Adding another skimmer?

ryanuuy · 01/18/2011, 09:35 AM

I have a 120g DT with a 60g sump. My total water volume now is around 125g. Im using a SRO XP3000-ext skimmer which is rated for 300g. I keep a medium bioload with mostly sps. I also use BP to keep nutrients down. So far everything has been going well but of course like all reefers, im looking to improve on what i have!

Im also going to be adding a 50g refugium to this system which will be primarily for additional food chains for my corals and fish. I was thinking with the addition of this extra water, i am going to need to add another skimmer into my sump to handle the extra water and to keep it pristine. I was thinking of the XP2000-SSS from reef octo as well. What do you guys think?

m2434 · 01/18/2011, 10:42 AM

I've heard dual skimmer setups don't always work well. The two skimmers compete and do not build up enough junk to skim efficiently. I have seen some people using two though, so maybe if there is a really heavy bioload it will be alright. From what I've read though, a single bigger skimmer may be more reliable though.

Mirror Pond · 01/18/2011, 11:15 AM

Your current skimmer should be able to handle the new addition and then some. A 50g refugium should not add too much to your load and like I said, your skimmer is built to handle that much volume anyway.

ryanuuy · 01/18/2011, 08:55 PM

I was thinking the same thing actually but im using biopellets and of course if i add more water volume, im gonna need to add more pellets which would mean more waste. Ill try it for a few months and if anything discolors or water quality drops, then i guess ill add one?

01/18/2011, 09:35 AM	#1
ryanuuy Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 204	Adding another skimmer? I have a 120g DT with a 60g sump. My total water volume now is around 125g. Im using a SRO XP3000-ext skimmer which is rated for 300g. I keep a medium bioload with mostly sps. I also use BP to keep nutrients down. So far everything has been going well but of course like all reefers, im looking to improve on what i have! Im also going to be adding a 50g refugium to this system which will be primarily for additional food chains for my corals and fish. I was thinking with the addition of this extra water, i am going to need to add another skimmer into my sump to handle the extra water and to keep it pristine. I was thinking of the XP2000-SSS from reef octo as well. What do you guys think?

01/18/2011, 10:42 AM	#2
m2434 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 2,171	I've heard dual skimmer setups don't always work well. The two skimmers compete and do not build up enough junk to skim efficiently. I have seen some people using two though, so maybe if there is a really heavy bioload it will be alright. From what I've read though, a single bigger skimmer may be more reliable though. __________________ Our imagination is stretched to the utmost, not, as in fiction, to imagine things which are not really there, but just to comprehend those things which are there. ~Richard Feynman

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01/18/2011, 11:15 AM	#3
Mirror Pond Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oregon Posts: 354	Your current skimmer should be able to handle the new addition and then some. A 50g refugium should not add too much to your load and like I said, your skimmer is built to handle that much volume anyway.

01/18/2011, 08:55 PM	#4
ryanuuy Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 204	I was thinking the same thing actually but im using biopellets and of course if i add more water volume, im gonna need to add more pellets which would mean more waste. Ill try it for a few months and if anything discolors or water quality drops, then i guess ill add one?