Skimmer Q&A Thread

[Bracka345]

I'm in the process of doing up my tank equipment list. I plan on doing a custom 60x24x24(150gallon) tank and a 36x18x18(sump) and plan to use mostly hard corals and a few softies. My tank will be more of a fish dominant tank. I've been looking at two different skimmers and was wondering if one these skimmers would be ok for my setup. First is a NYOS Quantum 160 and the other one is the VERTEX 180i. Which of the two would be suit my setup? Thanks!!

 

[patrick]

My pump for my swc 230cone skimmer crapped out.
It has an askoll 1500 in it now with whatever modifications were done to it by swc. I cannot find a replacement for it anywhere so I started looking at other pump manufacturers. I'm specifically in the hunt for a pump that I can just swap out with out modifications.
Any help in this matter would be awesome. I'm pretty stressed at the moment about my skimmer being down to many sticks and too many wrasses are relaying on that skimmer

 

[ATB USA]

My pump for my swc 230cone skimmer crapped out.
It has an askoll 1500 in it now with whatever modifications were done to it by swc. I cannot find a replacement for it anywhere so I started looking at other pump manufacturers. I'm specifically in the hunt for a pump that I can just swap out with out modifications.
Any help in this matter would be awesome. I'm pretty stressed at the moment about my skimmer being down to many sticks and too many wrasses are relaying on that skimmer

Send me some good pics of the pump you have. I think I have the replacement block in stock.

 

[ATB USA]

I'm in the process of doing up my tank equipment list. I plan on doing a custom 60x24x24(150gallon) tank and a 36x18x18(sump) and plan to use mostly hard corals and a few softies. My tank will be more of a fish dominant tank. I've been looking at two different skimmers and was wondering if one these skimmers would be ok for my setup. First is a NYOS Quantum 160 and the other one is the VERTEX 180i. Which of the two would be suit my setup? Thanks!!

The ATB 840v2 is a good fit for you.

 

[Rsandry]

Question...
I have a new setup (running for about 2-3 week) and my skimmer (Reef Octopus) is producing all watery skimmate no matter how I adjust it. I was told my skimmer is too low in the sump. Is there a general water level the skimmer should sit in?

 

[ATB USA]

Question...
I have a new setup (running for about 2-3 week) and my skimmer (Reef Octopus) is producing all watery skimmate no matter how I adjust it. I was told my skimmer is too low in the sump. Is there a general water level the skimmer should sit in?

The 110 is 7". You can go to the www.coralvue.com and look up your skimmer. I should tell you the proper water level.

 

[Rsandry]

Cool... Thx ATB!

 

[mandarin417]

Looking for the perfect skimmer – where is it?

So here I am starting a new tank 15 years after getting out of reef keeping. About 120 gallons right now and another 40 gallons will be added later when the refugia is plumbed into the system. Mixed reef with heavy feeding and large fish population.

I started out with an Aquamaxx ConeS CO-2. Very nice skimmer that was reasonably priced. Worked well at least until my main pump shut down and then the collection cup flooded and the lid starting lifting off as the bubbles tried to escape. Sold it.

I tried remembering what I used 15 years ago. I liked that skimmer. Really a set it and forget it. I thought it was a LifeReef so I picked up one. Started out with a SVS3-24” that I upgraded later to 30” with the extension. Jeff is a great resource and his skimmers are very well made. Folks rave about LifeReef skimmers. I like it but it still has issues for me. To get the best performance, you really do need to clean the collection cup chimney every week. It can flood too but the way it’s setup the overflow gets pulled back into the mixing chamber and some of that flows back into the sump. That means the contents of a full gunky collection cup will dump back into your tank water when it does overflow. Why does it overflow? It will if you shut off your main pump and the water rises in the sump. But it occasionally does that in just plain old operating mode. Running great one minute and come back a few hours later flooded.

Thinking back, I am sure I had an AquaC skimmer. I had it sitting in a Rubbermaid horse trough in a separate room elevated above the water on a plastic milk crate. It would never flood from high water since the output was always above the water line. I would wipe out the collection cup chimney each week. The only thing I remember is that it would stop skimming whenever I fed the tank. The skimmer worked very well.

In the ideal world I think a recirculating skimmer with two pumps (one for bubble bubble and the other for input water) would be the best and one where the skimmer output was always elevated above the high water mark of the sump to minimize potential flooding. I think the one pump skimmers are problematic.

So are they are there any contemporary skimmers that are “flood resistant”?

Is there a perfect skimmer or am I destined to be burdened of constantly tuning my skimmer?

Or I am just a typical obsessed reefkeeper?

 

[ATB USA]

Looking for the perfect skimmer – where is it?

So here I am starting a new tank 15 years after getting out of reef keeping. About 120 gallons right now and another 40 gallons will be added later when the refugia is plumbed into the system. Mixed reef with heavy feeding and large fish population.

I started out with an Aquamaxx ConeS CO-2. Very nice skimmer that was reasonably priced. Worked well at least until my main pump shut down and then the collection cup flooded and the lid starting lifting off as the bubbles tried to escape. Sold it.

I tried remembering what I used 15 years ago. I liked that skimmer. Really a set it and forget it. I thought it was a LifeReef so I picked up one. Started out with a SVS3-24” that I upgraded later to 30” with the extension. Jeff is a great resource and his skimmers are very well made. Folks rave about LifeReef skimmers. I like it but it still has issues for me. To get the best performance, you really do need to clean the collection cup chimney every week. It can flood too but the way it’s setup the overflow gets pulled back into the mixing chamber and some of that flows back into the sump. That means the contents of a full gunky collection cup will dump back into your tank water when it does overflow. Why does it overflow? It will if you shut off your main pump and the water rises in the sump. But it occasionally does that in just plain old operating mode. Running great one minute and come back a few hours later flooded.

Thinking back, I am sure I had an AquaC skimmer. I had it sitting in a Rubbermaid horse trough in a separate room elevated above the water on a plastic milk crate. It would never flood from high water since the output was always above the water line. I would wipe out the collection cup chimney each week. The only thing I remember is that it would stop skimming whenever I fed the tank. The skimmer worked very well.

In the ideal world I think a recirculating skimmer with two pumps (one for bubble bubble and the other for input water) would be the best and one where the skimmer output was always elevated above the high water mark of the sump to minimize potential flooding. I think the one pump skimmers are problematic.

So are they are there any contemporary skimmers that are “flood resistant”?

Is there a perfect skimmer or am I destined to be burdened of constantly tuning my skimmer?

Or I am just a typical obsessed reefkeeper?

For a internal skimmer for your size tank, look at the ATB 840. Great skimmer that is set and you do not need to keep adjusting.
http://www.atb-usa.com/product-p/atb840.htm

 

[JOKER]

I am looking at a RO elite 200 for a 140 shallow reef. Total water volume will be close to 200 gallon and will be heavily stocked SPS dominant mixed reef. Will this be enough skimmer?

 

[Dannyboy0076]

howdy, well i'm in the process of setting up my 46g bowfront RR with an Eshopps 3rd gen R-100 refugium/sump. I have a Skimz SM-123 that i got with the tank that i will be using. I'm wondering what the proper depth is for this skimmer and will it handle about 65 gallons SPS dominant, light to medium load as far as fish go, well fed. Would you recommend I use this skimmer or sell it and buy another one. If I had my choice I would buy a NYOS Quantum just because they are beautiful. My problem is that I haven't had any experience with Skimz skimmers, although I've heard they do a good job. Thanks

Danny

 

[ballroomdude]

I'd love some input as I'd love to only spend the $ once. I am currently planning a 600 gallon aquarium with another 200 gallons of sump.

It will be a fowlr system with some big messy eaters including 2 - 3 lionfish, a couple very active wrasses, 3 tangs, a bamboo shark, and 3 large angels. I've also considered an eel. So huge amounts of waste.

I've considered a lifereef 72" external skimmer setup with dual mazzei venturis as it could probably handle anything I could throw at it. My concern is that it will be so overkill (rated at 1500 gallons) that the skimmate will get gunked into the neck and not make it to the collection cup.

I'll probably be turning over around 6000 gph thru the sump and was considering a small reeflo pump to drive the skimmer at 2000 gph. And have it empty back into a chamber housing 3 carbon reactors.

I'd also like to do ozone injection.

Any help with something like this?

 

[ballroomdude]

looks awesome! thanks so much

 

[DrayB]

hi all.
just a quick one......do you all run your skimmers 24/7 ? and if you don't.....why?

thanks :)

 

[joshkirkland83]

hi all.
just a quick one......do you all run your skimmers 24/7 ? and if you don't.....why?

thanks :)

Ido

 

[DrayB]

Ido

don't quite understand? o_O nvm lol got it :)

 

[joshkirkland83]

I run mine 24/7 becaise i have a nitrate problem. Some ppl only run theirs when feeding because they dont have a nitrate problem and thats when the skimmer takes out organic or particle nitrates. That is the purpose of a skimmer.

 

[ATB USA]

hi all.
just a quick one......do you all run your skimmers 24/7 ? and if you don't.....why?

thanks :)

24/7 for me

 

[flyingfish]

Need a new skimmer, 90 gallon light reef, heavy fish load. 30 gal. sump. Have a SC 302 now. need one that I do not need to constantly fuss with, easy to clean, and obviously excellent skimmer. thanks!

 

[ATB USA]

Need a new skimmer, 90 gallon light reef, heavy fish load. 30 gal. sump. Have a SC 302 now. need one that I do not need to constantly fuss with, easy to clean, and obviously excellent skimmer. thanks!

Check out the ATB Nano One. It would be great for your tank. Also you can try to win one free. Reef2Reef and ATB-USA.com are giving one away. You must go to the thread and follow the instructions before 10-23-15