All right stop! Skimmer time?

[ghurlag]

I need some help here. I have a Frankenskimmer in my sump right now, that is better than nothing, but only by a little. I am considering the fact that, maybe if I get a better pump for it, it will do better at making foam. As it is right now, in order to skim much of anything, I have to run it pretty wet. I have cleaned it out before, but never ever gotten it to the foamy goodness I have seen so many other places. Right now, the main return pump is split off to feed the skimmer. It's a hefty pump (dunno what brand), and the ball valve is only open a little to the tank.

Anyway, if I were to look for an oversized skimmer for my 29g, do any of you have any solid recommendations? Octopus and MSX (Marine Solutions in Waynesville) are two types I have been looking at.

My tank is getting really grimy, even with water changes, and only feeding every 3 days. I know the filter system needs an overhaul, so I am starting to formulate my plan. I'll be building a new, bigger sump, so space won't ultimately be an issue for the skimmer. I have considered a 55 gallon sump (right now I have a 10 under the DT), but that's another conversation. I welcome your input. If you make a recommendation, please support that recommendation as best as you can. I'm looking for experience, and hot hearsay ;)

[marinelife]

The Octopus look like and seem to run well

[ghurlag]

http://premiumaquatics.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PA&Product_Code=CV-OCT-NWB-110&Category_Code=Octopus

Here's a link to the Octopus 110. It says up to 100 gallons. I won't be going bigger than that for the foreseeable future...

[ghurlag]

Here's another links:

Bubble Magus:
http://www.marinesolutionsinc.com/catalog/Protein-Skimmers-Bubble-Magus/c22_84/p375/Bubble-Magus-NAC6-Protein-Skimmer/product_info.html

If anyone has a brand they are partial to, that would be helpful as well. I'm doing research now so when I redo my sump, I'll have a game plan

[marinelife]

I would go with the Octopus Skimmer, I hear good things about them. Justin uses them and can order them.

[Aquatic Specialists]

Yeah the Reef Octopus are really nice and affordable.

[ghurlag]

Good to know, Justin. Is that something that you deal in at all? If so, you might have my business in a month or two on this, as well :)

[Aquatic Specialists]

Yeah, they are my favoite brand

[ghurlag]

Awesome - I may be talking to you soon about this, if I can't get the current skimmer to do what it's supposed to.

[jeremyreef]

for now if you have a needle wheel impeller you could order some mesh, (or i might have some laying around) and mesh mod it. you will get more gunk out.

[ghurlag]

see, that's part of the problem... this thing is fed off a Y from the return pump, with a venturi line on the skimmer body, and then the bubbles go through mesh. I think I just need to start over with something awesome. With a tank this small, I can't really afford not to run a skimmer

[ghurlag]

Okay, I've talked it over with a few folks (chromiumlux, marinelife, AquaticSpecialists, and jeremyreef) and come to the conclusion that a Reef Octopus DNWB-110 Needlewheel Recirculating Skimmer w/pump, coupled with a Maxi-Jet 600 should do the trick for what I want.

Now... the next dilemma. I currently have a 10g sump with 1 baffle, no bubble traps. It's also inside my stand, and even with good airflow, I am getting green mold growth from evaporation. For a whole host of reasons, I want to build a new sump. I have a couple ideas that I need to research, and share with my fellow reefers. Please let me know what you think...

Display Tank - 29g
Sump size - 20g-55g(for more water volume and plenty of room for skimmer, fuge, and anything else I deem necessary, such as a canister running carbon to be used from time to time. This sump would be behind the display tank somewhere (I have curtains, not a wall behind my tank, even so, nothing a drill couldn't handle).
Fuge - I'm trying to figure out what benefits, if any, growing xenia in the fuge, along with macro algaes and pods, would deliver.

I welcome any other thoughts or suggestions. I won't be doing much for the next couple weeks as I finish school, and raise the funds I will need for this project, so now is a good time to open up a dialog

[TechGuy40]

Reef Octopus all the way.

[TechGuy40]

Okay, I've talked it over with a few folks (chromiumlux, marinelife, AquaticSpecialists, and jeremyreef) and come to the conclusion that a Reef Octopus DNWB-110 Needlewheel Recirculating Skimmer w/pump, coupled with a Maxi-Jet 600 should do the trick for what I want.

Now... the next dilemma. I currently have a 10g sump with 1 baffle, no bubble traps. It's also inside my stand, and even with good airflow, I am getting green mold growth from evaporation. For a whole host of reasons, I want to build a new sump. I have a couple ideas that I need to research, and share with my fellow reefers. Please let me know what you think...

Display Tank - 29g
Sump size - 20g-55g(for more water volume and plenty of room for skimmer, fuge, and anything else I deem necessary, such as a canister running carbon to be used from time to time. This sump would be behind the display tank somewhere (I have curtains, not a wall behind my tank, even so, nothing a drill couldn't handle).
Fuge - I'm trying to figure out what benefits, if any, growing xenia in the fuge, along with macro algaes and pods, would deliver.

I welcome any other thoughts or suggestions. I won't be doing much for the next couple weeks as I finish school, and raise the funds I will need for this project, so now is a good time to open up a dialog

With the recirc I doubt you will need a bubble baffle. Go check out the skimmer at the shop, its out put is pretty clean. My DNWB-200 returns no bubbles from the outlet pipe when it is submerged.

[ghurlag]

The bubbles in my current sump are from the overflow, not the skimmer :(

I feel a major overhaul in the near future :D