Neptune Aquatics

Skimmer suggestions

LeviT

LeviT

Guest
BARcard
I'm planning (fingers crossed, don't actually have the tank yet :) ) on putting together a 90g mixed reef but want to plan for the financial ramifications :) so this will be the first of a few threads that will hopefully come together as a tank build thread. So hear is the deal, I'm a bit of a heavy feeder so I'll need a good skimmer that won't break the bank. What would you suggest? I'm planning on using the entire space in the stand for sump so size shouldn't be too much of a concern.

What would you suggest/not suggest?

If you have something laying around that would do the trick, PM or email me.
 
Based on some of the other threads, BM and MSX are a couple potential options. BK seems really expensive but I'm still reading. Big skimmers are expensive, this may shoot down all my plans.... sigh

The MSX200 Looks good?
http://www.marinesolutionsinc.com/catalog/Protein-Skimmers-MSX-Skimmers/c22_48/index.html
I haven't seen any reviews for these yet though.

So does the ASM G-1X....
 
Well it was news to me, but Ian said the MSX are basically BM clones, they use the same pumps, and hell seems like any skimmer worth a hoot had that bubble diffuser plate now, so if that's the case you might want to go MSX route vs BM to save roughly half the cost. However those who had Euroreefs would also tell you ASM skimmers (ER clones) didn't work as well and you got that extra money's worth... :D

BK? Yikes that is a pricy skimmer even the "Mini" version. Can comment on it because it's out of my price range by a lot, although I did recall some site (in Spanish) where a guy built his own from scratch, you could go that route right?? :D
 
Go with the MSX, or the Octo Extreme (almost exactly the same skimmer). The MSX' are actually better than the BM (considerably longer contact time/chamber) and quite a bit cheaper. That said, the Sicce pumps aren't the most awesome pumps out there... I had to tweak mine quite a bit to get it to pull a good amount of air, it's a bit loud (noticeable hum), and it NEVER starts (have to blow in the venturi tube).
 
Mike, I can't say I'm close enough to the science of skimming to tackle a DIY skimmer just yet.... but my son did want me to set him up a tank .... :)

Thanks everyone else for the input! Keep it coming.


I have an old RedSea Berlin skimmer I wonder if could mod it..... naa. maybe to be a carbon/phos reactor :)
 
I know I was joking about building the skimmer, the thread I saw (which I'm sorry I can't recall if it was here or RC's SF forum) was done by a guy who obviously had some serious fabrication skills.
 
Nevermind everyone. I just ran the numbers and I'm just going to have to hold off on upgrading my main tank for now. Thanks for the input everyone.
 
Actually the pumps are probably close, but the impeller and volute assembly between the MSX and BM are not the same according to Sicce (manufacturer of said pump)
 
[quote author=sfsuphysics link=topic=4410.msg53647#msg53647 date=1219707045]
I know I was joking about building the skimmer, the thread I saw (which I'm sorry I can't recall if it was here or RC's SF forum) was done by a guy who obviously had some serious fabrication skills.


[/quote]

i saw that thread, im pretty sure if i had a picture of both of them, i wouldnt be able to tell them apart.
 
I haven't done much searching on the net yet but I figured I'd ask here first.

Are there any mods that improve the function of any skimmer? I have a Red Sea Prizm (HOB on my 46g) and a Red Sea Berlin (sitting in the garage) skimmer. I'd like to improve both if possible so I can keep one on my display and the other for a frag tank. If anyone has moded either of these or knows a good place to find "how to's" for them let me know. In a perfic world I'd just buy decent skimmers but hey, got to work with what I have.
 
Recirculating mods tend to improve the function of a skimmer. Also having a way to make finer bubbles as well, it started with a needle wheel over the straight impeller many "cheaper" ones use, then people went to the mesh mods which chop bubbles up even further, I'd imagine there's a fine line between chopping bubbles up and pulling in air.

I'm sure you could do a recirculating mod on one of those flat HOB skimmers no problem... a couple small bulkheads, and make sure your plumbing is really water tight... :D and an external pump pulling water from the exit chamber to the input chamber might work nicer. How much better will it be? I honest don't know.
 
The basics is you suck water out of the skimmer via a pump close to where it would normally exit the skimmer, and inject it back into the front of the skimmer, really forcing the contact time issue.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top