What Protein Skimmer do I need

motleymick

motleymick

New Member
I'm new to the forums here. I've been reading and looking around the threads and can't find anything on which skimmer is better and which one is best. I have a 150 gallon fish only tank. Probably holds close to 130 gallons of water (With the 3 large fake reefs in there.) It is my first aquarium and I bought it used 2 years ago. When I got it it came with everything even a protein skimmer. I didn't know how to hook up the skimmer so I paid a fish guy $100 to install it for me. It was the biggest piece of junk I've ever seen. It was extremely loud and sucked a lot of water out of the sump and didn't really work. So I pulled it off and threw it away. MY tank is doing really good these days. Probably the best it ever has and I haven't used a skimmer ever in the last 2 years.
But now I am more interested in the hobby, more than ever before and I want to do the best I can for the tank and the fish living in it. All my water levels are in good range and the aquarium looks beautiful. But when I look close at the sand I can seen dirt and nasty stuff that I know is not a healthy living environment for the fish. So I'm contemplating getting a protein skimmer but I just don't know which one to buy. I only want to buy one one time. What is the big difference between the kind that go in the sump and the external kind? I think I need the external kind because there is no room to fit one in the sump. I don't want to spend much over $300 and I want it to be as quiet as possible. The aquarium is in hearing range from my bedroom and I don't want another loud skimmer keeping us up at night. So what brands, models, of skimmers would you guys suggest I get? PLMK Thanks.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Octopus, but price might be an issue, but with alittle searching you can find one..... Maybe meowzer will fill you in...... She did a bunch if research on that part!!!!
 
motleymick

motleymick

New Member
Yeah... I read her post about the install. Which Octopus is good for 150g ? And why do people sometimes put them in the sump?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
The one thing I found out from all the research is it is very hard to find GOOD stuff for our larger tanks for under $300
What livestock do you have in your tank? Do you consider a light load tank?? Medium?? what type of sump do you have? Anyway to redo it to fit a skimmer?
Have you considered a HOB skimmer.....I'll tell you what.....I love my HURRICONE....worth every penny (and there were a lot) that it cost me...
Check out the XP2000 EXT...although it is $550....you may get lucky and find a sale

I don't think the Hurricone comes in a smaller size...at least I have not found one yet
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
The octopus skimmers seem to be the best bang for your buck.
I plan on purchasing the Super Reef Octopus xp-2000 cone skimmer, for my 120G tank, myself. But I'm going with the in-sump version which runs $400. It's rated for tanks from 150G - 200G depending on bio load (light or heavily stocked tank).
 
motleymick

motleymick

New Member
I've been looking around on ---- for a "fair" deal on a skimmer. I don't understand why they have to be in water/the sump. Meowzer is yours external? Where did you get yours? I think I read that you said it's very quiet. That's a huge plus!! Was it hard to install? Still open to other brands/ideas too.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Mine is an external one....I had no room in my sump for an internal one...SO NO, they do not have to be internal....it's just that there are more internal ones out there then externals.....Mine is extremely quiet....no air sound, and I can not hear the pump/....and I sit really close to the tank
Was it hard to install....LOL....I bought the skimmer...my husband did the install....according to him it was VERY easy....
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3288798
Mine is an external one....I had no room in my sump for an internal one...SO NO, they do not have to be internal....it's just that there are more internal ones out there then externals.....Mine is extremely quiet....no air sound, and I can not hear the pump/....and I sit really close to the tank
Was it hard to install....LOL....I bought the skimmer...my husband did the install....according to him it was VERY easy....
Give yourself some credit Meowzer......
I don't think you'll honestly find a decent HOB to handle a tank of that size....could be wrong, but I like to gamble from time to time......Running external is just as good.....I've run skimmers external, just you have the added expense or headache of plumbing, and the cost of a feed pump depending how your system is setup and designed......I would tend to believe you would hear alittle pump noise from an external skimmer.....My MRC is external, but it's in fishroom, so noise isn't an issue in the viewing area.....
 
forcrz6

forcrz6

Member
I know at my Local reef store The Reef octopus 200 (the size that you should use for that tank) is sold for 200$
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
The MSX250a seems like a nice skimmer.
I've never purchased a skimmer though, I've always DIY'd them. I build two, because the pieces and parts seem to come in that quantity, and then I sell one to mitigate the cost.
 
motleymick

motleymick

New Member
Well, frustrated by a lack of skimmer knowledge and overwhelming options I blindly pulled the trigger on a Super Reef Octopus XP-3000 External Protein Skimmer. I think the foot print of this beast might be too big for my under cabinet but oh well. Guess I might have to do some re-aranging to make it fit. I got it from reef specialty. Don't know anything about them. I hope it's a good skimmer and easy to install & use. Maybe it will be here by thursday, we'll see. Any thoughts???
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Good place Reef Specialty, I've gotten good customer service there, but Meowzer had a totally different experience with them.....You could have checked Custom Aquatics, Meowzer got a good deal with them!!!!!! Hope she doesn't mind I said that, but Custom has excellent service!!!!! By the way very good skimmer, excellent numbers and a performer.....Something similar to Meowzers. Check out her thread and the pics speak for itself.
Congrats on the the new skimmer!!!!!
 
scottnlisa

scottnlisa

Member
I purchased the Octopus Bh-300F for my 125g and haven't had no problems with it. I paid around $200 for it. Worth every penny
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Congrats on the new buy.....I was looking seriously into that one..but they were out of stock everywhere, then I found the Hurricone
And it was on sale
 
motleymick

motleymick

New Member
So I got the skimmer about 2 weeks ago and it's HUGE!!! Way too big and tall for my under cabinet. (I will post pics soon or later.) I don't know what to do with it. I paid a lot money for this skimmer, I wish I could use it, I feel guilty returning it. I kinda want to save it and build a 250+ tank and use it for that. But see how this works. Now I'm thinking of building another tank around this skimmer. And my wife does not support my money spending hobbies. I still need to find the right skimmer for this tank. I want to get an Octopus Skimmer but none of my LFS carry it. I have to mail order it without seeing it in the flesh. And I'm scared I'll end up with another one that's too big. Hmmm... I'm not sure what to do.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Can you put it outside of the cabinet????
You did look at the dimensions before our bought it...didn't you....LOL
When I first got my Hurricone I was scared of it,.....(MONSTROUS) The cup still scares me
 
motleymick

motleymick

New Member
I did see the demensions posted online but didn't think to much of it. I knew it would be close but i figured worse case I'd have to move some things around under there to make it fit. I was being brave and bit off more than I can chew. (I was drinking beer that night. lol) But it's gotta be an awesome skimmer, it's HUGE!!! I will keep it and find a good use for it sooner or later. No, I can't really put it outside. The back and half of the sides of the aquarium are sunk into the wall. I'd have to always have the door off to run the lines to it. That would not look nice in my living room. And the wife would not be down with that either. I would really like to make the laundry room a fish room too and put it in there. But that's more a pipe dream than anything else....
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Originally Posted by motleymick
http:///forum/post/3298253
I did see the demensions posted online but didn't think to much of it. I knew it would be close but i figured worse case I'd have to move some things around under there to make it fit. I was being brave and bit off more than I can chew. (I was drinking beer that night. lol) But it's gotta be an awesome skimmer, it's HUGE!!! I will keep it and find a good use for it sooner or later. No, I can't really put it outside. The back and half of the sides of the aquarium are sunk into the wall. I'd have to always have the door off to run the lines to it. That would not look nice in my living room. And the wife would not be down with that either. I would really like to make the laundry room a fish room too and put it in there. But that's more a pipe dream than anything else....
Wife's can be bribed!!!!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top