skimmer thoughts

[Bailey's Dad]

[FO
im thinking about getting a red sea prizm pro deluxe skimmer for my 90 gal...
its rated at up to 300 gal.does anybody know if this is a good skimmer or not?

[robcool]

[FO
im thinking about getting a red sea prizm pro deluxe skimmer for my 90 gal...
its rated at up to 300 gal.does anybody know if this is a good skimmer or not?

I just went through a week of h*** trying to choose a skimmer. They are so expensive, and there are so many choices! Unfortunately, almost everyone said that the Prizm's were not efficiant enough. Have to admit to not having used one myself, (I had a Sea Clone on my 75, talk about a bad skimmer), but everything I read is not positive.

Just ordered a Euro Reef for my 200g. Pricy, but lots of good feedback on it.

Good luck!

[r8tdr]

[FO
im thinking about getting a red sea prizm pro deluxe skimmer for my 90 gal...
its rated at up to 300 gal.does anybody know if this is a good skimmer or not?

This might help you decide.

Skimmer's Under 200-250$

[prtsrv]

Hey man. I just got the base Prism for my 56 gallon tank and it works great.
Prism says it can handle up to 100 gallons so the Prism Pro would probably be your best bet.
I've had mine for about three weeks and it's awsome. I did a lot of research on them and found nothing bad on them.
Good luck. Out of all the things I got for my tank, the skimmer was the hardest thing to decide on. There are so many of them around and givin their cost you don't want to make the wrong decision.

[Tervill]

I also have a prizm for my 90, and I must say that it works great. I have mine on the sump tank, and with the cabinet doors closed you can't even hear it running. I've had mine for about 3 months now and don't have a single complaint about it.

Terry

[Reefland]

Yeah lots of different opinions on skimmers; it's turning into a subject similar to lighting.

I would steer away from the Red Sea and find a skimmer that is driven with a real pump. I don't doubt that the Red Sea Prism skimmers work but I do seriously doubt they are efficient and effective enough to skim 75 and 90 gallon tanks. I have never owned one so this is just one persons opinion.

Euro Reef, My Reef Creation, Aqua C; those are some skimmers that are made to effectively skim reef tanks. Sure they cost but what doesn't in this hobby?

BTW, Welcome to Reefland!

Regards,
Scott Z.

[CanadianBacon]

I've had a Prizm Pro Deluxe (rated for up to 300gal.) on my 125gal. FOWLR for the past 4 months and I just ordered an Aqua C EV-120 to replace it. It's not that it wouldn't skim lots of smelly gunk bacause it did, just that it did only speractically. Every time I had to turn it off for a few minutes it seemed like it took another day to get it re-set so that it was efficient again. I just got tired of always having to fiddle with it. I was also starting to get salt creep down one of the seams on the main body of the skimmer. I do know two other people who also have the same deluxe model and they like it. JMO but I wouldn't buy another one.

This is my Prizm Pro on a good day. But more days when I just get a semi-clear watery skimmate unless I fiddle constantly.




Dave

[Wind]

ya i'd have to agree that there will be lots of opinion, but i think euroreef would be a good choice.. we'll i'm currently using it on my new 90, it only has base rock, cycled not too long ago, its about 2 months old, and only 2 percs....

it skims well, i like it alot, the best thing it is like a peripheral
plug and play. hehe..

thumbs up.. but it was a bit hefty. 250 range or so, more or less... but ya jmo...

[CanadianBacon]

ya i'd have to agree that there will be lots of opinion, but i think euroreef would be a good choice.. it skims well, i like it alot, the best thing it is like a peripheral
plug and play. hehe..
thumbs up.. but it was a bit hefty. 250 range or so, more or less... but ya jmo...

I'd agree, although comparing an Euro-reef skimmer to most of the lower priced skimmers is like comparing a Toyota Corola to a Lamborguini. The Toyota will get you there but the Lamborguini will get you there much faster and with a smile on your face

Dave

[Poseidon]

this is the skimmer I use, and it pulls out all kinds of NASTY DARK BROWN THICK SMELLY GUNK!!! plus its not all that expensive, I got the skimmer and the Mag 12 from Premium aquatics for about 250. The cool thing with this one is it can be external or in the sump. Just depends on what is easiest for you....[img]F:Eos 10DMikeFish TankEquipment[/img]

[Poseidon]

Oops picture didn't work...

Its a Kent Nautilaus 24

[rededteck]

I have had excellent success with my Euroreef skimmers. They are easy to maintain and clean and do an excellent job.

[kevinpo]

I would recommend a AquaC Remora Pro with the Mag 3 pump for a 90 gal. No air adjustment just the collection cup height and rated up to 120 gal tank.

HTH,
Kevin

[ReefKeeper]

I'd love the Remora IF it were sump based...but it's "spray injection" is loud as hell.
There has got to be quiter hang-ons that work as efficiently.
I have a sump based CPR skimmer that's a beaut. I have to assume that they're Bak-Pak would work just as well....especially when you figure that most hang-on skimmers are knock-offs of the Bak-Pak.
Even the Remora is based on the Bak-Pak design.

[kevinpo]

I run 2 of the Remora skimmers one is in a dentist office and both are silent (I have the Maxijet 1200 powering them). The Urchin model is the same unit but is an in sump model. I haven't run the Remora Pro yet so I can't say how loud that one is. The Bak-Pak hangon doesn't work as well because it gets salt creep in the airline tube and needs too much tweaking. The Remora is a knockoff of the Bak-Pak but with a couple of nice improvements. The black plastic sides are nice so you don't get algae growth/sponges inside.

HTH,
Kevin

[Beaker]

I run 2 of the Remora skimmers one is in a dentist office and both are silent (I have the Maxijet 1200 powering them). The Urchin model is the same unit but is an in sump model. I haven't run the Remora Pro yet so I can't say how loud that one is. The Bak-Pak hangon doesn't work as well because it gets salt creep in the airline tube and needs too much tweaking. The Remora is a knockoff of the Bak-Pak but with a couple of nice improvements. The black plastic sides are nice so you don't get algae growth/sponges inside.

HTH,
Kevin

I have built two counter current skimmers out of pvc, and an inverted kitchen funnel. They worked well and pulled all kinds of gunk out of my tanks. But, the limewood diffusors had to be replace every 4 to 6weeks. And you hadto get the water flow from the power head, an the air from the diffusors adjusted just right. Too much air and you had really wet skimmate. Too little air and no skimmate at all. The next skimmer I mke is going to be a venturi one. The beckett injector look like the best way to go. There are all kinds of posts extolling how well the beckett injectors work. However, I'm wondering how noisy they are.
I came across a DIY plan to convert a rio, or similar power head to a venturi pump. Here is the post:
http://ad.doubleclick.net/imp;v1;j;6402363;0-0;2;7596964;0|0;3638467|3656363|1;;cs=c%3fhttp://ad.doubleclick.net/adf/popup.about/;adid=6405737;sz=250x250;ord=5387693
Now if you can work this type of pump into a pvc, or acrylic diy skimmer you might have someting. And best of all spent a fraction of the price for a off theshelf skimmer.
Good luck