New build, need hardware advice!

I'm building a 90 gallon tank up, lots of LR, lots of sand, lots of Chaeto, so the biological filtration is handled. I need a Skimmer and some flow. Help me out here, money is tight, so with that said, no reef octopus skimmers, and no Vortech pumps xP

Thanks guys!

90 gallon display

50(?) gallon sump (rubbermade tub)

ALL ideas and thoughts here are appreciated.

 

:-[

What do you consider ALOT of LR and LS?

For a skimmer and flow on a budget, I would get a coralife super skimmer 125 and some Hydors

 

I agree with Vizzle. You can go cheaper on skimmer, but coral life will actually skim. It's a good cheap skimmer. And the hydors are pretty decent power heads. They last for years.

 

The super skimmer gets a lot of flake from the reefing community, but they are truly good skimmers once you zero it in after the break-in

 

Yea that is about the only problem with coral life. When your a newb in the hobby it can be hard to get it working properly. I personally would go with a better skimmer starting out new. But when on a budget they are great.

 

check out the DIY skimmers, not sure if anyone has tried them but if you find one that works it would probably be the cheapest way to go. Then again, you might end up buying one later if it doesn't last, usually in this hobby you get what you pay for.

 

I have to tell you, I would stay away from the coralife skimmers...while they do produce skimate, they are a MAJOR pain in the butt to use...especially as they age...I found that after a year, they would not skim or bubble more than they would...so yes..if it is working it works nice...but that is a big IF. I think a skimmer needs to be one of your best items in the tank - it really plays a key role in the overall health of your system...I know you said no reef octopus...but I would shop around and look for a good deal on thiat. More money upfront, but better off in the long run. Personally, I went with the coralife to start with..then within a year..I was pissed I bought it...and ended up buying the reef octopus anyway....so basically I threw away the money I spent on the coralife skimmer.

 

The ebay powerheads work well. Get one that is egg shaped with the 360 intake on it. A friend and I have used a couple 800gph ones for a year without problems - and mine has to withstand turtle abuse. They are silent too and a bargain at 2 for less that $20 shipped. Also, I've found the Odyssea pumps to be good - at least the 700gph models. Have had two of them in my sump for over a year without problems.

 

I have a koralia 750, had it in a 20, worked very well. I have a Q about skimmers though, do you want the skimmer to be rated for the display, or the total water volume?

I'm thinking I can do a huge container for a sump I can keep in the garage.

as far as the powerheads go, I'd like to avoid a huge footprint.

So how many powerheads can I get away with? I'm not huge on sps keeping, although I have a monti cap and pocillapora. The lighting i have is a 4xt5, and I'm going to have a friend of mine make an LED accent for me.

I already have 1, so.. 2, maybe 3 more?
Hydor Koralia Evolution Circulation Pump/Powerhead

Lets set the cap on a skimmer at about $200. Coralife has some pretty decent reviews on MD.
Amazon.com: Coralife 05272 Super Skimmer with Pump, 125-Gallon: Pet Supplies

I'm probably going to get everything from amazon.

 

Amazon.com: Reef Octopus 4 (100 Gallon) In Sump Needle Wheel Protein Skimmer w/ Bu: Pet Supplies

This is actually affordable. But goes back to my question.