Lee's Skimmer in AC500?

[msf]

I'm planning on using a modified AC500 as a refugium on my 10g, will I still have enough room for a heater & a small lee's skimmer?

[tinyreef]

the heater (if short enough) shouldn't be a problem. or use multiple smaller heaters (safer imo, much less chance of two failing/overheating).

 

the lee's can fit too but you'll have to shave it down and watch how you're going to position it so that the bubbles (counter current generator) doesn't splash out. you could tube the bubble output back into the tank (never tried that tho).

[Physh1]

It will be totally ineffective assuuming you could even make it fit. I wouldn't bother with a skimmer with everything else you have. It would be more trouble that it's worth IMO. A fuge along with the bio your rock and sand offer would be more than enough along with your water changes.

 

Cameron

[msf]

So you're saying adding it would hold no benefit? Not even giving me a tad more slack with my water changes?

[Physh1]

I'm not saying it would hold no benifit but the idea with skimmer is to have an ample air column for optimal skimming. Cutting down a Less's skimmer so it would work efficiently IMO will cut so much of the air column that it won't really do much....not too mention how much room it would take away from the fuge. You'd be better off dropping a small bag of carbon in once in a while. The lees' skimmers are finicky and hard to tune and keep regular in the first place....I could only imagine what it would be like modded to fit a aq500.

 

I simply don't think that the work and the benifit gained from a modded lee's skimmer is worth losing the refugium room.

 

Cameron

[msf]

Understood... Thanks Cameron.

[tinyreef]

cam,

they can still work chopped down tho. not as efficiently as they were designed to, of course but as long as you control the air flow. i figure the lee's still (counter-current) more efficent than the piccolo skimmer (co-current) everyone used to overpay for.

 

i just take the other view that even an inefficient skimmer is better than a very small addt'l refugium room.

[Physh1]

I hear ya.....I'm not a skimmer guy anyhow...lol. Opinions and options are what we are here for:)

 

Cameron

[homerparrot]

I am thinking about the same thing, so anyone else have an answer. As far as trying to improve overall water quality, and maybe add a little slack between water changes. What is better the aquaclear as a fuge qith outh the chopped lees, or the aquaclear with the chopped lees?

 

If the aqua clear was a true fuge, it would need lighting, correct?

 

Maybe the best thing to do would be to add the lees skimmer in the aqua clear, but dont add sand or rock, just have it as a place out of the tank to heat and skimm the water?

 

what do you think?

[J-Bass]

You can fit a "Coralife Skimmer 1" in the AC500. You should use the AC surface skimmer with it too.

[J-Bass]

AC surface skimmer

[J-Bass]

Here's a pic I got off reefcentral from a post in their nano forum. I forget the name of the guy who posted this pic but whoever you are this pic is courtesy of "YOU". He's got the skimmer in a smaller AC, might be a 150 or 200. Not sure though.

[homerparrot]

what is the AC surface skimmer? Is it a protien skimmer? Maybe I could just use that and not a skimmer?

 

Anyone have any thoughts on the corallife skimmer? How do they compare to the Lees? What do they cost?

[tonym]

Originally posted by homerparrot

what is the AC surface skimmer? Is it a protien skimmer? Maybe I could just use that and not a skimmer?

 

Anyone have any thoughts on the corallife skimmer? How do they compare to the Lees? What do they cost?

 

No. It just take the water from the top of the tank rather than the middle, before it enters the filter. That way you filter the scum from the top rather than the cleaner water from the center. It has nothing to do with skimming protiens, but is an excellent addition to the AC filter.