JBJ28G HQi HOB Skimmer

[Nemo Niblets]

Here is some quick shots of my new 120g tank. Enjoy...

Congrats! Can we get some equipment info?

 

You should start a tank thread.

[RupertR32]

Congrats! Can we get some equipment info?

 

You should start a tank thread.

 

Well its not new anymore but it took awhile to get it like I wanted it. I got a great price on the tank and stand delivered. The sump is from my very first salt water set-up in 1994. The cost on this tank is around 3,400 so far, give or take 100.00.

 

120 gallon rounded glass edge tank

140 lbs of marco rock

80 lbs of sand

3 koralia 4 powerheads

1200gph overflow

dragon pump insump

30 gallon custom wet/dry filter sump

Reeflo orca pro 2

18 watt UV

Aquaticlife lighting 48"

 

Hey Nemo, How is the skimmer doing? Did it start skimming yet?

[Denizen911]

I am also looking at getting the Warner Marine H1. I have the nano cube 28g quad. It is a tossup between the AquaC Remora and the Warner H1. I like the H1 because I dont have to have a pump in the overflow area of the tank unlike the aquac. If I do decide to get the warner H1, I can leave my filter basket in there with no mods, correct? I currently have the middle chamber setup with the nano glo light behind it, hopefully that wont be a problem? I also read that you cut some tubing to open the hood. If I dont't any mods to the h1 could you still lift the hood? I am also contemplating (not sure yet) on getting the H2 dont really know if that is necessary on a nano cube

 

Thanks for the help!

[RupertR32]

The remora is a good skimmer, but it's alittle loud and alot harder to clean compared to the others. If you want to able to open your hood all the way and keep your media basket, I recommend the CPR AeroForce. Its a good skimmer and it will not overflow on your floor.

 

The H1 will fit with no problems, but on my unit I cut the tubing that comes out of the skimmer (see my previous photos) 1/4 intake and 1/2 on the return. This will allow enough room when the hood tilts back. The AeroForce allows hood to tilt nearly 90 degrees (full open). The H1 is the best skimmer though, and I usually take it off or remove the hood if I need to do something inside the tank.

 

 

Remember that the Aeroforce prepump is the size of a Motorola Express Beeper (remember those?...lol). It will be going in the stock skimmer section of the 28g nano cube. All that you have to do to the media basket is trim back the section of the hanger flange, which I posted pictures earlier on in this thread.

 

Its up to you which one you choose. Any skimmer mentioned on this page will blow away the stock skimmer, even if it has an upgraded pump....comparing apples to oranges really...

[Denizen911]

Ok, I like the sound of the H1 and the aeroforce. Does the aeroforce need anything done to it besides cutting the media basket? If I get the H1 there will be 0 mods needed? ( I can just remove it when I lift the hood up) and I get to keep my media basket? Thanks for all the help with making this decision. (Its the only help I got )

 

Btw I currently have the stock skimmer with the luft pump and I am not really satisfied with the performance especially considering the price of the luft pump $50+

[RupertR32]

The only thing that you need to do with the AeroForce is add 5 inches of 1/2 inside diameter hose to extend the prepump below the water level. Thats it.

 

The H1 v.2 you don't need to cut anything if your going to take the skimmer or hood off every time to get into the tank.

 

If you want to save yourself about 50.00 go with the AeroForce, but if you want the best then get the H1 v.2. It's a night and day difference in performance.

 

Please keep in mind everyone, that skimmers whether insump, out of sump, and HOB/HOT will make microbubbles go into the tank. This is usually happens for a number of reasons.

 

New Tank

New skimmer

Skimmer just cleaned

Water changes (reef crystals makes the most bubbles. but its a very good salt)

Feeding certain foods

 

Basically all the above raise water tension which in turn makes microbubbles appear in tank. The microbubbles produced in these units should disappear within a few days of use. Most people grow impatient and get frustrated with this issue. With everything else in this hobby/lifestyle, just be patient. The only time I get bubbles from any skimmer is after feeding and disappear within 20-30 minutes. I stand by what I said earlier in the thread. A skimmer is a piece of vital equipment for a reef tank. Water changes without a skimmer is just a bandaid. The skimmer removes most of the water waste (detritus, nitrates, phosphates, oils, ect) from the tank. That is one of the reasons the skimmate smells so bad, why your tank will look and be cleaner.

[Denizen911]

Basically all the above raise water tension which in turn makes microbubbles appear in tank. The microbubbles produced in these units should disappear within a few days of use. Most people grow impatient and get frustrated with this issue. With everything else in this hobby/lifestyle, just be patient. The only time I get bubbles from any skimmer is after feeding and disappear within 20-30 minutes. I stand by what I said earlier in the thread. A skimmer is a piece of vital equipment for a reef tank. Water changes without a skimmer is just a bandaid. The skimmer removes most of the water waste (detritus, nitrates, phosphates, oils, ect) from the tank. That is one of the reasons the skimmate smells so bad, why your tank will look and be cleaner.

 

I am starting to see this to be absolutely true. My tank has been set up for about 7-8 weeks now. And I am having a bad case of cyano right now. I have a vortech MP10 so water movement is not an issue. I just bought a tds meter and our water tested out at 1-2 tds so the base water isnt an issue. I have switched from reef crystals back to IO thinking that was the problem, didnt seem to do anything. I have been sucking out as much as I can when I do a wc (which I have been doing more frequently) The only area I am SEVERELY lacking in is a decent skimmer, thats where the H1 comes in. I know my tank is young and will go through algae stages but upgrading to a nice skimmer won't hurt

 

O BTW, have you had any problems with the warner or the aquaforce overflowing? Thats what started to steer me away from the aquac remora, and I really didnt want to deal with having a drain line set up.

 

Thanks!

[RupertR32]

Here is picture of 2 days of skimmate from one of my 28g nano cubes. This tank only has 2 mandarins, 4 snails, 2 sand sifting stars, 2 linkia stars, small colony of Zoes (35), 24 lbs of live rock, 45lbs of ls.

[RupertR32]

If you have a cyano outbreak, then most likely you have high phosphates. I would drop in a bag of purigen or chemipure elite and buy an r/o unit This will prevent and should cure your problems. Also I use a product by the name of P04-minus and No-03 and these do actually work as stated.

 

 

None of these units overflow. The only reason most siphon type venturi/needlewheel skimmers flood is lack of maintenance. The air intake tube gets clogged with salt and makes the water rise in the skimmer. The Warner uses silicone tubing and its very good.

[Denizen911]

If you have a cyano outbreak, then most likely you have high phosphates. I would drop in a bag of purigen or chemipure elite and buy an r/o unit This will prevent and should cure your problems. Also I use a product by the name of P04-minus and No-03 and these do actually work as stated.

 

I am using RO/DI since the start of the tank and I just recently added a bag of chemipure elite. I have tested phosphates in the ro/di water before and it read 0 (according to API test kit) I just assumed it was because my tank is so young and because I have not had an efficient skimmer on it.

[RupertR32]

Are you sure its not diatoms bloom (brown/rust all over the rocks and sand) and not cyano? Are the tank nitrates over 2.5ppm? If they are then that is a problem. Yes, you need a skimmer. I would go with the H1 v.2. The skimmer will help.

[Denizen911]

Are you sure its not diatoms bloom (brown/rust all over the rocks and sand) and not cyano? Are the tank nitrates over 2.5ppm? If they are then that is a problem. Yes, you need a skimmer. I would go with the H1 v.2. The skimmer will help.

 

The algae comes off in sheets, it is very slimy and is red and brown. It is easy to siphon but comes back a day later.

The nitrates measure 0, and I just tested my water and phosphate says 0 again.

Hopefully the skimmer will help just thought it was my tank settling in. I also have chaeto in the back of the tank. The tank is right in front of a window though and that may fuel it.

[RupertR32]

The algae comes off in sheets, it is very slimy and is red and brown. It is easy to siphon but comes back a day later.

The nitrates measure 0, and I just tested my water and phosphate says 0 again.

Hopefully the skimmer will help just thought it was my tank settling in. I also have chaeto in the back of the tank. The tank is right in front of a window though and that may fuel it.

When you blow it off the rocks does it cloud the tank and looks like little bits of sogged up pellet food? I really do think that its diatoms and not cyano. I bet its only growing faster in the areas with less flow, right?

 

 

I will send you a picture of how diatoms looked when I first set-up my tank, maybe we can crack the case with it.

[RupertR32]

Here the diatom bloom was on its way out.

[Denizen911]

When you blow it off the rocks does it cloud the tank and looks like little bits of sogged up pellet food? I really do think that its diatoms and not cyano. I bet its only growing faster in the areas with less flow, right?

 

When I blow it off the rocks its little slimy sheets that float away. IT seems to grow everywhere to be honest.

There are bubbles everywhere in it.

Here are some pics

 

Let me know what you think.

[RupertR32]

When I blow it off the rocks its little slimy sheets that float away. IT seems to grow everywhere to be honest.

There are bubbles everywhere in it.

Here are some pics

 

Let me know what you think.

 

Ok I believe that it is cyano. Here are steps that I would take.

 

 

Buy a test kit from a different company. My brother has an API test kit and it was reading wrong (reading 0 nitrates when actual nitrates were 20.0 ppm). He comes over so I can test his water now. Red Sea Marine test kit is what I use.

 

Put a polyester filter bag over your filter basket system as I do. The picture is in this thread.

 

Blow off all the rocks/ sand with a turkey baster. Make sure that this crud is going into the overflow area and that both pumps are running. The polyfilter bag is there to prevent this junk going into your media basket and reflowing back into the system. Suck up the heavier stuff with the turkey baster or a pump attached to a hose with a filter sock containing a poly filter within. The filter sock will be pouring the water back into the tank.

 

Decrease the lighting if you are going over 8 hours.

 

Most reasons for cyano is

 

To much light

To many DOCs

To many nitrates

To many phosphates

 

I know you have an R/O unit, but I would start off with a different test kit to see where you are and buy the H1 version 2

 

 

Btw...do not touch cyano with your hands some types are very toxic.

[Nemo Niblets]

You also need more flow.

[Denizen911]

You also need more flow.

 

I have both the stock pumps running 100% of the time and an MP10 on reef crest 75% mode. I hope flo is not an issue

[RupertR32]

You also need more flow.

Very good point too Nemo

 

I believe he has an mp10 which is more than enough for this tank.

[Nemo Niblets]

I have both the stock pumps running 100% of the time and an MP10 on reef crest 75% mode. I hope flo is not an issue

 

In that case, I would be surprised if it was cyano.

[Denizen911]

Ok I believe that it is cyano. Here are steps that I would take.

 

 

Buy a test kit from a different company. My brother has an API test kit and it was reading wrong (reading 0 nitrates when actual nitrates were 20.0 ppm). He comes over so I can test his water now. Red Sea Marine test kit is what I use.

 

Put a polyester filter bag over your filter basket system as I do. The picture is in this thread.

 

Blow off all the rocks/ sand with a turkey baster. Make sure that this crud is going into the overflow area and that both pumps are running. The polyfilter bag is there to prevent this junk going into your media basket and reflowing back into the system. Suck up the heavier stuff with the turkey baster or a pump attached to a hose with a filter sock containing a poly filter within. The filter sock will be pouring the water back into the tank.

 

Decrease the lighting if you are going over 8 hours.

 

Most reasons for cyano is

 

To much light

To many DOCs

To many nitrates

To many phosphates

 

I know you have an R/O unit, but I would start off with a different test kit to see where you are and buy the H1 version 2

 

 

Btw...do not touch cyano with your hands some types are very toxic.

Ok will do, been doing the turkey baster thing it just seems to come back. But will keep doing it. Should I still do frequent water changes? How large and how often? So I take it then isn't just the tank settling in/maturing. So the H1 will definately help?

 

Thanks again!

[RupertR32]

I have both the stock pumps running 100% of the time and an MP10 on reef crest 75% mode. I hope flo is not an issue

That mode is freakin crazy in the gph that it moves!!!! Great flow...

 

 

Yes a skimmer will always be a great help. Just buy a different test kit first to see where your tank is at. That will narrow your problem down. Because if you have 0 everything with a different kit then I will try to eat my shoe...lol

[RupertR32]

What kind of water (gallons) changes are you doing?

[Denizen911]

What kind of water (gallons) changes are you doing?

 

The last one I did was 4 gal. and Then 2 days later I did 3 gal. Should I do larger?

[RupertR32]

Also if you have the cp hood, turn off or decrease the time acintic lights are on until you have the problem resolved. Cyano thrives on the blue spectrum from 400-600nm

 

 

Yes, those water changes are good. Try not to do too many, because it will just stress out the animals out. I always let my tanks mature atleast 3 months before placing any animals in it.