HOB skimmer recommendations

[Jon Lazar]

I'd like your recommendations for a general purpose backup skimmer that I can use on a 55g coral quarantine tank, a 20g fish quarantine/hospital tank, a vat of live rock, or even hang on my frag tank if I wanted to. It needs to be HOB, skim well, not require constant tinkering, have little risk of overflowing onto the floor. I don't need to buy a top of the line skimmer, but I definitely don't want to go cheap either.

 

Jon

[luceneck]

Great write up here:

http://glassbox-design.com/2009/5-high-per...-back-skimmers/

[Ryan S]

I'd like your recommendations for a general purpose backup skimmer that I can use on a 55g coral quarantine tank, a 20g fish quarantine/hospital tank, a vat of live rock, or even hang on my frag tank if I wanted to. It needs to be HOB, skim well, not require constant tinkering, have little risk of overflowing onto the floor. I don't need to buy a top of the line skimmer, but I definitely don't want to go cheap either.

 

Jon

 

AquaC Remora - No question. Mine used to skim a 75g mixed reef very well. Now it's on a 38g fowlr, skimming with ease. It requires no tinkering. I love them. My LFS in Kansas ran them on a couple QT tanks and LR tanks as well. You can find them used for $60-$100 on RC pretty regularly too.

Edited July 12, 2009 by Ryan S

[bankyf]

I have a remora with overflow box I would like to sell. With that being said, I have yet to see a HOB that does not introduce microbubbles into the tank. I managed to get it under control on the remora, but it took a lot of experimenting.

[steveoutlaw]

Deltec MCE 600......I've never seen a hang on skimmer that was able to perform almost as well as an in-sump model until I got this one. It requires no tinkering and has a built in device to prevent overflows. Blows the Aqua-C away.......but will cost you a couple hundred more.

[droyal1110]

The Aqua C remora PRO is up there in the HOB class, I had one on my 55g mix reef and I liked it once it got broken in. Definitely use a mag 3 or equivalent on it and cleaning the injector every month is key IME.