skimmers

[viperfish]

There are three main styles:

Hang On Back (HOB or HOT):
-Least efficient
- Greater risk of flooding if (when) it overflows
- Made with a more compact style and less volume to enable it to rest on the lip of the tank and not take up too much space.
- There are models such as the Deltec MCE-500 that hang inside the tank that eliminate the risk of water spilling on the floor. Expensive but an excellent solution to a sumpless tank.

In Sump
- Designed to enable maximum dwell time so the bubbles have time to attract dissolve organic compounds
- Safest design in the event of an overflow, spillage runs back in the sump
- One pump does two jobs, pumping water as well as drawing air to create bubbles.
- Currently the style with the largest selection (in the hobby market anyway).

Recirculating
- Most efficient design
- Skimmer body very similar to the in sump model
- Skimmer is located outside the sump (usually)
- One pump feeds the water from the sump to the skimmer, a second pump draws the air and creates the bubbles. The return water drains back to the sump.
- Can be configured so the drain from the tank feeds the skimmer thereby eliminating the need for a feed pump.
- This style covers the broadest range of tank sizes right up to the largest commercial tanks.
- At any given rating, this style will take up the most space.
- Some manufacturers make recirc styles that can be configured as a single pump in sump style as well.

Of course once you've settled on a style you will have to select a brand and it's been said a ton of times, buy the best skimmer you can afford. Of course the Bubble Kings and Deltecs are the Cadillac of skimmers with a pricetag to match. There are many brands that do an awesome job at a fraction of the price such as SWC, Bubble Magus, Skimz, Super Reef Octopus, Vertex... and the list goes on. There are tons of reviews online, read up on them and form your own opinion based on actual user's experiences. Every Vendor and distributor will tell you their brand is best.

[hunggi74]

Thanks for the info everyone. I have more questions now... Is it true that my water should flow from display to refugium, then to skimmer, back to tank or to skimmer first, then refugium, then to tank? I'm probably going with an SWC 160 in sump. Good reviews and very quiet. The only thing now is that I've read the latest gen pumps aren't the greatest in this skimmer. Octopus Extreme XS 160? Anyone with experience with either skimmer?

[viperfish]

Most people drain to the skimmer compartment first either through a filter sock or not, it's your preference, then they tee into the return line so they can adjust the amount of flow to the fuge by means of a ball valve. You don't want the full flow of your sump going through the fuge, the idea is to have slower water movement in there so the macro algea and organisms have time to absorb nutrients and not get disturbed by turbulent water. As for the skimmer check out these links for setup and tuning the SWC 160 http://www.youtube.com/user/mrsaltwa.../2/MLAgZopwyDM , http://www.youtube.com/user/mrsaltwa.../1/p6_t5ziZ3vU

[asylumdown]

When I had my super skimmer hanging on the side of my sump, my floor spent more time wet than dry.

[Maverick00]

+1