Superskimmer or no skimmer?

[justinl]

IMO, go skimmerless for a while, and save that money towards a tunze HOB or better. preferably deltec or better, but that gets pricey very quick.

[tang daddy]

gsp what size set up is the tank you have now, dimensions?

When I first started the hobby I couldn't afford much that's where the css came but hanging it on my sump and the water level fluctuating in the sump I ended up with wet skimmate smelling carpets which would always happen when I was at work or at jl so after the second time it flooded my floor that was it. Now I know people are happy using this skimmer however I would not recommend it to anyone I know not even a newbie....

I am in the midst of setting up a new tank in my living room this set up has to look good while not costing me half a car lol. What I have done is take a 48g, 36x18x18 and put a baffle at around the 6in mark then put acrylic over it with slots then painted the back part and put another baffle inside it, by the time I am done it will look pretty clean just 2 lockline will be seen in the display. no heaters no powerheads and best of all skimmerless. Reason why I say this is because if your current set up allows you to then do what I did empty the tank and builed an overflow compartment in there where you can put a large enough return pump and heater aswell, anyhow maybe an idea.

If you're thinking of putting a SS in there my freind has one sitting around think it's a 125 for $50 although I think skimmerless set ups are ok aswell aslong as you can keep up with WC.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by justinl

IMO, go skimmerless for a while, and save that money towards a tunze HOB or better. preferably deltec or better, but that gets pricey very quick.

Yeah I have been skimmerless with great success so far. I am happy with it but I am getting tired of the water changes. I am also thinking it will "catch up with me" at some point.

I do not want a HOB no matter what. I actually added a sump today, so I will be going with an in sump skimmer. I am looking at the Vertex. Actually I was looking at them before the big price increase at J&L...wish I would have bought it before they decided to jack the price way up

I like the build quality of them and the price is still good...just kind of hard to swallow paying quite a bit more only about 4-5 months after first looking at them for no apparent reason...Im tired of hearing the dollar BS too!

[Doug]

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

Yeah I have been skimmerless with great success so far. I am happy with it but I am getting tired of the water changes. I am also thinking it will "catch up with me" at some point.

I do not want a HOB no matter what. I actually added a sump today, so I will be going with an in sump skimmer. I am looking at the Vertex. Actually I was looking at them before the big price increase at J&L...wish I would have bought it before they decided to jack the price way up

I like the build quality of them and the price is still good...just kind of hard to swallow paying quite a bit more only about 4-5 months after first looking at them for no apparent reason...Im tired of hearing the dollar BS too!

I,m with you. I would not run a hang on ever again either. Any of them, despite some being very good skimmers. Just to much chance of running on the floor.

I would use a Tunze, install a sump, go skimmerless and jack up the water changes or whatever else goes with being skimmerless or

one could use an external beckett type skimmer. As long as a proper waste container is used, they are leak proof and skim extremely well. Of course you would need an adjoining cabinet to sit it in, so its high enough, etc.

But as mentioned, for the price, my Tunze 9010 did the job for me on my 90g, while taking up no more room than an overflow, except for the large collection cup.

Once a person uses a quality skimmer like you have, its hard to imagine anything else being good enough. If I was ever doing a large tank again, it would have a sump and run a beckett skimmer or a double pumper Octopus. Both great skimmers and at a reasonable price.

[AndyL]

FWIW, Got a CSS220 that ran for years on the 65... Never had an unexpected (read one I shouldn't have known was coming) overflow - meds/treatments etc with warnings "turn off skimmer" were the only thing to cause issues...

It worked pretty well, I've gone back to an old school air driven skimmer now (power & heat issues). While High zoot is nice, can't beat the reliability of a small pump + air pump; yep I have to change that airstone every month, it's backbreaking work compared to cleaning the needlewheel pump I tell ya

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by Doug

I,m with you. I would not run a hang on ever again either. Any of them, despite some being very good skimmers. Just to much chance of running on the floor.

I would use a Tunze, install a sump, go skimmerless and jack up the water changes or whatever else goes with being skimmerless or

one could use an external beckett type skimmer. As long as a proper waste container is used, they are leak proof and skim extremely well. Of course you would need an adjoining cabinet to sit it in, so its high enough, etc.

But as mentioned, for the price, my Tunze 9010 did the job for me on my 90g, while taking up no more room than an overflow, except for the large collection cup.

Once a person uses a quality skimmer like you have, its hard to imagine anything else being good enough. If I was ever doing a large tank again, it would have a sump and run a beckett skimmer or a double pumper Octopus. Both great skimmers and at a reasonable price.

Thanks for the ideas. I actually have been doing weekly water changes and with no skimmer, this tank has looked better than most any other sps tank I have ever kept. I don't know how long I can keep up with weekly water changes though

I really like the Tunze Skimmers but I don't want to spend that much right now. I have had a lot of offers from members here for all kind of skimmers, so I am going to take a look at what might be the best one for the price people are asking.