Space saving skimmer

[ChrisQ0904]

What is everyones favorite space saving skimmer now a days? I currently have the vertex omega 150 on my 80g tank and the thing seems to be working too good. I have it almost shut closed and can only get a dry skim and my nitrates are always 0 using the salifert test kit. I want to get a smaller skimmer to try and raise the nitrates a little. I feed 3 times a day, my skimmer section is running 8" of water I cannot raise the water level.

 

[jelly]

RO Reagal 250sss

 

[ChrisQ0904]

RO Reagal 250sss

That is a bit higher in price than I wanted to spend

 

[jason2459]

That is a bit higher in price than I wanted to spend

It's also much to big for your 80.

What is everyones favorite space saving skimmer now a days? I currently have the vertex omega 150 on my 80g tank and the thing seems to be working too good. I have it almost shut closed and can only get a dry skim and my nitrates are always 0 using the salifert test kit. I want to get a smaller skimmer to try and raise the nitrates a little. I feed 3 times a day, my skimmer section is running 8" of water I cannot raise the water level.

What else are you doing for nutrient control? ATS? Carbon dosing? Biopellets? Water changes?

Personally I think that is a good skimmer and I would keep it. I would feed more but some people dose nitrate.

 

[ChrisQ0904]

It's also much to big for your 80.



What else are you doing for nutrient control? ATS? Carbon dosing? Biopellets? Water changes?

Personally I think that is a good skimmer and I would keep it. I would feed more but some people dose nitrate.

So far, I'm just doing water changes and using gfo. I have an ATS that I will have running soon to reduce (and hopefully eliminate) the use for gfo.

 

[ChrisQ0904]

Water changes are 10g weekly

 

[jason2459]

Water changes are 10g weekly

So about 50% monthly? That's a lot. I would reduce that. I do that on my 20 gallon mantis tank but I have 0 filtration on it.

Any GAC? Filter socks? Anything else?

 

[ChrisQ0904]

So about 50% monthly? That's a lot. I would reduce that. I do that on my 20 gallon mantis tank but I have 0 filtration on it.

Any GAC? Filter socks? Anything else?

Filter socks get cleaned and replaced weekly with the water change and no GAC. Haven't run carbon in about a month. Other than that, there is nothing else for filtration.

 

[jason2459]

Filter socks get cleaned and replaced weekly with the water change and no GAC. Haven't run carbon in about a month. Other than that, there is nothing else for filtration.

I would start by simply cutting those water changes in half. 20-30% monthly is common. Some people do less to none. I do water changes for the unkown at a rate of about 1% daily automatically on my main tank. Which isn't as efficient as a full 30% change at once but most likely lands in that 20-30% monthly change and promotes more stability.

 

[CodyRVA]

+1 on high WC volume @jason2459 . Why not slowly reduce your total volume of water changes or gradually stop doing them?

 

[ChrisQ0904]

Should I jump right down to 5g weekly then? I feel like that is really low, but I will give it a shot.

 

[jason2459]

Should I jump right down to 5g weekly then? I feel like that is really low, but I will give it a shot.

I would. I personally also don't use filter socks but many do. I let the detritus build up like mud in my sump and it becomes food and home to many micro organisms. People say that it will become a nitrate factory but well, I'm not dosing stump remover and don't have a nitrate problem.

 

[slipknotgrrl83]

I just bought the reef octopus 110sss for my tank, works great but was pricey. I had a crappy coralife one prior that was so noisy. This one is dead silent

 

[ChrisQ0904]

Has anyone had any experience with the avast peg leg?

 

[wkscott]

If you feel that your skimmer is pulling too many nutrients, instead of getting a smaller skimmer, just put this one on an inexpensive timer so that the skimmer doesn't run 24/7.

 

[ChrisQ0904]

If you feel that your skimmer is pulling too many nutrients, instead of getting a smaller skimmer, just put this one on an inexpensive timer so that the skimmer doesn't run 24/7.

I've thought about that because I currently have it connected to my apex but I was told in the past that it's not good to turn the skimmer pump on/off frequently.

 

[wkscott]

I've thought about that because I currently have it connected to my apex but I was told in the past that it's not good to turn the skimmer pump on/off frequently.

ALL pumps will wear down somewhat faster if turned on and off. Many folks have their skimmers turn on and off once per day without noticing harm. I turn mine off every other day just so I can change the collection cup. Replacing the pump in a couple or three years from now is certainly less costly than buying a new skimmer today.

 

[ifarmer]

Swc 120 or 150 is a space saver skimmer at decent price