Dan's 150 Rebuild

[Sobo's Reef]

The DCS models look too bulky for my sump, plus the next model up from the 150 is only rated to 200g. The Skimz one is rated up to 300g and is cheaper I believe. Can't remember tho, ive looked at so many skimmers over the past 2 days lol

 

[Sobo's Reef]

Okay so I've narrowed it down to the Skimz SM201. Rated up to 533gallons. Its $450 shipped, little on the expensive side for me but if I can get someone else to buy my Reef Octopus skimmer then that'll help

My current skimmer dimensions are L 12" W 8.5" H 22.13"

The Skimz model is 9.4"x9.4"x21.8"

All around a better fit I think

 

[Empire]

Dan's New 150RR

I don't get why people think it's a good idea to get a skimmer that's over rated for their system. The skimmer is just going to sit there and do nothing until a fish farts. Is your total system even close to 533g? I'm pretty sure you have a 75g sump so assuming it's filled with 55g of operational water, you are just barely reaching 200g not counting for water displacement by rocks and sand. I wouldn't get a skimmer that's rated anything above 300g for your system and even that is too much.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

No I actually have a 40g sump. And the reason behind going bigger is BIOLOAD. I plan on stocking this tank pretty well.

Also, another factor is when I wanna upgrade again in a few years, I'll be able to reuse this skimmer assuming I don't get something that's bigger than the skimmer lol

 

[asonitez]

I don't get why people think it's a good idea to get a skimmer that's over rated for their system. The skimmer is just going to sit there and do nothing until a fish farts. Is your total system even close to 533g? I'm pretty sure you have a 75g sump so assuming it's filled with 55g of operational water, you are just barely reaching 200g not counting for water displacement by rocks and sand. I wouldn't get a skimmer that's rated anything above 300g for your system and even that is too much.

Cost vs Capability.


Skimmer A is 279 Dollars Rated for 200 Gallons
Skimmer B is 325 Dollars Rated for over 450 Gallons (Features 1 Step Up Pump Slightly Longer Neck bout 20 dollars more in materials adds 2 " to the dimensions)

I would choose Skimmer B. Not only is it ONLY 45 dollars more. Its rated at double the performance of the 279 dollar skimmer and future proofs me. It also allows me to feed like a maniac, keep my fish fat, overstock, lapse in water changes, mistakenly add too much of something and need it skimmed out..


Pros
Big skimmer means you can make more feeding mistakes and not suffer too bad
You can use other products like bio-pellets that require a bigger than avg skimmer to pull out the waste
Better filtration, more waste removed. You are able to skip a few water changes if you have to (vacay sickness illness)
and its a better value hands down.

Cons
You get sloppy.
You skip water changes when you don't have to becuse you have a false sense of security in your big ole skimmer.
You over feed
You over skim and make your water too clean.


Lots of pro's and cons and to me the pro's outweigh the cons.

Also. Skimmer ratings are subjective. The Manufacturer rates the skimmers and I NEVER see what they are actually basing that rating on. Heck... My Tunze 9002 is Rated for a 54Gallon tank. Yeah maybe a 54 gallon tank with a chromis and few zoanthids. Not my heavy 54 gal sps tank with hundreds of zoo's and softies.

 

[dan_k]

Dan I'm siding with empire here there are several links on R2R about over sized skimmers, people running skimmers only at night and some not running them at all save your money keep the skimmer you got do biweekly water changes like you should do anyway and keep an eye on PO4 and NO3
Good to go

 

[dan_k]

Oh yea and what he said

 

[Sobo's Reef]

No way can I keep the skimmer I have now. Its not even rated for a 150g Lol well the manufacturer says it is but BRS says its more like 120g.
I'd prefer to go bigger for reasons I explained earlier tho. But I guess since there is some debate, I guess I'll see what everyone else says.

300g skimmer or 533g skimmer? GO!

 

[JRWOHLER]

No I actually have a 40g sump. And the reason behind going bigger is BIOLOAD. I plan on stocking this tank pretty well.

Also, another factor is when I wanna upgrade again in a few years, I'll be able to reuse this skimmer assuming I don't get something that's bigger than the skimmer lol​

Also. Skimmer ratings are subjective. The Manufacturer rates the skimmers and I NEVER see what they are actually basing that rating on. Heck... My Tunze 9002 is Rated for a 54Gallon tank. Yeah maybe a 54 gallon tank with a chromis and few zoanthids. Not my heavy 54 gal sps tank with hundreds of zoo's and softies.

I say go with the bigger one unless the cost of running it is something that would impact you...skimmers run constantly so makes a difference.

A Sea Clone Skimmer is rated at 100 Gallons.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

Well here's a question that'll probably help me decide. How do you know if you're over skimming?

 

[jgraz]

Skimmer won't pull any gunk. Or very little.

 

[MatteZ]

Doesn't matter how big your skimmer is. You still won't be able to fit all those tangs.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

Well I only plan on doing 3 tangs. Plus I'm gonna have 4 wrasses, possibly 2 triggers and a bunch of other lil guys.

 

[asonitez]

I think what it comes down to it, it depends on what kind of reefer you are.

I depend on dosing and a careful balance of my nutrients to achieve my desired results. I went big on EVERYTHING.

The downside is that I LACK nutrients. I register for zero on almost everything. I feed also 3 times a day. I tend to HAVE to target feed my Zoa's and Softies in the tank because I don't have that much waste floating around to feed them. I have my skimmer turn off for 3 hours everynight directly following my night feeding. My night feeding is heavy with marine snow, aminos, particulates, perls, finely ground meaty foods. The only circulation in the tank is from the returns at this time as my tunzes also turn off. The end result is very cloudy water with a lot of food in the column falling on everything. By morning... my water is crystal clear again.

 

[MatteZ]

Well I only plan on doing 3 tangs. Plus I'm gonna have 4 wrasses, possibly 2 triggers and a bunch of other lil guys.

What is more important to you fish or corals?

If you say fish upgrade your undersized skimmer

if you say coral keep your skimmer and upgrade your undersized lights

 

[Sobo's Reef]

Now my lights are undersized? Lol I think its fine and I only have it at 75%. But to answer your question. Fish are more important as of now.
I can always upgrade my light down the road if I need to

I always say I'll spot feed and I will but then after 2 days I'll stop so I don't really rely on target feeding. I feed twice a day if I can, once a day if im working a 12hr shift

 

[Sobo's Reef]

So I guess I should go bigger with the skimmer? I mean its $100 difference between a 300g and 533g. So it kinda matters money wise.

I also have to get one of those jabeos DC12000 return pump. Sounds more energy efficient AND I should have listened before I went and got a mag 18 lol


EDIT: which is best for my tank ya think? DC6000, DC9000 or DC12000?

 

[Empire]

Check out coralvue. Look at their ratings based on bioload.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

Cool cool Thanks

 

[Empire]

Dan's New 150RR

DCS 170 will kick the $hit out of your tank. DCS 200 seems over powered but at heavy bioload it might work.