NoobtoSalt Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Yes, it's another one of "those" threads. I have done a bit of reading online but am still looking for one of the "best" skimmers for a biocube 29. I am running mostly SPS with a rapidled kit, MP10, and have everything setup on a reef keeper. I had a Tunze 9002 skimmer previously that I just couldn't get fine tuned enough for my comfort level. That being said I did not have my ATO at the time to keep the water levels consistant. I'm leaning towards getting another 9002 model but wanted to know if anyone had any good luck with either the gnome glass units in their biocube or the hydor nano skimmer. Is there something else out there I should consider? I really want to keep everything hidden in the chambers in the back so drilling the tank and setting up a sump is out of the question for the time being. Thought about the mame skimmer too but it seems as if the gnome glass skimmer is the same thing for about half the cost. Let me know what else I should be thinking of about a skimmer. Thanks! (I have lost a few corals since this picture, had an issue with phosphates last week and lost all of the colonies on the top of the picture along with my monticap) Link to comment
rO.oster Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Have you looked at the Aquaticlife 115? It fits into chamber 1, where the water level is always constant. This way I get it dialed in for the heavy skimmate, and not have to mess with it. Fits with the hood closed. It does kind of block the intake, but I feel I can surface skim successfully still. Its not the best skimmer per say, but it does the job nicely. With the fuge/light/media basket combo in chamber 2, i can successfully house filter, carbon, and purigen media, with a big wad of chaeto growing right next to it (opposite timer to the display light). This helps the pod and critter population replenish unhindered, as I found that skimming 24/7 isnt nessicarily a good thing all the time (skim out beneficial things as well as bad). It all depends on the amount you feed and the bioload. in short, chaeto fuge + skimmer all in a BC = win! Link to comment
NoobtoSalt Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 Have you looked at the Aquaticlife 115? It fits into chamber 1, where the water level is always constant. This way I get it dialed in for the heavy skimmate, and not have to mess with it. Fits with the hood closed. It does kind of block the intake, but I feel I can surface skim successfully still. Its not the best skimmer per say, but it does the job nicely. With the fuge/light/media basket combo in chamber 2, i can successfully house filter, carbon, and purigen media, with a big wad of chaeto growing right next to it (opposite timer to the display light). This helps the pod and critter population replenish unhindered, as I found that skimming 24/7 isnt nessicarily a good thing all the time (skim out beneficial things as well as bad). It all depends on the amount you feed and the bioload. in short, chaeto fuge + skimmer all in a BC = win! I have read a lot of mixed reviews about those skimmers, most with people stating that it doesn't skim well at all. Do you have any pictures or video of yours in action? Link to comment
mpg732 Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 I'm sure a lot of you guys will disagree with me, but I would go with out the skimmer. Save the money, for personally most of the nano skimmers I have seen do not work very effectively. What I would do and I recommend this to all who are running a nano reef is to do constant small water changes. Specially if you are using good salt with RO/DI water. If you do a small amount ever few days, you should not be changing enough water to imbalance the tank, but should do enough to keep ahead of the build up of organics. So there would be no need for a skimmer. Just my opinion. Link to comment
NoobtoSalt Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 I'm sure a lot of you guys will disagree with me, but I would go with out the skimmer. Save the money, for personally most of the nano skimmers I have seen do not work very effectively. What I would do and I recommend this to all who are running a nano reef is to do constant small water changes. Specially if you are using good salt with RO/DI water. If you do a small amount ever few days, you should not be changing enough water to imbalance the tank, but should do enough to keep ahead of the build up of organics. So there would be no need for a skimmer. Just my opinion. I agree to an extent. I don't have time to change my water that frequently at this point so I wanted to get some sort of a back up. I'm leaning towards getting an Aquaticlife 115 skimmer and adding a few mods that I haven't seen yet online. Once I get it and try it I will post up my results. Thinking of a different pump as well as a bubble plate on top of the air line mod. I've been running Kent salt now in all of my tanks for over 2 years with great success. I just recently broke down my 240 gallon tank and have just a little 29 cube which is in the picture. I've been running without a skimmer for about 4 months now, and even when I was running a skimmer it was the tunze 9002 without an ato on the tank which caused it to skim poorly. now that I have an ato that shouldn't be a problem so I still might make the venture back to that skimmer but with an SPS tank with 4 fish I want to make sure I don't have another crash like I did last week. That being said a skimmer won't change my phosphates...LOL Link to comment
papabear Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I agree to an extent. I don't have time to change my water that frequently at this point so I wanted to get some sort of a back up. I'm leaning towards getting an Aquaticlife 115 skimmer and adding a few mods that I haven't seen yet online. Once I get it and try it I will post up my results. Thinking of a different pump as well as a bubble plate on top of the air line mod. I've been running Kent salt now in all of my tanks for over 2 years with great success. I just recently broke down my 240 gallon tank and have just a little 29 cube which is in the picture. I've been running without a skimmer for about 4 months now, and even when I was running a skimmer it was the tunze 9002 without an ato on the tank which caused it to skim poorly. now that I have an ato that shouldn't be a problem so I still might make the venture back to that skimmer but with an SPS tank with 4 fish I want to make sure I don't have another crash like I did last week. That being said a skimmer won't change my phosphates...LOL I would get the tunze over the aquatic life. IMO The aquaticlife is smaller and It feels like it can't get the job done... I have the 9002 and intank media rack... IK everyone wants the skimmer in chamber 1 and rack and fuge in the middle but a fuge is not needed unless you want a mandarin. Link to comment
Nanoized Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 What about the new Tunze 9004? I'm buying the reef pack 250 for a new cube I'll be setting up soon. Link to comment
papabear Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Wow! The new one looks very cool! lol get that one and tell us how it is. Link to comment
NoobtoSalt Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 Wow! The new one looks very cool! lol get that one and tell us how it is. The Tunze 9004 looks great but it won't fit in the chambers in the back. I'm going to be surfing for a 9002 again and hope for the best. Was just hoping I was overlooking another skimmer but I guess I'm not. Oh well. Link to comment
Dendro Dude Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 You tube has a guy running a 9004 in a 29 biocube with small modification using only a razor blade.I'm thinking about going this route Link to comment
B-Rizzle0279 Posted December 11, 2013 Share Posted December 11, 2013 To be honest, I have found the actual Coralife (oceanic) protein skimmer to be very useful. But of course through a few small mods. All I did was got a larger air pump for the extra umph behind the air, and cut the length of line to be just long enough from the air pump behind the tank, with the adjustment valve on the side of the tank, and the line back into the tank. The only issue with it is constantly having to adjust the air after feedings and have to empty it frequently. But of course on any of these small skimmers your gonna have to empty the cup daily. they just dont have enough holding room to go longer. but atleast you get to see what it pulls it. I have a 14 and 29. 29 is still on its way to completion, and 14 is waiting on media basket. But if you have the in tank media basket, the coralife skimmer should do the trick. a lot of people talk down on it, but ive grown to like it and kinda settle for it over the others. The aquaticlife skimmer i could care less for. its getting sent back as we speak. It needs major improvements and mods just to work right and not send micro bubbles all over the tank. On amazon you can get the coralife brand skimmer for $25 bucks. a larger air pump from petco for $18, or cheaper online, and a little brass T fitting if its a dual outlet air pump. Tomorro ill take some pics of the set up and what its skimming out of my tank. Ive also found that with a bigger air pump and having the extra umph there, if you adjust it just right, you can actually somewhat get more of a dry skim than a wet skim, and of course you get more out with the dry skim versus wet skimming. Its all about patience and taking time getting use to it. Its designed after all the old school skimmers. And yes technology has improved with skimmers, but for it being in the tank and not down in a sump, the coralife one is best bet. I dont ever have micro bubbles getting back into the tank. It fits great in chamber 1 and can still fit pH probes, temp probes, etc. and youll be able to have the media basket with fuge, and put the heater in chamber 3. Ill put up a post for both my 14 and 29, and show you the setup. So far everything has been going great with to coralife skimmer, the bioballs, and a 10-15% weekly water change. Link to comment
TotalEnVy Posted December 11, 2013 Share Posted December 11, 2013 You tube has a guy running a 9004 in a 29 biocube with small modification using only a razor blade.I'm thinking about going this route Can you post the link? I've been hunting down a skimmer for my biocube for a while and really want to make sure it's the only one I ever buy for it. Don't want to waste my time on trying out. I'm looking for a well proven skimmer for mine. Link to comment
Javious Posted December 11, 2013 Share Posted December 11, 2013 First get an ATO, then get a 9002. Skimmers need a constant steady water level to work properly. The 9002 will only fit in the center chamber and that is why you had trouble with it before. There are skimmers that fit in chamber 1, but most are not as good as the 9002. I have the Aquaticlife Mini 115 in my BC and it works. It skims wet but not the sludge I see other skimmers pulling. Link to comment
PoseidonIncarnate Posted December 11, 2013 Share Posted December 11, 2013 Hydor Slim Skim Nano. I like mine! Link to comment
malawian Posted December 11, 2013 Share Posted December 11, 2013 i found it to be more trouble than its worth in my BC29. you make a deadspot under the skimmer that collects detritus like nobodys business (at least when you put it in chamber 1). and while I did get some skimmate...i just didnt feel like it was all that important. I just dont think most of these options are all that good and not really worth it IMO at the end of the day. Now there seem to be some good HOB skimmers which did not exist previously and If I were going to skim the BC29 thats what I would look at. Link to comment
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