skimmer advice please

tank 36 gal bowfront
usung a marineland emperor 400
t5 lights

just starting this hobby...oh what a trip...

wanting to add a protein skimmer...
should i replace my emperor and get a protein skimmer wilth filter or just add a protein skimmer?

looking at:
octopus BH 100SS
octopus BH-100F

**on my bowfront tank there is a plastic piece that runs from the back pane to the front middle section of bow glass i think for support of the bowfront...it is about 2"wide..i had to modify my emperor just to set it on back of tank..by cutting a little plastic away on emperor..
i am concerned that the 100F will not fit due to this plastic piece...while the 100SS will set right by my emperor just fine..

eventually going to get a bigger tank and probably do a sump...as for now going to make do with this tank...as i have already spent some $$$$ as you all know..

any advice would be appreciated
thanks
Wade

 

Dimensions of the skimmers should be listed on places like MarineDepot.com and the like. Just google it and you'll get a good idea. Also look at the AquaC Remora Pro. If you want to get something that will give you room to grow even further, look at the Aqua Medic Turbo Flotor-1000 Multi SL

 

Hey Wade, John is right about the dimension listings and models.
I know you've spent some money but it would be better if you had a sump. I like the Octopus skimmers. I want one and I will get one. I don't think you want to have all that on the back of your tank. Can you fit like a Rubbermaid tub under your stand? or maybe a 10-20 gallon tank that would accommodate the skimmer and maybe a Berlin bag? 10g tanks are like $10 and might help you out a bit more in adding to your tank... If you plan on going bigger, you might as well put that money toward the bigger skimmer now to save you from having to buy one later. M2C.

 

Agreed...And the Octupus BH-100F is a very good skimmer. I would recommend that one as well...

 

Good advice but avoid a 10G tank as a sump. Especially if you are going to go with something like the Octo skimmers. By the time you get the skimmer in the 10G tank, put baffles in it, the return pump area will be very very tight on a return pump. What that causes is a very low amount of water in the return pump section and that is where evaporation will show up - the lowest water level in the system. It means that if the water evaporates and you aren't on top of it immediately, the pump runs dry.

Coral Vue Home Page

That is the home page and it gives dimensions but I have reason to believe they may not be accurate so you may want to double check them on other sites. I know of at least 2 skimmers on that site that the photos are not accurate. Reef Octopus Hang on Back Protein Skimmer BH-100 gives the same dimensions so they may be accurate.

If you end up putting a temporary sump under it, I wouldn't get a hang on skimmer though. Go ahead and get an insump skimmer and be finished with it. Just make sure your sump is large enough to accomodate the skimmer, the baffles, the return pump and enough volume to keep the pump from running dry. Meaning the larger the return pump area, the better it will be.

 

i ordered the octopus 100F and i am going to remove my marineland emperor 400 and just use the 100F...will that work ok?

 

Yes, that will work just fine for you