need HOB protein skimmer

okiereefer2

Member
Most posts on this subject are a couple of years old or older. Thought there might be some new info .Any suggestions for a reasonably priced hob for my 120 gal? Thanks
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I believe Coralife makes a good HOB protein skimmer for a 220g - which is almost double the volume for your tank, and it's reasonably priced at $184. They make one for a 125g for $140 and a 65g for $93 as well.
I have had coralife protein skimmers for years now and I have run across a couple of problems, but way less than other skimmer brands. They are easy to adjust and "dial in" and easy to maintain. They even come with a nice bubble trap that you have to add to the skimmers output so that you don't have a lot of microbubbles released back into the tank. It's a nice skimmer and worth every penny.
Others may disagree - but I'll defend it tooth and nail!
There are also Eshopps protein skimmers, but they are only rated for up to 100g that are reasonably priced at $140 on the high end.
Of course, I'm always on a really strict budget when it comes to saltwater aquariums, so I opt for the more reasonably priced but great performance skimmers
These days I go skimmerless though - I use an algae scrubber as the only filtration for my system.
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
IMO you don’t want to skimp on a protein skimmer, look into the AquaC Remora Pro Protein Skimmer with Rio 1400 Pump.
BTW have you considered a sump and skimmer combo?
 

1guydude

Well-Known Member
+1 on not skimping on things in this hobby such as filters and lights... u can get away with some of it but u may end up finding out that its a pos piece of equipment and buying the more expensive unit later anyway....thus uve wasted ur money! I havent heard anything bad about the esshops skimmers though.
My 1st skimmer was a $40 unit off the auction site and now it is just a piece of plastic sitting in the cloeset!
 

al&burke

Active Member
I had a coral life 125 on my 65 - they only way I got it to work properly is building a HOB baffle fuge - then and only then did it work half decent, but I couldn't stand the pump in the tank. I upgraded to a SWC 160 cone skimmer - in sump.
 

okiereefer2

Member
Thanks for the input--my intention is not to skimp on anything, but in the case of skimmers, lots of the posts on here say some are just way over-priced.,
I have considered the sump system--my biggest concern is I live in the country in an area prone to power outages. Just dont want to come home and find my tank siphoned all over the house.
Tank is 8 months old, and other than algae trying to grow on the sand and higher than desirable nitrates, its doing pretty well.
The place I bought my start-up supplies from kind of has a simplistic approach to it all, lots of live rock, lots of water movement, and lots of clean-up critters. No skimmer, no sump. I have two biowhheel filters and four power heads. Fish and inverts all seem happy--just floor of the tank always needs cleaned..
Details about equipment I might want to buy are frustratingly vague--much more details to be found in the forums,6500 posts I believe there are--lol
Thanks again--and anyone with a" next step" suggestion, feel free to share..
 

1guydude

Well-Known Member
Sump is indeed the way to go...my next system is going to be sumped and hopefully ill put all my tanks into one! Leaving a QT and a frag tank for the leftovers!
 
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