Skimmer too big?

[Megabite]

I have a good deal on a used Bubble King SR 250 for my Mixed 180 Reef. I'd like to upgrade my Euro Reef RS 180 and am wondering if SR 250 is too big before I go pick it up.

All suggestions would be appreciated.

[Megabite]

Cough, cough.... :)

[tom obrecht]

I'd go for it. If you feel it is over kill, one more reason for more livestock!

[Megabite]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13946075#post13946075 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tom obrecht
I'd go for it. If you feel it is over kill, one more reason for more livestock!

Thanks Tom. I do want to be able to add more and more. You know how it goes. So you don't think it will over skim? I don't want to do something that may be counter productive.

By the way, beautiful TOTM.

[tom obrecht]

I think you should be fine. What is your fish load like now? If it is real low you can always add more or just bump up your feeding abit as well. If the skimmer skims most of the time I think you are fine.

I've had many skimmers through the years including ER, Deltec and BK. I think you will be very happy with the BK for many reasons.

[csufman]

I've heard you can never go too big with a skimmer. If you get a good deal on it I would take it.

[moondoggy4]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13951896#post13951896 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by csufman
I've heard you can never go too big with a skimmer. If you get a good deal on it I would take it. Well I believe that I have a oversized skimmer and I do not think it is a good thing it seems to work for little skimmate. I rather have a skimmer that can fill up a cup in a week's time instead of filling up the neck of the skimmer cup because there is not enough bio-load. It has been a nuisance for 3 months now by the way it is a ER CS8/2 and my nitrates are still 100 ppm and now I have a hair algae problem. Yes I feed a lot but I least would dump my cup every 4 days with my ER CS.5/3. So I think that a oversized skimmer just add's a different set of problems Just my 2 cents Good luck

[Megabite]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13951989#post13951989 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by moondoggy4
Well I believe that I have a oversized skimmer and I do not think it is a good thing it seems to work for little skimmate. I rather have a skimmer that can fill up a cup in a week's time instead of filling up the neck of the skimmer cup because there is not enough bio-load. It has been a nuisance for 3 months now by the way it is a ER CS8/2 and my nitrates are still 100 ppm and now I have a hair algae problem. Yes I feed a lot but I least would dump my cup every 4 days with my ER CS.5/3. So I think that a oversized skimmer just add's a different set of problems Just my 2 cents Good luck

That's interesting, but doesn't make sense. You would figure the bigger skimmer would pull what ever your old one was pulling plus more. Thanks for your 2 cents.

[tgunn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13951989#post13951989 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by moondoggy4
Well I believe that I have a oversized skimmer and I do not think it is a good thing it seems to work for little skimmate. I rather have a skimmer that can fill up a cup in a week's time instead of filling up the neck of the skimmer cup because there is not enough bio-load. It has been a nuisance for 3 months now by the way it is a ER CS8/2 and my nitrates are still 100 ppm and now I have a hair algae problem. Yes I feed a lot but I least would dump my cup every 4 days with my ER CS.5/3. So I think that a oversized skimmer just add's a different set of problems Just my 2 cents Good luck

I'm in the SAME boat as you.

My skimmer is rated for an 800g tank; I've got a 140g. I hardly get anything in the cup; just a bit of crud in the neck. The problem is that the skimmer can't form a stable enough foam head to overflow into the cup.

A skimmer CAN be too large and if it is too large is a waste of money in the end.

I'm planning on getting a MUCH smaller skimmer in the new year.

Tyler

[Megabite]

Hmm, second person confirming the "you can have to big of a skimmer". Anyone else have this problem or an opinion to the contrary?

Thanks for the input Tyler.

[Jim_S]

The idea that you can't oversize a skimmer is ridiculous.

Sure you can put a larger skimmer on a tank, but its not going to function properly. It will skim sometimes and others it won't. You can try to add livestock, but you can only pack so many fish in a glass box before you start having problems.

Is your ER not skimming? I had an ER RC180 on my 180 and found that it was oversized for my application.

A BK is no doubt an upgrade from a ER as far as build quality, air intake and design. But skimmers can only remove what is available to them. If the ER is pulling the stuff out and running idle from time to time the SM will do the same.

Just my $.02

Good luck!

Jim

[Megabite]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13954421#post13954421 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jim_S
The idea that you can't oversize a skimmer is ridiculous.

Sure you can put a larger skimmer on a tank, but its not going to function properly. It will skim sometimes and others it won't. You can try to add livestock, but you can only pack so many fish in a glass box before you start having problems.

Is your ER not skimming? I had an ER RC180 on my 180 and found that it was oversized for my application.

A BK is no doubt an upgrade from a ER as far as build quality, air intake and design. But skimmers can only remove what is available to them. If the ER is pulling the stuff out and running idle from time to time the SM will do the same.

Just my $.02

Good luck!

Jim

"Greenhorn for Life" ~NICE!~ LOL

That's the thing with my ER. It really works great. I have to clean it every three days so it can continue producing. It sort of clogs up, for lack of a better description, and I'll have to clean it out to continue production. It's never idle until it gets dirty. Specifically the neck gets cruded up and it seems like the pump is not strong enough to keep pushing the NOG production all the way into the cup. Maybe this is the way it's suppose to be but I was thinking my systems bioload is bigger than the skimmer can handle. My bioload has increased with time and always wanting to put more stuff n there.

So the question remains. Is my skimmer good enough and if it isn't, which BK or other would better serve me? Mini 200, SM 200, or SM 250 or other manufacturer. I'm really not looking for over kill but something I can also use when I upgrade to a lager system (around 280 gallon) in the future.

Again, my primary concern is the 180 and I thank you all for your input.

[Megabite]

One or two days of production. Then it doesn't do much afterwards.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d15/MegaBite65/IMG_1597.jpg

[ostrow]

Seems to me your skimmer is fine. Leave well enough alone.

[Reefman79]

Until he puts more corals/live stock in there the bigger skimmer will help IMO, i see people spending up to like $5000.00 on skimmers to make things happen.

[danorth]

I find that my Octo Exteme 300 likes to have the cup cleaned every 2 days or the production isn't as great. It is a big skimmer for big tanks (so they say). My tank is a 240 and have a bunch of fish (66" in total) and I just pulled out this much in 2 days:

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j203/danorth/skimmer-juice-12-15-08-1.jpg

Looks like your skimmer is doing well.

[Reefman79]

Wow !