Skimmer Q&A Thread

[NYreefNOOB]

btw is mojo still around ? lol he is one of the few guys id say has had more skimmers then me over the years

 

[den2636]

Happy New Year everyone! I will be moving my 120g mixed reef medium bioad to a new 180g very soon!! I was wondering if anyone can he;p me decide decide one these skimmers?! Please tell me If these are overkill? Remember i plan on having a heavy sps, lps reef tank med bio for fish. I believe in +1 size skimmers though.. Here they are!! Reef Octopus Diablo In-Sump 8" Protein Skimmer 300 Gal Rating DCS-200, Reef Octopus Diablo In-Sump 10" Protein Skimmer 500 Gal Rating DCS-250, ASM G-4XX Protein Skimmer w/ Sedra Pump, INS250 Protein Skimmer ReefDynamics. Thanks for any imput!!!!!!!

 

[mcarroll]

If the budget isn't an issue, I'd really recommend the Reef Dynamics.

If budget is more sensitive, the ASM is where it's at.

-Matt

 

[mcarroll]

BTW, someone has a classic INS250 posted in the for sale forum:

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91389

(Why are the apps inline linking abilities so defective? Old version and new version, both.)

-Matt

 

[mcarroll]

for the person reccomending aqua skimmers-- they are junk, too finicky and require a pressure rated pump to run correctly, same as any becket or down draft style skimmer.

Assuming you mean AquaC (not AquaMaxx or any of the other Aqua- skimmer brands) you are referring to me. :)

Skimmers that leave the pump choice to you are typically a bit more demanding to set up.
Higher-flow skimmers are also much more sensitive to changes in setup, so are perceived by some to be touchy until you get to know them.
As they are more demanding to set up and more sensitive to changes, people do have problems with correct setups so you will find the occasional "they are junk!!!" comment like this. Silly comment, but I can understand why these skimmers are not everyone's first choice. However...

I ran my AquaC EV90 successfully for years on ordinary Mag, QuietOne and Rio pumps. It is a kick-*** skimmer - no joke.
I also ran a bunch of larger ETSS skimmers - the original downdraft style skimmer - and they are also not-junk. They do, as I said, require correct installation...for these you may even have to adjust air-flow by changing the size and/or quantity of bioballs in the downdraft tower. This makes it a little harder to adjust the airflow as it's not a very direct method, but it's workable and only needs to be set once for the pump (flow, actually) you have running the skimmer though. My least favorite feature of the downdrafts.
(Beckett skimmers, I might agree are junk....I have yet to see one running properly, which could be installation issues as above, and they are almost universally designed to be the hardest and most time-consuming skimmers to maintain and clean. I've worked on small and very large ones...never installed one though.)

So these skimmers are all good IME and will do a good job at skimming if you don't get in their way, and offer flexibility that skimmer+pump packages - like all needle-wheels - do not.

What these skimmers are not, is the most efficient at making bubbles. Watts/bubble, if you will.

Why would anyone care about watts/bubble over flexibility to use whatever pump they want? Maybe they would, maybe they wouldn't! Read on!

:)

If your system is heat-loaded - like a halide- or T5-lit tank with a canopy that holds in heat - then super-efficient skimmers and return pumps are going to be on your radar in your effort to keep daytime temperatures in check.

If your system is heat-balanced - like just about any LED-lit system - then the efficiency of your skimmer pump and other equipment doesn't really matter much as long as they are durable, reliable and do an excellent job. Pumps that run warmer simply provide heating redundancy for your heaters, taking relatively more or less of the load off them. I see this as a bonus.

Food for thought! :)

BTW, I switched from the AquaC to a Tunze 9010 (which is my favorite needle-wheel design) when the power cord to my last pump had the insulation split open due to age/saltwater exposure. The QuietOne 2200 and Mag 7 I used for the AquaC (and the Sump BuddyReef Devil I had for a while) both succumbed this way....pumps (still) in perfect working order, but the cable is too degraded to use submerged now. Sad.

But when I made this switch to an ultra-efficient skimmer, I really had to worry about my heaters and I watched the system closely for a good while to make sure temperatures were still holding at all times and heaters weren't running 24/7. (I keep one right-sized heater in every tank of the system, so all was well in the end.)

-Matt

 

[mucky1957]

hi

I run a 240 lt reef tank and have just put in my first skimmer. I don't have a sump so am using an internal hang on one. The tank is open topped with the lights hung from the ceiling. I want to know if I can run my skimmer on a time switch !!. It is the main room / tv room in the house and we sit here most evenings. The skimmer isn't quiet and the noise is annoying. Help please.

 

[mcarroll]

Yes. Not a problem.

-Matt

 

[axle314]

135gal mixed med load with 55gal sump fuge, looking to replace my skimmer I need more room in front chamber, need space saver for sure, any options on the 2 that I have narrowed it down to, or why I should go a different route. Looking to stay around these on cost 250 to 350 but I'm flexible.

Looking at the SWC 180 extreme cone skimmer vs the reef octopus diablo XS 160. SWC can handle more load and reviews say reef octopus is load, the SWC comes with a PSK 2500 and reef with the newer more advanced PSK 600. Does the newer pump design make that big of a difference to put up with a noisey skimmer ?

 

[mcarroll]

If I read you correctly, your primary mission is to get a skimmer (a very good one) with a small footprint* to enable you to get space back in your sump. Correct me if I'm wrong. :)

Cylinders or boxes are much more efficient in terms of skimming more water in the same footprint. Cones are less efficient in this regard.

For a 9" x 7" footprint (slightly smaller than your choices), I would consider the Tunze 9410. Excellent, super-efficient design with unique features. No funny shapes or gimmicks. This is my favorite option.

If you're really serious about your primary mission, you can get a 8.25" x 7.5" footprint in the AquaC Urchin Pro. It's only rated for 120 gallons, so you would have to take some (known, proven) steps to enhance performance, but they do not affect footprint.

-Matt

* What's the footprint of your current skimmer? Make and model too if you don't mind sharing?

 

[axle314]

Good info thanks, and yes thats the mission, I currently have and older Red Sea c-skim 1800, sort of a square build. Not sure on measurements. I will look into the tunze. I have been looking at the newer AquaMaxx em200 as well, sounds like an affordable well built skimmer.

 

[mcarroll]

Footprint aside, how did you like the Cskim?

-Matt

 

[Defect]

Looking to get a skimmer for my 50 gallon and was wanting to get some opinions. Looking at spending right around 300.00 or less...less is always good but dont want to sacrafice quality.

1: Vertex Omega 130 - 319.00
2: Reef Octopus NWB110 4" 189.00
3: Reef Octopus DNW110 4" recirculating. 245.00

Those are the ones I am torn between but I am open to other suggestions. There are just so many I figured I would just ask you nice folks here.

 

[Defect]

Not even sure if having that size of a skimmer on a 50 gallon tank is a good or bad thing.

 

[chefb_5]

I have been reading in here about over skimming and I have a 90 gallon with a purple tang, 4 chromes, 2 clowns, 1 anthisitst and mixed reef. I currently am running a supper reef octopus hy-2000 is that over kill? My skimm is very dark, but the sludge is on the neck?

 

[mcarroll]

Skimming wetter will help slow the crud from accumulating. Light tea-color is how I like my skimmate.

More air, more water, tighter drain, or some combination should to the trick.

Over skimming, as a problem, would mean your skimmer would rarely or never build a complete foam head.

Under skimming would mean your skimmer never stops producing - meaning that some skimmate is being left "on the table" un-skimmed.

"Correct" skimming would have your skimmer going through at least one active/idle cycle during the course of a day.

Hope this helps!

-Matt

 

[chefb_5]

I clean my skimmer once a week and it's usually half full cup. I like to skimm on the dry side to prevent so much water loss and evap. Also to get the most gunk out.

 

[mcarroll]

You will actually get more gunk with wet skimming, but you are right that you have to deal with the higher volume of skimmate so it may be more/less appropriate for you regardless of efficiency.

-Matt

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Should I get the reef octopus NWB 110 or the NWB 150? Thanks!!

 

[Jdodson11]

Reef dynamics is the best skimmer I've used, I have tried about 4 different brands and it defiantly is the best at pulling dark nasty skimmate out

 

[Jdodson11]

Reef dynamics is the best skimmer I've used, I have tried about 4 different brands and it defiantly is the best at pulling dark nasty skimmate out this is a ins 80 on my 150 mixed reef with med bio load