# Protein Skimmer Recomendations



## islanddave (Nov 6, 2012)

Hello All,


I am a long way from being up and running, but I am at the point of building my sump and feel that it would be beneficial if I had a skimmer before building the sump. It is a 90 gallon but would like to upsize the skimmer to accommodate the inevitable upgrade later on. Best bang for the buck recommendations are always welcome!

Appreciation In-advance

Dave


----------



## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

http://www.marinedepot.com/Bubble_M...kimmers-Bubble_Magus-4W05001-FIPSISNW-vi.html

http://www.marinedepot.com/Bubble_M...kimmers-Bubble_Magus-4W03522-FIPSISNW-vi.html

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## CamH (Jan 5, 2014)

islanddave said:


> Hello All,
> 
> It is a 90 gallon but would like to upsize the skimmer to accommodate the inevitable upgrade later


I'm also planning a 90 gallon. Here's the skimmer Im buying

http://www.reefsupplies.ca/online-store/Reef-Octopus-NWB-150-Pinwheel-In-Sump-Skimmer.html

Canadian site so there's no shock when the exchange rate kicks in


----------



## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

Best bang for the buck is the Avast CS1. It is a recirculating skimmer kit. You build it yourself so you get a $750+ skimmer for under $400 shipped. I love mine, it skimms like a beast and because its recirculating the water level in the sump doesn't matter, I can keep it running during watwrchanges ... It was very easy to build. 
http://www.avastmarine.com/ssc/do/product/youbuilt/CS1-Cone-Skimmer-Kit

Technical Details:
Tank Rating: 50-200 gallons 
Footprint: 9"x10" (Can be made to fit in 9" x 9" with careful effluent pipe plumbing arrangement)
Height: 22.75", with Swabbie 25.5"
Diameter at Base 7.5" 
Neck diameter: 3.75" 
Collection Cup Diameter: 6" 
Collection Cup Drain: Standard 
Air Silencer: Standard
Sicce PSK1000 performance: 1100 lph @ 23w
For in sump use only. 5"-16" depth. The standard recirculating configuration allows the skimmer to run in any depth up to the level of the neck union)
Water feed required: 100-300gph
Pump Warranty: 1 year.


----------



## islanddave (Nov 6, 2012)

fesso clown said:


> Best bang for the buck is the Avast CS1. It is a recirculating skimmer kit. You build it yourself so you get a $750+ skimmer for under $400 shipped. I love mine, it skimms like a beast and because its recirculating the water level in the sump doesn't matter, I can keep it running during watwrchanges ... It was very easy to build.
> http://www.avastmarine.com/ssc/do/product/youbuilt/CS1-Cone-Skimmer-Kit
> 
> Thanks so very much! How old is your skimmer?Have you run into any of these issues? http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/290143-avast-marine-works-cs-1-pegleg-cone-skimmer-kit/
> ...


----------



## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

That's a really old review, all the issues that guy had were actually because he didn't built it to spec. He posted the same review on Reef Central and Justin(the guy from Avast) sorted it out. That being said they have refined the skimmer kit since that review. 
I have had mine for almost 2 years. I bought the swabbie kit for it too, keeps the neck clean. It's quiet (Sicce pump) and needs very little adjusting. Like I said it skimms like a beast. I would never not use a recirculating skimmer again, there is never any finiky water level issues. 
Anyway it's a great deal if you don't mind a little DIY. And how sexy is the smoked acrylic?


----------



## CamH (Jan 5, 2014)

fesso clown said:


> Best bang for the buck is the Avast CS1. It is a recirculating skimmer kit. You build it yourself so you get a $750+ skimmer for under $400 shipped [\QUOTE]
> 
> Did you have to pay any duty? At today's exchange rate that skimmer is, including the pump, $386 before taxes, shipping, and any duty. The Reef Octopus INT 150 is $300 after taxes and free shipping. I like bang for bucks, but could you not save a few bucks and go with the INT 150?
> 
> I've never bought a skimmer before so I have no way of comparing the two.


----------



## y4zhuang (Oct 2, 2013)

i had a cad lights 1220 on my 100g display 30g sump, worked fine, i had medium bioload. yours for $150.


----------



## islanddave (Nov 6, 2012)

CamH said:


> fesso clown said:
> 
> 
> > Best bang for the buck is the Avast CS1. It is a recirculating skimmer kit. You build it yourself so you get a $750+ skimmer for under $400 shipped [\QUOTE]
> ...


----------



## zk4444 (Mar 8, 2012)

CamH said:


> I'm also planning a 90 gallon. Here's the skimmer Im buying
> 
> http://www.reefsupplies.ca/online-store/Reef-Octopus-NWB-150-Pinwheel-In-Sump-Skimmer.html
> 
> Canadian site so there's no shock when the exchange rate kicks in


I was going to get the same skimmer but instead I decided to spend the extra $40 and ordered the Vertex Omega 130 due to quality of pump and great reviews I read out there.

.


----------



## skim (Apr 21, 2014)

I have used quite a few skimmers and the RO Classic 150 INT is one of them. Its is a great skimmer, skims well and is vary quiet I found it to be as quiet as the Vertex Omega 150. Parts are easy to get and because of that if you need any it would be quick. I found it to be vary quiet like I said and easy to adjust, it also skims vary well IMO better then the Omega 150. You can get a nice dark skim from it that will make you gag. I found the Omega to skim wetter, I believe the pump is to large for that skimmer too much turbulence in chamber. The one thing I did not like about the RO 150 INT is it does not come apart which is a bit of a pain for cleaning.
Ray and Johnny are great guys at ReefSuppliesCanada.

Good Luck!

Skim


----------



## zk4444 (Mar 8, 2012)

skim said:


> I have used quite a few skimmers and the RO Classic 150 INT is one of them. Its is a great skimmer, skims well and is vary quiet I found it to be as quiet as the Vertex Omega 150. Parts are easy to get and because of that if you need any it would be quick. I found it to be vary quiet like I said and easy to adjust, it also skims vary well IMO better then the Omega 150. You can get a nice dark skim from it that will make you gag. I found the Omega to skim wetter, I believe the pump is to large for that skimmer too much turbulence in chamber. *The one thing I did not like about the RO 150 INT is it does not come apart which is a bit of a pain for cleaning*.
> Ray and Johnny are great guys at ReefSuppliesCanada.
> 
> Good Luck!
> ...


I did consider RO 150INT due to it's value/performance but that was the deal breaker for me, it was such a PITA when I couldn't clean the inside of my Bubble Magus and promised myself that the next skimmer I get will be something I can take apart during maintenance.

.


----------



## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

I'd give Coral Box D300 and D700 skimmers a look. They use Jebao DC pumps so absolutely dead quiet. I have the D700 in a tank (1 fish, 90G). It produced skimmate in the first 24 hours on this low bioload tank. I noticed that the water became crystal clear 48 hours later. very easy to dial in. And very easy to clean - just look for videos online. D300 is only $180 and D700 $255. us currency. 

Really well built. The package the skimmers came in were first class. Form fitted high density foam. Not even the dumbest UPS drivers will crack this. And you can ask fish street to use regular post or DHL instead of UPS and they will gladly comply. This is a must. UPS soaked me for bogus fees that was more than half the price of the item. fish-street.com


----------



## skim (Apr 21, 2014)

Yes I agree it can be a pain but they do work well( A good Toilet Brush works well ) and getting parts is easy. Just wondering what BM did you have that would not come apart? I have the BM Curve 9 and that thing is a beast the stuff it pulls out is such a dark green that you would say its black. When its running you would swear its full of milk the whole body is white and I mean fresh snow white.
The other skimmer mentioned is also quite good I have the DC-500 and there is a great Video on it on YouTube by a guy named Leo, he does a three month update on it. You can get them up hear to, you don't have to go south of the boarder. Check out Pet and Ponds they have them DC 300 I believe is 198.99 and the DC 500 is 214.99 and the DC 700 is 239.99 Cd. and free shipping. When I tried the DC 500 I did not wash it or anything straight out of box into the sump and had a dense foam coming up the cup neck within a hour with set at 6.


----------



## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

Damn didn't know pets and ponds carried coralbox. that is better buying from them. It's got to be the best bargain in skimmers. like you said, worked right out of the box, no need for priming, nothing. way more efficient then the other skimmer I got. But that's what I wanted for the LPS tank, something not so efficient so water stays a bit dirty.


----------



## CamH (Jan 5, 2014)

How often do you have to tear these things apart to clean them?
The DC300 is $230 at PAP


----------



## skim (Apr 21, 2014)

Well that depends. If you have a Refugium and have a light over it the light will cause algae to grow in the skimmer body so you good be locking at every 4 months it you do not have one you good go for once a year. Now for a skimmer that comes apart yes it makes things easier and you can get every speck of dirt but like I said in the other post get a good Toilet brush and that should work quite well. The idea is to keep the Reaction chamber clean ( where you see the bubbles ) so the bubbles run smoothly against the body of the skimmer but I have seen skimmers that where covered in coralline algae and ran just fine. Basically what you want to do is when you empty you cup if you see a fine sediment of dirt in the top of the body just below the where cup and body meet you just want to give that a quick wipe so the bubbles can travel freely into the neck of the cup.
Sorry about the price on the DC skimmers I guess they must have just did a price increase on them, probably do the Canadian Dollar decline. That's another good point if you have been looking at getting something and the price has not changed for some time you may want to jump on it as prices are and will be going up.

Skim


----------

