Skimmers?

joncat24

joncat24

Active Member
the reef devil is the size...they are ETSS skimmers the reef devil and reef devil deluxe are 2 different size skimmers from that manufacturer...the deluxe has the drain line on the collection cup and is a bit bigger.
the coralife can be used in sump also, but it is not near as good a skimmer as the ETSS skimmers...IMO
I can say that because i had a ss220 and replaced it with a ETSS reff devil deluxe and it was a world of difference.
That being said.....I still think the mrc skimmers are the best for the buck in the middle priced skimmers.
It all comes down to what your budget is.
 
al mc

al mc

Active Member
CRT81...I have agree with jon.....MRC's are great skimmers
ASMs are also very good
Remoras IMHO arew the best HOBs
While I have not personally used the Proclears I have not heard great things about them and would stick with one of the above.
Jon also right about size of Coralife SS..get the 125 if you go with that brand.
 
joncat24

joncat24

Active Member
the proclear is not a very good skimmer based on the reviews that I have read.
It is substantially cheaper than the mrc's or Etss skimmers but, a skimmer is one area that I would spend the money on at one time. That meaning, like I said earlier, I have been through 3 skimmers in the past year and the mrc diy I have now punishes the competition. Yeah, it will cost you a little more up front, but when it is all said and done you will have a great skimmer that can handle a bigger tank down the road when you decide to upgrade. The mr2 can have a second injector added which is basically almost doubling the skimmer's potential.
Once again, it all comes down to budget.
 
joncat24

joncat24

Active Member
dont buy a seaclone....very unrealiable and poor skimmer.
Good hang on skimmer would be a coralife ss or a aqua c remora
 
kornele23

kornele23

Member
Originally Posted by joncat24
dont buy a seaclone....very unrealiable and poor skimmer.
Good hang on skimmer would be a coralife ss or a aqua c remora
What's so unrealible about them? and why are they a poor skimmer? Have you used one before?
 
joncat24

joncat24

Active Member
Originally Posted by Kornele23
What's so unrealible about them? and why are they a poor skimmer? Have you used one before?
require almost constant adjustments and just bad reviews all around....I have never had one...read to many bad things....just relaying what I have heard...
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
Hey I will be the first one to push SeaClone under the bus.
I did modify mine so its not an out of box unit. Out of box yes they suck, with a few minor mods they go like gangbusters. I only run mine 5 hours per day and everyone is happy.
If your buying new, then dont waste the money, if you have a deal on a used one or otherwise a good deal then go for it. I certainly wouldnt pay retail for one.
JMO
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
Just did a re-read of this thread.
I do have my Clone on a timer.
Overskimming is easy- I want nice water but skimming steady is NOT good for my system. I do keep Carnations, Suns, Chilis, and many variaties on Xenia. Not to mention the different gorgonians and small clams. I do try and stick to a water change shedule and those always help with water quality.
If I left my skimmer on 24 hours I would have great water but all my filter feeders would all starve.
I keep a rich tank so it only takes 20 minutes or so to form a huge head. I have mine overdriven. I cut a small hole down the center of my skimmer and run a small homeade wooden airstone. Two airpumps drive it. Both stay on for 15 minutes and get the head rolling then it shuts down to just the small pump that continues for 5 hours. I crank the air through it to form the huge head but then cut back before it wetskims. Feels sometimes I could stand on the foam that comes from it.
When on the return the tiny bubble that the skimmer would be dumping back into the tank are caught by a bubble trap so display stays clear.
Done it this way for a long time. It is not perfect but works great and water quality stay great without pulling my particulate. But when overdriven it will everything is can out so my theory is it comes on and pulls older food from the water column so no old food stays in the system more than a single day.
Probably not acuarate in design, but it has always worked well and I am proud of my little 65g. It has NO OTHER machanical filtration beyond the skimmer. No sump and no canister. shallow sand bed and a ton of LR.
 
kornele23

kornele23

Member
Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
Hey I will be the first one to push SeaClone under the bus.
I did modify mine so its not an out of box unit. Out of box yes they suck, with a few minor mods they go like gangbusters. I only run mine 5 hours per day and everyone is happy.
If your buying new, then dont waste the money, if you have a deal on a used one or otherwise a good deal then go for it. I certainly wouldnt pay retail for one.
JMO

So what did you do to modify it? When I asked about the SeaClone earlier in this post, I had already bought it online for 77 dollars and it should be here in a few days. So what should I do, out of the box to make it better? thanks
 
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