Quiet Skimmer for Reefer 170

[POG]

Hey guys, I'm looking to get a new skimmer for my Red Sea Reefer 170. It's almost done cycling and I currently have an eshopps PSK in it, but that thing is noisy. A lot of people seem to have the nyos, but that's a bit more than I'm looking to spend. Not sure about my final stocking list, but it'll be a mixed reef with 2 clowns, a tail spot blenny, and one maybe a dwarf angel or something. Looking to spend around $200, but willing to spend a little more.
Currently looking at:
Coral Box D300 DC
Skimz SN143-QP
Reef Octopus Classic 110SSS
Bubble Magus Curve 5 (Heard the water level isn't high enough)

Leaning towards the Coral Box or Skimz since they have DC pumps, but anyone have any input/recommendations?

 

[Ty Hamatake]

I don't have the SN143, but I do have a Skimz Octa 165i. It isn't dead silent, but when the cabinet it closed I almost can't hear it. I love it too, solid build, great quality, works great, etc...

 

[Rick Krejci]

Have the 110SSS on my reefer250 and really like it! Not fussy about water level, easy to adjust, just works. Super quiet as well.

 

[POG]

Man, I feel like it's hard to go wrong with most of the choices. I've narrowed it down to these:
Simplicity 120 DC
SKIMZ SN123
RO 110SSS

I would go for the RO if price were the same, but I'm not sure if it's worth it over the other 2. The Skimz just seems like a really good deal.

 

[OREGONIC]

I have a 170 and use a curve 5 woithout issue. Have to raise the water height on the skimmer adjustment a little but still pretty close to wide open. Wanted a nyos but got a really good deal on a used curve 5 couldn’t pass it up.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I ran a curve 5 on my 75g with 20L sump before I took it down, and I think I ran it at a 9" water height and had the bypass wide open. Pretty much silent unless I opened the sump and stuck my head in there. My sump was capable of 10.5" so I just adjusted the water height to run the skimmer and left the bypass wide open. Skimmed thick super smelly mud out. Hardly any water. You can run them much shallower and use the water level adjustment to tune it. I ran it where it barely overflowed when I removed to cup to clean it. I will say that it took a while to break in and would do nothing but flood the cup the first two weeks.

 

[kinetic]

Simplicity and NYOS run at 59 decibels with air sound. Ambient sound at 46 dB.

Pretty quiet. I’ve been able to measure both. My Simplicity 120 was loud due to a bad impeller (67+ dB) but now it’s quieter.

Compare to a Reef Octopus VarioS-4 pump that measured 47 dB in 46 dB environment!

 

[scurvy dawg]

I use the Curve 5 in my RSR 170 and the water level is not an issue. It's very quiet if you hook an air line from the silencer and out the back of the tank stand.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Simplicity 120

 

[POG]

Thanks for the input everyone! It seems like I can't go wrong with any choice, so I think I'll shop around a bit to see if I can get a good deal on a particular one. Good to know that they all work well though.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Thanks for the input everyone! It seems like I can't go wrong with any choice, so I think I'll shop around a bit to see if I can get a good deal on a particular one. Good to know that they all work well though.

Why did you get

 

[POG]

Why did you get

I ended up ordering the Reef Octopus 110SSS. Seemed to to be one of the most reliable for the price. The somatic s60 was tempting, but would take up the entire sump.

 

[CoralReefer1019]

SCA 302 works like a champ and gets the job done

 

[Hitman]

I ended up ordering the Reef Octopus 110SSS. Seemed to to be one of the most reliable for the price. The somatic s60 was tempting, but would take up the entire sump.

You can’t beat their customer service. I found my pump shaft broken one day when cleaning it and they shipped me one 2nd day ups no questions asked.

 

[rknott]

Simplicity and NYOS run at 59 decibels with air sound. Ambient sound at 46 dB.

Pretty quiet. I’ve been able to measure both. My Simplicity 120 was loud due to a bad impeller (67+ dB) but now it’s quieter.

Compare to a Reef Octopus VarioS-4 pump that measured 47 dB in 46 dB environment!

@kinetic

I found this post very valuable and wanted to see if I could bring it back to life. I am about to purchase a new skimmer for my 75g tank and I want it to be SILENT. Talking with people at the LFS I am not sure if silent means silent to them, or just kind of quiet in a noisy fish store. They are recommending the Curve 5 that they insist is silent and prefer it due to easy to clean, parts support, easy cup cleaning. . . . . However, if I buy they seem to be hesitant to take it back even if I do a fresh water test. From your post here the I was pretty much convinced I would purchase the Reef Octo 110 given your tests. My question, have you run a test or heard anything about the Curve 5? My LFS also sells the RO 110 for about the same price. I also can't tell if this simply comes down to personal preference and there isn't a measurable difference.

 

[GabeM]

@kinetic

I found this post very valuable and wanted to see if I could bring it back to life. I am about to purchase a new skimmer for my 75g tank and I want it to be SILENT. Talking with people at the LFS I am not sure if silent means silent to them, or just kind of quiet in a noisy fish store. They are recommending the Curve 5 that they insist is silent and prefer it due to easy to clean, parts support, easy cup cleaning. . . . . However, if I buy they seem to be hesitant to take it back even if I do a fresh water test. From your post here the I was pretty much convinced I would purchase the Reef Octo 110 given your tests. My question, have you run a test or heard anything about the Curve 5? My LFS also sells the RO 110 for about the same price. I also can't tell if this simply comes down to personal preference and there isn't a measurable difference.

Not OP But I purchased the Reef Octopus Essence 130 (it barely fits in my sump) for my 50 cube and it is dead silent ( I can't hear it) and will pull literal sludge out of the tank.
https://reefoctopus.com/product/octo-protein-skimmers-essence-130/ - I would imagine that the 110 would be similarly so.