Skimmer selection

danielankeny

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 8, 2022
Messages
148
Reaction score
210
Location
Sudbury, MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi friends! I’m planning my reef tank (long ago had a 10g nano reef for 3 years) and am now hoping for suggestions for brand and size of skimmer.

My current plan:
-60-80g tank with sump and refugium housing fish, soft corals, shallow sand bed, clean up crew
- have 2 AI-16 lights
- have BRS 5stage RODI

will purchase (current thinking)
- ATO system likely TUNZE osmolator
- AI vs vortech powerheads x 2
- likely sicce or other DC return pump
- titanium heater
- maybe a controller
- likely hireef2 hanna test bundle

For the skimmer, I think a want an internal skimmer, and would love it to be quiet but am anguishing over deciding which company and skimmer to go with. I plan to add coral/fish/cuc slowly (like over a year), so it seems likely controllability might be important since bioload will be low for a while. I’ve been close to deciding on a Reef Octopus Regal and a Red Sea. Are there others I should also consider? Budget max would be $500-$600 preferred but might consider up to about $750.

I’d be eternally grateful for opinions on people’s favorite skimmers!

Thank you! Dan
 

afrokobe

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 9, 2021
Messages
1,791
Reaction score
2,470
Location
Dallas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have an ultra reef skimmer that I absolutely love. The build quality is amazing and it pulls skim out of water consistently. Very easy to setup and took less than week to break in. I would highly recommend. I had a bubble magus for a few hours and it doesn't even compare to the ultra reef in terms of build quality.
 
Upvote 0

Chris Spaulding

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 15, 2018
Messages
693
Reaction score
976
Location
Colorado Springs
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have and use a variety of skimmers IMO best bang for the buck are Aquamaxx FC series they just work well are quiet and have small footprints and easy to tune in. I also like the handles on the cups.
I would stay away from the DC series skimmers in Aquamaxx as I have had trouble with the controllers going on the fritz
 
Upvote 0

Peace River

Thrive Master
View Badges
Joined
Apr 29, 2014
Messages
21,466
Reaction score
164,293
Location
USA
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Hi friends! I’m planning my reef tank (long ago had a 10g nano reef for 3 years) and am now hoping for suggestions for brand and size of skimmer.

My current plan:
-60-80g tank with sump and refugium housing fish, soft corals, shallow sand bed, clean up crew
- have 2 AI-16 lights
- have BRS 5stage RODI

will purchase (current thinking)
- ATO system likely TUNZE osmolator
- AI vs vortech powerheads x 2
- likely sicce or other DC return pump
- titanium heater
- maybe a controller
- likely hireef2 hanna test bundle

For the skimmer, I think a want an internal skimmer, and would love it to be quiet but am anguishing over deciding which company and skimmer to go with. I plan to add coral/fish/cuc slowly (like over a year), so it seems likely controllability might be important since bioload will be low for a while. I’ve been close to deciding on a Reef Octopus Regal and a Red Sea. Are there others I should also consider? Budget max would be $500-$600 preferred but might consider up to about $750.

I’d be eternally grateful for opinions on people’s favorite skimmers!

Thank you! Dan
When you mention an internal skimmer, do you mean a skimmer in the display tank or in the sump?
 
Upvote 0

MarineandReef Jaron

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 9, 2022
Messages
506
Reaction score
447
Location
Tempe Arizona
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
For an internal skimmer of this size. It will be hard to beat a tunze 9001

Sorry thought you were looking at the 10 gallon for the 60 -80 gallon with an in-sump skimmer I like the Reef octpus INT or Tunze Master DOC. The Tunze MAster DOC are very undervalued IMO. If by internal you mean in the tank then I would go with a larger tunze internal.
 
Upvote 0

SpyC

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 6, 2019
Messages
764
Reaction score
562
Location
WV
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I second the ultra reef skimmers. I was running an aquamax dfc skimmer but it was not producing a nice wall of bubbles or much skimmate. BRS said everything was fine with it. I decided to splurge and picked up the ultra reef uls-180. I swear the lid on this skimmer weighs more than the aquamaxx. I had a 10% off code for premier aquatics which dropped the price to slightly over your budget. The uks-180 is beefy, feels well made, produces skimmate within hours of installation, and has the sicce + pump. If I was settng up another tank I'd buy another one.
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
danielankeny

danielankeny

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 8, 2022
Messages
148
Reaction score
210
Location
Sudbury, MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have an ultra reef skimmer that I absolutely love. The build quality is amazing and it pulls skim out of water consistently. Very easy to setup and took less than week to break in. I would highly recommend. I had a bubble magus for a few hours and it doesn't even compare to the ultra reef in terms of build quality.
They do look sweet! Since it’s not DC, will this make it difficult for it to function while the tank is lightly stocked?
 
Upvote 0
Back
Top