Protein skimmer

[lanman]

I picked up a 'purchased, but never used' Seaclone 100 protein skimmer yesterday that I purchased through craiglist.org. Of course - after I made the deal, I heard something about Sea-clone not being a high-quality product.

 

I'm using it for a 45-gallon tank. Is it satisfactory? Should I limit the amount of fish in the tank?

 

Are you tired of all my newbie posts yet?

 

bob

[jamesbuf]

 

Are you tired of all my newbie posts yet?

 

bob

 

Everyone has to start somewhere. You paid you dues, feel free to post whatever you want.

 

I've also heard that they aren't the best skimmer, but I'm sure it'll be fine if you don't overfeed your tank and keep a small list of fish. I would just stay on the lookout for a remora or one of the better HOB skimmers. After having a few subpar skimmers, its pretty crazy how much of a difference a good skimmer makes in your tank.

[YBeNormal]

Yeh, they aren't very good at all. It pays to do some research before opening your wallet in this hobby.

[lanman]

Yeh, they aren't very good at all. It pays to do some research before opening your wallet in this hobby.

 

Well, I didn't have to open it very far... it's brand new, and only cost me $40.

 

On the other hand, I have now found this from a review of skimmers:

 

" Regardless of how attractive the price is, I don

[inedukated]

I used one of these and quickly upgraded to a used AquaC remora skimmer. The Sea clone is finicky, requires constant attention, and it doesn't skim very well.

 

Use it for now, because something is better than nothing. Save a few bucks though, and look for a used remora for under $100.

 

Note: the AquaC remora isn't a phenomenal skimmer, but it'll do what you need until you start getting an ultra heavy load, or bigger tank.

[Ingo]

Red Sea Berlin skimmer. the best for under $150

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_protei...rbo.asp?CartId=

[martin]

After owning a line of cheapos I got a turboflotor 1000 and made about 10,000 adjustments to it. It works well, after the adjustments, but I would look to spend the most on your skimmer until you get into the difficult corals, then its your lights.

 

Skimmers and RO/DI units have made my tank operational (until my wife springs for a Deltec or bubblemaster)

[lanman]

After owning a line of cheapos I got a turboflotor 1000 and made about 10,000 adjustments to it. It works well, after the adjustments, but I would look to spend the most on your skimmer until you get into the difficult corals, then its your lights.

 

Skimmers and RO/DI units have made my tank operational (until my wife springs for a Deltec or bubblemaster)

 

 

I started the thing up - it's making lots of bubbles. Can't tell that it's doing anything else. Of course - I have no fish in there yet; just a couple of snails and hermits.

 

I will be looking for a better one real soon.

 

Thanks for info!

 

bob

[dzekunoi]

After owning a line of cheapos I got a turboflotor 1000 and made about 10,000 adjustments to it. It works well, after the adjustments, but I would look to spend the most on your skimmer until you get into the difficult corals, then its your lights.

 

Skimmers and RO/DI units have made my tank operational (until my wife springs for a Deltec or bubblemaster)

He-he, I never was able to make my Turboflotor to work :(

Then upgraded to Euroreef, then to Deltec. The HOB Deltec IMHO, is one great skimmer. Pricey though.

[lanman]

Red Sea Berlin skimmer. the best for under $150

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_protei...rbo.asp?CartId=

 

How about this one?

 

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=RS1121

 

Red Sea Berlin Turbo Classic Protein Skimmer Package with Pump

 

Item Code: RS1121

 

Price: $184.99

 

Includes the pump - looks really easy to set up.

 

bob

[Caribbean Jake]

Check the AquaC Remroa, or the Mini ASM, they are better products. The RedSea will last you for a year or so, and then you will want to upgrade, so spend your $$$ now and get a good one... just my opinion after been there, and done that.

[Triggerfish31]

I bought one of these as well for my 75 tank setup. I have not even opened the box yet and I bought it early last month. I read the other replies on this thread. Should I return this and upgrade to a bigger one? Would the recomendations for the skimmers listed above be suitable for my 75 reef tank?

 

Aaron

[lanman]

Check the AquaC Ramroa, or the Mini ASM, they are better products. The RedSea will last you for a year or so, and then you will want to upgrade, so spend your $$$ now and get a good one... just my opinion after been there, and done that.

 

I got an AquaC Remora. Small one. It seems to be making lots of bubbles, but after about 6 hours - nothing has actually come up into the overflow area. Is that because I don't have much proten to skim? Or should I be seeing froth, anyhow? When?

 

Thanks,

bob

 

I bought one of these as well for my 75 tank setup. I have not even opened the box yet and I bought it early last month. I read the other replies on this thread. Should I return this and upgrade to a bigger one? Would the recomendations for the skimmers listed above be suitable for my 75 reef tank?

 

Aaron

 

By 'one of these' - do you mean the Seaclone 100? From my attempt to make it work, it seems like a silly design to begin with. Put an air hose inside the filter, and adjust the amount of air with a little valve. I had more luck adjusting it by pushing the air hose further into the filter, or pulling it out. It didn't even SEEM to be making small enough bubbles. Now the one I got might very well be the 'older' model - supposedly it has been improved.

 

I read a bunch of reviews after I purchased it, and the only people that had anything good to say about it was the manufacturers.

 

So up to you, I guess. Mine is in the trash already.

 

bob

[YBeNormal]

Bob,

 

It can take several days for skimmer to begin breaking in. Give it some time.

 

Bob2

[inedukated]

Bob,

 

It can take several days for skimmer to begin breaking in. Give it some time.

 

Bob2

 

Ditto. the Remora is a good skimmer, it'll just take some time to break in.

[lanman]

Ditto. the Remora is a good skimmer, it'll just take some time to break in.

 

Okay - it is making foam, which comes out the top of the tube. Now what - just rinse that cup out every couple days? It's still white foam - but obviously working.

 

bob

[YBeNormal]

Yep, rinse it out whenever the cup starts filling up or when the gunk starts building up around the top of the neck.

[rancor1]

I got an AquaC Remora. Small one. It seems to be making lots of bubbles, but after about 6 hours - nothing has actually come up into the overflow area. Is that because I don't have much proten to skim? Or should I be seeing froth, anyhow? When?

 

Thanks,

bob

By 'one of these' - do you mean the Seaclone 100? From my attempt to make it work, it seems like a silly design to begin with. Put an air hose inside the filter, and adjust the amount of air with a little valve. I had more luck adjusting it by pushing the air hose further into the filter, or pulling it out. It didn't even SEEM to be making small enough bubbles. Now the one I got might very well be the 'older' model - supposedly it has been improved.

 

I read a bunch of reviews after I purchased it, and the only people that had anything good to say about it was the manufacturers.

 

So up to you, I guess. Mine is in the trash already.

 

bob

 

Wow - talk about overreaction. I used mine for 2 years and it was adequate for my starter system. It worked fine for live rock, fish, and some basic corals. I'm still using it for a temporary house for some fish in a 29 gallon while my live rock finishes curing for my next tank. So, as a beginner, I wouldn't throw it out. It may not be the greatest ever, but it suffices.

[lanman]

Wow - talk about overreaction. I used mine for 2 years and it was adequate for my starter system. It worked fine for live rock, fish, and some basic corals. I'm still using it for a temporary house for some fish in a 29 gallon while my live rock finishes curing for my next tank. So, as a beginner, I wouldn't throw it out. It may not be the greatest ever, but it suffices.

 

I threw it out... I could never get it to make the kind of bubbles that looked like they would actually skim proteins. I got it really cheap - it was no great loss.

 

bob

[madmax7774]

Here's the thing about skimmers, When you first start out, you don't know any better, and you get the cheapest thing you can find, (I did) They all work to one degree or another, it's just a question of how well they work. On a beginner's tank with a light to normal fish load, without a large amount of expensive coral, it will suffice until you are ready to upgrade. Lots of people are going to tell you things ranging from "oh my God that one sucks!" to "that is the best model on the planet!" I went through this myself recently. I started with a 75G tank and a coralife 125 superskimmer. it worked ok for what I was doing, but once I started wanting to get into the fancy corals (read expensive), I realized that I had to graduate to the next level to keep them alive. I then bought a Euro-reef which was a good skimmer. Then I upgraded my tank, and needed a bigger skimmer, and decided that enough was enough with buying skimmer after skimmer. I got tired of farting around and went for the biggest baddest skimmer I could find. I bought a Deltec 851. I have since learned 3 things about skimmers;

1 - Based on my own experience, Recirc skimmers are more efficient than regular skimmers

2 - You can't have too large of a skimmer, so buy the biggest one you can fit under your stand/afford.

3 - To me, Deltec skimmers really are worth the ridiculous price they charge.

 

When you are ready for an Upgrade, talk to Dandy7200 about his new line of skimmer' which are modeled after Deltec.

John

[lanman]

Here's the thing about skimmers, When you first start out, you don't know any better, and you get the cheapest thing you can find, (I did) They all work to one degree or another, it's just a question of how well they work. On a beginner's tank with a light to normal fish load, without a large amount of expensive coral, it will suffice until you are ready to upgrade. Lots of people are going to tell you things ranging from "oh my God that one sucks!" to "that is the best model on the planet!" I went through this myself recently. I started with a 75G tank and a coralife 125 superskimmer. it worked ok for what I was doing, but once I started wanting to get into the fancy corals (read expensive), I realized that I had to graduate to the next level to keep them alive. I then bought a Euro-reef which was a good skimmer. Then I upgraded my tank, and needed a bigger skimmer, and decided that enough was enough with buying skimmer after skimmer. I got tired of farting around and went for the biggest baddest skimmer I could find. I bought a Deltec 851. I have since learned 3 things about skimmers;

1 - Based on my own experience, Recirc skimmers are more efficient than regular skimmers

2 - You can't have too large of a skimmer, so buy the biggest one you can fit under your stand/afford.

3 - To me, Deltec skimmers really are worth the ridiculous price they charge.

 

When you are ready for an Upgrade, talk to Dandy7200 about his new line of skimmer' which are modeled after Deltec.

John

 

Well, I'll be darned... skimmers work. In my 24-gallon tank, I have never seen ZERO nitrate. 5... 10... never zero.

 

In the last two weeks I've added a skimmer - and three fish to my 45-gallon tank, which is much newer than the 24. Tonight, I measured ZERO nitrates. I thought the test kit was broken, and would read minimum of 5... Cool beans! Everything is doing great in the 24-gallon tank, but I wonder if the coral would grow faster at ZERO? They do make a skimmer that fits in the back of that aquapod.

 

bob

[rancor1]

I threw it out... I could never get it to make the kind of bubbles that looked like they would actually skim proteins. I got it really cheap - it was no great loss.

 

bob

 

Post it for free. I'd certainly have taken it. The bubble flow on the sea clone gets set by adjusting the airflow into the pump. There was a little air value that you tighten and untightened to add more or less bubbles to the stream.

[lanman]

Post it for free. I'd certainly have taken it. The bubble flow on the sea clone gets set by adjusting the airflow into the pump. There was a little air value that you tighten and untightened to add more or less bubbles to the stream.

 

The trash can is still sitting here if you want it. I'll go try to dig out the pieces. Although I might never find that foam filter.

 

bob