Skimmer Q&A Thread

The Flying Turkey · May 16, 2016

luke33 said:
Great skimmer for a 60g or less, i'm running one now : ) Consistent skimmate and performance, quiet, small and powerful.

Oh good. I have a 50 gallon cube.

luke33 · May 16, 2016

Xtc_link said:
my atman ph3000 is leaking 90volts into the tank.

I heard they are loud. What pump would be a replacement?

What skimmer are you using?

Xtc_link · May 17, 2016

luke33 said:
What skimmer are you using?

Bubble magus nac 8 (bm-180)

Xtc_link · May 17, 2016

I'm contemplating buying a DC pump and just running it external.

This skimmer has always. taken 2 days to make foam, made foam for a few hours and then stopped till after I clean the neck. 200g+ system volume with 9 fish. 3 of which are 5" tangs. I have a decent bio load for a dirty LPS tank, but this skimmer has always seemed inconsistent

luke33 · May 17, 2016

Xtc_link said:
Bubble magus nac 8 (bm-180)

That's a tough one as the pump is internal. You would have to retrofit something and it may not even be worth the trouble. Sicce 1000 or jebao dc3000 pump may work.

On a 200g tank that thing should pull nog consistently and a lot. You sure the Venturi isn't clogged?

Xtc_link · May 17, 2016

luke33 said:
That's a tough one as the pump is internal. You would have to retrofit something and it may not even be worth the trouble. Sicce 1000 or jebao dc3000 pump may work.

On a 200g tank that thing should pull nog consistently and a lot. You sure the Venturi isn't clogged?

Everything is as clean as whistle. It's my first and only skimmer so I have nothing to compair it too. I can replace the atman for 69 off fleabay. I might go that route although the tinkerer in me wants a DC controllable pump :)

luke33 · May 18, 2016

I am sure you can retrofit a sicce 1000 in there and it would work leaps and bounds better than the atman. Ofcourse you would probably spend 150bux getting the pump, venturi and pvc/plastic to fit in there, which you would be better off just buying a new skimmer at that point. So imo, get the atman or get a new skimmer as those are the only things that make sense. I bet the new atman lasts less than a year and a half though as they are notoriously short life pump's. The atman will perform pretty decent while running though.

Xtc_link · May 18, 2016

luke33 said:
I am sure you can retrofit a sicce 1000 in there and it would work leaps and bounds better than the atman. Ofcourse you would probably spend 150bux getting the pump, venturi and pvc/plastic to fit in there, which you would be better off just buying a new skimmer at that point. So imo, get the atman or get a new skimmer as those are the only things that make sense. I bet the new atman lasts less than a year and a half though as they are notoriously short life pump's. The atman will perform pretty decent while running though.

I live in Florida and we don't have constant power 100% of the time. All my fish equipment is ran threw a battery bank with line conditioners. Not sure if it makes a difference. I picked up the skimmer 4 years ago and it's been a work horse running non stop.

I appreciate your response :).

Xtc_link · May 18, 2016

4 years and I got it used :). Now I think I'm going to look into replacing it.

oodan · May 20, 2016

Looking into a up grade from my bubble
Coralife 14 29 BioCube Protein Skimmer it was 20.00 bucks and don't do a very good job I have a 50 gal and a small sump "not much room " have a 2 chamber Ehopps sump with a mag supreme doing approx 500 gal per hr and the 2 skimmers in question are a Ehopps PSK 75 or a CAD lights PLS 50 elite Any one have experience in these ? I like the look and feature of the CAD but the Ehopps is matched to my sump it just looks kinda plane ? Ps 150.00 bucks is kinda what I'm looking to spend

Rafsan Rafi · May 24, 2016

Can anyone suggest a Hang on the Back Skimmer for 20 gal Tank?

beginnerjohn · May 27, 2016

I'm running a small 30g tank, slightly understocked with 2 damsels, 2 clownfish, six-line wrasse and a dirty back. What do you think would be a good skimmer for my tank?

oodan · May 27, 2016

Here is a few that I have concluded to be Well built the Ehopps and CAD lights is a full acrylic skimmers with good tubes that are thick for Long Jevity of the equipment will need to be cleaned frequent there pumps are mag pumps and have the Needle wheel technology this is just what I have found and what im looking to investing into

volivier · May 27, 2016

I have a reef octopus extreme 300 skimmer with a Super Reef Octopus Bubble Blaster Pump HY-5000S (Options: Union For Extreme Skimmer (+ $35.00) i got rid of the two sicce pumps they kept quiting on me. I bought the bubble master in 2013 april.
Wondering if there is a need to get a different skimmer or update mine somehow? I have a 22o reef tank, sps frags and chalice, approx 260 total water with sump. It doesn't seem to be producing a lot of skimmate for some reason, did after soaked pump but has ebbed off now.

scardall · May 31, 2016

Down to 2 skimmers now. 1) Aquamax SQ-2 or (2) Reef octopus 150ss These will be used in a 75g with a heavy bio load and very limited sump space. Which one and why? Other Option considering my restrictions????

jason2459 · May 31, 2016

Of those two I'd go with the Aquamaxx. I like the sicce based pump better.

Toddp65 · May 31, 2016

When a skimmer says it needs to be in 8 to 9 inches of sump water, what does that mean pertaining to the skimmer...where on the body would that height be? Trying to get new Bubble Magnus 3.5 running

jason2459 · May 31, 2016

Toddp65 said:
When a skimmer says it needs to be in 8 to 9 inches of sump water, what does that mean pertaining to the skimmer...where on the body would that height be? Trying to get new Bubble Magnus 3.5 running

From the bottom of the skimmer to the water level in the sump. You can build a stand to raise the base of the skimmer if that distance is to much.

Toddp65 · May 31, 2016

That makes sense.
Right now the skimmer is overflowing like crazy- I forgot I am dosing chemiclean for dinos and cyano... this is probably the reason and I need to wait until they've calmed down prior to breaking in this skimmer which I need for the issues...catch 22... my eshopps died on me

Toddp65 · Jun 5, 2016

So I've been running the bubble magnus for two days at the max swttibg. It's in about 8 inches of water. It's overflowing like crazy but I'm letting it. Any other setting but MAX makes it worse. I've raised it by hand to see if the foaming over decreases in case I have it too low in the water and it makes no difference. At what point does this settle down?
I dosed chemi clean a few days ago as well. I figured any affects would subside by now. Help...