Skimmer Time Again

[Bosco83]

Ok I think I am ready to buy a skimmer and I am having trouble deciding. I was now thinking the SWC Xtreme 160 cone vs the SWC Xtreme 200 (not cone). They are both the same price but the new craze seems to be a cone skimmer. So the smaller foot print would be nice but it's not rated for as big as the 200.

Also are these both going to perform better than my skimmer now? I have a Reef Devil that is pulling some really nasty junk out so I would be pretty disappointed if I paid $300 for something that won't perform better than what I already have. So mine pulls this out every two weeks or so, and I could make it skim a little wetter if I wanted.

Oh yea my tank is a 90 gallon with a 30 gallon sump and I have some open ended plans of upgrading to a larger tank maybe a 180.

Thanks,
Brian

 

[roscoe]

I don't know how big that CC is but I have the SWC 250A cone and it has a 12'' CC I believe and it fills that cup up in a week.

 

[Bosco83]

I don't know how big that CC is but I have the SWC 250A cone and it has a 12'' CC I believe and it fills that cup up in a week.

Hmm I should have posted that didn't even think about it I just measured and it is 5" diameter and 3 1/2 tall.

 

[ac7av]

I don’t know about your skimmer but I have the SWC 200 extreme on a 210 and I fill the cup every 2 days of nasty stuff like you have. I had a long conversation with skimmerwisper and it cam down to if you want a cone wait a bit for the new SWC 180 cone that will be out soon. The price is a bit more then the SWC 200 but the performance ratings as equal and the cone is a more efficient skimmer. The 160 cone is a great skimmer but just not up the waist removal capacity of the SWC 200 extreme. I am going to get the 180 cone when its available and run them both at the same time on my system.
Hope that helps more then confuses.

 

[uslanja]

Hi Bosco83! I do not run a skimmer so I'm no help with your question, but I'm wondering why you would want to trade up skimmers if you have one that is working? Are there different features to consider? Would you run both of them? When using a skimmer is it the practice to accurately size the skimmer to the tank or oversize it as a form of insurance?
Dave

 

[Bosco83]

Hi Bosco83! I do not run a skimmer so I'm no help with your question, but I'm wondering why you would want to trade up skimmers if you have one that is working? Are there different features to consider? Would you run both of them? When using a skimmer is it the practice to accurately size the skimmer to the tank or oversize it as a form of insurance?
Dave

I'm kinda asking my self the same question. Well when I first started the hobby I bought all my equipment used besides my lights, and now I am slowly starting to get all new stuff. I would just run one skimmer and I believe most people try to run one that is meant for a larger tank so maybe they are a little over kill.

 

[uslanja]

Hi Bosco83! I haven't found a need to run a skimmer yet, but I'm not sure what I would be looking for to decide if I did need a skimmer. I've only been playing at this for the past five months so I'm still learning! I estimate that I have around 40 actual gallons of water (after calculating for live rock and live sand displacement) between my display tank and refugium. I am running a refugium with cheato, live rock, live sand, some unidentified macro algae, a couple of emerald crabs and some snails. I have a small watchman gobby in the fuge and a three dot damsel in the display tank, so I do not believe my fish bio load to be very significant. Maybe that is why I haven't found a reason to run a skimmer yet. What will I notice when it is time for a skimmer? I have read where folks will oversize their skimmer and I would just be guessing that would be so they could handle any future bio load increase. But I'm still not sure what a skimmer does that couldn't be duplicated non-mechanically in the sump or refugium. By using a skimmer, can we then push the limit regarding the number and size of fish that can be kept? Is a skimmer just for fish bio load or does it remove something else? If the amount of stuff removed from the skimmer basket is an indicator of how well the skimmer is working, does that mean that the water will never achieve some type of balance and will always require a skimmer? I'm enjoying your thread and looking forward to learning more about skimmers!

Have a Great Day!

 

[Bosco83]

Hi Bosco83! I haven't found a need to run a skimmer yet, but I'm not sure what I would be looking for to decide if I did need a skimmer. I've only been playing at this for the past five months so I'm still learning! I estimate that I have around 40 actual gallons of water (after calculating for live rock and live sand displacement) between my display tank and refugium. I am running a refugium with cheato, live rock, live sand, some unidentified macro algae, a couple of emerald crabs and some snails. I have a small watchman gobby in the fuge and a three dot damsel in the display tank, so I do not believe my fish bio load to be very significant. Maybe that is why I haven't found a reason to run a skimmer yet. What will I notice when it is time for a skimmer? I have read where folks will oversize their skimmer and I would just be guessing that would be so they could handle any future bio load increase. But I'm still not sure what a skimmer does that couldn't be duplicated non-mechanically in the sump or refugium. By using a skimmer, can we then push the limit regarding the number and size of fish that can be kept? Is a skimmer just for fish bio load or does it remove something else? If the amount of stuff removed from the skimmer basket is an indicator of how well the skimmer is working, does that mean that the water will never achieve some type of balance and will always require a skimmer? I'm enjoying your thread and looking forward to learning more about skimmers!

Have a Great Day!

I'm sure no expert but I do have a little first hand experience with how it has helped me. On my wife's 55 gallon tank before she had a skimmer we were doing 20% water changes every two weeks to keep her nitrates down. Most of the time if we tested the water her nitrates would be at 40-60ppm. We decided to get a skimmer an Eshopps 100h. Before we put it on we tested the nitrates at 40ppm then a week later we tested the water again and her nitrates dropped to around 20ppm. Now with regular water changes and the skimmer when we test for nitrates nothing really shows up. She does not have a sump tank.

 

[ac7av]

Hay Bosco83
If your going to run both tanks at some point and only want to buy one skimmer, my vote is for the SWC 200.

If you are looking to run both tanks and want to upgrade then buy the swc 160 cone now for you currant tank and when you have the other tank buy the swc 180 cone.

If your just going to run one tank when you get the 180 then time will have passed and the 180 should be available and I would probably go with that.

As you found with your own tests running a skimmer helps to export toxins and waist from the system. If you like lots of fish like I do then it’s a must have. If you like a small amount of fish and lots of softy and LPS type corals then you can do with out pretty easily since these critters like a bit dirtier water. Just my opinion.

 

[Bosco83]

I placed an order! I have been talking with Jayson through e-mail about which skimmer and I decided on the SWC Xtreme 180.

Brian

 

[Skimmy]

excellent choice for upgrading later....
the SWC 160 cone would do your 90 great for sure,
but if you know your doing a 180 in the future, then the 180 cone is the ticket.
the SWC mini S cone (w/ sicce) is on sale for $275, which is great for tanks up to 200g also!

 

[Skimmy]

oh and your reef devil just got smoked for breakfast, and kicked to the curb...lol

 

[Bosco83]

oh and your reef devil just got smoked for breakfast, and kicked to the curb...lol

LOL I hope so! Hmm he told me the mini was on sale for $325 other wise I would have got that one? I did get a good deal on the 180 though he said it was a demo and sold it to me for $200.

 

[Skimmy]

oh snap... a demo 180 cone for $200??? SCORE!!!

reeffiltration has the mini s on sale for $275

 

[ac7av]

Oh come on man, that was my skimmer $200 ? chuching

 

[Bosco83]

Here is an update. This is for Friday-Sunday of skimming it must be broken in I emptied this Sunday and emptied it again today with about half this amount. I'm pretty darn happy!

 

[Skimmy]

beautiful!!!
I cant wait to get my new cone...

 

[thatguy559]

i just my 180 yesterday....but no tank to test it on yet.....still waiting on my sump