skimmer upgrade or ATS? help me pick!

[Devaji]

Guys I wanted to get your feedback/ thoughts.

I am setting up a IM 200/275 gal. peninsula tank that will focus on fish so it will be a FOWLR with angels and butterflies.

DT lights will be a lot lower than reefs to help keep algae out.

my filtration will be filter floss in cups changed every 3 days
right now I have an undersized RO 150 classic skimmer
will be using Ozone 1 hr at night per day.
I decided an ATS over the fuge.


So the question is:
start off with a better /bigger skimmer then once the tank starts to fill up and N&P climb get the ATS the skimmer upgrade I am looking at are either the RO 250 int. OR the life reefer 30" SVS
or
use the skimmer I got and get the ATS then once the N&P climb get the bigger skimmer.

I feel having both from the get go would be to much for the system. the ATS prob. would not grow for months anyway.

 

[JC1977]

I say start with the skimmer and see how things shake out for six months to a year. It’s kind of the approach I’m taking although I’ll be honest I’ve always been intrigued by turf scrubbers. They’re just sooo expensive smh

 

[Devaji]

I say start with the skimmer and see how things shake out for six months to a year. It’s kind of the approach I’m taking although I’ll be honest I’ve always been intrigued by turf scrubbers. They’re just sooo expensive smh

to be fair the ATS I am looking at the icecap pro in sump med. is alot cheaper then both skimmers.
I ran a DIY upflow scrubber on a 90 gal years ago it did well bit looking to get the amazing growth that we all see on the ATS..

 

[Pyrogens]

Getcha a nice recirculating skimmer and call it a day. I switched over to an old recirculating skimmer 6 months back and realized I shoulda done it from the get go.

 

[Troylee]

Skimmer..

 

[Devaji]

for the skimmer I am beween the Reer octo. 200 int. OR the lifereef 30"
was wanted to try a LR for years maybe 10 or so....but the RO was always been good to me.

 

[JC1977]

for the skimmer I am beween the Reer octo. 200 int. OR the lifereef 30"
was wanted to try a LR for years maybe 10 or so....but the RO was always been good to me.

For what it’s worth my Lifereef skimmers are workhorses and need very little maintenance but they will be louder than the RO. It just depends what your priorities are. I like both skimmers. If I ever got tired of the noise I would be looking at a RO Regal 250/300.

 

[JC1977]

to be fair the ATS I am looking at the icecap pro in sump med. is alot cheaper then both skimmers.
I ran a DIY upflow scrubber on a 90 gal years ago it did well bit looking to get the amazing growth that we all see on the ATS..

Agreee the icecap scrubbers are budget friendly I was thinking of Santa Monica Foursquare etc.

 

[Seansea]

I voted move to tropics and snorkel. Just because.

But truth be told get both. Start the scrubber right out the get. I have bith on my 75g mixxed reef packed with fish and the ats is insane at keeping nuisance algae at bay.

I went to florida and my wife heard a sound coming from tank and unplugged heater with error code. Well she unplugged THE PUMP my clearwater cw-50 ATS. Came back to hair algae up in said tank. Not happy. Turned Ats pump back on and screen had to reseed for 3 weeks. Hair algae had taken hold. After grew 2 screens of algae the tank algae died off and havent seen it since. Things are amazing at soaking up nutrients. On the tank you gonna have woth big messy eaters i woukd not run one without ats. Asking for unsightly stuff in tank.

 

[Devaji]

I voted move to tropics and snorkel. Just because.

But truth be told get both. Start the scrubber right out the get. I have bith on my 75g mixxed reef packed with fish and the ats is insane at keeping nuisance algae at bay.

I went to florida and my wife heard a sound coming from tank and unplugged heater with error code. Well she unplugged THE PUMP my clearwater cw-50 ATS. Came back to hair algae up in said tank. Not happy. Turned Ats pump back on and screen had to reseed for 3 weeks. Hair algae had taken hold. After grew 2 screens of algae the tank algae died off and havent seen it since. Things are amazing at soaking up nutrients. On the tank you gonna have woth big messy eaters i woukd not run one without ats. Asking for unsightly stuff in tank.

that was my original plan...agree the ATS are amazing. just did not want to bottom out my N&P and get cyano..

 

[Devaji]

For what it’s worth my Lifereef skimmers are workhorses and need very little maintenance but they will be louder than the RO. It just depends what your priorities are. I like both skimmers. If I ever got tired of the noise I would be looking at a RO Regal 250/300.

and that is my problem right there....
I love the LR are hand made by a fellow reefer. they work amazing from all the reviews. and cheaper than the RO ( I have a jebao DC bump for it)
on the other hand the RO I hear ( no pun attended) is quieter.
what pump are you using on your skimmer?

the tank is a peninsula and is the center of my house. if I had a basement sump I would go 100% LR.
but I dont want to drill the floor and finish the basement for a fish room.

 

[Devaji]

right now looks like the skimmer is winner over the ATS.
I wounder if it's just more ppl are comfortable using a skimmer. most of us use them, where ATS are are a small %

 

[Seansea]

They are both useful. Work the kn tandem to great effect. Skimmer adds oxygen, pulls out nasty funk and catch some contaminants that get in yout tank on accident. But will not stop hair algae. There are tons of people on here fighting nasty algae problems running skimmers. There are no people on here with good ats's getting hair algae.

But you will still get cyano from time to time. Thats easy to knock out with a good round of chemiclean.

 

[Miami Reef]

If you already have a skimmer, get the ATS. It is really effective at lowering nutrients, and it can help raise your pH.

 

[Devaji]

If you already have a skimmer, get the ATS. It is really effective at lowering nutrients, and it can help raise your pH.

I do have the skimmer but its undersized...my orginal plan was to start out with the ATS then upgrade the skimmer around BF/CM
but might need to sooner how knows. its one of those thing you dont know until you have the tank up and running and see.
IDK just talking aot loud with fellow reefers here.