Considering upgrading my skimmer.......

[crny1]

I am already tired of the touchyness of my aerofoamer beckett skimmer so I am considering upgrading. Whats everyones opinions on a skimmer large enough for a 450 gallon system with a large bioload? I say large because I know it will be in the near future. I would like it to have a neck cleaner on it also. Internal or external, I can do either. If its internal I may be limited on the footprint it takes up. I would love to have a deltec but dont think the bigger ones are within my budget right now. Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

[GoVols]

I am already tired of the touchyness of my aerofoamer beckett skimmer so I am considering upgrading. Whats everyones opinions on a skimmer large enough for a 450 gallon system with a large bioload? I say large because I know it will be in the near future. I would like it to have a neck cleaner on it also. Internal or external, I can do either. If its internal I may be limited on the footprint it takes up. I would love to have a deltec but dont think the bigger ones are within my budget right now. Any suggestions?
Thanks

What's the budget without the neck cleaner?

 

[CC13]

I am already tired of the touchyness of my aerofoamer beckett skimmer so I am considering upgrading. Whats everyones opinions on a skimmer large enough for a 450 gallon system with a large bioload? I say large because I know it will be in the near future. I would like it to have a neck cleaner on it also. Internal or external, I can do either. If its internal I may be limited on the footprint it takes up. I would love to have a deltec but dont think the bigger ones are within my budget right now. Any suggestions?
Thanks

To be honest, every skimmer is super sensitive so I wouldn't expect that any other skimmer would be any easier. I have a Red Dragon skimmer and I love it, but depending on what I feel my tank, humidity, ect. it still requires adjustment to wet skim the way I want. But the skimmer is an absolute beautifully designed piece of equipment.

If you want to upgrade, I use the Red Dragon and love it. I use Internal just because I prefer it, but you could do either. Internal is just one less piece of equipment I need to wprry about leaking. Build quality is outstanding and dead silent. You could use the Supermarin 200 or 250 for your size tank no problems.

http://royalexclusiv.com/Skimmer/Skimmer:::5_11.html

 

[GoVols]

To be honest, every skimmer is super sensitive so I wouldn't expect that any other skimmer would be any easier. I have a Red Dragon skimmer and I love it, but depending on what I feel my tank, humidity, ect. it still requires constant adjustment to dial in.

Dang,
I almost never have to tweak my BK mini 160

 

[CC13]

Dang,
I almost never have to tweak my BK mini 160

LOL I have to adjust mine about once a week. I wet skim so I find if outside humidity and temperature fluctuate, so too does my skimmate. When I dry skim, once I dial it in, its pretty constant.

 

[Mical]

I only adjust my Bubble Magus 5 after cleaning which I do weekly when testing params. Just regular routine.

 

[Chad3407]

Best skimmer that holds it settings is a lifereef. It will never go obsolete or have to be replaced because you can't get the motor anymore.

 

[CC13]

Best skimmer that holds it settings is a lifereef. It will never go obsolete or have to be replaced because you can't get the motor anymore.

Makes zero sense unless you feed only non-oily foods and live somewhere where weather climate and temperature never changes. The air bubbles being drawn into the skimmer is air from outside (either the room or outside), so humidity and temperature all will affect skimmer performance. Even changes in salinity will affect output and require adjustment.

All skimmers need to be adjusted and all skimmers stop producing skimmate directly after feeding frozen foods from the oil residue until its able to break it down.

 

[Be102]

Makes zero sense unless you feed only non-oily foods and live somewhere where weather climate and temperature never changes. The air bubbles being drawn into the skimmer is air from outside (either the room or outside), so humidity and temperature all will affect skimmer performance. Even changes in salinity will affect output and require adjustment.

All skimmers need to be adjusted and all skimmers stop producing skimmate directly after feeding frozen foods from the oil residue until its able to break it down.

I also can vouch for my lifereef skimmer and would recommend lifereef to anyone. I think what chad was trying to say was that why get another skimmer that could potentially not be produced anymore or just not have parts needed such as a replacement pump. My lifereef skimmer works with just about any pump from external to internal ac and dc. Amazing products

 

[Chad3407]

Makes zero sense unless you feed only non-oily foods and live somewhere where weather climate and temperature never changes. The air bubbles being drawn into the skimmer is air from outside (either the room or outside), so humidity and temperature all will affect skimmer performance. Even changes in salinity will affect output and require adjustment.

All skimmers need to be adjusted and all skimmers stop producing skimmate directly after feeding frozen foods from the oil residue until its able to break it down.

I never said it skimmed the same 100% of the time. I said you never have to adjust it. once you get it set to skim to your likings either wet or dry you don't have to mess with it. Check out the lifereef post everyone says the same thing. As long as your water lever isn't fluxuating up and down in the sump the lifereef is a set it and forget it skimmer.

 

[CC13]

I also can vouch for my lifereef skimmer and would recommend lifereef to anyone. I think what chad was trying to say was that why get another skimmer that could potentially not be produced anymore or just not have parts needed such as a replacement pump. My lifereef skimmer works with just about any pump from external to internal ac and dc. Amazing products

I'm not saying its not the best skimmer, I personally have never used it, so it very well might be. I'm not knocking the skimmer at all.

All I am saying is, for any skimmer, there will always be minor adjustments that are needed depending on the variables that may increase, decrease or temporarily shut down skimmate production. To say any one skimmer is set-it and forget it is not that accurate really.

 

[CC13]

I never said it skimmed the same 100% of the time. I said you never have to adjust it. once you get it set to skim to your likings either wet or dry you don't have to mess with it. Check out the lifereef post everyone says the same thing. As long as your water lever isn't fluxuating up and down in the sump the lifereef is a set it and forget it skimmer.

My mistake then. I'll correct my original statement:

If you want to skim the same all the time (Wet or Dry), then all skimmers need adjustment lol

Again, I'm not knocking you or the skimmer. I'm simply stating the fact that if you want to consistently skim the same, all skimmers need to be adjusted.

 

[crny1]

What's the budget without the neck cleaner?

Honestly I am on the fence with what to spend. Probably would like to stay around 1200 range, but not set in stone.

 

[CC13]

Honestly I am on the fence with what to spend. Probably would like to stay around 1200 range, but not set in stone.

I have only every used BK and I love them. Build quality is top notch, pumps are dead silent and skimmer pulls out waste like a beast.

 

[Chad3407]

My mistake then. I'll correct my original statement:

If you want to skim the same all the time (Wet or Dry), then all skimmers need adjustment lol

Again, I'm not knocking you or the skimmer. I'm simply stating the fact that if you want to consistently skim the same, all skimmers need to be adjusted.

No need to change your original post.
But you said it yourself that to many things cause the skimmer to fluctuate. There is no need to keep adjusting the skimmer to chase something in the tank to skim. The skimmer will pull out what ever is in the tank as long as you have water and air. Contaminants will cause the water to lose surface tension and you will lose your bubbles, but at some point the contaminants will subside and the skimmer will go back to working normal. The other thing I like about the life Reef is if the skimmer overflows it will just pull the water right back into the skimmer due to it pulling the air from the collection cup.

 

[Be102]

No need to change your original post.
But you said it yourself that to many things cause the skimmer to fluctuate. There is no need to keep adjusting the skimmer to chase something in the tank to skim. The skimmer will pull out what ever is in the tank as long as you have water and air. Contaminants will cause the water to lose surface tension and you will lose your bubbles, but at some point the contaminants will subside and the skimmer will go back to working normal. The other thing I like about the life Reef is if the skimmer overflows it will just pull the water right back into the skimmer due to it pulling the air from the collection cup.

This is great when someone forgets to empty, it doesn’t ruin the tank.. not that I ever forget... ok more than once I have forgotten to empty it.

 

[User1]

To be honest, every skimmer is super sensitive so I wouldn't expect that any other skimmer would be any easier. I have a Red Dragon skimmer and I love it, but depending on what I feel my tank, humidity, ect. it still requires adjustment to wet skim the way I want. But the skimmer is an absolute beautifully designed piece of equipment.

Well....not every skimmer. My Lifereef doesn't require me to adjust it at all. I've adjusted it probably a hand full of times due to tank upgrades and / or initial setup. After that if the sump water level is consistent then it is set and forget - which it is most of the time due to a ATO. I've also had similar luck with a CPR Bak Pak believe it or not but that is a hang on back so a bit different.

I've had super touchy skimmers - 2000 I had a ETSS skimmer and it drove me nuts. Tossed that and picked up the Lifereef and happy. I think at the end of the day if the sump water level is consistent then you shouldn't have to fiddle after the initial install and break-in. Just my opinion though.

 

[wangspeed]

I have a Bubble King Double Cone 200 on my 220 gallon reef tank. I never change the settings. I feed oily PE mysis and all sorts of other stuff. It just keeps chugging away. Sure the foam collapses for a while after oily food, but that is normal. I don’t adjust the pipe, nor do I change the Red Dragon pump wattage. I leave it at 38W. I feed the equivalent of around 6-8 cubes of food per day.

 

[theMeat]

Beckett are notoriously unstable.

IMO a reef octopus 5000 or 6000 would be an awesome upgrade.

As compared to a Deltec 2060, which would be a good size match for your needs, either reef octopus listed above will get you more skimmer for less money

 

[vetteguy53081]

I only adjust my Bubble Magus 5 after cleaning which I do weekly when testing params. Just regular routine.

Same here on my cube.