Help me pick a better skimmer

[cr500_af]

SnowManSnow;514684 wrote: I've heard great things about these pumps too. A lot of ppl compare them to Red Dragon pumps, like on the BKs. I'm SURE the octo sss are GREAT! When I got my most recent skimmer I had to ask the question though, "do I want a pump that is "compared" to what is considered a great pump, or do I want THE great pump that everyone is comparing things too?".

Not everyone will agree with me, especially on whether or not the price of the BKs are worth it, but looking back I'm very happy.

There is also the exclusivity that comes with owning the ONLY BK in Centre... or possibly all of the northern half of the state!

 

[drnecropolis]

Oh snap.. We are comparing skimmate.. 1 second!

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Thats one week from my MR2.. About 1.5 gallons..

 

[jaustin]

two of us in Valdosta have SRO skimmers with the BB2000 pump. Both of us are happy!

 

[Jaycen B.]

Thanks for the replies. Bubble King is out of the ?. Will the 5000 work ok? It seems a little big, but what do I know. Is it possible to have a skimmer to big?

 

[cr500_af]

Jaycen B.;514864 wrote: Thanks for the replies. Bubble King is out of the ?. Will the 5000 work ok? It seems a little big, but what do I know. Is it possible to have a skimmer to big?

Essentially, no. An oversized skimmer will go through phases of producing/not producing skimmate, but when the water gets some waste built up in it, it will start making gunk again.

 

[Jaycen B.]

I hope this is OK.

 

[Jaycen B.]

Thanks Berry. So go with the 5000?

 

[cr500_af]

That's what I'd do if it were me.

 

[Jaycen B.]

Thanks will do.

 

[mockery]

If I were you I'd buy it from aquarium specialty. They are an ARC sponsor so you get 10% off plus free shipping.

 

[Jaycen B.]

Mockery;514903 wrote: If I were you I'd buy it from aquarium specialty. They are an ARC sponsor so you get 10% off plus free shipping.

Thanks did not see that in my initial search. That'll work. You saved me $52 cool.

 

[cr500_af]

Jaycen B.;514907 wrote: Thanks did not see that in my initial search. That'll work. You saved me $52 cool.

Love it! :thumbs:

West side "big hairy skimmer" club!

 

[weaglereefer]

Well if we're comparing skimmate, I'll pull out my pic of what my CSS 125 could do:

Note the coffee in the background

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[cr500_af]

Jeff, was that on your 90?

 

[weaglereefer]

75

Stocked with a medium blue jaw trigger, flame angel, clown pair, 3 chromis, 666-line wrasse, and orange and purple firefish. One cube of "Marine Cuisine" in the morning, one cube of mysis for the LPS (bubble, hammer, frogspawn, etc) at night and the fish would get the extras.

 

[cr500_af]

That seems to follow what others said... if you buy it for more capacity, it'll produce. Still impressive with the amount you fed... heck, my tank gets maybe 3 cubes a WEEK.

 

[weaglereefer]

My sun coral gets 3 cubes of mysis a week, lol.

 

[snowmansnow]

cr500_af;514690 wrote: There is also the exclusivity that comes with owning the ONLY BK in Centre... or possibly all of the northern half of the state!

Dude, I'm in a BLACK HOLE of reef keeping here. I LITERALLY live in a subdivision that was built on a huge cotton field, and I'm surrounded by COWS. There are a few people that keep salty fish, but NO ONE has live coral.' ARC is the only link I have to the outside world or reefing

Most people that see my tank make say this first, "is that a salt water tank"?

haha but you're right, I'd venture to say very few folks run a bubble king skimmer around here, or even know what the heck it is.

 

[snowmansnow]

cr500_af;514866 wrote: Essentially, no. An oversized skimmer will go through phases of producing/not producing skimmate, but when the water gets some waste built up in it, it will start making gunk again.

I think its tricky comparing skimmate to say how good a skimmer is. The ickyness of your skimmate has a lot to do with how dirty your tank is in the first place as well as how good the skimmer is. Also, again my opinion, when you have a skimmer that IS effective enough it will eventually idle until due to the removed DOCs.

I found a quote from EuroReef page
FROM HERE
http://www.euro-reef.com/protein-skimmers.asp">http://www.euro-reef.com/protein-skimmers.asp</a>

When a skimmer can handle the bio-load of the system, it will actually “idle” when the level of DOC’s drops low enough to limit fractionation. i.e., there aren’t enough DOC’s to form a stable head of Foamate.

When a skimmer cannot handle the bio-load, it will continuously be creating foamate and skimmate and never “idle”. This is a clear indication that the skimmer is undersized for the system and should be upgraded or modified to handle the existing bio-load.

 

[grouper therapy]

SnowManSnow;515215 wrote: Dude, I'm in a BLACK HOLE of reef keeping here. I LITERALLY live in a subdivision that was built on a huge cotton field, and I'm surrounded by COWS. There are a few people that keep salty fish, but NO ONE has live coral.' ARC is the only link I have to the outside world or reefing

Most people that see my tank make say this first, "is that a salt water tank"?

haha but you're right, I'd venture to say very few folks run a bubble king skimmer around here</em></em>, or even know what the heck it is.

I bet they do but it is made of copper! And is set up in the woods!