MI was told in another thread that my filter/skimmer was "crap"

tx_mermaid

Member
I have a 55 g and its in its 4th week, I invested $ in my coral life lighting system and my LR and LC , plus I am having a RO/DI installed this week. (wishI knew about that before) I dont mind spending moneyt on something thats going to be good and help my underwater world. What I dont want to do anymore is buy stuff from buy LFS that is a waste and usleless!
PLease help.... I have a Skilter 400 w/ a skimmer... please tell me what would be better. I was told its a piece of junk.
Thanks!
 

oceanists

Active Member
Originally Posted by TX_mermaid
I have a 55 g and its in its 4th week, I invested $ in my coral life lighting system and my LR and LC , plus I am having a RO/DI installed this week. (wishI knew about that before) I dont mind spending moneyt on something thats going to be good and help my underwater world. What I dont want to do anymore is buy stuff from buy LFS that is a waste and usleless!
PLease help.... I have a Skilter 400 w/ a skimmer... please tell me what would be better. I was told its a piece of junk.
Thanks!

Build your self a DIY Sump ..
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Do you have a sump or would you like another hang on tank skimmer. A skilter is OK if your bioload is way small. I started off with a skilter and I was pleased with the results, however when I upgraded to an aqua C Remora Pro, I was a lot more pleased and would recommend that one any day!
 

acrylic51

Active Member
Won't say it's a piece of junk, but as you've probably figured out it's not the best piece on the market. As mentioned consider possibly a sump setup, or depending what your planning to keep a wet/dry might surfice you needs.....I would recommend a good skimmer. AquaC would be a nice fit....Do you have an RO/DI unit or did the LFS forget that as well?
 

joncat24

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by joncat24
I personally have never had a skilter, but all I have read about them is that they are pretty much worthless. A coralife ss65 would work great on that size tank...IMO
I didnt mean for you to take it wrong. I have never had one as I said, just what i read on here. I like the coralife's because I know personally that thye work and they have a great reputation. Didn't mean to offend
 

imurnamine

Active Member
I'm going to run a Skilter 400 on my tank with two Emperor 400's.
I have a friend who has a 110 gallon tank with these three running, and he has pristine water and is growing up the most beautiful reef tank I've ever seen.
If it's good enough for him, it is good enough for me.
 

acrylic51

Active Member
Why run 3???? Sounds like the units are underpowered and not suited for the system....Why not just buy 1 good unit and be done with it.
 

cyclops

Member
I use the CSS for both my 135g and 30 and they work great and so easy to use I use a 220 for the big tank and 65 for small tank. For the price of these skimmers I would suggest them to anyone. Just look online for price of the CCS 65.
 

stanlalee

Active Member
Originally Posted by acrylic51
Won't say it's a piece of junk
I'll go ahead and say it for you and this from a guy who "upgraded" from a skilter to a "gasp" seaclone. As a mechanical and biological filter its as good as any other HOB save the biowheel filters but the skimmer doesn't skim well at all, not even by poor performing low buck skimmer standards (even seaclones, prizms, Jebo and ---- knock offs works worlds better). And if that isn't bad enough the noise it makes with the air valve open is unbearable. I used mine for a good long while as a HOB filter with the skimmer portion disabled (air valve closed) and it has now been deemed for duty as the HOB filter for my quaratine tank so its not completely worthless like a dedicated skimmer that doesn't work. I've even seen people put macro in it and throw a mini compact light over where the collection cup would be. It has lots of uses but skimming aint one of them.
 

mandarin w

Member
anyone who's been in the hobby long enough know the routine. We are the newbe, the LFS says any word and we think it is godspell. Buy the skillter, then buy the seaclown (i mean sea clone) , by this time we are fustrated, find an online chat site about salt water fish, (Hey, why didn't the guys at the LFS tell my about this) And learn from people in the hobby for a while and learn that skilters, sea clones, and Jebo, are peices of cow poop. Same thing with the lights, the LFS takes us thru the phases with the lights.
After being in the hobby for a couple of years we all end up with a closet full of useless equipment,That we spent well over $2K on. If only the guys at the LFS told us the truth, and save us some money.
But this way you end up haveing issues with your water, just can't get it right, LFS sells you this med, that med, try this, try that. They make a ton of money, they just before you are ready to quit, "Well, I was hoping to save you some money, and you would have to buy this, but it looks like you make need a bigger, stronger this or that". Sells you another piece of junk equipment, and there you go again for another few months. Then you finally figure out what is going on. But by then you have a skilter and a seaclone, a whisper filter, (because the emperor was too much $$ and not nessasary) The strip lights, because that is all you will need. The the coral life is all you need, Oh but I didn't realize you would want an anemone, you need MH's. So in the closet they pc go too.
Come on tell the truth. You all know you have it in there.
 

theappe

Member
I take it you have a sumpless tank since you are running a skilter. You might want better filtration and you can get a variety of skimmers that you can HOB. Coralife superskimmers are good. Ppl tend not to like prizms but I have one and never had a problem with it. Search the forum and there is plenty of stuff on this.
 

tx_mermaid

Member
No biggy Joncat
I was just fustrated as being a 'newbie' and wanting to set-up my tank right.
and I wanted to hear from you all what works.
Big thanks to you all for your input
I am going to research this more
I am getting a RO/DI this week. ANd yes the LFS forgot to tell me that! so now my tank which is 4 weeks old.... got filled with tap water

I am happy I found this site
Thanks!
 

1journeyman

Active Member
Sorry for your difficulties, I totally respect that you're trying to correct things!
You might want to get ya a couple of good refernce books (A Conscientious Marine Aquarist, etc). Being armed with the information from a good book will allow you to walk into a LFS and not get taken... And trust me, I think most of us on this board that made the mistake of trusting a LFS got taken at some point...
 

acrylic51

Active Member
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Sorry for your difficulties, I totally respect that you're trying to correct things!
You might want to get ya a couple of good refernce books (A Conscientious Marine Aquarist, etc). Being armed with the information from a good book will allow you to walk into a LFS and not get taken... And trust me, I think most of us on this board that made the mistake of trusting a LFS got taken at some point...
Must say very good book to read!!!!!!!
 

tx_mermaid

Member
Well I went to Barnes&Nobel to buy the book and they didnt have it :notsure:
so I ordered it
Cant wait till its here!
Splashes everyone for the great advice~~~~~~~~~~~
 
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