Air skimmers

[fortheloveofcrabs]

Has anybody used these air-drivin skimmers (coralife and a few other companies make them). I've heard everything from they really suck, to they get the job done - but of cource from people who have never used them. Anybody here use/used one? Any thoughts? It is going on a 16 bow, with a 5.5 sump, so a regular skimmer would just be a bit much. Thoughts?

Thanks!

[Samw]

I've used 3 of them. I like them because they are super quiet compared to the Bakpak, Remora, Precision Marine and the rest of the venturi driven skimmers.

The 3 that I've used are the Coralife Super Skimmer 1 (Co-Current), Lee's Counter Current, and the Red Sea Berlin Air-Luft. Out of the 3, the best performing would probably be the Lee's in that the skimmate I get from that skimmer is dark brown whereas the other 2 skimmers produce green skimmate. The reason I think those 2 skimmers produce green skimmate is because the water intake and output are in the same location so it's skimming the same water over and over. The Lee's takes water from the top of the skimmer and the outputs at the bottom of the skimmer. Of the 3 skimmers, the Lee's require some adjustment whereas the other 2 have no adjustments. The advantage of the Coralife Super Skimmer 1 is that it can fit in the back of an Aquaclear so you don't take up tank space.

The disadvantage of airstone driven skimmers is that the airstone cloggs up every month.

I am actually planning to replace my skimmer AGAIN (This will be my 7th skimmer) with a Tunze 3110. This skimmer appears to have the advantages of being quiet and not needing to change airstones.

[muck]

I am actually planning to replace my skimmer AGAIN (This will be my 7th skimmer) with a Tunze 3110. This skimmer appears to have the advantages of being quiet and not needing to change airstones.
Keep us updated as to how the new one works... :biggrin:

[fortheloveofcrabs]

Yeah, keep us posted. Thank's a lot for that post! Much help.

Kudos!

[Samw]

Yeah, I'll be happy to post my opinion of the Tunze 3110 after I get it. I went to pick 1 up today but the store I went to was sold out. Sadly, I must wait for next shipment.