the day after it could not sustain the foam head.

i measured nitrate and it was slightly higher than the day before. But im huesssing a skimmer can’t actually pull out nitrate only larger molecules. Have my large skimmer more or less stripped the water of large proteins?

My experience with oversized skimmers have been a bit similar to what you describe. They will very quickly collect most of the built-up large particle organics such as poo, uneaten food and some dissolved organics, but then settle down considerably (drop out) to where you can barely support a foam head for hours. That's the catch with potentially oversizing a skimmer for a given system. With a properly sized skimmer there will be enough dissolved and undissolved organics continuously coming through to support the foam head all the time. The skimmer may idle a bit (less than 30 min or so) with the foam head still fully formed and push out into the cup off and on. That's good IMO.

That span of time between an oversized skimmer skimming and waiting for organics to build up can be a long time (hours) and is not ideal for a system with skimmer. On the flip side, you wouldn't want a skimmer to be producing a waterfall of foam constantly all day because that could indicate that the skimmer may be undersized and not pulling enough organics out. The key is to have a skimmer always sustain a nice thick foam head which pushes out into the cup several times a day.

if a skimmer that is broken in pushes to the cup, then the whole foam head drops out for hours, then IMO it is either poorly designed or just too big for the bioload in the system.

 

[lumbeejerk]

Reef octopus vs greatwhite vs nyos which best or highly recommend

 

[Fa Fa]

that pump sure looks identical. if it is, then that skimmer will skim well. mine pulls some good skimmate

What is your main tank dimensions?

 

[reeftivo]

What is your main tank dimensions?

Tank Dimensions - 35.4" L x 23.6" W x 19.7" H

 

[s70]

This is the official R2R Skimmer Q&A Thread where the answers to your questions are as concentrated as skimmate!

We will do our best as a community to answer questions you have concerning protein skimmers so ask away!

Thank you!

I have a 90g tank which I bought used. The skimmer that came with it is loud and does not seem to be working great.
What moderately priced DC pump would you recommend?

 

[reeftivo]

I have a 90g tank which I bought used. The skimmer that came with it is loud and does not seem to be working great.
What moderately priced DC pump would you recommend?

internal pump skimmer or external? how much gph is the current pump?

a few possible options are:

High to low$:
varios
SR Aquaristik
bubble magus DSP
coral box DC

i would try a coral box since they look to be a jecod brand and the jecod pumps i've owned have all been solid pumps

 

[s70]

Sorry I meant what DC skimmer do you suggest.
I have a Vectra return which seems great.

 

[reeftivo]

Sorry I meant what DC skimmer do you suggest.
I have a Vectra return which seems great.

i hear ya

the ones i suggested are DC skimmer pumps

EDIT! sorry, you are looking for a DC Skimmer and not just the pump. My bad

the regal DC line of octos are very good

the aquamaxx DC line performs well too

I play around with three of the best skimmers i've used which are the akula 160 (not a DC though), the Bubble King Double cone DC120 and my trusty ATB Nano One (not really a nano, only short)

all three of those skimmers skim very, very well.

if my budget would allow me to splurge a little on another skimmer i would definitely try the ATB 840 with the sicce SDC. would be a little overkill though for me.

ATB 840 v2 with Sicce SDC 1500 Wifi

 

[bnord]

Hey all - have a 15G WB peninsula that has grown its biomass significantly - even with thinning LPSs out - ready to try what I thought I could avoid - a HOB skimmer -

anyone have experience with this tank with this need?

Thanks