Looking for the best Hang-on Skimmer

[rob5r]

I am looking for the best hang on skimmer. Would like to spend about $250 or so. I have a 70g tall tank (About 36" deep). Using a Rena XP3 and 3 Power Sweep 214 power heads, to keep the water moving. Here's my stock:

1 Green Carpet Anemone
1 Percula
1 Sailfin Tang
1 green Corris Wrasse
1 Manderin Goby
1 Green Spotted Goby
1 Scooter Blenny
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Maroon Shrimp
5 Hermits
4 Turbo's
1 Queen Conch


80 lbs Live rock

Looking at the AquaC Remora Pro. Help!

 

[wrightme43]

It is absolutely NOT NOT NOT NOT the prizim skimmer. I thought they were cool. I was 100% wrong. Junk, leaks, overflows, breaks and is just generally junk. Dont waste your money.

 

[Alpental]

I have a Aqua C Remora Pro on a 55 gallon and the thing is a monster. I had an Excalibur before and as soon as I put on the Pro there was a night and day difference. One draw back is that it is kind of noisy and it releases a lot of micro bubbles at first. They start to subside after a while. I cleaned out the spray nozzle recently and it started working too well? It started filling up the collection cup about every hour, but it was really wet. See post: http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17280

Now it's settled down again. I love it.

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF Rob5r!! Hope you enjoy it here As for a good H.O.T skimmer, I've heard about people using the AquaC Remora skimmer and being really happy with it, but like Steve (Wrightme43) said, don't mess with the Prizm skimmer. That skimmer has been bashed more than any other skimmer here! :shock: Best of luck

 

[burning2nd]

depending on what your going to have and do. you might wanna consiter the aqua c remora PRo, only cause i got the not pro, and now when i want to get a bigger tank ill have to by another.

(but the pro would have bin 2 big for me anyway)

AQUA C!!!, Good service, Friendly helpful people working there.

I highly recommend, but some people dont like em. there kinna big, bulky. SUPER strong, i cant see it ever brakeing.

 

[emilsanto]

i have a prizim pro the big one it works great for me so far. i used it curing my rock and the first 4 or 5 days it pulled out full collection cups of crap. then about half a cup for the next 5 or so days. it is on my 125 now and it gets full about once a week. so i think it works good for me. there is a problem though i think people try to open the flow to much. there is no way it can run with the water flow open to far. mine is cut back to about 1/2 and then i ajust the air intake. you have to clean the air intake tube, if it gets cloged with salt creep it will make you skimmer over flow. there are better skimmers out there for sure. but you will have to make the dicission for you self. depends on how much your buget is . also i must make a not i have a friend who runs a aquairium maintance bussines and he has tried the new coralife skimmers the one for the 125 and 220 size tanks and he really does not like them they always screw up on him he does not reccomend them at all.

 

[spongebob lover]

i have a prizm and a ASM baby g-1
and well the prizm is just junk... i adjust it and adjust it and still it doesn't get any junk while my baby g-1 gets me about half inch of yunk out of there .... just my experience with the prizm

 

[emilsanto]

ROB5
i had anoher skimmer a red sea berlin it was hard to keep going correctly you have to make sure you sump level was maintaned every day or it would change. also i hade a seaclone it didnt work well at all. i went to the prisim pro. 300 gal model.there are other hang on skimmers out there that might be good. it seems that if you spend the money on a good sump skimmer i would say you would probley be better off. but do some searches on the auac remora or crp bak pak skimmers. you might find some good info on them. but untill i find a better skimmer i will stick with what i have it works for me.

 

[reefnetworth]

i had a cpr once, traded it for frags. seriously, it was a waste of $. constant adjustment, loud, didnt pull much skimmate. Aqua C Remora is better built, quiet after a week, about the same time the MB's dissappear. pulls skimmate, dry or wet when adjusted. wet skimmate pulls more protiens from the water, therefore increasing feeding of corals or less food for them. dry pulls more "gunk" brownish/green oils and protiens before they can begin the nitrogen cycle. (dry, pulls more "surface" protiens) REEF-ON!

 

[rob5r]

Thanks for the input from everyone. Guess i'll look real hard at the Aqua C and the Bak Pak, since I don't have a sump and can't afford a DELTEC.

 

[jonneedshelp85]

i think your one the right track, but from experience with the prizm they arent as bad as alot of people may lead you to believe. however i have had a problem with leaks if they are not completely flush say from glass tops. if used correctly and not at full strength they can do the job but if you have the money to invest there is no reason not to buy a better skimmer and the aqua c is definatly the better of the two

 

[DonW]

The t1000 multi is a fine skimmer for a tank that size.

Don

 

[Burrower]

I also have a remora pro. It's been up and running for about two weeks now. It has quieted down, the bubbles have disappeared, and it's pulling out the necessary gunk. You can also purchase the skimmer with an optional preskimmer/bubble trap. I did and am fairly pleased with it. It's a bit awkaward to get the skimmer box around the pump, but I think it looks better and does get the surface water. Of course, it "forces" me to daily monitor my water level so it doesn't drop and stop taking in water (and hence have the pump run dry), but I suppose that is a good thing. I just thought you might want to consider the preskimmer box if you're looking into the remora skimmers.

On a final note, it was a BREEZE to get going and install..Install is such an involved word..heck all I did was hang it on the tank, attach the pump and plug it in! Of course i've done minor adjustments to the height of the skimmer tower that collects the foam, but that's all. Simply put, I love it!

 

[copepod]

and the aqua c is definatly the better of the two

That's funny that everyone thinks this because my experience was just the opposite. Maybe I was doing something wrong with the Remora but I sold it and kept my Prizm because the Prizm just seemed to do a better job. It is noisier however and this doesn't seem to be the experience of anyone else here.

 

[thekingfish]

The Remora works great but don't go with the pump it comes with.
Upgrade to a Mag 3.

 

[nu2reef-n]

I used a remora pro on my 110 gallon display for five months with no problems. It did a good job.

 

[MikeAtJac]

I used a remora pro on my 55 and was happy with that too.

 

[sausage fingers]

Hi,

I have a prizm skimmer and rate it fine peice of kit and good value for money, you should however check the silicone pipe and make sure it aint gone soft and collapsed

 

[MikeAtJac]

I had a prizum skimmer first. I felt like I was always having to adjust it and it just never measured up to the other skimmers I have used. I think a 30 gallon tank is the max you want to use it on. There are a lot of negitive reviews on the prizum skiimmers.

 

[Alpental]

It's a bit awkaward to get the skimmer box around the pump, but I think it looks better and does get the surface water. Of course, it "forces" me to daily monitor my water level so it doesn't drop and stop taking in water (and hence have the pump run dry), but I suppose that is a good thing. I just thought you might want to consider the preskimmer box if you're looking into the remora skimmers.

I just got the preskimmer/bubble trap and I'm happy with the way it works. The one thing I really hate about it is the size of the box. The thing is a monster but I guess it has to be in order to cover a mag 3. Like Burrower said, I also had an issue with watching the water level. I have a bunch of evaporation so this is what I did to fix it.

-I carefully drilled Six, ¼ inch holes in the side of the box about half way down. I bought six little plastic hole fillers at the hardware store and plugged all the holes. Once I had it all in the tank, I drained enough water to get the water level below the surface water intake slits. I turned the skimmer on and removed hole plugs until I had a perfect balance between surface skimming at the high water mark and still keeping the pump going at the low water mark. The balance for me was 4 open ¼ inch holes. Now I can go a few days and not have to worry about it. I hope that made sense?