General Skimmer Questions

I'm in the process of setting up a 55 gallon reef tank and before I even think about starting the cycle let alone adding anything else I want to have my sump up and equipment up and running.

With skimmers, I'm just wondering how you calculate what size is good for your tank. For example I've heard that its good to buy a skimmer rated 1.5 or 2 times more than your tank (so like for a 50 gallon you would get one thats rated for a 75-100 gallon tank) but I would like to know a how you calculate the litres per hour each skimmer goes through and how many litres per hour will help keep the water pristine with enough headroom for increasing bioload? This would help me a lot in my neverending (so it seems) quest for a good protein skimmer!

All help and advice is appreciated!

 

You'll need a good skimmer at least rated for a 55 gallon tank. It really depends on your bioload... the heavier it is the more skimming you'll need done. Don't go for something cheap, because you'll end up replacing it (happened to me). The way you can calculate the litres per hour is by just looking at the pump. Its should have the info on it. If your pump pumps 400 litres per hour than thats how many litres you skimmer would be pumping. Tried to word that as well as I could maybe some one else could help clarify ha ha

 

Most manufacturers are pretty honest about the tank size they will handle. The amount one will handle varies based on more than just pump capacity. Body size, body design, pin wheel design, air pull and many other things all play a part. Here's a few skimmers that would work well for your 55:

Xtreme 160 Cone Protein Skimmer

Urchin Pro

Coralife Super Skimmer - Needle Wheel (up to 125 Gallons)

 

just get a little bigger than you need and thats in the budget. go for a 60-100g sized one. make sure your sump is big enough for it and return pump, etc... check the footprint

 

There is really no answer to your questions. Sorry. Ratings seem to be a mixture of chicken bones with some tea leaves. However, after years and years, there come to be a consensus on what will handle what. The good ones stay, the bad ones fade away.

A very general rule could be said to be 500-600 lph per hundred gallons. That one is about as good as watts per gallon, but it's a start. So that would mean 250-300 lph for you.... from a well designed tried and true skimmer.

There is nothing wrong getting a skimmer (tried and true well accepted) rated for your tank. If you are starting a 55, but already blush when you see the 90g, then you could get one rated for twice your tank. So it would sort of operate like crap on your 55g, but it will be able to handle the 90g as soon as see a good deal on Craigs List. But really.....it is pretty hard to span a bigger gap then 2x and there is no need to have a 2x if you stick with the 55g for years to come.

Always go by heavy bio load rating. If the company does not gives only one, then it is heavy. You will get there eventually.

If the air draw is in SCFH then times that by .47 to get LPM. Times that by 60 if you prefer LPH. Or visa versa. 25-300 LPH is 8.8-10.6 SCFH

 

hmmmm i see what you mean. ill probably end up looking for one rated for a tank a bit bigger than mine just to be safe!
so the pump needs to put out the same lph or gph that the skimmer does? or can it be a little more so it doesnt work as hard so to speak (im guessing thats what would occur)?

 

You are off track. The LPH you see is what the air draw is on that skimmer. And that number is dependent on what water level it is in. You don't need to match anything, and unfortunately, companies do not give how much water the skimmer processes. That depends too. So you just look at skimmers and see what air it draws. But that number is not the Holy Grail. It needs to be a well balanced performing skimmer in that ball park. This is for needle wheel skimmers, and those are usually what give you air draw in LPH or SCFH. Other spray type skimmers that need seperate pumps tell you what pumps you need for them.

The 160 Cone mentioned above would be a great fit for you. You could do the 120, but if you want a bit bigger, the 160 will work.

 

Agreed. Thinking of going with the 120 (mainly for budget purposes). Link here: Xtreme 120 Cone Protein Skimmer Only problem is, I need to find somewhere that will ship one to australia!
Also I'm concerned about the power plug if I was to buy one internationally. The power sockets here in Australia are very different to the ones in the US or UK I pressume!

 

Dude, I don't usually notice country. Ya, not too sure on the plugs. I just know there needs to be an adapter. I used to live in Perth, but I was pretty young then so can't remember.

SWC is a company in Canada. Don't know what that would take getting one to you. One nice thing is the Pacific countries and Indonesian countries have a pretty large marine aquarium market. Surely you could find something suitable even if we can't get it in the States. PM Matt Rodgers. He is some type of exporter but is always showing us stuff from Indo-Pac we can't get here.

Bubble Magus is another that would do you well for your size and budget. NA7 is a cone like the 160. Perhaps they are easier to get.

We get European companies that sell here, but also make 50 hz ones for Europe. But those makers are pretty pricey....at least the ones we get here.

 

hmmm i guess ill keep hunting around for a good quality skimmer, ill give matt rodgers a PM and see if he can help me out at all thank you!