need quiet skimmer for shallow tank/sump

[Electrokate]

Hi,
I am setting up a very long shallow tank in my bedroom and can't fit in tank skimmers, sump is also shallow. Brought home one from the LFS that is very noisy, it also leaked so I get to return it, don't want another noisy one. Suggestions? Tank is for mainly inverts but will have some fish. It is 5 feet long and 18" the other ways, holds 80 gallons plus 20 in the sump. Suggestions? Money is an obstacle too, I work retail
Thanks
Kate B
Oly WA

 

[big t]

How much money do you have to spend? You are honestly better off waiting and saving up enough money for a proper skimmer versus buing a P.O.S. You pretty much get what you pay for when it comes to this department.

 

[Electrokate]

money

Hi,
Basically I make $350 a month above the table and breed killifish, that income depends on the whims of aquabid but can be lucrative enough that I will need to pay taxes and get a TIN soon. Whatever I get is going on the credit card or via paypal... I have $130 credit for the one I bought which I am returning and am willing to add $100. I know, this is not a hobby for people in my income bracket but what's started might as well be finished. I began the hobby when I had a good job but my vision and back are going out and I can't do much with my skills anymore other than breed fish and raise inverts, so that is what I am doing. Breeding and selling fish and inverts. I get and trade frags and grow them out, and prefer to work with domestic raised fish and inverts. Raised a few baby peppermint shrimp to settling stage too. I have had good luck finding quality used gear when I need it, just need some pointers on exactly what that is. Thought the one I got retail would be good but didn't know some would be so noisy. Since I have been raising phytoplankton, brine shrimp, rotifers and peppermints I had been doing a ton of tank changes and using the "used" water for culturing so haven't needed a protein skimmer but this new tank is larger, won't have to draw water from it.

One problem is my vision is just bad enough that it is very irritating to read normal print, sand of course there are no large print fish books/magazines. So research is aggravated by lack of ability to read.
Sucks eh?
It's ok though, at least I don't have to do medical billing and insurance work anymore. What boring jobs!
Kate

 

[big t]

Wow Kate, I feel for you. Sometimes life is hard, but it sounds like you are trying to make the most of it huh? I will name a good skimmer for you. A euroreef ES 5-2 is in your price range if you look in the right places. It is sump mounted, and they are pretty quiet.

 

[Electrokate]

Thanks and thanks, I don't think I am cursed or anything, just got a little heads up to live life a little more fully and enjoy it while I can. Sitting at a desk all day for more money was lucrative but a waste of time essentially, plus it probably didn't help my eyes and back (neither does carrying buckets of water). Money isn't as good now but in Oly the living is fairly cheap. If I work hard in the fish room I can usually generate enough scratch to cover things. If you work harder at insurance they just give you more work and then make you come in on Saturdays too
Is this skimmer going to need my sump to be a certain depth? That's one of my issues.
Thanks,
Kate

 

[big t]

Kate I sent you a PM. Well how deep is your sump, most skimmers need about 6-8" of water to run. Do you know what your clearance is from the bottom of the sump to the top of the stand?

 

[Electrokate]

Bottom of sump to underside of stand is 22" and depth of sump is supposed to be 5", but I think I could add a piece of plexi and make a chamber for the skimmer that would be 9 or 10 inches deep. Might have to figure out how to make the cpr bak pak quiet and use that after all, or use a custom/homemade skimmer. It's gonna be interesting.
I don't plan on keeping large fish, am primarily interested in photosynthetic inverts and small fish. How strictly critical is the skimmer? Will a lightly stocked invert heavy reef tank generate enough skimmate to really get a skimmer fired up? Wishful thinking: "maybe I don't need one"
Plan on having a pair of bangai cardinals, pair hi fin banded gobies, pair green clown gobies, pair chromis, and maybe a royal gramma and after the tank matures maybe a mandarin. I work at a fish store so might periodically take home small fish, quarantine them, and try them in the tank and trade them in when they get larger. I don't like aggressive or large fish. Suppose working at the store the temptation to add more fish will be a constant problem.
Thanks,
Kate

 

[MtnDewMan]

AquaC EV 120 would probably do the trick in that sump. I bet you could find one used if you look around (ebay, or here, or other boards). A used one would probably be right in your price range there.

Good Luck