HOB Skimmer for 29?

[sen5241b]

What's the best hang-on-back protein skimmer for a Biocube 29?

[steveoutlaw]

What's the best hang-on-back protein skimmer for a Biocube 29?

 

I'd search on Reef Central and see what the opinions are there. There are opinions on a lot of skimmers.......and everybodys is different. I think that the little seaclone 100 works great. I have one running on my 20g and it pulls some of the nastiest stuff out.......a lot nastier than I could ever get out of an Aqua-C. All you need to do is replace the stock air valve with a really good one to fine tune it.

[George]

I used a Seaclone as well for years. Still have it as my emergency backup.

 

They work great, but do need a better adjusting valve and regular maintenance/adjustment. However I think that goes for just about any HOB skimmer that's powerhead driven because they have a greater tendency to suck in tank detritus.

[Brian Ward]

With the BioCube you have some strange space constraints due to the rear chamber. Need to make sure that it fits right - just something to think about.

[treesprite]

I hate Seaclone. It never pulled anything out, so I gave up on it. Since it was worthless as a skimmer, I took it apart thinking to use the body for something different (didn't ever get around to it).

 

My CPR Bak Pak is sitting in the closet, not effective enough for the 40 I had it on. It would possibly be more useful on a small tank.

[steveoutlaw]

I hate Seaclone. It never pulled anything out, so I gave up on it.

 

You have to be patient and get it adjusted just right. Unless you have a high quality air valve, you have to adjust it daily.......but it will pull some nasty stuff out.

[treesprite]

You have to be patient and get it adjusted just right. Unless you have a high quality air valve, you have to adjust it daily.......but it will pull some nasty stuff out.

People had Seaclone on a list of worst purchases ever made, on that thread on the product review board. I saw bad stuff about it on other sites as well.... I'm far from the only person who thinks it's no good.

[steveoutlaw]

People had Seaclone on a list of worst purchases ever made, on that thread on the product review board. I saw bad stuff about it on other sites as well.... I'm far from the only person who thinks it's no good.

 

 

I'm not saying that you are the only one who had trouble. But I know first hand that it works as do many others......again, you have to have a good air valve and it takes a lot of adjusting. I'm running it stock, with no mods on a 20g tank and it is skimming like mad. The skimmers work..........but they take a lot of work to keep them running well.

[bluefunelement]

Are you willing to cut the back lid?

Intank only?

Do you already have a fuge or media basket?

[George]

Most of the people I have seen badmouth the Seaclone either didn't have it adjusted right or were using it on a tank that's way too big. Seaclone's size estimates are pure fantasy (more so than other manufacturers). I wouldn't use the 150 on anything bigger than a 40 or maybe 55 or the 100 on anything over a 29g. As for adjusting it, most people never read the directions. If you read them, the "sweet spot" on the skimmer is not at the maximum bubbles level that most skimmers work on. It's a fine spot between flow and bubble volume. However, adjusted correctly they skim well considering it's a cheap skimmer.

 

I will say that for a few dollars more, you can get one of the Coralife skimmers that's a true needle wheel skimmer, but I've also heard they can have bad problems with micro bubbles. For that matter, a poorly adjusted Seaclone does as well, so maybe it's an adjustment thing with Coralife as well.

 

Any piece of equipment is a "worst purchase" if it's not used correctly.

[sen5241b]

Most of the people I have seen badmouth the Seaclone either didn't have it adjusted right or were using it on a tank that's way too big. Seaclone's size estimates are pure fantasy (more so than other manufacturers). I wouldn't use the 150 on anything bigger than a 40 or maybe 55 or the 100 on anything over a 29g. As for adjusting it, most people never read the directions. If you read them, the "sweet spot" on the skimmer is not at the maximum bubbles level that most skimmers work on. It's a fine spot between flow and bubble volume. However, adjusted correctly they skim well considering it's a cheap skimmer.

 

I will say that for a few dollars more, you can get one of the Coralife skimmers that's a true needle wheel skimmer, but I've also heard they can have bad problems with micro bubbles. For that matter, a poorly adjusted Seaclone does as well, so maybe it's an adjustment thing with Coralife as well.

 

Any piece of equipment is a "worst purchase" if it's not used correctly.

 

GOOD INFO. I kinda of need a skimmer as a backup. I've had no 'trates in a year and I've run skimmer-less all that time. My 2G fuge with chaeto has pulled all the 'trates out.

[kngfisher]

I have a biocube 29 in storage but was going to use my old turboflotor 1000 on it. now, that should be a good combo :-)

[hypertech]

There are a couple choices you can put right in the biocube and not have to hang it off the back. Sapphire aquatics makes 1 or 2 (I'm not sure what is currently available, but there used to be a single pump one and a recirculating model), CPR makes one, The Tunze 9002 will fit. FWIW, I tried a couple of those on my biocube and none of them work all that great. If I was still running that tank, I'd think of doing GFO. Sapphire makes a cheap reactor that will fit as does at least one other manufacturer I can't think of right now. The last 9 months or so I ran that tank, I just ran it skimmerless. I didn't do water changes all that often either but when I did, I did big ones.

[bluefunelement]

The Sapphire reactor was small and cute - I'd suggest hanging on the phosban 150

not sure any skimmer is going to work "well"- for $40-100 you could add something though.