Skimmer for approximately 800g Total Water Volume?

[SeabrookZoo]

I am setting up a 375g DT tank that will have approximately 300g water volume, a refugium that will have approximately 350g water volume and a 90g sump that will have approximately 40g water volume. I plan on running this system with the Triton Method. I have been looking at so many skimmer with all the different bells an whistles I’m not sure where to go or what to by. I willl be running a mini fold off of my return (Red Dragon Speedy 3 230W) and like the fact that I can run a recirculating skimmer off of that, and from what I understand they are a little more efficient for this reason. I plan on this tank to be SPS dominated with a few LPS and a medium to a large bioload with fish and other livestock. Anyone have any suggestions of skimmer they prefer for a large tank that I should take a look at?

Thanks Mike

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

#reefsquad, anyone with a recommendation?

 

[4FordFamily]

ASM sure doesn't have all the bells and whistles -- it's pretty simple but it does the job well. I bought an ASM G5 good for 700 gallons, they also make an ASM G6 if you're not worried about footprint, it's enormous!

I am quite particular to ASM because I've run them for years and they've proven a phenomenal bang/buck!

 

[reefwiser]

http://royalexclusiv.net/en/skimmer.../bubble-king-r-supermarin-250-rd3-speedy.html

You can not get better than a Supermarin Bubble king.

 

[ca1ore]

Boy that’s a lot to spend on a chamber full of bubbles. I’m running an MTC skimmer on my 700 gallon system. Might want to look at the HSA-1000. Lifereef make good skimmers for large systems as well.

 

[biecacka]

I have always heard you should only buy a skimmer based on your display tank size. That could open up your skimmer options.

Corey

 

[lapin]

I have a 600 with about 100 more in sump. I have a sro7000 that runs 2 hours 3 times a day. Light bio-load. I wet skimmer out about 5 gallons a week. N=2.0 P=0 .1
https://www.coralvue.com/reef-octopus-sro7000ext-commercial-super-reef-protein-skimmer

 

[SeabrookZoo]

If I get a good algae bed going in the refugium which is 84”L x 30”W x 42”H, would a slimmer capable of processing 700-800g be to big?

I have always heard you should only buy a skimmer based on your display tank size. That could open up your skimmer options.

Corey

Is this true? Can you point me to any links or articles please?

I have a 600 with about 100 more in sump. I have a sro7000 that runs 2 hours 3 times a day. Light bio-load. I wet skimmer out about 5 gallons a week. N=2.0 P=0 .1
https://www.coralvue.com/reef-octopus-sro7000ext-commercial-super-reef-protein-skimmer

I have had good luck with SRO skimmers in the past on smaller tanks. Do you have any experience with the Regal series?

 

[lapin]

A skimmer removes at max 30% of what most people call unwanted stuff. So it would be really hard to oversize. It really depends on your tank, maintance routine, and sump setup plus what livestock you keep. (eels and other big messy eaters can increase the load a lot). If you use filter socks before the skimmer then its load is reduced. If you have a large fuge then you will have a great export medium for nitrates and phosphates. Your macro algae and rock or what ever else you put in will be a big plus. This makes for less of a need for a skimmer. As long as you have good gas exchange you wont need a huge skimmer.

No Regal experience

 

[ca1ore]

I have always heard you should only buy a skimmer based on your display tank size. That could open up your skimmer options.

I think it depends on what constitutes the 'system'. In my case, I have a main display that holds 400 gallons of water, a well stocked refugium that holds 100 gallons and a frag tank that holds 50. I'd view all of that as active volume. Passive volume includes a RDSB and large sump that adds another 100 gallons or so. So total system nominally 650, but skimmer 'sized' for 550.

 

[biecacka]

Simon, that is true. But if you don’t have fish in those tanks then they aren’t contributing to the fish waste load of the system.
At least that is how it was explained to me....

Corey

 

[ca1ore]

In my case both the refugium and frag tank have finned tenants. But even if they did not, corals are also animals that consume and excrete, thus I'd consider those active volume regardless of the fish. Just my opinion of course.

 

[SeabrookZoo]

I have a 600 with about 100 more in sump. I have a sro7000 that runs 2 hours 3 times a day. Light bio-load. I wet skimmer out about 5 gallons a week. N=2.0 P=0 .1
https://www.coralvue.com/reef-octopus-sro7000ext-commercial-super-reef-protein-skimmer

I have been looking around a little more and I think I am leaning toward the SRO. The one you list above shows to be discontinued now. While looking on their website I found this one.

https://www.coralvue.com/sro-xp8000-recirculating-external-protein-skimmer

The specs show their footprint is about the same. The one you have has a bigger neck and is shorter, this one has a smaller neck and is taller. The max feed for the one you have is 300gph more than this one. They both have a suggested feed rate of 1.5-2x system volume. The difference in the bioload handling is negligible as is cost, this one cost 100.00 less than the one you have. The biggest difference between the two is the shape. This one has a cone shape whereas the one you have is more cylindrical. Does this really make a big difference? Am I being to critical when looking at these?

 

[beto72]

I have a new ATB 1860 that handles upto 1320 gallons. I'll sell for a good price.

 

[Muttley000]

I

Boy that’s a lot to spend on a chamber full of bubbles. I’m running an MTC skimmer on my 700 gallon system. Might want to look at the HSA-1000. Lifereef make good skimmers for large systems as well.

I have been running the HSA-1000 driven by an iwaki md55rlt on my 500 gallons system, and have been extremely happy with it. It would take a couple months to fill my skimmate locker that came with it, so I know I'm good to go with my eventual water volume increase (multitank system)

 

[TexasTodd]

One of our local shops runs their entire system off one SRO8000 and they say it's amazing. In fact, the majority of our LFS run Reef Octo. I'd do that or go with a Life Reef. Bubble King I'm sure is great if you want to spend more than $2k. Go search through the for sale section. There was a guy trying to sell a SRO8000 in Iowa, KS, general area earlier this year. My guess is it didn't sell.
Whatever you do, I'd include an algae scrubber and a ref. If you have a long sump, you can make a river style scrubber easily and cheaply. I used a 3' plastic planter box, cutting it down and cutting side off of one end.

 

[mrpizzaface]

I have always heard you should only buy a skimmer based on your display tank size. That could open up your skimmer options.

Corey

I have heard the same thing.

 

[mrpizzaface]

Boy that’s a lot to spend on a chamber full of bubbles. I’m running an MTC skimmer on my 700 gallon system. Might want to look at the HSA-1000. Lifereef make good skimmers for large systems as well.

I think MTC and lifereef make great skimmers. In the case of the HSA 1000 if you were to bring an equivalent pump to the RD3 speedy your skimmer and pump combo (with shipping from Jeff) would be approaching $1400-$1450. While still a $400 dollar difference with the bubble king, closer than one might think. In this hobby $400 at least to me is nothing. ( especially in the case of these large systems)

 

[mch1984]

I have heard the same thing.

I'm not saying this is wrong, I don't have an resources to prove otherwise. It just that it doesn't make any sense to me. The skimmer will be "processing" the total water volume and not the display tank. You do everything else based on total volume, carbon amount, dosing amount and things like that. Again not saying yall are wrong, I just feel like it makes more sense to skim the entire volume.

I'm glad you posted this question, I'll be following along closely.

 

[mrpizzaface]

I'm not saying this is wrong, I don't have an resources to prove otherwise. It just that it doesn't make any sense to me. The skimmer will be "processing" the total water volume and not the display tank. You do everything else based on total volume, carbon amount, dosing amount and things like that. Again not saying yall are wrong, I just feel like it makes more sense to skim the entire volume.

I'm glad you posted this question, I'll be following along closely.

I think the basic idea is the fish load. An 700 gallon display (with a 100 gallon sump)and 100 fish is a much different load than a 400 gallon display ( with a 400 gallon sump)and 50 fish. Though they have the same water volume, they have a much different fish load.