Skimmers

[AndrewNS]

When purchasing a skimmer, do you get one based on the display tank volume or the total volume (tank, sump, and refugium)?



Thanks
Andrew

[GoSUV]

Theoretically speaking, you would base it on the display volume because this is the volume that produces waste. However the general recommendation is you should always oversize your skimmer. You can't overskim your tank, at least not with what we put in as food and nutrients.

[reeferboy]

Make sure you get a good pump as well. I had mine running with a RIO 2100 and it slowly lost it's pressure. I just got a Mag 7 for it from MS $109 and now it rocks! I even had to cut my standpipe down so the collection cup wasn't filling with water.
Where ever you get your skimmer from make sure it doesn't have a RIO on it!

[MINIATUS]

I have a Berlin turbo classic rated at 250 gal aquariums. It is driven by a Mag7. This runs a 90 gal tank and 25 gal sump.

MINIATUS

[orion]

MINITUS:
I have the same skimmer and pump combo as you
Do you have any tips on keeping it tuned?
I get a lot of tea colored skimmate but thats about it! i have heard so much negative feedback on them.Not to sure what to think anymore

[MINIATUS]

Orion
The biggest problem I found was keeping the airline clean at the skimmer base, other than that never had a problem. How far away do you have the pump from the skimmer. I found by joining it together with solid plumbing it seemed to work better.

MINIATUS

[orion]

the distance between the two is about 8 inches, i used a flex pipe due to the space in the sump. comes out of the skimmer and turns 90 deg upward and gos into the pump.
the diameter of the arc is about 6 inch.
I have seen the turbo venturi for the berlin but again it sticks out to far and with the base on these skimmers it equals no room (to bad for me. wont have that problem with future 90 gal sump hehe) apparentley a good mod for the berlin i may try it out before tossing the skimmer out
cheers.

[Toutouche]

Yes, the Kent venturi makes a big difference in the amount of foam produced. You might want to also upgrading your pump to a bit bigger even. They are always to conservative on what they recommend. I had a Berlin XL running on a Mag 9.5, with the Kent venturi, a needle valve on the airintake, and modified the 2 outputs to 1". It worked WAY better!! I have since gone on to another skimmer because of an impending tank upgrade to a much bigger size, but once I did these mods, it worked very well.
By the way, I will go the other way as to Gosuv's recommendations about basing the size on the tank volume. You always have to take into account the TOTAL water volume you have, and oversize even on this. Reasoning is because while it's only your main tank producing waste ( not always true however, depending on if you have LR in your sump, a refuge, etc....) that water running through your sumps is all coming from the same place.. the main tak and is essentially the same water with the same waste in it. Make sense??

[AndrewNS]

Thanks everyone for your insight. I have read this article
http://www.hawkfish.org/snailman/skimmer101.htm and the author favors an air pump/airstone counter current skimmer. It seems that these require less hardware ( less powerful pumps) than the venturi type.

What type of protien skimmer does everyone use?

I have looked in the 'Custom Acrylic' section and I am leaning toward the all in one skimmer/refugium. What do you think? I am still planning an upgrade (<=75 Gal) and don't think a sump is in the buget right away.

Thanks
Andrew

[Toutouche]

Andrew,
Skimmer types are a very personal opinion as to which is best. Yes, airstone skimmers will cost les, in a sense... you will have to buy an airpump for it and the airstones themselves HAVE to be changed regularly. You will have to be adamant about this. Airstone were the first type to be used also. I personally don't favor these types, while other people do. Other types will cost more initially and might nedd a bit more expensive pump, but won't need an air pump. See how it gets complicated? I myself am now using a Beckett driven Aerofoamer type skimmer.