Recommend a protein skimmer

[b.askew]

Can anybody recommend a protein skimmer for a 55 gallon SW tank? Right now using 1 inch live sand, live rock, no fishes in the tank. I have to Marineland 330 power filters on the back and 1 powerhead 550 for circulation.

Thanks

 

[Fluff]

Aqua C Remora Pro. This is what I use and it's done a great job for me. It's a hard working skimmer, very easy to install, and runs quiet.

 

[b.askew]

What about somebody on a budget?

 

[DragonForce]

Many people hate the prizm protein skimmer, I happened to get the delux version on ebay for 90 bucks new and I am 90% satisfied, it is a little loud but at night i close the water flow a bit and it quiets down nicely.

 

[localhost]

I went with a budget skimmer and didn't come out with a good skimmer (Redsea berlin airlift 60). I spent $40 on the skimmer and $20 for a good airpump to run it. The Aqua C is only about $165 and will come with a maxijet 1200 ph which you need anyway to help with circulation. The bakpak is also a good skimmer and only costs $130.

Don't go cheap. It's not worth it. I'm going to order the remora next week for my tank and throw away $60 worth of cheap skimmer.

 

[flamingonhot]

I like the seaclone skimmer.
The cheapest would be lee's in tank skimmer but they really do nothing. They are just a cheap little peice of plastic with an airstone.
THe seaclone is about 74 dollars,pretty cheap considering the others ones that ive seen go form 150 dollars up and they kinda still look cheap.

 

[localhost]

Also, I have been told to avoid the Skilter. It's a Filter/Skimmer in one. Those are quite inexpensive.

 

[flamingonhot]

skilters are junk too. They are mainly a cheap little filter with an added skimmer thats about as good as lee's. I would only recommend one for smaller tanks were you need all the room you can get and dont want to buy a 150 dollar one for that small of a tank.

 

[b.askew]

Thanks to all for the opinions and advice

 

[malkore]

on a budget? www.amekaaquatics.com

Click on the link for CPR Factory Seconds. $104 gets you a brand new CPR bak-pak 2, which may or may not have cosmetic blemishes (scuffs or scratches in the acrylic).

Mine came flawless. Not a bad way to save $60.

 

[b.askew]

on a budget? www.amekaaquatics.com

Click on the link for CPR Factory Seconds.

Nice find there!

 

[neilster1]

I just got a coralife super skimmer 65... seems to be a great skimmer! Uses a rio 1100 pump which is pretty big in the tank, but produces lots of skimmate.

 

[malkore]

those ones at ameka may still come with the Rio 600SVT pump. if they do, I urge you to upgrade it to a maxi-jet 1200, and you'll need a $5 venturi adapter for it too.

but all the new CPR's I've seen have the MJ1200, with the adapter. It's a far more efficient method of creating the bubbles needed to skim. some people have problems with microbubbles going back into the tank, but I do not.

 

[nycfatcow]

you can look at drsfostersmith.com or bigalsonline.com they are good sites

 

[captivereefs]

buy the best you can afford. The remora pro while a little pricey is well worth it in the long run. Look around for used ones as well.

 

[lasek2k1]

DIY perhaps

 

[Nøjo]

A guy at the LFS highly recommended a Seaclone 100 to me, and the price seems pretty reasonable enough but then again it was the only model he had in the store. I stumbled upon some product reviews that made it not sound so hot. Anyone have any experience with this model?

What exactly are you looking for a protein skimmer to do anyway? Is there a difference in how much skimmate it pulls out, or what it looks like?