Looking for a nice small protein skimmer.

Leon Gorani · Aug 20, 2019

I am in search of a small-ish protein skimmer for my 29 gallon reef tank. I do not have a sump so it has to be a hang on the back protein skimmer.

I was also thinking of buying a hang on the back refugium, and buying a mini protein skimmer to put inside of the refugium. Here is the one I thought about buying:

Small 13" AquaFuge2 External Hang-On Refugium

Redesigned with a black acrylic backing to prevent light from transferring to the main aquarium. A powerhead and unique baffle system prevent substrate and organisms from being disturbed yet allow enough water to flow through to eliminate any stagnant areas. AquaFuge2 - Large Includes...

www.marinedepot.com

But I am not sure if I want to go that route. But I think it would be better to buy a somewhat bigger protein skimmer and keep it separate from the refugium. So if you have any suggestions of smaller protein skimmers that work very well please send me some links or names. I would appreciate it very much. Oh and I plan on having a heavy bio load with a lot of fish eventually.

Would a skimmer like this one be a good choice?:

Comline DOC Skimmer 9004

Why does BRS recommend this? We have really liked the Tunze Comline skimmers due to their small form factor and their ability to adapt to many different systems. With AC pump and DC pump models available you can choose the skimmer that works best for your system. Using the Tunze Flash Skimming...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I had a small skimmer that worked really bad and I do not want to have another one like that. It was similar looking to this small one but not the same one of course.

James77 · Aug 20, 2019

Leon Gorani said:
I am in search of a small-ish protein skimmer for my 29 gallon reef tank. I do not have a sump so it has to be a hang on the back protein skimmer.

I was also thinking of buying a hang on the back refugium, and buying a mini protein skimmer to put inside of the refugium. Here is the one I thought about buying:

Small 13" AquaFuge2 External Hang-On Refugium

Redesigned with a black acrylic backing to prevent light from transferring to the main aquarium. A powerhead and unique baffle system prevent substrate and organisms from being disturbed yet allow enough water to flow through to eliminate any stagnant areas. AquaFuge2 - Large Includes...

www.marinedepot.com

But I am not sure if I want to go that route. But I think it would be better to buy a somewhat bigger protein skimmer and keep it separate from the refugium. So if you have any suggestions of smaller protein skimmers that work very well please send me some links or names. I would appreciate it very much. Oh and I plan on having a heavy bio load with a lot of fish eventually.

Would a skimmer like this one be a good choice?:

Comline DOC Skimmer 9004

Why does BRS recommend this? We have really liked the Tunze Comline skimmers due to their small form factor and their ability to adapt to many different systems. With AC pump and DC pump models available you can choose the skimmer that works best for your system. Using the Tunze Flash Skimming...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I had a small skimmer that worked really bad and I do not want to have another one like that. It was similar looking to this small one but not the same one of course.

I currently use the 9004 on my 40g breeder that I just setup with no sump. Great little skimmer with a small footprint and quiet. but the footprint is in the tank. I'm coming down from a 120g tank so space is valuable to me. I am getting rid of it

I ended up going with the Aquamaxx HOB 1.5 with bubble stop. Its comparable in size to the HOB you posted above. Getting it Thursday, but it gets great reviews and is supposed to be a workhorse. Most of the negative reviews seem to be for damage during shipping, which is not an issue with any reputable vendor.

HOB-1.5 Hang-On-Back Protein Skimmer w/ Bubble Stopper

AquaMaxx HOB-1.5 Hang-On-Back Protein Skimmer w/ Bubble Stopper This bundle includes: 1 - AquaMaxx HOB-1.5 Hang-on-Back Protein Skimmer 1 - AquaMaxx Bubble stopper for HOB-1.5 The AquaMaxx Bubble Stopper for HOB-1.5 Protein Skimmers It`s no secret to seasoned hobbyists that you can expect...

www.marinedepot.com

I am opting for no refugium, I will rely on the live rock in tank and GFO

Leon Gorani · Aug 20, 2019

James77 said:
I currently use the 9004 on my 40g breeder that I just setup with no sump. Great little skimmer with a small footprint and quiet. but the footprint is in the tank. I'm coming down from a 120g tank so space is valuable to me. I am getting rid of it

I ended up going with the Aquamaxx HOB 1.5 with bubble stop. Its comparable in size to the HOB you posted above. Getting it Thursday, but it gets great reviews and is supposed to be a workhorse. Most of the negative reviews seem to be for damage during shipping, which is not an issue with any reputable vendor.

HOB-1.5 Hang-On-Back Protein Skimmer w/ Bubble Stopper

AquaMaxx HOB-1.5 Hang-On-Back Protein Skimmer w/ Bubble Stopper This bundle includes: 1 - AquaMaxx HOB-1.5 Hang-on-Back Protein Skimmer 1 - AquaMaxx Bubble stopper for HOB-1.5 The AquaMaxx Bubble Stopper for HOB-1.5 Protein Skimmers It`s no secret to seasoned hobbyists that you can expect...

www.marinedepot.com

I am opting for no refugium, I will rely on the live rock in tank and GFO

Yeah I really don’t want a skimmer inside of my tank either, I barely have room now. I will definitely think about getting the one you suggested, it seems like a great buy. I am limited on space on the back of my tank so it is tricky to find different products that won’t completely fill up that space on the rim of my tank. Maybe if they have one just like the Aquamaxx HOB 1.5 but a little smaller then that would be great. Thanks for the input!