Best skimmer for a 90 fowlr under $300.00?

[REEF-DADDY]

I am setting up my fathers fowlr 90g. Stocking it on the heavy side. If you think of this as a LFS maintained tank you won't be too far off. I'll be doing most all the tweaking and maintenance on this tank before Sunday dinners. I am leaning towards an ASM G3 but would really like something a little less prone to overflows. Something that shuts down when it is full is perfect. Heres what we need:

Super simple to use
NO overflow issues
In sump preferred
$300 max under 250 is better
little maintenance.
Do not need the latest greatest super skimmer for SPS tanks just something that can keep a yellow tang alive.

Thoughts?

[beaker77]

ASM G3 (http://www.asmskimmer.com)

[dhnguyen]

:lol: He asked for opinions on something other than an ASM G3 and someone goes a respond ASM G3. Classsic.


These are decent skimmers for that price range.


http://www.customaquatic.com/customaquatic/itemdetail.asp?itemid=PS-CVOCT-NW-200
http://www.customaquatic.com/customaquatic/itemdetail.asp?itemid=PS-CVOCT-VENTU-100
http://www.customaquatic.com/customaquatic/itemdetail.asp?itemid=PS-PC-3000

[Andrew]

The coralife super skimmers are easy to use. The 125 model would be less then $150

[REEF-DADDY]

Do you guys know if they have a sealed collection cup. Meaning when its full it stops skimming?

[beaker77]

I meant to say get a ASM G3 and do the collection cup drain mod if you're worried about it overflowing.

[nemo g]

you can mod any skimmer to dump into a container, just takes small tubing, small hole, and some sealant

[alien9168]

Definatly ASM and do the mod!

Moing skimmer cups is easy- even if your not a handyman!

-alien

[REEF-DADDY]

I can mod the skimmer cup to drain, what I want is a sealed cup so that when its full it will not overflow. Like on a Beckett....

[dhnguyen]

There is no such beast (sealed cup) for the needle wheel skimmers.

What you are probably referring to for the beckett skimmer is probably those cups that you have to unscrew to take out and empty? What a PITA it would be to have to do that every time you want to empty the cup.

Plus having a sealed cup doesn't mean your skimmer just stop skimming, it just means your skimmate will fill up, over flow back into the skimmer's body then exit back out into the sump then back to the tank. Would you want that skimmate going back into your tank? Kinda defeats the purpose of skimming if ya ask me :)

Better to just put in a drain

[REEF-DADDY]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6811767#post6811767 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dhnguyen
There is no such beast (sealed cup) for the needle wheel skimmers.

What you are probably referring to for the beckett skimmer is probably those cups that you have to unscrew to take out and empty? What a PITA it would be to have to do that every time you want to empty the cup.

Plus having a sealed cup doesn't mean your skimmer just stop skimming, it just means your skimmate will fill up, over flow back into the skimmer's body then exit back out into the sump then back to the tank. Would you want that skimmate going back into your tank? Kinda defeats the purpose of skimming if ya ask me :)

Better to just put in a drain

Think Beckett, you have a sealed cup and a drain. The container is sealed as well. When it fills you empty the container. The Becketts with drains don't overflow back in to the skimmer, the skimmate is in the bucket.

Why couldn't a needlewheel work like this?

[dhnguyen]

So... What nwould it take to buy a skimmer, put in a drain, and then seal the cup lid shut? I don't think it would be hard to do.

Anyway, you're not going to find a sealed cup on a needle wheel skimmer because they just don't make them.

[818]

Ill sell you my CSS125 if you want for dirt cheap.

Pm me.

[viggen]

I would probably go the coralife route since you want to stay under $300. If you buy a G3 which is about $250 & do the gate vakve mod $40 + shipping $30 you are over your $300 goal.

[RyanH]

TurboFlotor 1000. Just replaced mine with a Deltec APF600 and now I'm getting hair algae. Never had hair algae problem with the TF 1000. It may be due to the fact that I felt super-confident with the Deltec and started overfeeding (which I have cut back on), but for the money (used for $100 or so), IMO the TF1000 can't be beat.

[PeeperKeeper]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6814306#post6814306 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RyanH
TurboFlotor 1000. Just replaced mine with a Deltec APF600 and now I'm getting hair algae. Never had hair algae problem with the TF 1000. It may be due to the fact that I felt super-confident with the Deltec and started overfeeding (which I have cut back on), but for the money (used for $100 or so), IMO the TF1000 can't be beat.

Ryan, I was looking at the TurboFlotor 1000 vs an ASM G2. I really wanted to stay under $200, but all these guys at RC almost have me convinced to fork out the extra $$$. So you liked the TF 1000? I just have a 75g and I'm not planning to stock it very heavily with coral, just some things to wave around in the current like some anemones and xenia to start. My fish load so far are 3 PJ cards, a flame angel, a shrimpgoby, and a dottyback. I'd love to have a red choris wrasse (but I know I'll have to be careful about inverts with him) and a clown with an anemone.

Oh, the other problem with the ASM is I think it will take a lot of room under my tank which I don't have in large supply.

(addressed not just to Ryan, but anyone) Do I go TF1000 or ASM G2?

[RyanH]

I don't have any experience with the ASM skimmers, but people that have them (particularly with the recirculation and gate valve mod) really seem to like them. I don't think you would be disappointed with that skimmer.

I do have experience with the TF1000. It took a bit of tweaking, but once I had it dialed-in, the skimmer kicked butt. It is designed as a recirculating skimmer and has built in valves to control flow. I ran mine with a Rio recirculating pump, but i have heard the Ocean Runner 2700 is even better.

My gut feeling is that the modified ASM will outperform the TF1000, but you can get a used TF1000 for less that $100. If you are looking to save $$, it's a difficult skimmer to beat (IMO).

Also, despite being happy with the skimmer, i ended up forking out $$$$ for a Deltec. Don't know if it was money well spent, but, for me, half this hobby is the gadgets and I'm always looking to upgrade/play with my set up.

[PeeperKeeper]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6817609#post6817609 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RyanH
It took a bit of tweaking,

What kind of tweaking? Adjusting valves or making modifications?

I hadn't realized that I'd need to buy the pump separately. It looks like the Ocean Runner 2700 is another $69 or so, and the skimmer is $127, which is getting awefully close to the ASM G2 at $220 (comes with the pump, right?). I should just quit agonizing over it and buy one, any one! *pulling hair out*

[viggen]

Don't get the G2, spend $25 more & get the G3, it's worth the extra $$$$.

[alien9168]

I def. agree with viggen.

But. Also agree that turbo floater are awsome, I have read some really great things about this skimmer!

-alien

[dascharisma]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6810427#post6810427 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by REEF-DADDY
I am leaning towards an ASM G3 but would really like something a little less prone to overflows. Something that shuts down when it is full is perfect.


My ASM will not overflow. I don't know how an ASM would overflow. Even if it did overflow, it would just spill into the sump.



Brad

[BCool]

The G-3 is the proven performer, you can hold on the mods till later or DIY and save some money. The G-2 people complain is underpowered and not the best combination look at the asm club. Get the G-3. Different retailers price them different I got mine for like 250 shipped.

[alien9168]

Bcool-agreed!

-alien

[oct2274]

http://pacificcoastimports.com go to the second page on the protein skimmers....the RPS-1000
.
.
.
not sure who sells them, but they are pretty sweet, there are a couple of threads way down in the forums if you have the search function ;) You should be able to find that recirc for under $300 easily. Seen one in action.......performs as good as skimmers nearly twice its price!

[dhnguyen]

What I DON'T get is why shell out the money on the more expensive skimmer if you're gonna mod it anyway? Never understood that mentality.

Anyway. Check these out


http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=749634


http://www.customaquatic.com/customaquatic/itemdetail.asp?itemid=PS-CVOCT-NW-200
http://www.customaquatic.com/customaquatic/itemdetail.asp?itemid=PS-CVOCT-VENTU-100
http://www.customaquatic.com/customaquatic/itemdetail.asp?itemid=PS-PC-3000


People are WAY too enamoured with a name IMO. I'm betting that the above skimmers will work just as well if not better than ASM or ER.

[dhnguyen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6818638#post6818638 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by oct2274
http://pacificcoastimports.com go to the second page on the protein skimmers....the RPS-1000
.
.
.
not sure who sells them, but they are pretty sweet, there are a couple of threads way down in the forums if you have the search function ;) You should be able to find that recirc for under $300 easily. Seen one in action.......performs as good as skimmers nearly twice its price!


BTW...Those recirculating skimmers shown are actually Reef Octopus skimmers. Same as the ones I posted from customaquatic.com

[alien9168]

dhnguyen- think about it, moding a skimmer doesnt really reflect its performance.

Mods run the gammit from airstone driven-> bubble king.

Many mods dont necisarilly increase performance, just ease of use.

What you pay for--not to say that alot of stuff is overpriced- is th perfomance of an ASM, deltec, or BK...

Thats why people mod...most of the time, with the exeption of lower quality skimmers, people mod only for convienience and not performance.

:D

-alien

[dhnguyen]

Actually I'm starting to think that what we pay is more for the NAME ASM, ER, Deltec, etc...

ASM granted isn't priced as expensive as others but ya know ... Building a skimmer (with the exception of the BK which uses an exclusively designed pump and impeller) isn't rocket science

[alien9168]

I do agree with you--skimmers are sort of like clothes, we pay more for the name.

I have been thinking about this however:
as skimmer performance increases, their price increases exponentially.

You are right...we do pay more for a name...

If you really think about what we are paying for, its acrillic tubing, sheets, and fittings....

sometimes without a pump included....


You are right...skimmers are overpriced
and they arnt the rockkets some make them out to be

all I was saying is that the more expenseve they are, the better they perform--i guess this is sort of a given. :D

good luck!

-alien

[dhnguyen]

More like the more expensive they are the better they BETTER be performing :lol:

[jimbo045]

I think SeaClones are good.

[alien9168]

dhnguyen- lol---true! very very true! lol

jim-I dint say seaclones were bad--> they are however considered by many to be a fairly low end skimmer

[Pleco420]

Can someone post a link to a thread which instructs how to modify a Coralife Super Skimmer. I am just puttiing it together now for my 58 reef system.

<I have been running a Remora w/maxi 1200 off the sump for a couple of weeks now>

[Pleco420]

Forgot that it is the 125 Super SKimmer <if it matters>

Thanks again

[alien9168]

pleco, what do you think of the super skimmer...
I was thinking about one for my 30. Thanks :D
-alien

[REEF-DADDY]

fwiw I ended up going with another G3 for my father. Its just a known quanity in my book.