Superskimmer or no skimmer?

GreenSpottedPuffer · #1 11-29-2008, 12:14 AM

I set up my newest tank to be sumpless/skimmerless. Not going to last long though

I hate not having a sump. I thought it would be a nice challenge and change to have a very simple system with just LR and powerheads...not really...

Everything is doing very well and my SPS have better colour/growth than older tanks I used to keep with all kinds of equipment but there are problems.

I hate having my PH and temperature probe in the display, I hate the surface organics, I don't like the extra powerhead needed because of no return pump flow and I DESPISE manually doing water top offs! Everyday!

The tank is already drilled and I have a nice easy plan for an overflow but I am wondering about a skimmer? I was going to just do the sump with lots of macro and leave it at that but I started thinking that maybe I should just go ahead and add a skimmer too.

Do you guys think a Coralife skimmer is even worth it? I kind of get the feeling a Coralife would be about the same as no skimmer

Only reason I am thinking that one though is because I can't spend too much now. Its cheap.

The Codfather · #2 11-29-2008, 12:24 AM

I have a coralife skimmer, couldn't be happier. Works great, i don't know why people always knock em. Just my two cents.

moldrik · #3 11-29-2008, 12:26 AM

Can I hijack this thread? I am looking for a good hang-on skimmer too. I don't think that this Red Sea Prizm is going to cut it. I barely get anything out of my tank ( there aren't any fish right now, but I'm getting zero foam ).
________
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GreenSpottedPuffer · #4 11-29-2008, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Codfather

I have a coralife skimmer, couldn't be happier. Works great, i don't know why people always knock em. Just my two cents.

Cool thanks...I should add that I am not trying to knock them really. I am just going by what I have heard. I don't have any experience with them myself.

I was thinking the smallest one.

The tank will be about 80G total water volume and has a yellow tang and pair of clowns. They eat every second day. So low bioload.

Without a skimmer now, I am seeing no nitrates. I just figure it couldn't hurt...although maybe just some macro algae would be good enough.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #5 11-29-2008, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moldrik

Can I hijack this thread? I am looking for a good hang-on skimmer too. I don't think that this Red Sea Prizm is going to cut it. I barely get anything out of my tank ( there aren't any fish right now, but I'm getting zero foam ).

The deltec one is amazing but pricey. I like the Aqua C remoras myself. If you don't mind price though, maybe the Deltec hang on or the Tunze ones are suppose to be really good.

dabandit · #6 11-29-2008, 12:28 AM

I view reefkeeping equipment like I view sex...anything is better than nothing

Delphinus · #7 11-29-2008, 12:30 AM

+1 .. I run one on my 20g. I get teased about it all the time too.

But it gets the job done, pulls out decent skimmate. I did the fishing line mod for the impeller and reamed out the air intake to allow a tiny bit more air in.

The one thing I don't like about it is how hypersensitive it is to adjustments. I run mine in the sump and I can't imagine running it as hang-on. I'd have emptied my tank onto the floor several times over by now if I actually used it that way.

The Codfather · #8 11-29-2008, 12:30 AM

Mine is a Coralife 125, like i said it works very well. Then again, if i had the chance for a deltec i would jump all over it.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #9 11-29-2008, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

+1 .. I run one on my 20g. I get teased about it all the time too.

But it gets the job done, pulls out decent skimmate. I did the fishing line mod for the impeller and reamed out the air intake to allow a tiny bit more air in.

The one thing I don't like about it is how hypersensitive it is to adjustments. I run mine in the sump and I can't imagine running it as hang-on. I'd have emptied my tank onto the floor several times over by now if I actually used it that way.

What is the fishing line mod?

Thanks guys! I think I agree that it would be better than nothing even though nothing is working pretty well so far.

gqlmao · #10 11-29-2008, 01:14 AM

I had a super skimmer 65 on my 100g temporary when i got my tank changed. Its better than nothing but couldn't keep up with my fishies' eating habits :P. Still if i had a choice I would go ss rather than nothing lol. I wouldn't say ss are the best having tried other skimmers but they aren't that crappy since it kept my old tank healthy for 3 years lol. +1

About the fish line mod, since skimmers need to cut the air it takes in to produce micro bubbles, people find ways to cut finer bubbles with the stock pump, finer micro bubbles means better crap pick up. Fishing line was one of the solutions, people wrap their old pump propellers with fishing line to increase the cutting surfaces hoping to yield better results. I've never tried it but from what I see it has a slight improvement on stock pumps.

Stanley,