Best skimmer for a 30 gallon reef?

DG42 · Oct 21, 2015

Fairly new to the hobby, was curious to see if anybody had any recommendations for skimmers on a 30 gallon .

Lenny_S · Oct 22, 2015

If you don't have a sump then a HOB would work. Personally I really like the AquaMaxx equipment.

joeyhatch11 · Oct 22, 2015

SCA-301. I have 2, one on each of my setups. Cant say enough good things about them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-dir...484674?hash=item58bf5a3f02:g:WT4AAOxy0NtTEu8U

melypr1985 · Oct 22, 2015

I like Tunze for small tanks with a sump or AIO tanks. I had one but i can't remember what the number was 9004 or soemthing like that.

atlorange · Oct 22, 2015

cad lights pls-50 elite. Hands down the best nano skimmer available (I have tried most of them).

Darryl · Oct 22, 2015

DG42 said:
Fairly new to the hobby, was curious to see if anybody had any recommendations for skimmers on a 30 gallon .

I would add the Tunze doc 9004 very effective skimmer

Cment · Oct 22, 2015

joeyhatch11 said:
SCA-301. I have 2, one on each of my setups. Cant say enough good things about them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-dir...484674?hash=item58bf5a3f02:g:WT4AAOxy0NtTEu8U

Completely agree you won't regret it

clee36 · Oct 22, 2015

joeyhatch11 said:
SCA-301. I have 2, one on each of my setups. Cant say enough good things about them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-dir...484674?hash=item58bf5a3f02:g:WT4AAOxy0NtTEu8U

i use the same skimmer. it works amazing. skims real good. and for the price it cant be beat.

Tahoe61 · Oct 22, 2015

joeyhatch11 said:
SCA-301. I have 2, one on each of my setups. Cant say enough good things about them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-dir...484674?hash=item58bf5a3f02:g:WT4AAOxy0NtTEu8U

Cment said:
Completely agree you won't regret it

clee36 said:
i use the same skimmer. it works amazing. skims real good. and for the price it cant be beat.

Are these AIO tanks or is this skimmer going in a sump area?

TIA

clee36 · Oct 22, 2015

Tahoe61 said:
Are these AIO tanks or is this skimmer going in a sump area?

TIA

sump. i dont think this skimmer will work in an aio.

joeyhatch11 · Oct 22, 2015

Yeah sorry these SCA skimmers wont work in a AIO.

Dtackett · Oct 22, 2015

they would work in an aio if you had enough room in the compartment. they don't care where they are so long as water level is constant. these actually have a fairly small footprint, but would stick up quite a bit on an aio setup. that's in regards to the sca-301 btw.

clee36 · Oct 22, 2015

i could see it working if the water level in the back was less that 12 inches or so. otherwise putting it up on little stand or something might work as well. bottom of skimmer to just under thencollection cup is about 14 inches, just measured it.

Dtackett said:
they would work in an aio if you had enough room in the compartment. they don't care where they are so long as water level is constant. these actually have a fairly small footprint, but would stick up quite a bit on an aio setup. that's in regards to the sca-301 btw.

Dtackett · Oct 22, 2015

clee36 said:
i could see it working if the water level in the back was less that 12 inches or so. otherwise putting it up on little stand or something might work as well. bottom of skimmer to just under thencollection cup is about 14 inches, just measured it.

yeah it would have to be raised. mine did best in about 6 inches of water. more made it overflow easily, less I had to cut the outflow off too much. but it wouldn't look great sticking out behind her false wall but it would work amazingly. I use it on a 29 with a 20 long sump.