Skimmer question...

[AquaKnight]

Hey all, good looking board you guys got here. Hopefully I'll fit in nicely here.

I have some concerns about a custom skimmer I may be order. Due to a short stand, the limit of a skimmer height is 22". My tank being set-up is a 125gal, that I would like to turn into a predator reef. So, I would need a big ole nasty skimmer since I want to keep a variety of corals in there too. The design we've (ORCA and I) is a 22" total recirc with a 10" body, 4.5" neck, and 2 Aquabee recirc pumps. Any ideas or concerns about this setup before I give the go ahead? Any help is always appreciated.

 

[Skimmy]

http://www.saltycritter.com/pumps/sicce-pumps.htm
i'd say get them to use these pumps and mesh mod them, im certain orca could also fabricate a venturi for you as well.
these will be perfect on your short skimmer, also, if you did use these pumps, you would have to increase the neck size to 6", the 10" reaction chamber sounds perfect, also consider a turbulence"bubble plate"...orca has done one of these before, ask him about it...i'd say it would be worth the upgrade if you already know your going to have a xl fish bioload as well as wanting corals

 

[AquaKnight]

Dang, those pumps sound good. That would be 5000lph for both Sicce pumps (before mesh modding ), that's insane. I'll have to have some type drum for a collection cup overflow lol.

Yea, it's definitely going to have a heavy load, so we'll see on the skimmer.

 

[Skimmy]

water flow after air injection is like 1200lph,
and air injection when mesh modded is 1,100 lph @ 25 watts
but still those are awesome #'s for $110 each,
that's like double the air and water the aquabee 2000/1
how much does orca charge for ab 2000/1 pumps??

 

[AquaKnight]

Not a clue on the individual pumps. The options offered were either AB's or H3's??(haven't heard of them) I may go with a 6" neck and meshmod the ABs if necessary and maybe with the T plate pending the response...

 

[Skimmy]

the sicce pumps are going to be about the same cost, trust me, you want those over the ab pumps, and dont bother with the h3's if those are the octopus halia pumps he's talking about...
sicce is the way to go, best performance, less watts, quiet...worth it even if you have to get them yourself and supply orca with them.
im guessing orca is going to charge you almost $100 per ab pump anyway...