Protein Skimmers for a nano?

emj35 · 09-25-2007, 12:06 PM

I have an 24gal aquapod with the stock hood. I am wondering if anyone has any experience with the skimmers that will fit in the back chamber? I have heard that the fission skimmer is no good. Has anyone used the sapphire nanoskimmer?

JT101 · 09-25-2007, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emj35

I have an 24gal aquapod with the stock hood. I am wondering if anyone has any experience with the skimmers that will fit in the back chamber? I have heard that the fission skimmer is no good. Has anyone used the sapphire nanoskimmer?

Hello,

I have the Sapphire Aquatics model in my AP24. In my opinion, it is very finicky and difficult to adjust. One thing I hate is the clear plastic piece they supply you with that you have to put in front of the top "weir" (overflow) to deliberately reduce the back chamber water level below where the skimmer's air intake is. If you accidentally shut off the filter even for a second or two, the water pressure holding the plastic piece in place stops and the piece falls to the bottom of your tank - and usually all the way in the back behind your LR!!

Another thing is, the skimmer is just plain noisy. It emits a pulsing/foaming noise. The instructions that come with the skimmer tell you that this can be caused by the skimmer's pump not running in the "right" direction and the way to fix this is to turn the pump on & off repeatedly until the pulsing sounds stops. This "trick" has never worked for me.

On the plus side, the skimmer DOES seem to be working, I can get a healthy wet skim with lots of YUCK in it! It's just too bad that the damned thing is so tricky to set up.

CATALYST · 09-25-2007, 12:52 PM

I have the sapphire as well. I had it for a while in the back with the stock hood. There is a different overflow adjuster you can get...about $25. I turn off my pumps when I feed the fish and the little piece of plastic was a pain. The other one hangs on. I stuck a cut up blue sponge and stuck it right behind the overflow so I didn't have the waterfall noise. Just remember to clean it out often. Keep the water in back at about 1/2 height and the skimmer cup just under have height and you should be close. I think the skimmers works great. I wanted more so I got the hang on refugium that the skimmer sits in and its working out as well. It doesn't work with the stock hood though.

Nervoustime · 09-25-2007, 12:56 PM

I recently purchased the AquaC Remora with the Maxijet 1200 for my 24 gallon Aquapod. It hangs in the back chamber, where the blue sponges would be located. It works extremely well, and it is very easy to operate. I would highly recommend this for your tank. The fission skimmer is a waste of money (talking from experience).

JT101 · 09-25-2007, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nervoustime

I recently purchased the AquaC Remora with the Maxijet 1200 for my 24 gallon Aquapod. It hangs in the back chamber, where the blue sponges would be located. It works extremely well, and it is very easy to operate. I would highly recommend this for your tank. The fission skimmer is a waste of money (talking from experience).

Thanks for the advice. Does this skimmer actually fit all the way inside the R/H compartment (as you said, where the blue sponges would go)? And can you close the lid? If so, this would be GREAT! Please let me know. Thanks!

Sincerely,
John

Nervoustime · 09-25-2007, 02:50 PM

John,

The AquaC Remora fits perfectly in the back area. You would need to remove both of the sponges. I have the Sunpod 150w MH lighting on my tank. Therefore, I don't have a top. Does your lid completely cover the entire tank? You would need the back area, by the sponges, clear for the skimmer.

JT101 · 09-25-2007, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nervoustime

John,

The AquaC Remora fits perfectly in the back area. You would need to remove both of the sponges. I have the Sunpod 150w MH lighting on my tank. Therefore, I don't have a top. Does your lid completely cover the entire tank? You would need the back area, by the sponges, clear for the skimmer.

I have the AquaPod 24 with the enclosed hood (see pic).

As you can see, the hood completely covers the tank. Does the Remora stick up pretty high? If so then I guess I can't use it

Surfnut · 09-25-2007, 03:31 PM

I have the same pod setup as a QT tank atm. I have the 70w MH Fixture. I currently have a SeaClone100 on the back. Its a tight fight, but it fits perfectly with no modifications. Skims very well; Never had a problem with it. The trick with the seaclones seems to be getting the air ratio right. Personally, I twist it open until I hear an audible crackling noise; Has given me nice dense foam ever since.

With your hood I dont know if it would work. Minor modifications at most.

emj35 · 09-25-2007, 05:06 PM

yeah, the one I have is with a hood. The only skimmers I know of that will fit under it are the fission and sapphire models. I have really not heard any good things about the fission so the only one I am considering (so long as I keep my hood) is the sapphire one.

I spoke with the guys at nanocustoms the other day and he said that sapphire was working on a newer version of the nano skimmer for one of the other "cubes" but he wasn't sure if they had any plans for a newer one for the ap24.

Nervoustime · 09-25-2007, 05:56 PM

It looks like that it would not work with this lid. Whatever you decide, stay away from the fission!!!

Rcpilot · 09-25-2007, 09:17 PM

The Current Fission Nano skimmer is a POS. Speaking from experience. Waste of money--even if you got it for $5--waste of money.

jaysthename · 10-03-2007, 03:26 PM

I'm glad this thread is here, since I'm setting up my AP 24-gallon w/ 70w lighting now, and was wondering what my skimmer options were. Thanks to everyone for all of the info!

jaysthename · 10-30-2007, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nervoustime

John,

The AquaC Remora fits perfectly in the back area. You would need to remove both of the sponges. I have the Sunpod 150w MH lighting on my tank. Therefore, I don't have a top. Does your lid completely cover the entire tank? You would need the back area, by the sponges, clear for the skimmer.

Ok, so I just got my AquaC Remora protein skimmer, and it most definitely does NOT fit in the back chamber of the Aquapod where the blue sponges go. Perhaps the dimensions changed on one product or the other, I don't know, but caveat emptor for those of you with Aquapods shopping for protein skimmers.

kathywithbirds · 10-31-2007, 12:46 AM

Hubby has the 12 and 24 versions of the AP, he got so fed up trying to work with a skimmer (yeah fission sucks) that he's running regular filters on them and changing pads all the time. Seems to be working so far, but they're not old tanks.

nasek718 · 10-31-2007, 01:22 AM

Oceanic makes one that is designed for it's 14 and 29g biocubes. I set one up today for a client......they are pretty simple to install.

09-25-2007, 12:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
emj35 Tubeworm Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 34 View Gallery Karma Komment	Protein Skimmers for a nano? I have an 24gal aquapod with the stock hood. I am wondering if anyone has any experience with the skimmers that will fit in the back chamber? I have heard that the fission skimmer is no good. Has anyone used the sapphire nanoskimmer? __________________ My Tank Chronicle

09-25-2007, 12:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
CATALYST Elegance coral Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,223 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Protein Skimmers for a nano? I have the sapphire as well. I had it for a while in the back with the stock hood. There is a different overflow adjuster you can get...about $25. I turn off my pumps when I feed the fish and the little piece of plastic was a pain. The other one hangs on. I stuck a cut up blue sponge and stuck it right behind the overflow so I didn't have the waterfall noise. Just remember to clean it out often. Keep the water in back at about 1/2 height and the skimmer cup just under have height and you should be close. I think the skimmers works great. I wanted more so I got the hang on refugium that the skimmer sits in and its working out as well. It doesn't work with the stock hood though.

09-25-2007, 12:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
Nervoustime Torch coral Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Irvine, California Posts: 540 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Protein Skimmers for a nano? I recently purchased the AquaC Remora with the Maxijet 1200 for my 24 gallon Aquapod. It hangs in the back chamber, where the blue sponges would be located. It works extremely well, and it is very easy to operate. I would highly recommend this for your tank. The fission skimmer is a waste of money (talking from experience).

09-25-2007, 02:50 PM	#6 (permalink)
Nervoustime Torch coral Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Irvine, California Posts: 540 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Protein Skimmers for a nano? John, The AquaC Remora fits perfectly in the back area. You would need to remove both of the sponges. I have the Sunpod 150w MH lighting on my tank. Therefore, I don't have a top. Does your lid completely cover the entire tank? You would need the back area, by the sponges, clear for the skimmer.

09-25-2007, 03:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
Surfnut Star Polyps Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 167 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Protein Skimmers for a nano? I have the same pod setup as a QT tank atm. I have the 70w MH Fixture. I currently have a SeaClone100 on the back. Its a tight fight, but it fits perfectly with no modifications. Skims very well; Never had a problem with it. The trick with the seaclones seems to be getting the air ratio right. Personally, I twist it open until I hear an audible crackling noise; Has given me nice dense foam ever since. With your hood I dont know if it would work. Minor modifications at most.

09-25-2007, 05:06 PM	#9 (permalink)
emj35 Tubeworm Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 34 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Protein Skimmers for a nano? yeah, the one I have is with a hood. The only skimmers I know of that will fit under it are the fission and sapphire models. I have really not heard any good things about the fission so the only one I am considering (so long as I keep my hood) is the sapphire one. I spoke with the guys at nanocustoms the other day and he said that sapphire was working on a newer version of the nano skimmer for one of the other "cubes" but he wasn't sure if they had any plans for a newer one for the ap24. __________________ My Tank Chronicle

09-25-2007, 05:56 PM	#10 (permalink)
Nervoustime Torch coral Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Irvine, California Posts: 540 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Protein Skimmers for a nano? It looks like that it would not work with this lid. Whatever you decide, stay away from the fission!!!

09-25-2007, 09:17 PM	#11 (permalink)
Rcpilot Has been struck by the ban stick Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Arvada, CO. Posts: 297 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Protein Skimmers for a nano? The Current Fission Nano skimmer is a POS. Speaking from experience. Waste of money--even if you got it for $5--waste of money.

10-03-2007, 03:26 PM	#12 (permalink)
jaysthename Bryozoan Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 44 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Protein Skimmers for a nano? I'm glad this thread is here, since I'm setting up my AP 24-gallon w/ 70w lighting now, and was wondering what my skimmer options were. Thanks to everyone for all of the info!

10-31-2007, 12:46 AM	#14 (permalink)
kathywithbirds Social Darwinism victim Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Hood, NJ Posts: 5,836 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Protein Skimmers for a nano? Hubby has the 12 and 24 versions of the AP, he got so fed up trying to work with a skimmer (yeah fission sucks) that he's running regular filters on them and changing pads all the time. Seems to be working so far, but they're not old tanks. __________________ (\_/) (\__/) ( . .) (^.^) (")(") (> <) Bunny and Bunnina have worked things out. Bunny was mistaken after all, Bunnina was not having an affair. "Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." ~Lin Yutang

10-31-2007, 01:22 AM	#15 (permalink)
nasek718 Fire Coral Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Omaha,Ne Posts: 70 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Protein Skimmers for a nano? Oceanic makes one that is designed for it's 14 and 29g biocubes. I set one up today for a client......they are pretty simple to install. __________________ *To whom it may concern, please put more Mysis in the tank or the clam gets it, Sincerely the Lobo.* www.myspace.com/salt_h2o

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