Skimmer

[randy4083]

I'm going to buy a new tank today with a sump and I was wondering if I could use the bh90 hob skimmer that I have on the sump or whatever because this is the first sump that I've had or do I have to buy a skimmer that is made for a sump??

 

[deedubz]

I can't answer that with any certainty, as I do not have a sump(yet). I can't imagine why you couldn't though, as long as the input/output is appropriately submerged?

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

You have a sump so it's best to use in sump skimmer, of course you can use HoB skimmer but your tank will look ugly and quite hard to maintain and in case your skimmer got overflowed your floor will wet and might cause electric short circuit. you won't have those problems if you use in sump skimmer.

 

[Maggie321]

I would use what you have for now and hang the HOB skimmer on your sump

 

[joseserrano]

you can use the hob, as long as the pump is in the appropriate water level and the hob is rated for the volume, its fine

 

[randy4083]

The pump is on the outside of the tank it doesn't go into the water with this skimmer

 

[Phillyd1990]

Id say a new tank is definitely a good excuse for a new skimmer!

 

[roberthu526]

In sump skimmer has a few advantages that I believe worth the switch:
1. It is much quieter than HOBs because the pump is in the water and many in sump models come with rubber feet to further dampen the noise;
2. It is much more efficient than HOBs because the pump does not need to pump water up into the reaction chamber while drawing air. In sum skimmers uses water level in the sump to adjust the water level in the reaction chamber so the pump doesn't have to work as hard to pull water up;
3. In the case of overflow, HOB will dump stuff on your floor while in sump skimmer will dump it back to your tank which is much better in my opinion

 

[randy4083]

What skimmer would be good for a 46 gallon tank

 

[deedubz]

The pump is on the outside of the tank it doesn't go into the water with this skimmer

Hang it on the outside of the sump. Just make sure the inlet/outlet are appropriately submerged

 

[randy4083]

I've always used reef octopus but this is my first sump and I gotta figure out how to hook it up also and I don't know what type of skimmer to get but I don't want to spend a fortune on it that's all but I know that there around 200 dollars and up

 

[deedubz]

If I were you then, I'd use your hob for now. Save up until you can afford THE one you want. The skimmer you'll want will depend on your total water volume of tank/sump and how lightly or heavily your tank will be stocked. I don't see any sense in buying/settling for a cheap one of its not the one you want or if it's not going to be efficient for what you're trying to achieve. That said, you very well could find a more affordable alternative. You could also check the for sale threads

 

[randy4083]

I can afford whatever I just don't want to spend 500 dollars on a skimmer and I'm only gonna have 2 clownfish and a mandarin goby in the tank other then corals it's mainly gonna be a coral tank but I'm trying to figure out what I need because the tank is 46 gallons and then the sump which I don't know how much water that will hold yet because I bought the tank and sump off of someone

 

[Maggie321]

You could lengthen the pipe that the pump connects to so that the pump is in the water. I love having an excuse to buy new fish stuff, but I am also a cheapskate so I'll spend $3 for plumbing supplies before I spend $100 on something that I already have that's not broken

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

I can afford whatever I just don't want to spend 500 dollars on a skimmer and I'm only gonna have 2 clownfish and a mandarin goby in the tank other then corals it's mainly gonna be a coral tank but I'm trying to figure out what I need because the tank is 46 gallons and then the sump which I don't know how much water that will hold yet because I bought the tank and sump off of someone

You know you can have a reef tank without a skimmer at that size tank.
I stopped using skimmer when I switch to reef tank from FOWLR and my tank is 40B with water volume similar at your tank, and my Nitrate is always below 5ppm. I just do frequent water change (I used to do 2~3 times WC a week 5 gallons each), I reduced my water change to 1 time a week now cause my nutrition is close to zero now.

 

[randy4083]

I have a couple of fish in the tank but it's mainly gonna be corals