Best protein skimmer for AIO biocube

[brownjoshua475]

Just wonder what's the best protein skimmer for an biocube 32 in the 2 second chamber dont have much room in there next to the intank media rack.

 

[estevenson78]

Been using Tunze 9001 it’s working great!

 

[hllb]

I didn’t like the tunze. So far so good with the reef glass. It’s pulling light skimmate but it is working.

 

[Alexreefer]

All in all it depends on personal reference and your tank, I love the Tunze products and have my 9004 running for 4 years no problem

 

[brownjoshua475]

All in all it depends on personal reference and your tank, I love the Tunze products and have my 9004 running for 4 years no problem

Awesome does the tunze 9004 fit ok in the second chamber next to the media rack

 

[brownjoshua475]

All in all it depends on personal reference and your tank, I love the Tunze products and have my 9004 running for 4 years no problem

I wanted something stronger that the tunze 9001 it works good just not a lot of heavy skimmate for me need something stronger and fits in an AIO

 

[hllb]

The issue I had with the Tunze (9001) was the water level. The water director on the intank media basket (the newly designed bright green one) is very tall, meaning, it backs up water into the display area of the tank and lowers the water level in chambers 2 and 3. So, you need to add more water to those chambers, about the point of the notch/overflow between chambers 2 and 3. There are two issues that happen:

1) The display water level is so high that water enters chamber 2 directly through the back up overflow at the top of that chamber. That leaking water is therefore skipping chamber 1 and skipping the media basket. It's also noisy. So that's super annoying.

2) Because the water level of the tank (both display and the rear chambers) is so high now that when the return pump is turned off (either for feeding, or during a power outage), the rear chambers fill basically to the top with water. The tunze skimmer then floods, the cup dislodges, and dumps the skimmate back into your tank. It doesn't matter if the skimmer is on or off - if the return pump is off, it'll happen.

I took videos, worked with inTank on this, and they offered no resolution and seemed to think it was fine. Drove me nuts. I returned the skimmer, removed the director (most water gets there without it anyway, and I put some filter floss in one corner since the media basket isn't as deep as the chamber) and installed a reef glass skimmer. It has an external skimmate cup. I still couldn't use it with the director as the water level would be so high that if the power was cut to the return pump it would then flood into the external skimmate cup and would fill that right up with clean tank water. Removing the director, and therefore allowing a lower display tank water level corrected the issue. Now, if I turn my return pump off, no water floods into the skimmate cup, and the skimmer is working fine.

I have a video of the issue with the Tunze. I'll find it and post.

 

[hllb]

 

[hllb]

 

[brownjoshua475]

The issue I had with the Tunze (9001) was the water level. The water director on the intank media basket (the newly designed bright green one) is very tall, meaning, it backs up water into the display area of the tank and lowers the water level in chambers 2 and 3. So, you need to add more water to those chambers, about the point of the notch/overflow between chambers 2 and 3. There are two issues that happen:

1) The display water level is so high that water enters chamber 2 directly through the back up overflow at the top of that chamber. That leaking water is therefore skipping chamber 1 and skipping the media basket. It's also noisy. So that's super annoying.

2) Because the water level of the tank (both display and the rear chambers) is so high now that when the return pump is turned off (either for feeding, or during a power outage), the rear chambers fill basically to the top with water. The tunze skimmer then floods, the cup dislodges, and dumps the skimmate back into your tank. It doesn't matter if the skimmer is on or off - if the return pump is off, it'll happen.

I took videos, worked with inTank on this, and they offered no resolution and seemed to think it was fine. Drove me nuts. I returned the skimmer, removed the director (most water gets there without it anyway, and I put some filter floss in one corner since the media basket isn't as deep as the chamber) and installed a reef glass skimmer. It has an external skimmate cup. I still couldn't use it with the director as the water level would be so high that if the power was cut to the return pump it would then flood into the external skimmate cup and would fill that right up with clean tank water. Removing the director, and therefore allowing a lower display tank water level corrected the issue. Now, if I turn my return pump off, no water floods into the skimmate cup, and the skimmer is working fine.

I have a video of the issue with the Tunze. I'll find it and post.

Thanks for the info I had the same problem also that's why I'm trying to find a better skimmer idk if a HOB skimmer would fit or not

 

[hllb]

Thanks for the info I had the same problem also that's why I'm trying to find a better skimmer idk if a HOB skimmer would fit or not

I don't see how it would work with the hood. If you remove the hood, you'd have a lot of options but to me at least, kind of defeats the purpose of having the AIO. The Reef Glass skimmer is a bit on the small side for the tank, but it is working fairly well for me.

 

[brownjoshua475]

I don't see how it would work with the hood. If you remove the hood, you'd have a lot of options but to me at least, kind of defeats the purpose of having the AIO. The Reef Glass skimmer is a bit on the small side for the tank, but it is working fairly well for me.

Ya I dont have the hood anymore I took it off and have a mesh lid now from octo lids and have a AI prime running

 

[hllb]

Ya I dont have the hood anymore I took it off and have a mesh lid now from octo lids and have a AI prime running

In that case, I do think you have options. Years ago, I used a CPR BakPak skimmer on a 60 gallon and it was great. Not sure if the dimensions would work or not.

 

[immortl]

I have the older Biocube 29. I did not have much luck with the Tunez skimmer and upgraded to an Aquamaxx WS-1. The Aquamaxx WS-1 has worked fantastically for me, producing skimmate regularly. It's a snug fit, but works perfect in the middle chamber with the media basket. It does stick up a bit through the rear door, so that door is never closed any more. I had to do 3 things to get it all to work well together.

1) Built a little shelf to put under the skimmer to hold it up at roughly at the right height. I built this out of plastic light mesh and zip ties.
2) Made a hole in side of the media basket to accommodate the skimmer intake. The skimmer will suck in water from the 3rd/bottom section of the media basket.
3) Make sure whatever is in the 3rd chamber (chemi-pure elite for me) doesn't block the intake too much. I hang it from a hole closer to the opposing side.

With this set up, the skimmer works as I always thought one should. I have an ATO in the Biocube 3rd chamber to maintain water level and I can adjust the skimmer cup up and down as necessary to skim wet or drier. I highly recommend this setup and am happy to answer any questions you may have.

Between the skimmer and a chaeto reactor, I actually have been having issue with too little nutrients and have reduced my chaeto photo period and turn skimmer off sometimes to accommodate.

Thanks,
Joe