protein skimmer qu's

[maimz]

hey all... i am looking to purchase a protein skimmer for a 50 gallon tank that is yet to be set up(reason for wanting opinions) so i want to do it right the first time as so many of you had expressed not doing this....anyhow....id like to be able to upgrade tanks down the road but can only afford to purchase a skimmer to do this capacity and then even be able to move to a 120 gallon tank way down the road once i am really settled and comfy..if the price in skimmer goes through the roof when considering the capacity of the unit then id have to hold off on a more powerful one but if it isnt _that_ much more to get the bigger one off the hop then that is what i will do and not have to worry about upgrading......i have a reasonable amount of money to spend as i understant this is a very important factor in reef keeping....if you guys have any opinions get back to me...im mostly looking for a sleek...quiet design that gets the job done right...thanks again...and sorry if this is a somewhat redundant post..

[Norm]

Hey Miamz, They PRizm by red sea does a good job for tanks 90gal and under! Very sleek only 2" front to back. :roflmao:

[Dman]

Maimz,
There are a couple of things you need to consider when purchasing a skimmer (isn't there always?:rolleyes: ) First, in-sump or hang-on. Second, Venturi or Air stone, and third, size. And usually in that order. There are a myriad of choices out there so figure out exactly how you want your skimmer to do what it needs to do.
HTH
Dman

[Gordoe]

I hope I can answer this without getting blown off the board.. :)

I use a sea clone and am happy with it's performance. It started working a couple of days after I connected it into my 75G and it consistently pulls out thick green gunk.. (few years now since installed)

The only thing you MUST do is replace the crappy air adjust that comes with it with a cheap plastic needle valve from any of the fish suppliers..

I have heard that the prizms are good except that you have to reprime after power loss.. and that happens alot around here with the whole tank being on a GFCI Breaker.. DRIP!!DRIP!! zzPOP!!

Gordoe

[Sparrow]

IMO, if you definitely want to do it right the first time, then drill the tank, use a sump, and buy an in-sump skimmer. Having a sump offers much more convenience then placing everything on the backwall of the tank. Sure it requires a bit more hassle off the bat, but once you get everything running you'll love it.

If your thinking of upgrading in maybe two years then you should look for a skimmer rated at probably 200 gallons or more. I always find manurfacturer ratings too optimistic. hth.

[Gordoe]

That's a really good point to have the tank drilled.. Makes life alot easier to switch to a reef tank from a fish only.

Gordoe

[theo]

Check out the skimmers on this web site in the shopping section they have excellent quality choices.

[Dman]

My own experience is to use a sump and an in-sump skimmer. The sump has the added benefit of adding to the total water in the system which adds to overall water stability. If at all possible, get the tank drilled, I just (like as of ten minutes ago) got my new tank circulating and it's drilled man, what a joy.

:blob:

No more overflow, mind you I got three years of great service from an overflow and probably only had to prime it 5 times tops, but I digress....

Under-rate the capacity of the skimmer, if it says it's good to 200 gallons, then figure no more than about 100-125.

My first tank was a 50 here is the link:

http://communities.msn.ca/dereksaquarium

You can pretty much scrimp on everything else to get you up and running.

[theo]

Hey Dman....its me Theo. I traded the sterelizer with you. I'll be needing an overflow. Let me know if your gonna get rid of it. joe1rob@earthlink.com

[maimz]

hey guys.....can someone explain to me how the sump operates..how much it costs...and where i can get one? im guessing this would allow me to use remote filtration and protein skimming? thanks

[Sparrow]

Sumps 101

http://www.northernreef.org/sumps101.htm

As for costs....

- You need to find someone to drill your tank and fit a bulkhead
- Sump: could be glass/arylic tank, rubbermaid container, or store bought.
- overflow box
- Return pump
- Tubing/PVC/Gate Valves, Ball Valves, Elbows, etc. for plumbing

That's about it.

Benefits:
- increases the total water capacity of your whole system.
- hides unsightly mess. i.e. heater, protein skimmer.
- many of the better protein skimmers are in-sump
- allows the place of some top off mechanism to replace evapouration
- if your really smart - not like me - you can create a refugium (sp.) in your sump using store bought acrylic pieces (ie Home Depot). This allows pods, etc. to have a save haven from predators in your main tank.

hth.

[ajx22]

Glad to see that you're getting some GREAT advice!!

Thanks to everyone...keep it up.

I just wanted to mention one thing...if you are considering adding a refugium...place it ABOVE your tank separate from the sump. You can use a small 10Gal tank for the refugium. Have it drilled at the top corner for a bulkhead and 90 degree elbow leading back to your tank (gravity feed). Add a smaller powerhead to your tank and connect tubing to have the PH push the water UP into the refugium. As the PH slowly puts water into the refugium, it will overflow into the gravity fed return to your tank. Add a small florescent light running opposite the times that your tank lights are on. The reasons I suggest to do it this way:

easy and cheap to do
slower circulation then the sump (needed in a refugium)
powerheads are pretty solid...not likely to fail...gravity will NEVER fail!
interesting to watch - hard to see under the tank (boring sump)


I also like this method as if you're growing pods...there is no impeller to kill them before they reach the main tank (great food for your fish)!

See some examples here:
http://members.home.net/jasonco6/fullsetup.jpg
http://www.gcstudios.com/nagelsreef/Makeover/diyrefugium.html
http://www.northernreef.org/refugiums_101.htm
http://www.carlosreef.com/refugium.htm
http://reefsite.homestead.com/refugium.html

Just for reference:

Circulation in your sump should be about 7-10 times your tank volume per hour
Circulation is a refugium should be about 1-2 times your tank volume per hour


Hope this helps even more...and the link to:
http://www.northernreef.org/ is a GREAT source for lots of info! Thanks to Sparrow for the link!

Later...