View Full Version : How do I know if I should upgrade my skimmer?
I moved my Tunze 9010 over from a 58 gallon reef to my 3 month old 220 gallon reef when I set it up to do the skimming until I decided what skimmer to get for the 220. The Tunze is tiny and silent as well as energy efficient. Tunze claims it will skim up to 265 gallons.
The 220 is doing great and the Tunze 9010 is pulling only around 150-200 cc's per day. The fish and corals are healthy. I have a refuge full of chaeto and I do 15% water changes every 2 weeks. With a large refuge and regular water changes I never have skimmed huge amounts in years of saltwater tanks and various skimmers.
What I am getting at is do I need to upgrade my skimmer to a larger one? I am considering an AquaC EV240 or a Bubble Master 250 because they have gotten great reviews and will fit in my sump.
Any input will be appreciated, thanks in advance.
Mr James
10/01/2007, 09:05 PM
Lots of firefighters in both my family and my wifes!! Good luck and thank you!!
I have a BM200 for my system and would recommend the BM250 for yours of course. I even heard there is a BM300 coming with some truly unique features.
dent2011
10/01/2007, 10:30 PM
It really depends on what the bioload is going to be in the tank. If your going to put lots of life in the tank then you probably should upgrade, manufacturers recommendations never seem to cut it. but if everything is doing fine now, don't fix what ain't broke!
CruzinKim
10/01/2007, 10:32 PM
My vote will also be for the ATi BM250 for a more moderately price skimmer.
kodyboy
10/02/2007, 08:45 AM
A second 9010 would work well (you would basically have a 9020)
A DAS Ex 3 would work excellently
Check out schurans as well they have good reviews
H&S are really nice, but pricey. Maybe an in-sump version or a used H&S would be good
hebygb
10/02/2007, 09:00 AM
Why make a change if everything is healthy. With the water changes, refugium etc, light bio load, and a young tank, you dont need to make a change. I'd wait til you find your current skimmer not able to handle a daily load. Even so... that is what an external collection cup is for.
Reef Sponger
10/02/2007, 09:17 AM
If everything is doing, no immediate need to upgrade. But what's deceiving on the skimmer is "is it working the way it should be or not?" A great performing skimmer (if undersized like your Tunze is for a 220g reef), if working properly, the collection cup should be filling up daily with such large volume of water passing through it daily. Don't fully trust the manufacturer's ratings as most are overly optimistic.
I would take anymore serious look at the EV series as they are just OK compared to the BM. If your bioload stays light to medium, look at the BM200 instead. If it is going to be heavy, then the BM250 is best. But again, you really don't need anything immediately since all is well.
goreefer
10/02/2007, 09:32 AM
A wise quote from one of my mentors:
If it's not broken don''t try to fix it.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10886356#post10886356 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by goreefer
A wise quote from one of my mentors:
If it's not broken don''t try to fix it.
I agree but I wonder if its broken.
Reef Sponger
10/02/2007, 10:29 AM
I'm a proponent of proper sizing. While the Tunze if a good skimmer, the BMs perform better. Others have posted that BM160 and BM200 outperforms a mesmodded Tunze. In terms of proper sizing, in my opinion, the Tunze is too small. But again, while your bioload is building up, the Tunze will do just fine for awhile. You may want to go with the smaller BM200 and keep the Tunze running as well, side by side in the same sump and see how they do next to each other.
Wryknow
10/02/2007, 10:47 AM
If you start getting nitrite/nitrate readings or a lot of nuisance algae or you decide to add more fish then certianly upgrade. If it's working then it's working, right? Another thing to consider though is that the skimmer is also an insurance factor in case something bad happens. If a fish dies, how quickly will the skimmer remove the waste proteins from the water? An under-sized skimmer may work fine but may not give you much of a safety factor. Just my $.02
Mr James
10/02/2007, 11:37 AM
by goreefer
A wise quote from one of my mentors:
If it's not broken don''t try to fix it.
I also agree. But what if it is not running at top effciency?? We face that issue with our current furnace. It is as old as the house. We just moved into this home and don't want to be stranded this winter. My gut says leave it alone. My gas bills are probably going to be really high, thus making my gut wrench. My point: Does one follow the above quote??
goreefer
10/02/2007, 11:46 AM
The only way to see if it's broken is to watch your parameters.
Yes you could go with the BM250, or even one of the huge Deltecs, but does your tank really require a larger skimmer. Will your normal maintenance program keep everything where you want it? Do you do normal water changes, What is your top off program, etc...
There are so many variables to maintaining a successful tank and the skimmer is only one component.
The other factor is 'the thickness of the wallet'.
We all know that it is easy to spend as much as you want on our tanks, but is the expendurature what it actually needed?
ihopss
10/02/2007, 12:47 PM
Maybe do some Mod to it,that will help you
I guess since everything is healthy and thriving in my tank i need to think about a skimmer upgrade as a "buffer" in case something happens. Besides my tangs are going to grow a lot larger then they already are.
I do like the Tunze line of skimmers...
kodyboy
10/02/2007, 05:36 PM
if you like the tunze just get a second one.......if you can find one:)
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