Vortex 1004 Protein skimmer?

Hi guys,

I'm new to this site and the hobby...

Just wondering if anyone has used or heard of a vortex 1004 skimmer? I have found a used one forsale, but have not been able to find any reviews on it. I need a hang on skimmer for my 150 gallon that i will be setting up in the next week or so. This one is not a hang on, but the person selling says if i extend the hoses it will work just the same as it does not need to be submeresed.

anyway, here is a link to the skimmer, any input would be appreciated!

SUPER 1004 VORTEX PROTEIN SKIMMER :: Aquarium Hardware :: Salt Water Skimmers, Aquarium Equipment, Aquarium Retrofit and Lighting Systems

thanks!

 

Welcome to 3reef. A 150 is awfully big to start out with, but it will be real nice. If there are two things you do NOT want to skimp on, they are lighting and a protein skimmer. If you are unsure and can't find reviews get a well known and proven skimmer like an Octopus or a Bullet. You could even pull it off with a Coralife Superskimmer. I'm running one on my 90 and it works fine. Why can't you use a submersible skimmer in your sump? If you are planning on going with no sump its not a very good idea, especially for a tank that big.

 

I purchased this tank used, and the last person had it running for a year with no sump and 2 hob filters (emperor 400's)...i was planning on going the same route (no sump).

Ok, thanks for the advice on a good skimmer, i was thinking the same, but haven;t been able to find a good/popular brand skimmer locally...

 

For a 150, I definitely would recommend a sump. You may be able to (limp) by without one, but your life will be easier with a sump. Plus you can hide all your equipment in it. I would probably recommend a refugium as well. What do you plan to do? Reef? FOWLR? What about flow?

 

sorry for the late reply, i haven;t seen this thread in awhile.

anyway, in the past few weeks, i have managed to build a glass sump to fit in the space i have under the tank, although, it is tight, i will have a 4" wide x 16" deep x 10" high refugium..hope that will be big enough (it only works out to 3 gallons).

i ended up buying that skimmer, my tank is still empty and i have not hooked anything up...so if anyone has any reviews or recommendations they would be greatly appreciated.

the plan is, I will start with a FOWLR (i have 165lbs of live rock), and will slowly get into coral if all is going smooth...

the tank is going to be setup with a 23gal sump, that was the most i could squeeze in there, it will have a 5 gal intake from tank, 5 gal return, and a 3 gallon fuge, leaving about 9 gal or space incase of a power outage.

thanks!