Please recommend a skimmer...

BanZI29 · Nov 18, 2020

So I am set on getting a skimmer instead of a media reactor since I do feed my coral. (no fish)
most of you all know but for those who don't, I have the innovative Marine fusion 25 AIO. ( see my build link.)

I am looking at the IM Nuvo skim DC

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the tunze brand skimmer

Product Groups - Tunze

Hi-Tech für Aquaristik

www.tunze.com

or anything else you all come up with

Thanks everyone

BanZI29 · Nov 19, 2020

Any other recommends?

Anubisxii · Nov 19, 2020

Options are limited on that size tank without a sump there are some hang on back ones. But I've never used them. On my old 18g aio I added a sump and after upgrading to a 40g I got a real sump not a diy one and went with a red sea skimmer. You're not going to have a lot of options it's really going to come down to which one of the few that are around fits where you need it to and that's the one you'll have to get.

Randallh99 · Nov 19, 2020

I have the same aquarium and i'm running a Icecap K1 nano skimmer after using the IM Nuvo skimmer (which is terrible; please buy anything but this one!). I hear good things about the Tunze. It's bigger so you have to alter the back to fit it in the back. The Icecap K1 fits fine in the second chamber and acts like a real skimmer with actual foam (unlike the Nuvo skimmer). I think you can't go wrong with the Tunze or Icecap.

burningmime · Nov 19, 2020

Good choice. I had the TUnze Comline in my nano. Very sleek looking/unobtrusive and easy to empty clean.

92Miata · Nov 19, 2020

I have three IM Nuvo Skims - one desktop DC, one desktop AC, and one of the smaller AC ones. The Desktop DC isn't too bad, but the other two are trash. (they came with the tanks when I bought them used).

The DC one skims fine - but I think we're on the 3rd or 4th pump in a year+.

I replaced one of them with a Tunze 9004 AC - its a way better skimmer. Its overcomplicated and a bit of a pain to disassemble/clean/reassemble - but its a much better skimmer. At some point it'll get upgraded with the DC pump.

The 9004 has to go in the media basket slot though - not the skimmer compartment - so I'm not sure if they fit in a 25 (we have 40s)

billwill · Nov 19, 2020

To be honest, I tried several small skimmers in my old IM20 back when I had it, and they all suck. They’re fun if you like to tinker, but for the money and effort it’s much easier to maintain a tank that size with water changes. Just one persons opinion

xxkenny90xx · Nov 19, 2020

Not sure about what fits in your tank but this one is a small, cheap, work horse!

BanZI29 · Nov 19, 2020

Thanks for all the recommends everyone. i am gonna look at the tunze 9004, the ice cap and the aqualife. For now the tank needs to rest and recover.

Subtropic Reefer · Dec 9, 2020

I got the icecap a week ago. It takes a few days to break in and it is very loud during that time, but after it breaks in, it skims like a champ and is relatively quiet. It also fits in the skimmer chamber, unlike the tunze 9004. With the tunze 9004, it would have to go in your return chamber and you would have to diy fit the return tubing around the skimmer. And the tunze is $40 more than the icecap. They skim about the same but the tunze is a bit more quiet. All in all, I would say go with the icecap.

Bossman · Dec 9, 2020

I put an Aquamax HOB 1.5 on my IM Fusion 20. It worked great! I had such terrible luck trying to tune the small nano skimmers.

92Miata · Dec 9, 2020

Subtropic Reefer said:
I got the icecap a week ago. It takes a few days to break in and it is very loud during that time, but after it breaks in, it skims like a champ and is relatively quiet. It also fits in the skimmer chamber, unlike the tunze 9004. With the tunze 9004, it would have to go in your return chamber and you would have to diy fit the return tubing around the skimmer. And the tunze is $40 more than the icecap. They skim about the same but the tunze is a bit more quiet. All in all, I would say go with the icecap.

I was mistaken and this is correct - the 25 Lagoon has the same tiny back compartments as the Fusion 10, and not the larger ones that the 30+ gallon tanks have - so the 9004 won't fit at all. Even the return section is only 2.8" front-to-back and the narrowest dimension for the Tunze is about 3.5".

sergifed91 · Dec 9, 2020

Lifereef. Best skimmers I have ever had.

Crustaceon · Dec 9, 2020

BanZI29 said:
So I am set on getting a skimmer instead of a media reactor since I do feed my coral. (no fish)
most of you all know but for those who don't, I have the innovative Marine fusion 25 AIO. ( see my build link.)

I am looking at the IM Nuvo skim DC

Shop | Innovative Marine Products

Shop Now | Innovative Marine's Official Store | Free Shipping on all orders* | NUVO aquariums and saltwater reef supplies.

www.innovative-marine.com

the tunze brand skimmer

Product Groups - Tunze

Hi-Tech für Aquaristik

www.tunze.com

or anything else you all come up with

Thanks everyone

If I didn’t have fish and only fed coral, I wouldn’t bother running a skimmer or most methods of nutrient reduction for that matter. For reference, I run a skimmerless sps dominant system. Most nutrient control is handled through a large basket of seachem matrix and small water changes throughout the week which equate to a 10% weekly water change. In all honesty, I only do it for trace replenishment and I’ve never seen nitrates creep over 10ppm if I don’t do water changes. This is also a heavily stocked tank. From my perspective, I’d much rather have elevated nutrients than bottomed out ones and if I was worried about excess nutrients due to feeding corals, I’d just feed less. There’s only so much food corals can eat and even when stuffed, they’re not going to pollute anywhere near as much as an active critter like a wrasse.

JKaquatics · Dec 9, 2020

I have been running a Reef octopus 100 HOB on a 29 gallon reef. Tank mainly holds new frags I am rehabbing or growing out. I feed the tank pretty hard and its held up great. Just need to empty to cup a bit more often then on my main tanks. Only nock is its a bit larger and harder to hide the sight of it than some of the others

blaxsun · Dec 16, 2020

92Miata said:
I have three IM Nuvo Skims - one desktop DC, one desktop AC, and one of the smaller AC ones. The Desktop DC isn't too bad, but the other two are trash. (they came with the tanks when I bought them used).

The DC one skims fine - but I think we're on the 3rd or 4th pump in a year+.

I replaced one of them with a Tunze 9004 AC - its a way better skimmer. Its overcomplicated and a bit of a pain to disassemble/clean/reassemble - but its a much better skimmer. At some point it'll get upgraded with the DC pump.

The 9004 has to go in the media basket slot though - not the skimmer compartment - so I'm not sure if they fit in a 25 (we have 40s)

I haven't tried the Tunze, but the IM Desktop NuvoSkim DC does go through pumps ridiculously fast (I'm on the third in less than a year). I wouldn't say it's a great skimmer (borderline passable), and it has a horrible container design (among other quirks). But it works in the space provided, so...

Apparently there's just enough room to run a 9001 in the pump compartment if you dispense with the Y-adapter and replace the MightyJet with two smaller pumps (Sicce, etc,) My light mounts directly over this area as well, so i'm not sure even with the makeshift Tunze configuration I'd have enough room to access the Tunze skimmer on a regular basis.

Right now I'm running a MiniMax reactor with biopellets and NuvoSkim skimmer, but I'm giving serious consideration to just ditching both and running a refugium instead.