HOB Skimmer advice

[Ingy]

I am going to get a new HOB skimmer for my 30 gal FOWLR tank. The nearby Canadian (BC) mail order FS has the following brands;

Aqua C Remora Hang-On Protein Skimmer with Drain Fitting ($160)
Coralife Super Protein Skimmer (Needle wheel) - up to 65 Gallon ($121)
CPR Hang-on Skimmers (no price)
Deltec MCE-300 Protein Skimmer($215)
Tunze Nano DOC Protein Skimmer - 9002 ($130)
Hydor Slim Skim Nano Protein Skimmer($110)
Red Sea Prizm Hang-On Skimmer($100)

If anybody has bad experiences or heard bad things, please let me know. None of the prices are out of my range, so don't let that matter.

Thanks

 

[Ingy]

And the info doesn't have to be about these specific models. If a brand of skimmer is not very good, I'll take that into account.
Thanks

 

[ChiTownRomeo]

I hear the aqua C Remora is the best HOB Skimmer. Mine is getting shipped now. I can let you know when I get it.

 

[Ingy]

Thanks

Right now I am leaning towards the CPR as they have a complete HOB sump. It has a skimmer and fuge with an add on light. It sounds like a perfect choice as I have no room for a regular sump.
Anybody ever used a CPR skimmer?

 

[VinnyP]

AquaC Remora S HOB Skimmer is the way to go, no personal experience with it but have done tons of research on HOB skimmers and i dont think you can go wrong with it

 

[Ingy]

Well I finally had to go for it. I found a large CPR Aquafuge on eBay for $180 shipping included. Should be here in 3 days. Aqua C also had a HOB refugium skimmer but at 3 times the cost I couldn't do it.
It's a 4.5 gal fuge and skimmer so I'm hopeful it will do the job.

 

[crister13]

Hope it works out!!!! Good luck!

 

[Ingy]

Fuge FINALLY showed up.

And this is the second gen CPR Aquafuge PS not the first like the eBay add showed. Nice. Now I just have to clean it and figure how to put it together. One of the acrylic brackets is very tight. I'm either going to have to lube it or plane it. This is probably why it was a second.

 

[Ingy]

Ok problems with the pump. It's an Odysea EX250 pump for my HOB fuge. I came home for lunch and I unplugged the pump to check the tank levels when the fuge drains down into the DT. It was working fine before hand. When I plugged it in afterwards the air is not getting sucked in the airhose like it was before. In fact the air hose is filling with water to the level of the fuge. I blew into the air line and it works, but when I stop blowing the tube immediately fills with water again. Argh
Any ideas. I'm off to work again and will look back here before I remove the pump and tear it appart.

 

[Ingy]

Never mind.
Unplugged it again and blew into hose. Plugged it in and all was fine.

 

[Ingy]

So I've had this HOB refugium and skimmer for a week and a half now and I don't think the water pump is pulling in enough air. There are very few bubbles rising from the pump when it is even working. If I shut it off and restart it, it frequently doesn't even pull in air. The air line fills with water to the level in the fuge. After 3 or 4 restarts it starts sucking in air again, but only a bit. I'm thinking I may have to rip the pump apart to see if there is a defect. Any ideas what I should look for?
For now I have an air pump blowing into the air line and it's actually working great. Got some ugly skimmate forming. But it is too loud and I'd like to get the water pump Venturi working like its supposed too.
Perhaps others have had issues with the odysea pumps?