I dont know a thing about skimmers - please help!

So I have always been skimmerless with the exception of a HOB skimmer that never worked. Problem is, I get lots of people asking what skimmers they should get and the like, and I have no idea what to tell them. I read reviews, and that helps, but I was wondering if the members here could help me help them. I would like an example of a good quality for the money low end skimmer for reefers on a budget, a mid sized budget skimmer and the "top of the line maybe a waste of money but you couldnt get better skimmer". Brands I think will be sufficient.

It is my understanding that -
Corallife is a solid value skimmer
Octopus is a bit more, but great for the more serious aquarist
Bubble King is to show how crazy you are about your corals.

 

I would say reefocto is one of those better "bang for your buck" brands. I personally own two within the NWB-Series (I believe their entry-level line) and they are fantastic!!! Economical to run as their wattage draw is on the lower side compared to some others.

Also excellent build quality and the assembly is also a cinch.

I have the NWB-110 on a 30 gallon cube and an NWB-250 on my 120DT - both pull skimmate like beasts!!! And compared to others - not nearly as expensive for most if not all the performance of the more expensive units!

 

I would amend your comments a bit.

Coralife is generally not considered a good skimmer, and I would not recommend that brand.

SWC makes a good skimmer, both regular and cone. This is about the least I would recommend people to buy. For tanks 75-90g I would go with the SWC 160 cone or SWC 160 regular skimmers. For tanks 100g-125g I would go for the SWC 200 or equivalent cone.

Super Reef Octopus makes very good skimmers - pricier than SWC, but with a better pump. Go with the SRO 1000 for small tanks, the 2000 for 75-120g, and the 3000 for 125g-180g.

Frankly, many of us believe that the upper Super Reef Octo models (like the 5000) can compete with Bubble Kings, which are generally regarded as the highest caliber skimmers.

 

I like my tunze skimmer but it was a pretty penny. I also have a reef octopus and like it as well as M-Ocean Man.

 

I've been using a Coralife 65 on my 40 gallon. It was used and I only paid 50 bucks for it. For that price it's not a bad skimmer. It's a little noisy and I have to adjust it occasionally, but it produces foam steadily when adjusted.

 

So what capacity are you trying to help? I mean is this to friends or buisness or....

when I look at stuff, I want to know why I want to buy it. anyone can just say buy this, but that does not really mean much. Just like the Coralife.... ya lots of people run it.... does that mean it's good... not really. Much better for not much more. But sure you should buy one.

So what are you trying to accomplish. Just asking what context this is for to help you out. Here is an article that can help you out on skimmers.

http://http://www.3reef.com/forums/protein-skimmers/all-about-skimmers-skimmers-skimmer-85389.html

 

Can always refer people to this awesome resource for skimmer queries:

http://www.3reef.com

 

This is a newer line out of China that is inexpensive. I have been running the DG2520 (paid $79.99 cdn) on my 45g with 20g sump for about 6 months with very good results.
BOYU Protein Skimmer WG Series - Boyu.us - 1

 

Eshopps is an excellent mid-budget skimmer IME/IMHO. I have a PSK 100H running on my 71 gallon system that really pulls the gunk!

 

That's a big subject.... if you just want some decent brands, you can't go wrong with Reef-octopus on a budget. This is my preference. Also Vertex Eshops and ASM are great. If they want to spend money, you certainly can't go wrong with Bubble King

As to the coralife 65. I had one and it's ok for the money. It worked but overflowed a few too many times. I would only use it in a sump for that reason.


Here are some skimming articles about technical aspects of skimming:
Skimming Basics 101: Understanding Your Skimmer by Frank Marini, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com

What is Skimming? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Reefs.org: Where Reefkeeping Begins on the Internet - Protein Skimmers

Feature Article: Further Studies on Protein Skimmer Performance — Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine

Feature Article: Elemental Analysis of Skimmate: What Does a Protein Skimmer Actually Remove from Aquarium Water? — Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine

Feature Article: Bacterial Counts in Reef Aquarium Water: Baseline Values and Modulation by Carbon Dosing, Protein Skimming, and Granular Activated Carbon Filtration — Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine