Coralife 65 Floor Flooder

[b-diddy]

Originally Posted by digital-audiophile

Whats the space under your tank like, You can get a sump built to just about any dimension you need and look at your skimmer selection as to what would fit in there?

It's on a funky black metal stand - I've got about 3 feet underneath I could use.

Who builds sumps? Is it a "do it yerself" project?

What's involved?

I'm lazy enough that I'd be OK just buying one if they come pre-done somewhere.

[dsaundry]

So many manufactures...Pinto, Edsel, Vega, Slimfast, Spray on hair, The list goes on and on. And yet we still buy them AHHHHHHHHHH!

Lots of junk getting bought and sold in any industry....

[b-diddy]

Originally Posted by dsaundry

So many manufactures...Pinto, Edsel, Vega, Slimfast, Spray on hair, The list goes on and on. And yet we still buy them AHHHHHHHHHH!

Lots of junk getting bought and sold in any industry....

Sucks for newbies like me trying to make purchases with a budget.

Is a $9000 skimmer better than a $100 one? Is it $8900 dollars better?

There should be a consumer report site for EVERYTHING out there.

I can buy a magazine for lemon cars to buy but who talks about crapper skimmers? I guess that's why I'm here.

Now... gotta get back to my slimfast and spray on hair. I'm a 600 lb Gorilla right now and I'm trying to perfect my look.

[kwirky]

Originally Posted by b-diddy

Sucks for newbies like me trying to make purchases with a budget.

Is a $9000 skimmer better than a $100 one? Is it $8900 dollars better?

There should be a consumer report site for EVERYTHING out there.

I can buy a magazine for lemon cars to buy but who talks about crapper skimmers? I guess that's why I'm here.

Now... gotta get back to my slimfast and spray on hair. I'm a 600 lb Gorilla right now and I'm trying to perfect my look.

a "consumer report site" for marine aquarium gear ain't gonna happen. the car market's a bajillion times larger than our elitist saltwater market. More revenue's collected from toasters than protein skimmers in north america

small tank HOB skimmer that's the "safest" yet not $500+ would be the aqua-c remora. it's designed so that it "can't" overflow (goes back into the skimmer).

As for the difference in quality/performance between cheap and expensive skimmers it's all relative really for in sump skimmers but quite drastic for HOB models. A bubbleking is pretty kick *** but they really only skim more than 20% more than a euroreef in most cases (at the most). The price difference is in build quality. If you have the time to clean your pump every 3-6 months then go with the euroreef. if you have cash to blow like some advantaged people have then go with the bubbleking.

As for HOB skimmers there is a much more noticable difference in price/quality between most models. It seems the HOB skimmer market is full of junk because of the large market for them. Some company needs to get their rear in gear and release an up-to-date needlewheel/meshwheel model that's well priced for the HOB market (like a HOB euroreef or the likes). People needing HOB skimmers usually don't have as large a budget as those needing in sump (or even external) skimmers.

Very few people buy a deltec HOB skimmer compared to the people buying bubblekings. and some products like the rio nano-skimmer should be boycotted. but that's my opinion. not fact.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I have a Deltec HOB skimmer and it kicks a$$. Only problem is...it's WAY too much skimmer for my tank! I had it offline for two weeks and cranked it back up yesterday. It skimmed like mad for 6 hours and now....I guess not too much left to skim. Heh.

[kwirky]

Originally Posted by Der_Iron_Chef

I have a Deltec HOB skimmer and it kicks a$$. Only problem is...it's WAY too much skimmer for my tank! I had it offline for two weeks and cranked it back up yesterday. It skimmed like mad for 6 hours and now....I guess not too much left to skim. Heh.

yah they're supposed to be worth every penny.

[rattler]

Brian.

Sorry for the problems that you are experiencing with your skimmer. I am new to the salt water addiction myself. However, I will say you get what you pay for and it is the consumers responsibility to research your purchase before you buy. With the availability of the internet, it is easy to see that CS skimmers are persnickety, and cause a lot of problems, if they are not attended to regularly. Not being in the "industry" and just a salt water enthusiast it pays to research before you buy. Let's hope you learn too keep your Litigation antics to those how need them most.

Cheers!
rattler

[tang daddy]

b-diddy thanks for the compliments!!

As for space were you saying 36 inch clearence top to bottom or side to side? If you have 36 top to bottom that's lots of room for a 33g to go underneath and a euroreef rs 135 is more than the tank could ever put out meaning that you could over skim abit but hey look at it this way... Bigger is better if you upgrade say to a 90 or even 120 it can take it ofcourse the 120g being lightly stocked!

For building the sump any joe can do it what you have to figure out is the max space for the skimmer and the return pump then the next is geting glass cut and then sillycone, done like dinner here's a pic of the euroreef rs 135 under my 90g same foot print as your 50 just alittle wider.





Sumps are the way to go IMO cause you can have heaters, skimmers hidden underneath which opens up some space for your display also the return pump can act as extra flow in your tank and if you want to get fancy you could have sand and macro growing in the middle compartment, some turn it into a full refuge with seahorses and other cool things the opportunities are enless I have put feather dusters, frags, pistol shrimp and gobies in mine it's like 2 displays in one!