Which HOB Skimmer to Get?

[Slack Tide Reef]

I had an older remora and it was loud to me. Also had a tunze 9002 (replaced by 9001) and I liked it. Quit and easy to adjust. Pump went bad and I didn't see replacements anymore so jumped on an aquamaxx hob-1. I'm loving the aquamaxx but I have found that I need to take it apart and clean the hardened salt out of the air intake on the pump about once a month though.

 

[Water Dog]

Cheesy video for sure, but...

 

[GoVols]

I had a CRP back pack skimmer. Didn't like it. It was not well built and the pump was not adequate. I replaced it with a reef octopus hob which only cost about $20 more than the CRP but it was many times better built, has a better pump, and worked better. I don't use it all the time anymore just on my QT when I have it set up but it does a decent job. I have no experience with the other brands.
I agree that an insump is better than HOB but HOB is better than no skimmer.
you need to watch the HOB skimmers pretty close. If they overflows they will make a huge mess of stinky skimmate.

+1
The Aquamaxx HOB-1 has a safety overflow tube :)

 

[Fishninja]

Haha thanks to everyone that responded! I plan on going with the AquaMaxx HOB

 

[Opus]

The best on the market are the Deltec's. Don't worry about people telling you that you need a sump. They are not necessary, on smaller tanks under 120gal, though they do make it more convenient and add more options. Plenty of no sump tanks around that blow away tanks with sumps.

 

[Maacc]

I would recommend the aquamaxx hob 1 unless you are in the market for a bit pricier one, then reach out to Adam at battlecorals for an MCE 400 deltec. I have it and it moves a tremendous amount of air and foam.

 

[mcarroll]

About the same noise as other skimmers. Bubbling water at >100 GPH tends to be pretty noisy. ;)

A "normal" skimmer will be partly muffled by being partly submerged in water....and maybe by being enclosed inside a stand.

Maybe the best feature of an AquaC is that the bubbling mechanism is part of the skimmer rather than being part of the pump.

A replacement pump for the Aquamaxx, for excample, is $102....half the price of a new skimmer.

A replacement pump for a Remora is $40.

A Remora only costs $159 without a pump, $179 with....you might already have a pump that will run it.

Used, a Remora costs about half that....and it's still possible, with patience, to find them on the used market.

An Aquamaxx is $230....they aren't hard to find used, but they still cost more than a Remora.

I've had Remora's (and Remora Pro's and Urchins) and they are really nice skimmers. I still have a classic EV90 from AquaC's other line of skimmers.....same economy of using normal pumps applies. Love em! :)

 

[AdamNC]

How high above the tank does it go including the collection cup? I like the all blacked out look but from looking at videos the skimmer seems to stick out really high above the tank. Also how is the noise level?

The noise level is not bad at all but everyone is different.

 

[Sully]

How is the noise?

Only thing I know for comparison is I had a CPR back pak skimmer I ran on a 20 gallon and that thing was way noisier the the Reef octopus. I think the external pump helps keep the noise down.

 

[Mandrew]

I can't say enough good things about reef octopus BH 1000. It is a bit testy to get setup, but it pulls a LOT 's crap out. I run one on my 54 corner along with a HOB refugium.

+1 on this, I used a BH1000 myself for around 3 years and it worked amazingly for me. Pulled out a lot of skimmate and runs quietly.

 

[Joeganja]

I just had to hop on here!

I loved the aquamaxx hob-1 so much that I went and bought another to set up for my quarantine tank.

The skimmers bubble diffusion plate is a different design than most skimmers and that's why I always prefer aquamaxx. The break in period of this skimmer is almost non existent. It took about a couple of hours for this thing to start pulling gunk out of my 25 gallon lagoon. Yeah it's rated up to tanks 75 gallons and you have a 45? Your golden. I've had coralife hang on the backs, as well as reef octopus a long time ago and they don't really seem to improve on their designs. As far as hang on the back skimmers I love these skimmers and I have no problem with them. Easy cup removal, very sleek and attractive profile. Doesn't take up as much space. The acrylic used seems to have a thicker and more quality to it than others I've looked into getting. Yeah it's a little more expensive but your also getting an Italian made sump and it's super quiet. I sleep with this skimmer in my bedroom and I have no problem. As far as the skimmate. This is 2 days worth.

easy to dial in and adjust wet or dry. Fairly simple. I got no complaints.