What kind of Skimmer to get?

Discussion in 'Protein Skimmers' started by philip_r5, Feb 22, 2008.

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  1. philip_r5

    philip_r5 Feather Duster

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    Any suggestions on what kind of skimmer to get? I am running a 110gallon tank right now. I will have a 30-50g sump on it and a 10g refug. Totalling around 160gallons. I want to have something thats goign to last me a while and be the best I can have. Let me know what you guys think I should get. Thanks
     
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  3. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    Several types come to mind .. Ata 160 gallons A Red Sea Berlin classic and or the turbo flotor 1000 classic will do just fine . But if then if you want to spend more money ? Just look into the ETSS sump buddy's or the reef devil skimmers or the Bullet 1 either of these would run away with that size tank system . Now any of these 4 or 5 skimmers would do just fine.. I have a 135 still running and running well with a red sea berlin classic now since 98 . with about 225 total gallons with fuge and sump.. The refugium really reduces the amount of skimmer that will be needed also. I know of a few using the coralifie skimmer on 150 systems and are doing just fine.. There is no one answer..

    But if you are going to keep mosly coarls and run a refugium and good mechanical filtration then you would be suprised at how little skimmer you would really need.. But in my eperiences with the system you described then any of the above would all do just fine.. larger is not always better you can over skim a reef tank I think..Happy hunting :)
     
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  4. reef_guru

    reef_guru Humpback Whale

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  5. philip_r5

    philip_r5 Feather Duster

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    Still looking for more opinions. I take tangs and reefs opinion highly ol smart ones there :) Always giving karma to you guys I wish I had an auto top off karma for you 2 :p lol ( do they make them reef ? ) lol had to pick at you i see you always posting the ATO :)
     
  6. Bogie

    Bogie Snowflake Eel

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    I have a coralife 125 superskimmer. I guess it works good, but I don't have anything to compare it against, since this is my first one. Good luck with whatever you choose.

    I'd recommend the 220 for your larger tank. My 125 pulls out a lot of scum. The only problem I have is that there is a leak (micro bubble stream) from between the pump and the outlet. I called Monday 2 weeks ago and the manufacturer was supposed to be shipping me one the next Monday (1 week ago), but I have still not received it yet. Hopefully fed ex comes today with it.

    And p.s.: fish.com has great prices, plus if you find it cheaper at another site, they'll even beat that price with the 150% price guarantee - that's how I got a great deal on my light setup.
     
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  7. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    Skimmers are the most common area of confusion I have ever seen .. The Corallif is a good skimmer I still love and run the old Berlin Classic another great tested skimmer . People just overdo skimmers to death and few really have a grasp on how to size the skimmer properly . Their used to be a skimmer called Excalibur Small and $4$ hands down the best skimmer I ever ran.. on any reef up to 150 gallons 79.95 and pump included :) Now I'd have just pulled the skimmer and dabbed some glue over the leak LOL If its leaking where I think it is ? I think thats their weak link ?

    Guy in Richmond at the shop there when they first started to sell that skimmer came in said Its leaking bubbles .. It was his second return and Scott was out of that 150 LOL I said hey do this and I dabbed some ABS glue and let it set and then a second DAB and that was 3 yrs ago ? But he never said it was leaking and comes in several times a month.. Scott took the skimmer home for his tank did the same thing.. If its the same leak place I'm thinking about
     
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  9. bigrf33

    bigrf33 Astrea Snail

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    hi, just got a v2 nano skimmer 4 my D&D 24g nano, its in 3rd chamber at min, loads of bubbles in main tank heard sponge in skimmer outlet helps is this true? if so how do i do it? if i put it in 2nd chamber do i take sponge filter out and use skimmer instead of the filter? thanks 4 any help am new 2 marine fish
     
  10. glassbox-design

    glassbox-design Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    I'd suggest looking at the DAS Ex-2, Octo Pro, and ATI BM200/MSX200.

    Depending on how much you want to spend i'd look into H&S, ATB, Deltec, and BK.
     
  11. superclouds

    superclouds Flamingo Tongue

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  12. eggerstout

    eggerstout Skunk Shrimp

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    pump defect


    I believe its a pump defect, mine was doing the same thing (leaking bubbles between the pump cover and the housing) and i took it apart and i broke the ceramic shaft inside, which sucked but it still worked when put back together, I called ESU and they said they were shipping me one, well I was busy with finals and let it go for a month, called back and they said they were on back order, but the guy looked in the warehouse and he found one, it was at my door withing 3 days. Didn't even have to send the old one back. But getting back to the bubble leak, I believe the o-ring diameter is the culprit, because the new pump i got still leaked, bubbles, after awhile it stopped and starts off and on, depends on if my turbo snails graze on the pump. Soon it will be in a 20 gallon sump so i'm not worried.