Which is better? 2 pumps in 1 skimmer or 1 skimmer with big pump

Discussion in 'Protein Skimmers' started by greenalgae, Oct 12, 2011.

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  1. greenalgae

    greenalgae Plankton

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    Hello, my first post here...I am planning to upgrade my skimmer for my 250 gallon tank, it's currently using a half cone tube with aquabee 2000 pump. Which is better to get, a bigger skimmer with 2 aquabee 2000 pump attached or a bigger skimmer (same body with the 2 aquabee pumps) with 1 aquabee 5000 pump?
     
    greenalgae, Oct 12, 2011
    greenalgae, Oct 12, 2011
    #1

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  2. Powerman

    Powerman Giant Squid

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    What is best is to get a properly sized body with a properly sized flow rate for your tank. You can't just stick another pump on a body and have it work twice as good. It does not work that way.
     
    Powerman, Oct 12, 2011
    Powerman, Oct 12, 2011
    #2
  3. greenalgae

    greenalgae Plankton

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    I know that, what I am saying is that there are 2 identical body, 1 with ab5000 attached on it and one with 2 ab2000 attached on it. I dont just stick another pump, it comes that way.
     
    greenalgae, Oct 12, 2011
    greenalgae, Oct 12, 2011
    #3
  4. Shackman23

    Shackman23 Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    Ive got a reef octopus like that, and it does a great job, it cycles the water twice before it gets put back in the tank, im cycling 500gph threw my skimmer and it pulls some really nasty stuff!
     
    Shackman23, Oct 12, 2011
    Shackman23, Oct 12, 2011
    #4
  5. greenalgae

    greenalgae Plankton

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    one guy told me, it's better to have 1 big pump rather than 2 pump on 1 skimmer
     
    greenalgae, Oct 12, 2011
    greenalgae, Oct 12, 2011
    #5
  6. Powerman

    Powerman Giant Squid

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    Well in that case, it depends... it isn't necessarily "better". If one pump breaks, the other one will only have the skimmer working "half" strength, and it is not going to perform very well like that. With one pump, if it goes bad then you are out a skimmer and you have to buy a pump....

    Personally, it does not matter to me... one pump is usually smaller and I just get what works. Never saw the point of two pumps... the real point was that there was not a good fit of a pump at the specs they needed and they put two on instead of one.
     
    Powerman, Oct 12, 2011
    Powerman, Oct 12, 2011
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  7. SPINNER

    SPINNER Fire Shrimp

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    Good question

    Good question, would it be better on a skimmer that specs. (2) pumps to upgrade the pumps changing what in the specs.? So if he adds another pump (upgrading) that skimmers specs. what is the down fall? I don't know this is why i am asking. To me knowing the acrylic skimmer body will handel the extra flow seems like a good thing as long as your skimmer can adjust water height well, Who makes The Aquarium Trade Skimmer Specs.? Or is it just what the company that sales the skimmer says it is?
     
    SPINNER, Oct 18, 2011
    SPINNER, Oct 18, 2011
    #7