I'm looking at buying a new skimmer for my (29g tank/10g sump). cause the cheap one I got off of ebay never seamed to work right from the day I got it. And just started setting my tank up for the second time from moving and know the skimmer seems to leak around the pump and I get bubbles coming out every were. So I figured that it is time for a new one and the last one only cost $30.

So I would greatly consider any advice and I am working on a budget of around $150. But could max the card out to $300. You got to love those free rates for one year.:D
Ooo pulse if you what to check up on my tank progress you can go to my tank journal page at http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/member-tank-projects/5977-29-gallon-tall-mix-reef-tank.html.

Two great options; The AquaC Remora or the CPR Bak Pak IIR. You'd be happy with either.

Dave

I can speak for the Remmora. Worked great for me.

I liked my Remora, but some of my friends have the Tunze Nano skimmer and they say they work very well.

Thanks all I kinda like the Tunze Nano DOC Protein Skimmer 9002 compared to the AquaC Nano Remora Protein Skimmer. I was looking on Marine Depot and found the Tunze had better reviews then the Remora and I don't like the look of the cpr. But I'm going to wait to see what others think.

Hello Kan! I don't know anything about the Tunze Nano DOC, but I do know about the Aqua C Remora Skimmer as I have one on my 20G Nano. I've had it for 2-3 years and I like it very much. It has a streamline design and needs very little room to hang on the back of the tank versus other brands out there that require several more inches of back access. When I originally purchased it, I also included one of those medium boxes, but only used that for about 6 months as I felt it took up too much room in my tank and was unsightly. Perhaps if I had painted the back of the tank black, it would not have been so visable. Just do your research and I'm sure whatever you choose will work out fine.

Well I got question that has probably ask allot by now. Can you over skim cause I was looking at a Berlin X2. I was think bigger is better.

I don't know about that... Some say yes, that you can remove trace minerals and even reduce the salinity of your system.

However, I've found that in times when my tanks run fallow, the skimmate production actually stops all together. I've cleaned the pumps, the skimmer throat etc. and still no skimmate. I've then put in new LR or whatever, and whoosh.. it starts to skim again.

I'm pretty sure that if you don't have the particulate matter in the water, the skimmer has nothing to skim because the water surface tension is low. When there is something to skim, the tension is high again, therefore "solid" bubbles, therefore skimmate.

I'll let others chime in. There are some folks who say that agressive skimming causes crashes in pod populations and such. This should be an interesting discussion.

Dave

Well I was think if I did upgrade to another tank that I would get something big enough to skim them both and was think of putting the skimmer on a timer so it wouldn't over skim.

I've used big Euroreef Skimmers for all my systems with a sump. No matter what size the tank is. I've used the Remora and the Bak Pak for my 20 and 26 bowfronts because I didn't have a skimmer connected. They are great HOT skimmers. IF you have the footprint to put in a larger skimmer, you should do so. The ONLY problem I've had with this configuration (big skimmer, small volume tank) is that the associated pumps (Sedra and/or Mags) have caused a lot of excess heat in the tanks. Something to keep in mind.

Dave

I don't know about that... Some say yes, that you can remove trace minerals and even reduce the salinity of your system.

However, I've found that in times when my tanks run fallow, the skimmate production actually stops all together. I've cleaned the pumps, the skimmer throat etc. and still no skimmate. I've then put in new LR or whatever, and whoosh.. it starts to skim again.

I'm pretty sure that if you don't have the particulate matter in the water, the skimmer has nothing to skim because the water surface tension is low. When there is something to skim, the tension is high again, therefore "solid" bubbles, therefore skimmate.

I'll let others chime in. There are some folks who say that agressive skimming causes crashes in pod populations and such. This should be an interesting discussion.

Dave

I second this opinion. I was having horrible problems with a cloudy tank in November. Turns out I had a bacterial bloom with no biomass to feed on! The skimmer did NOTHING for 3 weeks, with all the tweaking, adjusting, cleaning and swearing. It was a learning lesson for me. I realized that the skimmer is not going to produce a magical foam if there's nothing for it to skim out!

:up: I agree with the others.... can't take something out with the skimmer when there's nothing to take out and I do not feel that it causes your salintiy to change either. If that were so, we'd need a spoon or spatula to clean out the skimmer cup. :tongue2: I do agree with Bobby also on the heat factor with a large pump also. Alot can add up fast when you are dealing with a small volume of water and have other heat producing equipment. Just something to keep in mind, so there's no shock value when you're finished with your build.

Well thanks all I think I'm going to get AquaC Urchin Protein Skimmer. Cause I want something to go in my sump and not hang on the tank. Then if I go with the bigger tank I'll just get a bigger skimmer then I'll have a spare if the other one goes.:thanks::up:

well after more thought I'm going to get a Tunze Nano.

I dont think you will be dissapointed with the Tunze. Let us know how it works out for you!

I have a HOT skimmer on my 29 gallon reef (Variety of different corals) fish (hawk fish, snowflake eel, soon to get a six line and fire fish) tank and is suppose to skim up to 100 gallons. I have heard both things, but......

do you leave it on all the time??? I understand it wont skim if there is nothing to skim. but is it good or bad to leave it on all the time, or how often would you turn it on? once a day? once a week?

Jenn,
Leave your skimmer on all the time. Current thinking is that skimmers are not really "good" enough to strip a tank of all the valuable stuff. Regular water changes will replenish the vital stuff a skimmer may accidentally remove.

On a side note, I would be careful adding too much more to your 29g. The snowflake will easily outgrow that tank by itself.

Thanks Poppin_fresh!! I will keep that in mind about the snowflake :up:

I believe that if you are doing regular water changes you really can't over skim!

Well I do a water change once a week. I change 5 gallon at a time

I think that is a reasonable water change. I would not worry about skimming out trace elements.

How long is my skimmer going to keep blowing bubbles in my tank. Thats why we usually only turn it on at night.

Are the bubbles bad for my corals???

I think that microbubbles are an occupational hazard of skimmers. I run my skimmer return into a 2 liter bottle full of chaeto in order to eliminate the microbubbles but that may not be feasible in your case. I've seen people use a sponge on the return to trap the bubbles too. The bubbles won't hurt anything.

Thanks CarmieJo!! I dont have the room for the bottle, but I will try to find a sponge to fit on my return area, ill keep you posted!!

In this hobby necessity is the mother of invention! Let me know how it does.

CJ!! That's an incredibly brilliant idea :) I love it! I'm sure it keeps the macro in order too! Bravo...

Dave

Ok guys I need more help, I'm getting really frustrated :wall: with this skimmer. We let this darn skimmer on for 2 WHOLE days, and still all these dang microbubbles wont stop. We have tried the sponge on the return, but it wont let the water pass through fast enough and it over flows. Anything else I can try???

I have a Coral Life 120 skimmer. If that helps anyone.

Where is the skimmer? In the 10 gallon sump? Hanging on the tank? If it's on the tank, can you put it in the sump? If it's in the sump, does the sump have baffles?

Dave

I have a HOT skimmer on my 29 gallon reef (Variety of different corals) fish (hawk fish, snowflake eel, soon to get a six line and fire fish) tank and is suppose to skim up to 100 gallons.

Sump it. Reduced flow through the sump will help too. You don't really need water surging through a sump.

Thanks JustDavidP! Sorry if I'm being a pain in the rear, I just wish I could get it work properly.

It is a HOB skimmer, I don't have a sump :( would love to have one, but I dont have room for one yet.

All i have is a HOB skimmer, a HOB filter, and a HOB refugium (we made it out of a clear HOB filter) Everything is working great and no other problems with anything else. Water test are perfect, except for all the micro bubble shooting out of the skimmer that won't stop. It still seems to be skimming the bubble are just annoying.

Thanks again!

In some cases, skimmers just need time to break in. The bubbles decline or stop. In other cases, they'll never stop. You would need to make some sort of trap to catch them. CPR sells one for their bak-pak products. It's on this page with Dr. Fosters:

Google Image Result for http://www.drsfostersmith.com/images/Categoryimages/thumbnail/th_790039_19630.jpg (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.drsfostersmith.com/images/Categoryimages/thumbnail/th_790039_19630.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm%3Fpcatid%3D4409%26c%3D3578%2B4392&h=130&w=117&sz=4&hl=en&start=12&um=1&tbnid=ldkpuAgpj6I66M:&tbnh=91&tbnw=82&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCPR%2Bbakpak%2Bbubble%2Btrap%26um%3D1 %26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN)

If you could get something like that to fit the effluent end of your skimmer, it may work. If you know anyone who is good with acrylic, they could make one tailored to fit.

The other thing to keep in mind is that any skimmer will start to bubble more when you feed oily foods, put additives in the water (like B-Ionics) etc. These scenarios change the surface tension of the water, making the bubbles tougher to burst and therefore, they travel through the system.

Dave

All i have is a HOB skimmer, a HOB filter, and a HOB refugium (we made it out of a clear HOB filter)

I just thought I'd chime in on the bolded part. I did the same thing. I turned a 60 gallon HOB filter into a mini fuge. :up: I too have a 29 gallon tank.

As far as the bubble advice, I know my CPR Bak Pak isn't spitting bubbles out. The thing that apparently is keeping it from happening is the little bubble stopper which is merely a really tight netting material. When I say tight I mean the holes in the net are tiny. It clasps on using a plastic ring that tightens. When I get home (if I remember, I make no promises :tongue2:) I will take a picture of it to give you an idea of what it looks like. It is far less bulky than that big box Dr Foster and Smith Sells.

Thanks Noobeef!! I had a pigmy seahorse living in mine. It was a male, he had babies then died 2 days after giving birth :( (I heard that was typical of them) so we are going to get a female next time to see if we have better luck with them.

I'll be looking for those pics. I al ready to try anything at this point with this darn skimmer.

I just ordered the Tunze Nano. So I'll let you now how it works out.:up:

Well to give you guys an update, I took my skimmer off my 29 reef and put it on my 65 long FOLR tank and it is working great! No bubbles. I am going to try to get different skimmer for my 29.

Hey Noobeef is the CPR Bak Pak a HOB skimmer?

sorry to be a butt-inski! CPR bak paks are HOB

KAN > i've used the tunze nano skimmer for a while. they're great, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Well to give you guys an update, I took my skimmer off my 29 reef and put it on my 65 long FOLR tank and it is working great! No bubbles. I am going to try to get different skimmer for my 29.

Hey Noobeef is the CPR Bak Pak a HOB skimmer?


Yes, the CPR Bak Pak is HOB. In case you are still interested in the netting I was talking about, the dude I get the skimmer from on ebay sells the same thing seperately.

Bubble Screen (http://cgi.ebay.com/CPR-New-Bubble-Eliminator-NBE-bubble-screen_W0QQitemZ280211056238QQihZ018QQcategoryZ463 13QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l12 62)

Here's a picture of it in action. The skimmer is going and there are little to no bubbles.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e9/Pogomako/tank.jpg

Well I had the Tunze Nano skimmer now for a few days and it is working good. After the a good day to break in it quiet and works great. Now if I have any problems I'll make sure I'll post them. So everyone knows then.

Glad to hear that things are running smoothly for you Kan!