Skimmer suggestions for 65g Reef?

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NickRummy

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Dec 11, 2010
Messages
185
Location
Ohio
Right now I have an MTC HSA-250. I'm having some issues getting it setup correctly but I know I'll get it after some more tuning. My main issue is that this thing is MASSIVE. I can barely get it to fit into my sump and even then it's really stretching it. It's really tricky to get to the air valve for tuning and makes the fine adjustments hard to do.

I have read a lot of great things about the octopus skimmers and they seem to be a bit more compact as well. The 110 and 1000 should handle my tank with no issues right? What are you thoughts on those two?

I'm thinking I should be able to get a decent amount of money for the HSA-250 with a Mag 7 which would cover most of the cost for something new?
 
yes, they will work fine for you. you'll save some height, but the footprints are about the same i think.

the Reef Octopus NWB 110's footprint (including pump): 10” x 6.75”
the HSA- footprint 8" Dia.

i would save the money and keep what you have really. once you get your skimmer dialed in to where you want it, you shouldn't ever have to adjust it again.
unless of course, you really can't stand it.
 
THe HSA footprint is 8" without the pump and the pump I'm using is a MAg 7. It's shoved into the corner and really keeping the skimmer from sitting where it needs to which would make adjusting much easier. I'm not totally against ditching it, I just want to see what would be a good recommendation or if it would be much better than what I have now.
 
well, then if you don't mind spending the money, out of those 2 you mentioned, i like the 1000 with the bubble blaster pump myself.
 
I've never seen that skimmer before so I can't comment other than it looks like it would work.

I also say keep the MTC (or ship it to me as a spare ;)). Can't you place the MTC so the air valve is in the front? That's how mine is placed. Air valve to the front, water leveler to the rear. Once dialed in those two adjustments are rarely touched.
 
that skimmer will perform very well for you. the only problem i saw mentioned about it is that if you wanted to do any maintenance on the pump, you have to completely remove the skimmer from the sump, because it sits directly underneath.
 
I had the MTC oriented so that the air valve was up front and the slider was to th side and back slightly but that puts the pump right next to the drain line and there are bubbles that come out of that and I didn't want the skimmer pump sucking up the bubbles. I also tried using a longer tube and running the pump in a back corner and having the tube come up front and that wasn't bad but it was still getting some bubbles from the drain. The only way I could get it working well was if the pump was opposite of the drain.
 
I wouldn't worry about a few bubbles from the drain. Put it back the way you had it. I have mine with the skimmer pump next to the drain. I don't really have any bubbles unless it's a main pump restart.
 
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