50 gallon Skimmer or No?

OceanDweller · 12/07/2008, 12:33 AM

I am designing an energy efficient 50 gallon with 50 gallon sump underneath in the stand. Will be SPS system with light fish bio-load and heavy mobile invert bio-load. I will have a refugium but am having serious doubts about putting my octopus dnw200 underneath due to heat via the pump, the size of room it will take up, maintenance, and the $ of selling it I will be able to use toward coral. I am planning on doing large water changes and if I go skimmerless I will be able to incorporate a very large refugium, mangroves/DSB/Cheato/already have grow lights/zenia. I am planning on running dual reactors of carbon and phosban downdraft and suppose I could always run the skimmer out of water downdraft somehow with some mods to the footprint. I would hate to sell the skimmer and then decide to use it any thought?

Hop · 12/07/2008, 01:11 AM

Personally if I was thinking SPS, there wouldn't be a choice. Yes skimmer, it will remove more in that space than if the same realestate was a fuge.

crvz · 12/07/2008, 09:36 AM

I agree with Hop, on the type of system you're looking I think you'll be more successful relying on mechanical filtration as opposed to biological. If you don't like that skimmer, consider a different one (though in my opinion it's a good option for that sized tank).

Aquabucket · 12/07/2008, 02:32 PM

I think you can do quite well if you keep your fish load on the low side of things. I would not skimp on lighting for your fuge though.

OceanDweller · 12/07/2008, 05:42 PM

I am glad I got some advanced posts on the subject. I really like the skimmer and have slightly modded it for performance however it runs around 65 watts and I am dead split on the space issue. I am thinking more and more about large 20-30% system bi-weekly water changes instead.

Thank you for the idea about the lighting, I just picked up two 13 watt 10K PC's and am planning on supplementing with 4 13 watt spiral PC bulbs on 8" reflectors. Still split 50/50 300 would be about 20 fairly high quality frags...

Hop · 12/07/2008, 05:55 PM

Aquabucket is a good man to speak with in regard to going skimmerless... but I couldn't do it, I know me too well

JustinReef · 12/07/2008, 06:29 PM

It can be tough with sps. I went skimmerless with my 68G...that lasted a month. It was a good experience and my corals did quite well but I (like you) already had a good skimmer and just decided not to use it. After a few weeks of the water changes I decided enough was enough and I have a skimmer hooked up again. Not to mention the extra cost of weekly water changes was not going to be fun.

Its amazing what the skimmer pulled out the first HOUR of being set up on the tank again...kind of scary.

Jflip2002 · 12/07/2008, 06:36 PM

Energy efficient is one thing, and I can understand that. But a good skimmer doesnt take much electricity. My skimmer tanks 37w, and is rated for ~250g. I have an different octopus, so I cant imagine yours running on much more electricity (if more at all). So the money on electricity would be well spent. Especially with SPS.

OceanDweller · 12/07/2008, 06:58 PM

My pump is in fact around 65 watts its the 3000 needle wheel octopus mesmodded venturi mod. Should cost around 10$ a month here to operate the skimmer's main pump. We will be moving to the gulf coast in a week and I will be able to collect live food and some inverts.

DetectiveTofu · 12/07/2008, 06:58 PM

skimmer

12/07/2008, 12:33 AM	#1
OceanDweller Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Longview Texas Posts: 294	50 gallon Skimmer or No? I am designing an energy efficient 50 gallon with 50 gallon sump underneath in the stand. Will be SPS system with light fish bio-load and heavy mobile invert bio-load. I will have a refugium but am having serious doubts about putting my octopus dnw200 underneath due to heat via the pump, the size of room it will take up, maintenance, and the $ of selling it I will be able to use toward coral. I am planning on doing large water changes and if I go skimmerless I will be able to incorporate a very large refugium, mangroves/DSB/Cheato/already have grow lights/zenia. I am planning on running dual reactors of carbon and phosban downdraft and suppose I could always run the skimmer out of water downdraft somehow with some mods to the footprint. I would hate to sell the skimmer and then decide to use it any thought? __________________ Brad

12/07/2008, 01:11 AM	#2
Hop Carpe Noctem!!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 8,548	Personally if I was thinking SPS, there wouldn't be a choice. Yes skimmer, it will remove more in that space than if the same realestate was a fuge. __________________ Hop Current Tank Info: 300-gallon in-wall system (mixed reef)

12/07/2008, 09:36 AM	#3
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	I agree with Hop, on the type of system you're looking I think you'll be more successful relying on mechanical filtration as opposed to biological. If you don't like that skimmer, consider a different one (though in my opinion it's a good option for that sized tank). __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

12/07/2008, 02:32 PM	#4
Aquabucket Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Green Bay, Wi. Posts: 4,455	I think you can do quite well if you keep your fish load on the low side of things. I would not skimp on lighting for your fuge though. __________________ "Just a drop in the bucket"

12/07/2008, 05:42 PM	#5
OceanDweller Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Longview Texas Posts: 294	I am glad I got some advanced posts on the subject. I really like the skimmer and have slightly modded it for performance however it runs around 65 watts and I am dead split on the space issue. I am thinking more and more about large 20-30% system bi-weekly water changes instead. Thank you for the idea about the lighting, I just picked up two 13 watt 10K PC's and am planning on supplementing with 4 13 watt spiral PC bulbs on 8" reflectors. Still split 50/50 300 would be about 20 fairly high quality frags... __________________ Brad

12/07/2008, 05:55 PM	#6
Hop Carpe Noctem!!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 8,548	Aquabucket is a good man to speak with in regard to going skimmerless... but I couldn't do it, I know me too well __________________ Hop Current Tank Info: 300-gallon in-wall system (mixed reef)

12/07/2008, 06:29 PM	#7
JustinReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3,715	It can be tough with sps. I went skimmerless with my 68G...that lasted a month. It was a good experience and my corals did quite well but I (like you) already had a good skimmer and just decided not to use it. After a few weeks of the water changes I decided enough was enough and I have a skimmer hooked up again. Not to mention the extra cost of weekly water changes was not going to be fun. Its amazing what the skimmer pulled out the first HOUR of being set up on the tank again...kind of scary.

12/07/2008, 06:36 PM	#8
Jflip2002 Eagles & Tigers Fan Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 3,543	Energy efficient is one thing, and I can understand that. But a good skimmer doesnt take much electricity. My skimmer tanks 37w, and is rated for ~250g. I have an different octopus, so I cant imagine yours running on much more electricity (if more at all). So the money on electricity would be well spent. Especially with SPS. __________________ I hate cheap powerheads. Current Tank Info: 40g Breeder

12/07/2008, 06:58 PM	#9
OceanDweller Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Longview Texas Posts: 294	My pump is in fact around 65 watts its the 3000 needle wheel octopus mesmodded venturi mod. Should cost around 10$ a month here to operate the skimmer's main pump. We will be moving to the gulf coast in a week and I will be able to collect live food and some inverts. __________________ Brad

12/07/2008, 06:58 PM	#10
DetectiveTofu Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,150	skimmer