Skimmer selection

[Ranchhand02]

I am wanting to upgrade my protein skimmer and I am looking at a Coralife Super Skimmer Needle Wheel Protein Skimmer. Is this a good skimmer? What other sugestions do you have for an in sump skimmer? I have a 75 gallon tank.

[Fizz71]

Everybody in here will tell you their current skimmer is great and the last one they had wasn't. :)

Rather than asking what's good, you're better off searching the forums for one you like and see who's complained. :)

[Everyones Hero]

I've had 3 skimmers:

Seaclone- It sucked.
AquaC Urchin- Good.
Octopus Recirc- Very Good.

Is your tank a fish only or a reef tank?

[Ranchhand02]

fish and a few corals

[walkthedog]

Get a quality skimmer. With skimmers you really get what you pay for. If you get a cheep one then expect to be messing with it constantly trying to get it to work well. Again... Don't speed $$$ on a Deltec unless you really know what you want to do. Unless you get a used skimmer (which is a good idea) you will have to spend a few hundread to get a good one. Others might chime in and disagree but that is how I view it. Do a little research and look in the used forum for a good deal. But again, don't waste your money on crap. As far as the needle weedle go ... They are OK but I would look for a pin weel skimmer If I was you. I think they perform better.

[Bulldogger2008]

Would you recommend the 200 for a 125 gallon tank. My freaking Nitrates won't come down. No, I do not have a skimmer yet. The Tank has been running for nearly a month. All my other parameters are good.

[Fizz71]

200 for a 125 is pretty good. Ratings are usually not very accurate so that's a good range.

One thing though...It's been my experience that a skimmer is no fix for lowering nitrates--you need a good fuge/dsb/rdsb or just some serious water changes. A skimmer will help, especially if you're overfeeding. But IMO I don't relate "Skimmer" to a solution of "High Nitrates". I'm curious what others have to say on that.

[Bulldogger2008]

Well I have a 125 thats being filtered by 2 magnum 350's, 4 bio wheels and 2 power heads, one low and one high. The Nitrates are around 35-40 ppm. They came down once on my first 20% water change last week and now their back up. I feed every 2-3 days. I also use 2 caps of bottled Photoplankten twice a week for my corals and anenomes. I add calcium when its below 400 and I also use Iodine and Strongium for corals etc... So why are my Nitrates freakin high?

[Bulldogger2008]

Oh I was going to ask you, do you need a sump to run that 200 skimmer. I know absolutely nothing about skimmers. Well the ones you hang on the back are self explanatory but the 200 has some big tubes on the side and top etc... how do you hook it up etc... I want to be able to run it while using my Magnum 350's.

[Everyones Hero]

I would think a skimmer would at least help with nitrates. It helps remove oils, excess food, fish waste, ect. Things that would otherwise go through the nitrogen cycle & eventually cause nitrates to rise.

But I agree- use it in conjunction with other waste/nitrate removers & water changes. I have a small fuge with some Cheato in it. I still clean my glass every few days but it's not nearly as much if I weren't running a skimmer & fuge.

[Bulldogger2008]

how do i hook the 200 up? is it like a canister filter, outlet, inlet? I know absoluyely nothing about the skimmers

[Everyones Hero]

Skimmers come in 3 different types:

-Hang on back (self explanatory)

-In sump- Sits inside the sump. Generally uses one pump to pump water & air into it.

-Recirculating- Uses either gravity feed or a small pump to pump water into the skimmer & another pump to circulate water/add air.

Both in sump & recirculating skimmers need a sump.

[Bulldogger2008]

sound like i need a sump, how do they work and how much and what sump would you recommend with the 200. Hey I'm leaving from work, will be home in about 1 hour, will talk to you later, thanks for the advice.

[Everyones Hero]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14690478#post14690478 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bulldogger2008
how do i hook the 200 up? is it like a canister filter, outlet, inlet? I know absoluyely nothing about the skimmers

There is an inlet area, usually a 1/2" fitting that takes vinyl tube. That's where the water/air mixture goes into the skimmer.

Then there's usually 1.5" PVC tubing with a ball valve & T connector. That is the output.

Use a pump to pump water into the input, the air rises & forms a foam that comes out of the very top of the skimmer. That's the waste. Then the water goes out through the outlet, back into the sump/tank.

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14689649#post14689649 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ranchhand02
I am wanting to upgrade my protein skimmer and I am looking at a Coralife Super Skimmer Needle Wheel Protein Skimmer. Is this a good skimmer? What other sugestions do you have for an in sump skimmer? I have a 75 gallon tank.

I have one of these and out of the box it was making tons of bubbles and apart from adjusting the gate valve to set the level I haven't messed with it. It's truly plug & play.
I have the VS3-36
LifeReef (http://www.lifereef.com/venturi.html)

[mg426]

Please do yourself and your tank a HUGE FAVOR and run as fast as you can from any Coralife skimmer. They are a complete waste of Cash.

[Ranchhand02]

I have found a Coralife Super Skimmer Needle Wheel Protein Skimmer for a 125 gallon tank that I can get for $75 and I was wondering if I should buy it or not. I have a cheap skimmer now and I am having trouble keeping ti set right, and I do not think that it is big enough for my tank, that is why I am wanting to upgrade.

[mg426]

I would advise against it. A CSS 125 is no match for a 75 gallon.

[mg426]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14690413#post14690413 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bulldogger2008
Well I have a 125 thats being filtered by 2 magnum 350's, 4 bio wheels and 2 power heads, one low and one high. The Nitrates are around 35-40 ppm. They came down once on my first 20% water change last week and now their back up. I feed every 2-3 days. I also use 2 caps of bottled Photoplankten twice a week for my corals and anenomes. I add calcium when its below 400 and I also use Iodine and Strongium for corals etc... So why are my Nitrates freakin high?



My geuss would be the Biowheels.

[Ranchhand02]

What would you recomend for my 75 gallon tank?

[mg426]

AN MSX 160 would do the trick. THe Bubble magnus line looks pretty AOK too.

[Ranchhand02]

Where is the cheapest place to buy a skimmer?

[mg426]

Take a look here.


http://www.marinesolutionsinc.com/catalog/p131/MSX160/product_info.html

[Fizz71]

I also like MarineDepot.com and ThatFishPlace.com for a variety of skimmers. But some of the best quality ones can be ones that are made by a single vendor and not sold in stores like myreefcreations.com.

You really have an OVERLOADED amount of choices. Figure out what size sump you can accomodate first, then see what will fit in it. On your size tank I'd avoid the hang-ons unless you have some serious back wall clearance for a good one and won't mind the occasional micro bubble. I don't like ANY bubbles in my tank so I stick with in-sump ones.

BTW...There are also some sump skimmers than can sit NEXT to the sump and not IN it. It all depends on your space so like I said...see what sump you can fit first, then see what clearance you have for a skimmer since that can be a serious hinderance to those that don't have "fish rooms" with open sump setups.

[Fizz71]

Oh yeah...BTW...It's my understanding that a skimmer does NOTHING for nitrate "removal". What it does is remove protiens that would have eventually BECOME nitrate (among other things) if not removed.

To lower nitrates you need one or more of the following: Macro Algea in a reguium, DSB, RDSB, or do water changes. I have also tried nitrate sponges and chemicals that advertise nitrate removal but I've seen limited long term success with them. My current system is newly established with an RDSB and Cheato in the sump and will soon be setup for easy water changes. That is my "nitrate removal" system although I have an ASM G-4X skimmer as well. :)

Another way to keep nitrates low is watching how much you add via food, but like a skimmer that doesn't lower nitrate levels, but rather keeps them from rising as fast. :)