What protein skimmer

[racer-reefer]

So I have a 40 gallon breeder mixed reef with a little bit of everything. I also have 6 medium sized fish and a 20 gallon sump with a nice size refugium. I also feed semi heavy and feed reef roids-oyster feast mix three times a week.

I currently have an eshopps PSK-75 skimmer and it never works right I want to get something that’s going to work for my fish load. Currently looking at reef octopus essence S-130 or 110sss

suggestions?

 

[racer-reefer]

Here is my sump

 

[Quietman]

If there's no upgrade planned soon I like your thoughts. But if there is might want to go tad oversize. Good skimmer should last for years. I'm also partial to DC pumps as added control. Bigger skimmer can act as smaller.

 

[Frey]

I have had good luck with Reef Octopus skimmers. My last one lasted 6-7 years and i just purchased an elite 220 and it is by far the most quiet skimmer i have seen (or heard). I can't even hear it running. Often have to visually check on it just to see if its running.

 

[Peace River]

I currently am running three #reefoctopus skimmers (one of those I’ve had for about ten years) and I have been very pleased with all of them. I have the Essence 130 and it is great, but it depends on your size constraints, future upgrade plans, and interest in automating your setup in the future. The Reef Octopus 110INT is also another option if you want a quality basic skimmer.

 

[Scorpius]

Every skimmer I've owned has been a pita. I'm running a deltec currently which has been ok.

 

[Sdot]

I've used Nyos skimmers on my last 3 builds and they are beast and often underrated IMO. By far one of the most quiet series of skimmer i've used. They perform really well...not the cheapest, but form and function are top notch.

 

[Hemmdog]

The essence 130 has been a nightmare for me. I would not recommend it to my worst enemy. It’s also running on my 40b with Trigger 34 emerald sump, I ran it on my 90g prior, equally a giant pain. Either pulls nothing or wet skims and overflows. I’ve tried racks too raise it, water level adjustment, flow level, co2 scrubber direct to Venturi, outside air to Venturi; nothing will make that thing skim right. It always seems to pull more water than air thus not making a good foam head.

 

[Peace River]

The essence 130 has been a nightmare for me. I would not recommend it to my worst enemy. It’s also running on my 40b with Trigger 34 emerald sump, I ran it on my 90g prior, equally a giant pain. Either pulls nothing or wet skims and overflows. I’ve tried racks too raise it, water level adjustment, flow level, co2 scrubber direct to Venturi, outside air to Venturi; nothing will make that thing skim right. It always seems to pull more water than air thus not making a good foam head.

That’s interesting. What is the issue? I’ve had nothing but good luck with my 130 and it dialed in quickly.

 

[jda]

I might suggest that you figure out how to get your current skimmer consistent. This should be able to happen. Once it is consistent, if you are not happy with the results, then get a new one, but I fear that you will not be able to get a new one consistent either.

 

[Hemmdog]

That’s interesting. What is the issue? I’ve had nothing but good luck with my 130 and it dialed in quickly.

The foam doesn’t form until about a half inch below the top of the cup neck, the valve is all the way open and it’s raised and the lowest water level allowable in this sump.

 

[Peace River]

The foam doesn’t form until about a half inch below the top of the cup neck, the valve is all the way open and it’s raised and the lowest water level allowable in this sump.

Weird. My 130 is in an OCTO 36A sump with about 8” of water depth and the dial setting is somewhere in the middle.

 

[Hemmdog]

Weird. My 130 is in an OCTO 36A sump with about 8” of water depth and the dial setting is somewhere in the middle.

Lucky. I wish I knew how to make it work

 

[Peace River]

Lucky. I wish I knew how to make it work

I really hate that for you. @Jeff@CoralVue - any ideas?

 

[racer-reefer]

I might suggest that you figure out how to get your current skimmer consistent. This should be able to happen. Once it is consistent, if you are not happy with the results, then get a new one, but I fear that you will not be able to get a new one consistent either.

My problem is that I have to raise the water level in the skimmer so high that it’s like it’s just boiling the water there is no adjustment I can make to the Venturi but I have put an adjustment valve on it and even with that it does not stay within adjustment and easily overflows or does not even come close to the top

 

[jda]

Does it consistently suck (sorry for the bad pun), or are results scattered with times of solid running and times of poor running? I guess that skimmer is supposed to be hang-on-the-back, so probably no surprise that it might not be good in a sump.

 

[racer-reefer]

Does it consistently suck (sorry for the bad pun), or are results scattered with times of solid running and times of poor running? I guess that skimmer is supposed to be hang-on-the-back, so probably no surprise that it might not be good in a sump.

Haha it does have time when it’s doing just fine with no problems then for no reason just either overflows or just sits and boils much lower. It’s actually designed to be in the sump. My wife works at an LFS and they had this as old stock so I got a great deal on it. It’s designed to be in the sump eshopps had two versions of this one designed to be in sumo other to be hang on the back.

 

[JMM744]

If you end up looking for a new skimmer look at the lifereef skimmers. There is a smaller one that might fit your sump. They are very good at what they do and if you go bigger tank wise you just upgrade the supply pump size to match the tank size. I believe the smaller skimmer can go up to 250 gal. Wish I had known about them when I re-entered this hobby several years ago.