Skimmer recommedation

[jedimaster1138]

I run my sump at about 7" of water. Maybe 7.5" depending on how much I keep up with evaporation and leave room for a back sipohon. Display is a 50g + the 12g sump about half full. (Drain + skimmer + reactor input |--> refugium |--> bubble trap + reactor outlet |--> return (sicce 2.0)

Currently I have a Tunze 9002 that I brought over from a smaller tank. It's hard to keep the water level at the ideal point for that skimmer. Seems to just fail at producing skimmate if it's off by so much as 1/8th of an inch. Add to that the fact that the 9002 is a little under-powered for a 50g reef...yeah I'm sorta looking to upgrade anyway.

Been looking at the Reef Octopus 4" NWB OCT NWB 110. Any thoughts or other recommendations? I don't have any brand loyalties really. Just want something that's tweakable, will work with my water level, and doesn't sound like an outboard motor (i'm aware of the NWB 110 needing an elbow mod to the outlet to make it quiet)

I also don't have a HUGE amount of space in my first sump chamber.

PS - if/when I find something, I'll have a 9002 for sale in NYC...

 

[ctrayer]

If you like to tweak check out Royal Alpha skimmers.
I have the 250 and it is a beast. The Red Dragon pumps
are very quite.

 

[mbg75]

Don't matter what skimmer u get, if there isn't a baffle or Ato, it will never skim consistent.
The water level needs to not change in order to dial in the skimmer.

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[jedimaster1138]

Sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that my skimmer section water level varies wildly, that's not the case. There are 3 sets of baffles. The return section is where the variance in level mostly is. And an ATO is on the list of things to do, for sure.

What I was trying to say was that my base/steady state/SOP water level in the skimmer section is, at least, I think lower than a lot of in sump skimmers seem to require, I think, including the one I currently have, at least to operate ideally.

 

[mbg75]

Sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that my skimmer section water level varies wildly, that's not the case. There are 3 sets of baffles. The return section is where the variance in level mostly is. And an ATO is on the list of things to do, for sure.

What I was trying to say was that my base/steady state/SOP water level in the skimmer section is, at least, I think lower than a lot of in sump skimmers seem to require, I think, including the one I currently have, at least to operate ideally.

Yes, the 7" depth will rule out a lot of skimmers. What size tank is your sump?

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[jedimaster1138]

I believe it's about 12g. I figure I run it between half and 2/3rds full with pumps running. I'd call it around 7 1/2", but I'll double check when I get home tonight. I could raise it a bit, if I had to, though I'm cautious because I life in an apartment.

I'll have to do some more power failure/siphon break testing. I don't know if I did a worse case scenario test this weekend.

 

[mbg75]

Can u fit a bigger sump in there? That way u can pick a good skimmer not limited to the sump. Maybe even add a fuge

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[jedimaster1138]

Nah that's the limit of my stand. Anything bigger is going to have to wait 3-5 years when I move out of the city at which point I'm building a giant tank.

I have a refugium now, small as it may be, the LR rubble, Chaeto and the rest are eating nitrates quite well (0 ppm) and the copepods are scurrying up to the DT. I'll post a picture of my sump when I get back to my place later.

Looks like the CoralVue manual for the Reef Octopus NWB 110 says 6-10" of water, that is doable for me.

 

[jedimaster1138]

Pic of my sump. Forgive the low quality cell picture.

Left to right...

Drain in the far left in the back behind the skimmer, reactor pump and a hunk of live rock (btw, that LR can go away should i get a bigger skimmer, i just kept it because... well why not)

You can see the refugium in the center surrounded by egg crate. Red mangroves in the back, chaeto up front, rock rubble about.

Bubble trap also holds my heater. Exit of my bubble trap is currently stuffed with a foam block that i cut in half to try to deal with this cloudyness problem (see my thread in general). Oh and the first section of the trap recieves the output of my reactor (carbon only atm...was running GFO too...thinking about putting it back)

And the return pump.

I'm pretty sure when I yank the 9002 and that piece of rock, i'll wind up with plenty of room for a decent skimmer. Also, in this picture i'm running nearly 9" of water in the sump which is more than i normally do, but seems doable.