Doubling my skimmer or not

Well guys i'm bit post about my skimmer choice here. I heard a few things and that threw me OFF my game.

One of the thing I heard is to choose a skimmer double the capacity of my system. Like my system will involve a 140g tank with a display fuge of 75G so that's a 215 G total . So do I choose a skimmer for a 400 G system? The other one is about the recycling skimmer I had that, it worked well before any thought on that one is there a huge difference and why should I go there again.

A few things about my project. The 140 G is a Reef tank with LPS mostly and mushrooms and fish. The display fuge will be filled with a collection of Macro-algae and be split in two part; one with seahorses, the other anglers and scorpio fish, now both seahorses and anglers are messy and both tank are connected by gravity and are going to a 45 G sump as well.

So i'm looking at Octopus skimmers I like their concept. So double or just over the 215G; and should I go recycling again? Thank !!!

 

You dont necessarily have to have a recirculating skimmer. Here are some options that I would choose from if it were my set up. You dont have to get a skimmer thats double the system size, but imo it wise to go with a larger skimmer than needed.

SKIMZ SM 251 Monzter E-Series - In-Sump Protein Skimmer - AquaCave.com

I really like the skimz, im using a smaller version of it on my 40 breeder.

Reef Octopus SUPER SRO 5000INT In-Sump Protein Skimmer - AquaCave.com

Reef Octopus are always a good choice

Of course there are other options like vertex alpha series, bubble king, etc. but those can get quite pricey.

 

Just saw that these are now available. If I didn't already have my skimmer this is what I would get.

SKIMZ Leopard SL203 In-Sump Protein Skimmer with DC Pump - AquaCave.com

 

Wow those are great choices thanks guys.

 

try the aquamaxx insump cone skimmer they rock

 

Do the reef octopus. If you have medium to high bioload you'll be good to go.

 

I'm by no means an expert. Right now I am running a Vertex Omega 150 on my 60 gal tank and things are running quite well. I would recommend the Vertex skimmers if you haven't looked at them.

Additionally, another brand I was looking at that seemed quite well, small craftsmanship and build here in the US is Reef Dynamics protein skimmers. Their videos on youtube really speak to the passion these guys have about skimmers. Given my drothers I think I may have opted with them.

 

You do not need "double" the capacity. All you are really looking at is time. You do not pull out more, and it does not perform "better".

If you have a skimmer rated for your tank, then it will skim 24/7 100% of the time. If it is perfectly matched, then you will be doing all it can do. However, you do not really know if it is pulling everything or getting behind.

If you get a skimmer rated for 2x your tank, then it will skim what you have and only do that 50% of the time. the other 50% it does nothing, because the water is clean. But you do have room for something dying, and you do know when it isn't pulling anything that you are getting it all.

The down side to 2x is that you paid twice as much, used more room and power, and you did not get any better performance. One argument to do that is so that you can go bigger, but really who does that? Get the skimmer that is right for your tank, and if you go bigger, get the skimmer that is right for that one.

I like going 1.5x... I like to have a bit of head room. I like to turn my skimmer off at night and let the coral feed. You can easily do one rated for your tank, or a little over. But if you get a reputable skimmer, then they are generally rated accurately, and always, always go by HEAVY load rating... because everyone ends up with a heavy load.

 

+1 to powerman, it seems like the latest fad over the past year that this 'rule' of twice the capacity has came up. Alot of it has to do with manufactor under publishing their ratings. sure they say a 100g skimmer will of course do 100g, but thats a light bioload. heavy bioload it may only manage 60-75. and like he said a 100g skimmer will in theory hit 100g of water.

part of that is also the flow getting to the skimmer. in you have a massive like 10x turnover tank to sump turnover the water will potentially blow past the skimmer. think of it in drinking terms with a straw you could drink a gallon of milk in an hour (dont do this). if i were to blast you with a firehouse and 1 gallon of milk you wont be able to handle it in 5 seconds.

there also comes a point where you can buy a skimmer that is too big for your tank capacity and bioload where the water blows in and out the skimmer so fast it doesnt have time to do its job.

1.5 is fine for most name brand skimmer.

 

Thanks guys I just learned a few things here. First i'll let my corals feed at night so i'll turn off my skimmer from now on , great catch here. And i'll go 1.5 size for a heavy load because that's what i'll have from the start . My system is a 75 G display refugium feeding by gravity my 140 G Reef tank and then going to my 90 G sump. I have a big sump because I have the room since its under the fuge steel stand 6 feet high over the reef. So the sump will contain all the splash and noise and easily all the equipment. My fuge will be a biotope of macro-algae with seahorses who are messy.... Thanks again.