Sump Skimmer Help

[blackwater]

i was thinking of the Reef Octopus XS 160 for the sump i want to build. i know nothing about this skimmer. quality's im looking for in a skimmer are....efficiency, durability, and it needs to be silent(or as close to silent as it gets), the tank will be in my living room so if its loud it will drive me nuts. im not dead set on the mentioned skimmer, open to suggestions. the DT is a 65gallon and the sump will be a 29 gallon.

 

[ddelozier]

In sump skimmers arent usually noisy. With the pump submerged, the sound gets muffled. That said, RO makes good stuff. I've used couple different models, including their HOB, and they are quite efficient yet quiet. I'd recommend RO Skimmers to anyone. NOW that said, what kind of tank are you setting up? Fish only, FOWLR, or reef. If you are doing FO or FOWLR and want truely silent, go for a Turf Scrubber in place of a skimmer. If you are doing soft corals, Turf Scrubbers work Well. if you are doing LPS, or SPS, go with a skimmer, as i've heard scrubbers can slow the growth of stony corals.

 

[blackwater]

will be fowlr to start but once matured enough and stable enough i want to start a reef. need to pick the skimmer soon so that i know what foot print it has. going to the glass shop on sat. to get glass for the sump build.

 

[slakker]

I'm not sure why, but the Tunze skimmers don't get much reviews or discussions. But I use a Tunze 9011 in my 72G and 90G and find it really good. I've used Euroreef skimmer before and quite liked it but it was noisy, and once it failed, I could not easily repair it so went with the Tunze.

I like the Tunze because it's quiet and is a set-it-and-forget-it system. It doesn't require tinkering with water height, etc. Just dial the airflow 1/4 turn until the skimmate is the way you like it. And cleaning is ridiculously simple compared to the Euroreef.

 

[theplantman]

+1 to slakker comment and also to DDelozier. I have become partial to Tunze equipment over the past year or so and while I do not own one of their skimmers I have been researching them for my next build and will be getting one. Everyone I have ever talked to about them notes on the quality and silence of their skimmers and I have found their pricing to be competitive. Plus they use the least amount of energy per gallon capacity that I have found. RO also a good skimmer and I have known a lot of people that have liked them. I have been very happy with my Aqua C and for a HOB skimmer its very quiet. I thought about one of their in sump skimmers for the next build but they were a little pricier than the Tunze and when I did the old side by side, the Tunze won.

 

[blackwater]

thanx for the info. i'll look up some tunze skimmers and see what size and price they are.

 

[blackwater]

they look like they have a smaller foot print than the RO. which tunze would u recomend for my setup? 65g DT, 29g sump. want to get a skimmer that is rated for larger than my tank, around double so 120g ish.

 

[theplantman]

For the size you want to rate at the Comline DOC 9006 would hit it. If it were me, for the money I would go with the 9410 the rating is 265gallons with the same power consumption as the 9006. The RO skimmers are a little less expensive at the 100-120 gal capacity mark but once you go over 200, it flips the other way from what I have seen.

Do some more research and ultimately choose what is best for you. Good Luck

 

[slakker]

The 9206 looks like a good option two. The 9011 is sized for your tank as well and has a compact footprint if sump real estate is a consideration...