Skimmer

[jed]

Hi, can anyone help me with the subject of skimmers, there are so many and setting up my new tank money is a bit short. I have been looking on e bay and there are loads to choose from but I don't know whats good, I have a 4ft tank 240 litres. If anybody can help it would be very much appreciated. jed

 

[Zer0]

Is this skimmer going in to a sump or do you need one that hangs off the back on the tank(you do if you don't have a sump)?

 

[jed]

Is this skimmer going in to a sump or do you need one that hangs off the back on the tank(you do if you don't have a sump)?

Hi Kevin, thanks for your reply it's going to be one that hangs on the back as I havn't got a sump I'm looking at one on e bay and it's called AQUA MEDIC OCEANRUNNER PROTEIN SKIMMER.

 

[harmy4993]

a skimmer is one of those peices of equipment thats hard to go cheap on. not saying go buy the most expensive one but you get what you pay for in skimmers. i dont think its true for everything in this hobby but it is for skimmers. cheaper skimmers tend to have cheaper pumps(very important) make alot of noise, dont clean even close to what a quality one will and some of them will leak(not something you want hanging off the back). i would maybe suggest if money is tight to hold off on a skimmer for right now. save a little at a time and then get a quality one that works right.

 

[jed]

a skimmer is one of those peices of equipment thats hard to go cheap on. not saying go buy the most expensive one but you get what you pay for in skimmers. i dont think its true for everything in this hobby but it is for skimmers. cheaper skimmers tend to have cheaper pumps(very important) make alot of noise, dont clean even close to what a quality one will and some of them will leak(not something you want hanging off the back). i would maybe suggest if money is tight to hold off on a skimmer for right now. save a little at a time and then get a quality one that works right.

Many thanks for your reply It's trying to get everything at once to get it started, I want to get the LEDs which cost alot but been told to get the skimmer first.

 

[harmy4993]

what all do you have now? is your tank up and running or is it a new tank? if its up and running now whats in, if its new what are your plans for it?

 

[kdogg85]

The cpr bakpak 2 and the reef octopus 300f are very good skimmers. They are around the 150-200 dollar mark and are very well worth the money. Trust me, save up and buy a good skimmer the first and only time.

 

[jed]

what all do you have now? is your tank up and running or is it a new tank? if its up and running now whats in, if its new what are your plans for it?

Hi, it's a new tank with the RO water and live sand with pump and lights which I will be changing to LED's as soon as possible. I have another small tank with a blue damsel and a mandarin dragonet, I also have a hermit crab and a couple of snails. I have a pulsating xenia, green pagoda and a pink tipped anenome. When the new tank is ready I will transfer everything from the smaller tank into it. I'm not sure what else I'll get, definitely some more corals and I would like a lionfish

 

[milhous3er]

The cpr bakpak 2 and the reef octopus 300f are very good skimmers. They are around the 150-200 dollar mark and are very well worth the money. Trust me, save up and buy a good skimmer the first and only time.

I just installed my CPR Bak Pak 2 on Monday. Easy hook up as its just place in tank and plug in !! 2 parts to put together (pump to skimmer). My CPR has the bio-bale in it, which acts like a biological filter so I took off my HOB filter. One drawback is that its pretty noisy. Some microbubbles in tank, but it doesn't really bother me. Helps me check out the flow in my tank !!

I bought it from premiumaquatics.com for $114 shipped !!!

 

[milhous3er]

I have another small tank with a blue damsel and a mandarin dragonet, I also have a hermit crab and a couple of snails.

I'm no expert and not sure how bit your "small" tank is, but be prepared to give out dimensions on this tank, how long its been up and running, how much LR and your stock of copepods...

 

[harmy4993]

with it being a new tank and you have coral in it(or will) i think your lighting may be more important. thats a personal opinion. its like 1A, 1B. ultimately a skimmer is an option. not something you have to have. regular water changes will help do what a skimmer does. up to a point atleast. you can get by without one. still comes down to i would save for a good quality one rather then get a cheap one now.

 

[jed]

I'm no expert and not sure how bit your "small" tank is, but be prepared to give out dimensions on this tank, how long its been up and running, how much LR and your stock of copepods...

The small tank is 80 litres and we buy live copepods and brime shrimp the mandarin dragonet goes mad for and about 10 kilos of live rock

 

[melosu58]

Moved to General Hardware and equipment discussion.