If you had $150 to spend, would you...

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
TRDfan

TRDfan

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Nov 23, 2011
Messages
250
Location
Long Island, NY
get a HOB skimmer or a HOB refugium?? I have space on the back of my 40b for one of them but i dont think i could fit both (ML emperor 400 takes 1/2 the width of the tank).

Yes i know debaiting the two would take us to the end of time BUT which would you pick and why?? :D
 
I would go with a refugium since every hob skimmer for me hasn't worked well. I moded an ac 110 into a fuge and it has helped a lot with my nitrates.
 
I'd get the skimmer if i were in the same spot. :) Both are beneficial but I think you'd see the most results if you went with a skimmer. There aren't many in the $150 range though, I spent a little bit more and got a remora hang on which despite some bad reviews on this forum worked really really well on my 55g tank.
 
I had awful luck with my skimmer being HOB. Once I got my sump set up and moved it over, all my problems with it went away. I have yet to get a fuge up and running, but I personally don't like the idea of having one as HOB. The concept with the fuge utilizes the use of more space to remove nitrates, so more LR, sand, algae, whatever, and of course CO2 removal with more water surface.
 
Why don't you just both? Get both so your troubles are cleared
 
He only has 150 bucks is why he cant get both. I would build into it slowly, starting with a sump of you have room and get a skimmer in it followed by a fuge. Since you are focused on hob id assume you have a space issue?
 
I'd get the skimmer if I didn't have a skimmer already. Though honestly, an insump skimmer would get you more for you buck.
 
I guess you get what you pay for...

My deltec mce HOB skimmer cost £300 ($450) and I couldn't be happier.

It produces a cupful of rotting gunk every 2 days.

Can't say fairer than that. But $150 may not get you a decent skimmer, so the fuge may be the better option.
 
carey said:
There aren't many in the $150 range though,
Click to expand...

I was thinking of the reef octopus bh 100 or even the 300 which is about 125 and 165 respectively. Thanks for the tip on the ramora. I will be sure to check it out/read about it
 
All skimmers have a break in period and need to be dialed in correctly. Some people don't have the patience but it can be done. Out of the 4 skimmers I've had the remora hang on was the easiest, at least to me, to dial in. My eshopps pulls alot and i mean alot of gunk but took forever to get it perfectly adjusted. lol

Just get a decent quality skimmer and you'll be half way there. the cheap ones are just that, cheap, and can take forever to dial in if you even get that lucky.
 
The octopus skimmers come highly reagarded so I dont think you can go wrong with them. :) They also have a skimmer called the bak pak that is also a decent skimmer.
 
I use the reef octopus bh 300 and I can honestly say its the best skimmer I've owned. It's very quiet, easy to set and does a fantastic job. I love the dual collection cups, only problem is that it is a little bulky for a HOB.
 
Hey carey and all other vet members, Can i turn one side of my emperor 400 into a fuge?? have one side running as a filter and ther other runing as a fuge?? just taking out the filter media and replacing it with live sand and cheato

any thoughts?? this way i can technicaly have a filter, mini fuge and skimmer
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Jacky12
How would I know if a filter is cycled or not?
Replies
17
Views
828
Jacky12
Jacky12
K
New to Cichlids
Replies
3
Views
645
Andy Sager
Andy Sager
S
What you wish you knew
Replies
0
Views
327
shramp
S
D
Hello!
Replies
2
Views
361
melosu58
melosu58
Amazonian
Tank mate/stocking help!!!!!
Replies
1
Views
470
Amazonian
Amazonian

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom