I need a BIG skimmer! ideas please?

[Motohead]

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=912884

if it helps

I am looking to spend $500-$600 on a BIG skimmer

i will be using my 125 for a sump and it will be going on my 240

Kinda at a loss as what to get, every time i narrow it down i hear something bad about the one i chose.

what would you get?


thanks so much

Joe

[ostrow]

I have a 150 with 150 sump and 75 fuge. I have a G5. It is overkill but I really like it. You could get by with a G4x I think.

[Motohead]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8000074#post8000074 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ostrow
I have a 150 with 150 sump and 75 fuge. I have a G5. It is overkill but I really like it. You could get by with a G4x I think.

Thank you for the reply,


I was thinking the G6

but some are saying it doesn't pull enough air.

there will always be a flaw in everything to a point, but why is it so dang hard to choose a skimmer?


joe

[ostrow]

Doesn't pull enough air? Mine pulls too much, have to put restrictors on.

You don't need a G6 for that system IMHO. A G5 is going to be PLENTY. It's a freakin' monster.

[ostrow]

And it pulls plenty, plenty of air.

It's no harder to pick a skimmer than it is to pick a ballast, reflector, bulb, sand or no sand, carbon or no carbon, UV or no UV or which UV, etc, etc.

There are many good products, and people swear by what they are using because they spent the investment on the equipment and learning it and (hopefully) because it works for them.

The ASM is great because you can easily mod it for gate valve or recirc if you want, is extremely efficient, easy enough that any mammal can figure out how to work it, and is a great value.

You can spend your life savings and get a Deltec which is basically the same design.

Or get another design like a Beckett which will also work fine but will probably require more tinkering at least at the start.

Just pick one!

[Motohead]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8000174#post8000174 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ostrow
Doesn't pull enough air? Mine pulls too much, have to put restrictors on.

You don't need a G6 for that system IMHO. A G5 is going to be PLENTY. It's a freakin' monster.

happy to hear you say that. as that was my first choice,

but you feel the G5 is more then enough for a 240gal tank with a 125-180gal sump?

have pics of your bad boy in action?

feel free to email if you wish.

js3fro@sbcglobal.net

thanks by the way!

[Motohead]

Does the G5 have duel pumps? and do they / it come with it?

I dont think i can order a G5 from ASM anymore any other good sites that you could recommend?

Thanks again

[ostrow]

You are talking about 300gal of water total. That's about what I have. Remember sump is half full not much more. Mine is way overkill. Even were you to add a fuge of 50-75gal and a frag tank you'd be fine.

[ostrow]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/16612inside_sump_skimmer_and_bulkhead_intake.jpg

Old one from my gallery. Will try and get another soon.

[Motohead]

Thanks man! looks to be doing its job to me!

does it have 2 pumps?

[ostrow]

Yeah, the big ones, 2 Sedra 9000s. That's why I don't buy the garbage about not taking in enough air. I believe if you wanted you could get the genx or dolphins Euro-Reef uses now but maybe not. These things are silent and reliable.

[Motohead]

SWEEET thank you! that's what i thought. was thinking the same thing with 2 big pumps LOL , i was thinking of getting the gate valve mod for it as well wile im ordering anyways. i was looking into them here

http://www.aquamartonline.com/catalog/item/2438561/2056881.htm

[RobTop]

My 220 has a 125 fuge and a 3/4 full 100 sump. I use an Aerofoamer. It's a great skimmer, but if I were to do it again I would get a smaller aero and a smaller euro or asm. I have read a lot on skimmers and 1 thought I am liking is to have 2 skimmers each a little undersized of differant design. Flow, contact time and bubble size all play into performance, each design hits these perameters differantly. So the idea is to capitalize on this by employing 2 designs.

[Edward Smith]

I have a G3 on my 210g and have 50g of water in the sump.....nitrates 0 to trace. I agree with Joel, G5 is plenty. You could probably even do a G4 depending on your bioload plans. Don't buy retail. Watch ebay and the selling forum. You'll get a G5 for $350. If your really insist on going over the top, you can get a Euro Reef with three 5000 sedra pumps from Bret at the Splash of Life. I cant remember what he wanted for it but is was extremly reasonable. I was very tempted to buy it just to resell it.

[whiirly]

I have a G3 on my180 with about 220gal total water
it has a recircuit with a sedra 9000 and 5000 fed with a seperate pump
this thing is great very quite and pulls half cup a day of skimmate
I took the gate valve mod off as I dont see whatr it does for a skimmer like this


Like every one else I think the g5 or even g4x will be fine for you

[Doubledown]

I run a G5 on my system (180 gallon display, 75 gallon sump, 20 gallon refugium ((used to have an additional 180 plumbed in as well))) and it seems to be just fine.

As stated above it comes with 2 Sedra 9000s - I modded one of them to recirculation with a simple holesaw and uniseal. I also added the gate valve mod from ASMSkimmer.com. This thing is a monster! It stands over 32 inches though so fitting it in a stand will be tough.

If you want something more on the custom side, contact George @ GEO. He makes some very nice equiptment and can custom manufacture just about anything you would like (I believe mhurley had a 48" tall GEO w/4 needlewheel pumps on it).

[ostrow]

Check asmskimmer.com and also check Premium Aquatics for the ASM. PA will price match by the way, and they have the gate valve assemblies or you can easily put your own together.

But yeah, take up Ed's idea and call Brett at SoL for that Euro-Reef. Sounds great.

[fishfood23]

G4X 368.99
Rated for 450 gallons but I would say it is really more for a 300-350

http://www.asmskimmer.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21&osCsid=686c0dba785e4eca4fb051ace9e12d42

[mhurley]

Pfffft....That's not a big skimmer.




This is a big skimmer:

:D

http://www.montipora.com/mhurley/Barr_0227.jpg

[Doubledown]

Mike - you tall enough to get into that thing??!!

[mhurley]

Luckily, it has some twist lock flanges and thumbscrews to take apart each section. :D

[Doubledown]

Wow - talk about over skimming your 120...err um your 300!! :)

[REEFGREENER]

Moto,
PM me I have a G-6 I am going to sell.

[Motohead]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8003021#post8003021 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mhurley
Pfffft....That's not a big skimmer.




This is a big skimmer:

:D

http://www.montipora.com/mhurley/Barr_0227.jpg

good gawd!!! massive! glad i am in the same town il be right over to kidnap it. i mean check it out =)~

[Teremei]

I'll add my praise for ASM also.

I have a 125 w/ a 40 sump. And running a slightly overskimming G3 and I love it!

Go for the G5 man. Overskimming means you can afford to overfeed a little so all your fish get fat and healthy and then you still have good water quality because of it. Also don't forget your little pods can get all that extra food and reproduce well for the further health of your system.