Need Skimmer for Cad 39G
 

Ok I've had it! The no-name made in China skimmer that came as part of the package with my tank is driving me crazy. I came close to heaving it across the room today.

After 6 months and numerous modifications I am still dealing with microbubbles. Plus it is very clumsy to operate without any adustability.

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So I am in the market for a replacement. Here are my specs:

-less than 30 gallons water volume
-tank is located in the living room next to the bedroom so I am looking for something quiet
- very low bio-load at the moment but hoping to "load" up soon, mostly LPS but maybe a couple of SPS, with a max of 5 small fish
- Looking at the Tunze Nano, Tunze 9005, and Deltec 300

But I am open to suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

I have a Tunze 9002 nano-skimmer, stay away from it, I get a couple of tablespoons of skimmate per week, and every few weeks the thing starts making a noise or stops working and I have to take it apart and service it. Unlike other Tunze products this thing is a piece of junk.

The bigger Tunze skimmers have good reputations though.

I am waiting for the Euro-reef nano-skimmers to come out then my Tunze will be for sale or I will take it out back and shoot it.

According to the Euro-reef website they were demo-ing their nano skimmer this weekend. When you do shoot the Tunze please post the video.

Why run a skimmer at all on a small setup like yours? I used to run a Super Skimmer on my 20gal and the thing was a piece of crap. Removed it and haven't had a problem since, I just go with a 4 or 5 gal water change every week or so.

What is your bioload / livestock?

3...make that 2 fish (one of my clowns committed suicide last night-jumped out), 2 cleaner shrimp, 2 turbo snails, 7 hermits, a few stometalla (slugs), hairy crab, 5 or 6 corals (mostly softies) and 1 sun coral.

I have never had any problem with my tunze 9002. could have more skimmate but runs pretty well imo. about a cup a week. 75g stocked with a few lps (fed), blue damsel, canary wrasse, peacock mantis.

however, if you have the cash, the deltec is superior from what i hear.

Does the skimmate look like green tea or darker? What is the noise level like?

much darker than green tea. there is a slight fizzling noise that be slightly louder on some days, but it's really nothing more than a whisper.

imo the 9002 would definitely serve well on a 30g. MCE300 would be overkill, but would get the job (and then some) done while allowing for possible upgrades down the road.

Well, I'll be the one to suggest an AquaC Remora. I've only used these skimmers, but I have been very impressed with the quality and consistancy of them.. they have never let me down. You put a small peice of paper towel into the injector compartment and it's very, very quiet. I have my nano in my living room and noise is no issue whatsoever.

I am now using a Remora Nano w/ an upgraded Maxijet 1200, and it's near the same performance as a regular Remora. The skimmate I get all varies, depending on how I have the collection cup tuned in. Generaly speaking though, the skimmate is dark, while if the cup is set low, it's more of a darker green tea colour. My only gripe with this skimmer, and is a common problem with most skimmers I am sure, is once the neck of the collection cup gets a slime coating of algae, the skimmate becomes more wet, and less frothy and foamy. I hope that made sense. Not a big problem, just a simple wipe down the skimmer neck every 3rd or 4th day for me.

Just my two cents, Remora has never let me down! Very reliable skimmer IME.