Recommended silent skimmer?

Laith · Dec 12, 2017

Royal Exclusive Bubble King. I have been looking at and listening to quite a few skimmers as I prepare for my new build and have not heard anything as quiet as one of these.

Of course, budget permitting!

tmnigat · Dec 12, 2017

I recently had this dilemma when shopping for a skimmer on black friday, 150g display with 50g sump. I couldn't make up my mind so I purchased both a Simplicity 320 DC and Eshopps S-300. Ambient noise in my room is 42db. The Eshopps brought up the noise to 56-58db. The simplicity skimmer brought it up to only 45db, much more manageable. The eshopps did seem like it skimmed much better but it was rated higher and it could just be a break in issue. I returned the eshopps and kept the Simplicity.

My advice, go with something DC if sound is a huge concern. Every AC pump I've dealt with always has that noticeable hum that I can hear no matter how much i try to ignore it.

Slim_Okrug · Dec 12, 2017

Tunze 9410 dead silent.

erk · Dec 12, 2017

What you can also do is purchase a venturi skimmer and use any pump with an adequate flow rate. Then you only worry about the quietest pump or silencing said pump. That is what I did on my current tank. Inside the enclosed cabinet I can't really hear it.

JDowns · Dec 12, 2017

Another vote for Nyos, dead silent.

ricardh · Dec 12, 2017

Slim_Okrug said:
Tunze 9410 dead silent.

Totally agree, an slient and strong skimmer

HiddenUser · Dec 12, 2017

Going to second the BK skimmer if it's in your budget!

Fritzhamer · Dec 12, 2017

Bubble King, Deltec and Tunze make really high quality and silent skimmers. I'd go with a Deltec personally. While the build quality of the Bubble King is really second to none, its unnecessary and doesn't skim any better than a Deltec. Tunze makes products that just work and continue to do so for decades at a time. I've owned two Tunze skimmers and they both impressed me, they weren't silent however.

GoVols · Dec 12, 2017

Laith said:
Royal Exclusive Bubble King. I have been looking at and listening to quite a few skimmers as I prepare for my new build and have not heard anything as quiet as one of these.

Of course, budget permitting!

I've been running a Bubble King mini 160 for years and (lol) it's worth every penny

DBR_Reef · Dec 12, 2017

I'm a big fan of the aquamaxx cones skimmer- and I'm not a fan of anything aquamaxx- but what looks like a gimmick (the cones) works, and the tunze block is very quiet

Seminoles76 · Dec 12, 2017

Ice Cap K2-200. Using on a 120 and is completely silent. Pulls great skim and is by far the easiest skimmer to dial in from the ones I have owned (RO/RLSS/NYOS).

Forsaken77 · Dec 12, 2017

Most all skimmers nowadays are quiet. From peoples' opinions over the past year or so is that the Icecap skimmers are the loudest and it has nothing to do with the pump. It's a hiss from the air silencer.

The quietest possible pumps will be DC, but are harder to tune on a skimmer, plus it unnecessarily inflates the price of the skimmer. DC pumps are, imo, completely not needed for protein skimmers. It's just a way for manufacturers to add something new.

Most any skimmer, AC or DC, will be quiet enough with the stands' doors shut.

mannyhernz · Dec 12, 2017

Seminoles76 said:
Ice Cap K2-200. Using on a 120 and is completely silent. Pulls great skim and is by far the easiest skimmer to dial in from the ones I have owned (RO/RLSS/NYOS).

I own 2 also, the 120 for my 50 qube, and the 50 for my frag tank, easy to dial in and clean. Pulls dark stinky skim also.
Love this skimmer

nfrench2100 · Dec 12, 2017

I run a Super Reef Octopus 1000INT and that thing makes next to no noise! I run it on a 75, so not sure if it would be rated for 125 (I’d assume not)

But hey, for what it’s worth

steevareno · Dec 12, 2017

I just bought a simplicity 320dc and it's completely silent and affordable and yes it skims great.

divewsharks · Dec 13, 2017

erk said:
What you can also do is purchase a venturi skimmer and use any pump with an adequate flow rate. Then you only worry about the quietest pump or silencing said pump. That is what I did on my current tank. Inside the enclosed cabinet I can't really hear it.

This is what I did. Only time you hear it is when you disconnect the intake tube when cleaning. Freedom to use any pump you want.

Bengt · Dec 13, 2017

Tunze 9410 DOC DC is very quite and are one of the best skimmers on the market.

drtrash · Dec 14, 2017

If it wasnt for the bucket of brown liquid i would say my bk160 was not plugged in

MRRBW · Dec 16, 2017

i have a 60g all-in-one open top with an Ice-Cap k120 in my living space (open concept condo) and I can't hear it all, the fans on my light and the ecotech and jebao pumps are louder. Ice-Cap breaks in fast, super easy to dial in then forget it, space saving, easy maintenance, titanium screws with Sicce pump with a very reasonable price tag. It comes ready to add ozone too if you want and a quick connect for a skim collector. I had a cadlights before that and was way too loud and annoying having to adjust it almost daily.

lancesmith1 · Feb 6, 2018

GoVols said:
I've been running a Bubble King mini 160 for years and (lol) it's worth every penny

Where do you set your standpipe in relation to open and closed? also what is your water depth? I am having issues with my 160 that is relatively new. I can completely close the standpipe and the water level is only about 2 inches above the bubble plate. and this thing hums like a barbers clippers.