what skimmer do you use?

[BLoCkCliMbeR]

well, after much googling, i decided i want a review from someone who has had their skimmer for more than 2 days.

 

what do you all use? likes and dislikes, how long have you had it running...etc

 

my price cap is $200.00, which is right about where my wife starts to twitch, but doesnt say no

 

my new system will probably be built around this, id like to have something nice to come home to after my deployment

 

i dont know if i want to do a sump or not, so im sticking with small skimmers and hob styles.

 

thanks!

[youincolor]

i used a reef octopus bh100 for a couple years on my 40 gallon sps tank. i loved it, although it was sometimes hard to get to re-start after the power was cut. but my nitrates were ALWAYS 0.

 

i also used a cpr aquafuge though, so i had macro helping...

[Dasani]

I plan to add an eshopps 75H.

[kgbenson]

I have a BH - 1000, I chose it because the pump is external and wouldn't add heat to the water column. It just fits my BC14 and does a great job. I can feed quite a bit and my nitrates are zero to just barely detectable and my phos is just barely detectable. The water column is very clear and the livestock responded very positively to my adding it.

 

Likes - it fits and works. The footprint is fairly small, thought the thing is quite tall.

 

Dislikes - I wish that it was a little quieter, but it is hard to shove a bunch of bubbles into a column of water and not have some noise. It still seems a lot quieter than other skimmers I have heard.

 

Keith

 

Edit to add a link.

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/p...roducts_id=3530

[cruiZe]

Coralife 65 Skimmer, 3 months. I love it. Easy to adjust, very consistent. Can run in the sump or hang on. My design was to have it in the sump, but that didn't work out. Hang on works fine.

 

Dislikes ; I guess its loud, but its not louder than my overflow. I dislike that if the power comes back on the skimmer is likely to overflow because of the temporary high water level, but that's not its fault.

[youincolor]

Coralife 65 Skimmer, 3 months. I love it. Easy to adjust, very consistent. Can run in the sump or hang on. My design was to have it in the sump, but that didn't work out. Hang on works fine.

except when HOB it's god awful ugly. i used one of those in my sump as well, they do an okay job. def not the best, worth it to spend the money on just about anything else...

[BLoCkCliMbeR]

not a single tunze user? i thought they were half decent

[92awdGSX]

I have a deltec MCE 300....I love it. Only complaint is that it can be a pain in the ass to clean.

[BLoCkCliMbeR]

i thought the tunze would have been a top contender in this poll. i was leaning towards the tunze reef pack or the aquac

 

realisticly its probably gonna be slapped onto a 15 aga or a 20L. its gotta be travel friendly

 

well since reef octo is so popular, is there a specific favorite model?

 

again, this is a poll for the skimmer you have now and have been running, not just a shiny one you wish you had

[RobDMB]

I've heard positive things about the AquaMax HOV Skimmer. Considering one myself.

[BLoCkCliMbeR]

I've heard positive things about the AquaMax HOV Skimmer. Considering one myself.

 

that one is shiny.... again, lookin for someone who has had it more than 2 days to get a real review on it. its def a top contender

 

aquac- heard many good things, but ive also heard its only so so, same with the tunze

 

as much as id like to drop about 3 bills on a deltec, if i can find something nice for a hundred less my chances of getting it are much better...

 

i still got to get a new light too

[youincolor]

aquac i have heard bad to alright things about, so you know youre not going to get good results, just so-so at best. plus you have a maxi jet in the tank.

 

the reef octos are serious skimmers, external pumps, total workhorses. they are tall as hell though, so unless you have your tank on an actual stand for a 20l, the skimmer would hit a desk or table top before the rim of the tank. but honestly dude id go for the BH100-or-like of the newest model, i havent looked to see if they have updated it yet.

[youincolor]

I'm sorry, I meant BH1000 before, the BH100(f) is a joke.

 

http://www.aquacave.com/reef-octopus-bh-20...alvue-2348.html

 

BH2000 is only 179.99. BH1000 is 159.99. This is the site I got mine on a couple years ago.

[BLoCkCliMbeR]

aquac i have heard bad to alright things about, so you know youre not going to get good results, just so-so at best. plus you have a maxi jet in the tank.

 

the reef octos are serious skimmers, external pumps, total workhorses. they are tall as hell though, so unless you have your tank on an actual stand for a 20l, the skimmer would hit a desk or table top before the rim of the tank. but honestly dude id go for the BH100-or-like of the newest model, i havent looked to see if they have updated it yet.

 

im def. looking at the reef octos, but this aquamaxx gots me thinking....one dude says its on par with a deltec mce300

 

you guys def narrowed my search..

[Mojorizn]

Had one of these on my 40 for 8 months. It now runs my 65.

Works perfect / works well / easily adjusted / holds the level / no surprises / very quiet /EZ to clean

 

Octo skimmers are THE BOMB.... I've had Coralife / Tunze ...never again.

 

[jerzsky]

im currently using bubble magus nac7 cone skimmer. its just awesome! very easy to clean, dead silent, includes an extra needle wheel for replacement, and drain fitting with hose!

 

never skips a beat! i have it on my 40breeder sps system, and works likee a charm! i will always use this brand of skimmers from now on!

 

go with a sump/fuge, u cant go wrong!

 

nac7

[Mitch619]

To tell you the truth, the Tunze is pretty solid. I've had it for three weeks, and I can't really complain.

 

It helps my Solana keep the stock look by not protruding from the back, and the skimmate I'm getting is pretty much at full potential. I'm about to do the "airline mod."I think that should work better. The skimmate im getting is dark colored green and it fills up half of the StevieT cup in three days.

 

It's really sensitive to air intake, (hence the need for the mod) and ridiculously sensitive to water level. I wouldn't recommend this skimmer for anything bigger than a 20 gallon. It's barley handling my 34 gallon with a firefish and a six line wrasse. I'm actually looking into one of those Warner skimmers the h2 looks promising for a 34 gallon.

 

I hate that most skimmer manufacturers over-estimate their skimmer ratings. Tunze is no exception.

[BLoCkCliMbeR]

go with a sump/fuge, u cant go wrong!

nac7

 

its gotta be travel friendly, thats why i want a HOB.

 

id go skimmerless, but i have a funny feeling i may need to be away from the tank alot, so it will get neglected im sure....guess im gonna have a softie tank

 

the warner marine h1 and h2 are on back order on aquacave....didnt look for one real hard though.

 

its pretty much the aquamaxx and the reef octo im choosing between.

 

it has to be fairly easy to get, otherwise idk what kind of crap my wife will get me...

[Jacobnano]

Warner Marine HOB for me

[Mitch619]

Warner Marine HOB for me

 

Which one? how's that working out for you? I'm really considering one of those.

[BLoCkCliMbeR]

Warner Marine HOB for me

 

gee thanks for making me second guess myself.

 

ill have to wait 6 months to actually use it, so maybe its in the running even if its on backorder...

 

if i was gonna do a sump this thread probably wouldnt exist.

 

so give us a good 5 sentence or more review on it!

[LPS-Crazy]

For me its Marineland Advance Inline Pro Skimmers.

 

I have owned the 100 model on my 40BR for over 2 years and have the 300 on my 55g clam/sps tank for about 6 months. Great skim and very queit, with quality pumps and impellers.

 

Pro: Complete inline assembly, no external parts of hoses, quiet, skims great, powerfull, small footprint, easy to clean, easy to service, just unplug and take the whole thing with you. No mico bubbles what so ever and mine are right next to the return pumps.

 

Cons: 100 model is a hair under rated, 300 is a beast and I think is right on the money, absolutley HUGE, but still has a small footprint. Collection cup on the 100 does not have a drain plug and the collection cup has to be unscrewed from the skimmer.

 

I really like it and think others should break from the big boy names and try one. $150 for the 100 model.

[BLoCkCliMbeR]

kinda leaning towards the aquamaxx. anyone here run one?

[Mitch619]

kinda leaning towards the aquamaxx. anyone here run one?

 

I'm on the same boat.

[19jeffro83]

Reef octo nws110 2010 model.

 

Easy to set water flow but no controls on air intake. Still does a great job stock. Got mine for 165$. Don't pay more.