New protein skimmer recommendations

Mfreddy · May 2, 2017

I currently have an Eshopps S-200 skimmer (or whatever the comparable model was in late 2015) that's just never performed very well. It's currently in a sump under a 240 FOWLR, and I'm wondering if it's undersized. I constantly battle nitrates even though I only have 5 fish and an eel. Granted the fish are large (22-24" snowflake eel, Emporator and Niger over 6" and puffer and clown trigger close behind with a purple tang bringing up the rear.

I'd like to get a Harlequin tusk or lunar wrasse but don't think I can safely increase the bioload with the skimmer I have now. I also have a large UV, dual rectangular Eshopps socks, a marinepure block and a sump full of Seachem matrix below. Over 100lbs live rock above. I do a 25% water change every 2 weeks.

I'm seriously considering a NYOS Quantum 220 as a replacement. Does anyone have one, and what's the general opinion of them? Height and footprint are a concern.

TIA

Cory · May 2, 2017

Mfreddy said:
I currently have an Eshopps S-200 skimmer (or whatever the comparable model was in late 2015) that's just never performed very well. It's currently in a sump under a 240 FOWLR, and I'm wondering if it's undersized. I constantly battle nitrates even though I only have 5 fish and an eel. Granted the fish are large (22-24" snowflake eel, Emporator and Niger over 6" and puffer and clown trigger close behind with a purple tang bringing up the rear.

I'd like to get a Harlequin tusk or lunar wrasse but don't think I can safely increase the bioload with the skimmer I have now. I also have a large UV, dual rectangular Eshopps socks, a marinepure block and a sump full of Seachem matrix below. Over 100lbs live rock above. I do a 25% water change every 2 weeks.

I'm seriously considering a NYOS Quantum 220 as a replacement. Does anyone have one, and what's the general opinion of them? Height and footprint are a concern.

TIA

Skimmers at best will remove 30% of doc. That leaves 70%. A new one wont solve your nitrate issues. Skimmer with ozone and carbon can remove 100% of doc.

What will remove nitrates is plant/algae growth or bacterial growth. I use an ats

Mfreddy · May 2, 2017

I run a UV filter 24/7. Doesn't that produce some ozone? UV-C produces ozone.

I've also run carbon (not through a reactor) without much success.

Cory · May 2, 2017

Mfreddy said:
I run a UV filter 24/7. Doesn't that produce some ozone? UV-C produces ozone.

I've also run carbon (not through a reactor) without much success.

Yes small quantities but not in the water in the air. So it doesnt do much. Thats how some ozone units are nade with a uv light. But you need to pump the air through it and into a skimmer/ carbon.

The carbon ill be getting next is rox .8. Brs sells it and has an awesome video showing its effectiveness.

Its possible the ozone breaks down organics that carbon couldnt remove before but could after ozone treatment as a hypothesis.

Mfreddy · May 2, 2017

I should add I get less than 1" of skim per week.

Liquid360 · May 2, 2017

I have the 160, bought a month'ish ago. It's a terrific piece of kit!! Had a pump failure two weeks in and Ecotech sent the new pump immediately and without cost. Highly recommend and I'm sure the 220 is even better.

Mfreddy · May 2, 2017

Liquid360 said:
I have the 160, bought a month'ish ago. It's a terrific piece of kit!! Had a pump failure two weeks in and Ecotech sent the new pump immediately and without cost. Highly recommend and I'm sure the 220 is even better.

Thanks for the review. How big is your tank?

Liquid360 · May 2, 2017

Mfreddy said:
Thanks for the review. How big is your tank?

Anytime. It's 100g corner with 20g sump. I had been running an old Reef Octopus that noisy and inefficient. I heard the NYOS are dead silent. It is. I can't tell if it's off/on. It's that silent.
The 220 should be enough, but I'd go bigger if you can afford it. Otherwise the 220 should be perfect.

Mfreddy · May 2, 2017

Liquid360 said:
Anytime. It's 100g corner with 20g sump. I had been running an old Reef Octopus that noisy and inefficient. I heard the NYOS are dead silent. It is. I can't tell if it's off/on. It's that silent.
The 220 should be enough, but I'd go bigger if you can afford it. Otherwise the 220 should be perfect.

It's rated to 530 gallons plus I think that's going to be about as big as I can fit.

Liquid360 · May 2, 2017

Mfreddy said:
It's rated to 530 gallons plus I think that's going to be about as big as I can fit.

Yeah that's enough. I'm just a fan of overkill. Anything can be dialed down, but can't be dialed up [emoji6] regardless, you should be quite happy with the 220! It'll be more than sufficient.

Reef 450 · Jun 10, 2017

Check out the icecap 200 skimmer. I have been using it for six months after an eshops skimmer and this one is much better. I have a review of it on YouTube if you want to see.

sromero287 · Jun 10, 2017

Have a total water volume of 72 gallons and I was not sure in between the NYOS 120 or 160, I have a heavy bioload nine fish and 34 corals mostly SPS colonies, i feed twice a day the fish and every other day the corals with a mix of roids, reef chili and RSM Energy in between 4 to 5 mL of the whole mix. I pulled the trigger with the 160 but I've been reading the 160 is going to be way too efficient I will be pulling pretty much everything out of the water do you think it's a good idea to return to 160 and better get the 120, please need your help because I'm still able to do the switch, thanks to all the fellow reefers and happy reefing to everybody. [emoji225][emoji886][emoji106][/

sromero287 · Jun 10, 2017

Have a total water volume of 72 gallons and I was not sure in between the NYOS 120 or 160, I have a heavy bioload nine fish and 34 corals mostly SPS colonies, i feed twice a day the fish and every other day the corals with a mix of roids, reef chili and RSM Energy in between 4 to 5 mL of the whole mix. I pulled the trigger with the 160 but I've been reading the 160 is going to be way too efficient I will be pulling pretty much everything out of the water do you think it's a good idea to return to 160 and better get the 120, please need your help because I'm still able to do the switch, thanks to all the fellow reefers and happy reefing to everybody. [emoji225][emoji886][emoji106]