Skimmer Recommendation

icedearth15324

icedearth15324

TeamCR
I'm in the process of building my new reef and am looking for suggestions for skimmers. I won't be buying it for a couple months, but I definitely want to know how much I would need to save up for it.

I'm putting together a 75g tank with a 20L for a sump. I'll have around 70-90lbs of rocks total, 80lbs of sand. The sump has an 8" water depth for where the skimmer will be.

The tank itself will be in our family room where the tv is so quiet operation is definitely required. I'm just not sure what models are recommended for this size and for quiet operation.

The tank will be a mixed reef and most likely will be heavily stocked once set up.

Thanks in advance.
 
The ebay SCA skimmers are nice. They're basically BM knockoffs that work pretty much the same. There's one mod you do and they work awesome! Here's the mod: http://www.chicagoreefs.com/forums/showthread.php?4271-SC-Aquariums-Skimmers&highlight=sc65

They have two sizes, one is the SCA 65 which is rated for up to 65 gallons. Then there is a larger version which I can't seem to recall. A search on the ebay site for SCA skimmer should bring you to the right page.

I have one of the SCA 65's on my cube, I have another sitting in a box ready to be set up on my new tank.
 
i'd get a skimmer rated for 100-150 gallons, I'm particular to vertex, the vertex omega150 is what i'm using right now for a similar size tank (80- gal but i have alot less rock and sand, only 45lbs rock and 40lbs sand) . its made by royal exclusive and is just great.
 
I've been loving the skimz I'm using. I think it's a bubble magus style skimmer, but not 100% sure of that. In any case, it skims like a champ and is silent!
 
tkh said:
I've been loving the skimz I'm using. I think it's a bubble magus style skimmer, but not 100% sure of that. In any case, it skims like a champ and is silent!
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Loving my SKIMS too. Mine produces dark smelly stuff like crazy.

It is highly impacted by changes in water levels though. Make sure it is in a section of the sump that does not change levels due to evaporation or make sure you have an ato.
 
Reef Octopus Diablo DC skimmer, I use the 170 series on my 90g, it uses a DC pump so its all controllable, touch the controller when you want to feed and it shuts off the skimmer for 15 minutes, awesome skimmer!
 
fredfish13 said:
Got the eBay sca 302 rated for 180g on my 65g with 20 g sump. Works pretty well. Been running for a couple months.
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+1 I have it running on a 65 gal as well. Skims like a champ. I highly recommend the sca 302 At $140 you can't go wrong.
 
So quite a few people are recommending the ebay SCA-302, are they fairly quiet then?

I was looking at those based on the price, just wasn't sure how good they were. Otherwise the main one I was looking at was the nwb-150 from Reef Octopus.
 
I had the NWB-200 and replaced it with a skimz SM162 and had far better performance with the Skimz. Right now I have 3 Skimz skimmers and I have no other plans of using any other brands.
 
Yeah, I've been thrilled with my skimz, and so have no plans on changing for future builds :)
 
I think I'm using the 161, but you won't be sorry you went with a 121. They're great skimmers, honestly.

There was a thread up on dialing them in properly, but essentially you want the small dial controlling air-intake about a quarter turn open and then set the water/bubble level with the large dial that controls the gate limiting flow out of the skimmer. At least, that's how I understood it, and its worked out great for me!
 
icedearth15324 said:
So quite a few people are recommending the ebay SCA-302, are they fairly quiet then?

I was looking at those based on the price, just wasn't sure how good they were. Otherwise the main one I was looking at was the nwb-150 from Reef Octopus.
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Mine runs extremely quite! My mag9.5 is louder
 
My sca-302 is practially silent. I just switched my tank overflow from durso to "Herbie" and can barely hear the skimmer. If price is an issue, you really can't go wrong with a $140 skimmer that works.
 
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