Doubling my skimmer or not

[Basile]

Well guys i'm bit post about my skimmer choice here. I heard a few things and that threw me OFF my game.

One of the thing I heard is to choose a skimmer double the capacity of my system. Like my system will involve a 140g tank with a display fuge of 75G so that's a 215 G total . So do I choose a skimmer for a 400 G system? The other one is about the recycling skimmer I had that, it worked well before any thought on that one is there a huge difference and why should I go there again.

A few things about my project. The 140 G is a Reef tank with LPS mostly and mushrooms and fish. The display fuge will be filled with a collection of Macro-algae and be split in two part; one with seahorses, the other anglers and scorpio fish, now both seahorses and anglers are messy and both tank are connected by gravity and are going to a 45 G sump as well.

So i'm looking at Octopus skimmers I like their concept. So double or just over the 215G; and should I go recycling again? Thank !!!

[gregzz4]

I'd call your's a 260g system, for purchase sake

The reason for halving a skimmer's rating, as far as I understand, is because many of the lower-end, less pricey skimmers have poor air intake values
Basically any skimmer under $500 needs it's rating cut in half

My Skimz SK181 Kone is rated up to 320g, but has only 540l/h of air intake, so I feel it's good up to 160g and works great on my 110g system
Most of the high-end skimmers are closer to or even over 1000l/h of air, so their ratings are pretty much bang on

About recycling skimmers ... I know nothing

[spit.fire]

Just buy my reeflo orca :D. Lots of air

[The Grizz]

Doubling your volume is a myth that I feel was thought up by retailers & there is such a thing as over skimming. Skimmers work on what is called contact time, the more air volume introduced to the water the better it will it will pull the skimmate out. A skimmer that is rated for 300 gals is more then enough. As for a recirculating skimmer that would depend on if you have the room as most are external. Loook at the air volume per liter as well as what the skimmer is rated for.

[gregzz4]

Greg, without starting a big arguement about it, I wanna point out this;

My Kone skimmer sells for $370-400+, is rated up to 360g and has 540l/h air intake

A Vertex Alpha Cone 170 sells for around $800, is only rated up to 200g and has 1000-1200l/h air intake

Which skimmer rating would you trust ? :biggrin:

[The Grizz]

Greg, without starting a big arguement about it, I wanna point out this;

My Kone skimmer sells for $370-400+, is rated up to 360g and has 540l/h air intake

A Vertex Alpha Cone 170 sells for around $800, is only rated up to 200g and has 1000-1200l/h air intake

Which skimmer rating would you trust ? :biggrin:

You won't get any arguing out of me :twised:

I would trust the Vertex rating over your Kone rating simple because the Kone should only be rated for 180 g max using your own statement that a skimmer under $500 should have there rating cut in half. Also the Vertex is a better name brand & is going to draw more air into the skimmer.

I had a Skimz SK181 and it was a POS!! It was on a heavy stocked 90 gal tank & hardly pulled anything out. I dropped in my old Tunze 9010 and it went NUTS!! Had to empty the cup once or twice a day until it settled down and even then it filled the cup every third day but man was the water crystal clear. :biggrin:

Basically I was somewhat agreeing with you........

[spit.fire]

Or the orca has 1950l/h of air

[Basile]

So what about the recycling option I had it on my old system and I had a great tank , i'm just wondering if its justified. I'm looking for in sump skimmer by the way. I had an Octopus which worked really well.

[RuGlu6]

1-Choose skimmer based on how much air it pulls / mixes and not on “Rating” because rating is just manufacturer’s opinion.

2-If you want LPS to thrive then you don’t want your water to be skimmed too much.

3-May be you can consider getting a second skimmer (for redundancy instead of one large one) that can be put to work in you sump in case you ever want SPS, or as a back up.

I used to have two skimmers running Deltec 650 and Cone with 700L/hr air, now I have Deltec as a back up and I have cone upgraded with better pump (Bubble Blaster (http://premiumaquatics.com/aquatic-supplies/CV-HY-3000S.html)) that pulls 1200-1400 L/h of air.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=76429&page=2
.
http://premiumaquatics.com/aquatic-supplies/CV-HY-3000S.html

[gregzz4]

You won't get any arguing out of me :twised:
Basically I was somewhat agreeing with you........
:lol:
Ya I knew where you were coming from
I just wanted to back up my thoughts
I'm happy with my Kone, but now you've got me curious about what another skimmer would do on my system :rolleyes:

Basile, may there's some info HERE (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1910870) that will help you decide

[Basile]

:lol:
Ya I knew where you were coming from
I just wanted to back up my thoughts
I'm happy with my Kone, but now you've got me curious about what another skimmer would do on my system :rolleyes:

Basile, may there's some info HERE (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1910870) that will help you decide

Thanks, I had a recycling the last time and although I understood the dwelling effect and the principal and could see my super clean and clear water, I was questioning investing again in it, since I never had the regular skimmers before. I started the hobby with the consul of a "guru" lol who advocated the recycling one. I'll watched those vids on YT and see. Thanks again guys. What do you think of shutting down your skimmers at night to let your corals feed?