bcoop78 May 9, 2012 Share May 9, 2012 (edited) Well, until recently I had planned on purchasing an Avast CS-1 with the recirc mod. Since my tank is very close to our bed, and I have lost blood, sweat, and tears trying to make it as quiet as possible, I have decided to look at other options. What I want - Top quality construction Recirculation - My sump is deep and I don't want to have to keep the skimmer on a stand like I have it now. Ability to use on my next tank which will inevitably be much larger SILENCE Please let me know your recommendations... I was looking at Bubble King, but the mini series isn't recirc, or as far as I could tell they weren't. THANKS!!! Edited May 9, 2012 by bcoop78 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishie May 9, 2012 Share May 9, 2012 My atb 840 is very quiet...and it's rated upto 250g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcoop78 May 9, 2012 Author Share May 9, 2012 My atb 840 is very quiet...and it's rated upto 250g That is a nice skimmer for sure, but I am looking for a recirculating skimmer. I like the idea of gravity feeding the skimmer with my return line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mando77 May 9, 2012 Share May 9, 2012 For the price Reef Octopus is the best in my opinon. It will do what you want and is made very well. Fish World in Richmond carries these at internet prices. Read all the customer feedback online on Marine Depot and BRS. It is a great value and very easy to use. My skimmer is very powerful and quiet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcoop78 May 9, 2012 Author Share May 9, 2012 (edited) For the price Reef Octopus is the best in my opinon. It will do what you want and is made very well. Fish World in Richmond carries these at internet prices. Read all the customer feedback online on Marine Depot and BRS. It is a great value and very easy to use. My skimmer is very powerful and quiet. I had a NWB200 on my last reef, and I loved it. But since I am looking at a recirculating skimmer now, people have been recommending I go with an SRO over a DNWB model. But the SRO's are not recircs... Have you had any experience with the recirc models? Edited May 9, 2012 by bcoop78 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mando77 May 9, 2012 Share May 9, 2012 Not on the Reef Octopus. I would imagine that it works very well. I will buy a reef octopus recirc on my next larger tank. The coral vue website has a nice description of the models, and seems to have a model for every need. Talk to Joe at fish world in Richmond, he is one of the largest sellers in the US for Reef Octopus. He can guide you in the right direction. In all the years I have done this you can waste alot of money on protein skimmers. Bubble King in my opinon is like burning money. RO should easily fill your need and save you some money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcoop78 May 10, 2012 Author Share May 10, 2012 <br />Not on the Reef Octopus. I would imagine that it works very well. I will buy a reef octopus recirc on my next larger tank. The coral vue website has a nice description of the models, and seems to have a model for every need. Talk to Joe at fish world in Richmond, he is one of the largest sellers in the US for Reef Octopus. He can guide you in the right direction. In all the years I have done this you can waste alot of money on protein skimmers. Bubble King in my opinon is like burning money. RO should easily fill your need and save you some money.<br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k May 10, 2012 Share May 10, 2012 if you want the absolutely most silent skimmer, use a limewood airstone powered skimmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcoop78 May 10, 2012 Author Share May 10, 2012 <br />if you want the absolutely most silent skimmer, use a limewood airstone powered skimmer.<br /><br /><br /><br />wow... I don't need it that quiet man!!! I wonder how well they actually work though....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integral9 May 10, 2012 Share May 10, 2012 I think any skimmer that allows you to put the pumps under water should be very quiet. Any noise you hear at that point would probably either be vibrations of the skimmer in the sump or the slurping of the air line. Some polyurethane bump stops or bushings might resolve any vibrations and I find a piece of cotton or two in the air line canister thingy or just wrapping it in a paper towel quiets the slurping enough for me. It also makes for a bit of an air filter. If the skimmer doesn't have any air line canister, you can make one w/ a tic-tac box or camera film container (if you still have one of those) and it works very well, or so I'm told. I love my SWC Xtreme Cone Mini S (rated up to 150g heavily stocked) but it's not a recirc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveoutlaw May 10, 2012 Share May 10, 2012 (edited) Why not go with an Avast CS with the recirc? The pump is still under water so they run very quiet. Ooops, just re-read the first post. I've witnessed the CS series and they are about as quiet as any skimmer I've heard (or not heard). Edited May 10, 2012 by steveoutlaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k May 10, 2012 Share May 10, 2012 I second the CS1 or 2. I have the CS2 and the only thing I can hear is the wide open, unsilenced intake. I like to hear the air input as it's easier for me to tell the skimmer is working that way. It's not the 'top-quality' construction that you specified- you just have to build it yourself or you can pay someone to do it- ahem. It's the most skimmer you can buy for the price. I'm using 3) Deltecs, 2) SRO giant sized skimmers, a few Euro-Reefs, and one of those fancy Bubble-King $1000 models. The AVAST is better than all those. (In my experience). In fact we've retrofitted nearly 15 fish tanks with them at work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcoop78 May 11, 2012 Author Share May 11, 2012 Ok. I might ask Ryan if he'll let me swing by and hear one in action... Then I can decide. My girlfriend is not happy with the added noise/light near the bed, and I'm trying my darnedest to keep that to a minimum..... (insert inappropriate comment here). If anyone has a running CS1 recirc mod and lives closer to Silver Spring than Arlington, please chime in!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcoop78 May 11, 2012 Author Share May 11, 2012 I second the CS1 or 2. I have the CS2 and the only thing I can hear is the wide open, unsilenced intake. I like to hear the air input as it's easier for me to tell the skimmer is working that way. It's not the 'top-quality' construction that you specified- you just have to build it yourself or you can pay someone to do it- ahem. It's the most skimmer you can buy for the price. I'm using 3) Deltecs, 2) SRO giant sized skimmers, a few Euro-Reefs, and one of those fancy Bubble-King $1000 models. The AVAST is better than all those. (In my experience). In fact we've retrofitted nearly 15 fish tanks with them at work. Hey! I've got an idea... Maybe instead of that $100 you owe me, you could provide that "top quality construction" of my new CS-1? hehehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k May 11, 2012 Share May 11, 2012 Hey! I've got an idea... Maybe instead of that $100 you owe me, you could provide that "top quality construction" of my new CS-1? hehehe you'll have to refresh my memory- why do I owe you $100? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S May 11, 2012 Share May 11, 2012 Why not go with an Avast CS with the recirc? The pump is still under water so they run very quiet. Ooops, just re-read the first post. I've witnessed the CS series and they are about as quiet as any skimmer I've heard (or not heard). My CS1 recirc is very loud. Many users report the same thing in Avast's forums on RC as well. Avast has acknowledged the complaint and is working on something to help silence the skimmer such as rubber feet. I love the skimmer, but I wouldn't want it a few feet from my bed in my bedroom, that's for sure. Ben you are welcome to come over and hear it yourself anytime, though I am sure someone lives in MD with it closer to you. I have an mp40w right now that needs a new dry side, so I think that's actually louder at the moment, but the CS1 still gets 2nd place. The foam mattress pad I put in the stand to dampen the sound helped a lot as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S May 11, 2012 Share May 11, 2012 I think any skimmer that allows you to put the pumps under water should be very quiet. Any noise you hear at that point would probably either be vibrations of the skimmer in the sump or the slurping of the air line. the pump itself is quiet. it is the vibrations through the 4 peg legs that reverberate through the sump/stand that are loud. Rob thinks the silencer is the loud part, I think it's the vibrations. it probably varies by unit or is a combination of both. i only live 30min from Ben, so I think I can talk him into coming over and listening to mine before buying it. dont get me wrong, i love mine, and Rob's recommendation was the main reason I went with it. for the price point, especially with the amazing davy jones locker, its unmatched IMO. i just dont think its the most quiet skimmer out there is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcoop78 May 11, 2012 Author Share May 11, 2012 <br /><br />you'll have to refresh my memory- why do I owe you $100?<br /> <br /><br /><br /> It's a total wives tale that a cuke, hare, or apple will nuke your tank if it dies. MAybe if you had one in a 10g tank without a good skimmer, you might have issues, but since most of us that use these animals have larger tanks than 55g with good skimmers and adequate filtration, it shouldn't be an issue.Maybe you've even heard the one about a mantis shrimp breaking a tank.... If you have and can prove it, I'll pay you $100. I don't believe that this is true, but it does have some reputable references..... http://www.usatoday....09-shrimp_x.htm LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcoop78 May 11, 2012 Author Share May 11, 2012 <br /><br /><br /> the pump itself is quiet. it is the vibrations through the 4 peg legs that reverberate through the sump/stand that are loud. Rob thinks the silencer is the loud part, I think it's the vibrations. it probably varies by unit or is a combination of both.<br /> <br /> i only live 30min from Ben, so I think I can talk him into coming over and listening to mine before buying it. dont get me wrong, i love mine, and Rob's recommendation was the main reason I went with it. for the price point, especially with the amazing davy jones locker, its unmatched IMO. i just dont think its the most quiet skimmer out there is all.<br /> <br /><br /><br />thanks Ryan. I'll respond by PM later this evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k May 11, 2012 Share May 11, 2012 the pump itself is quiet. it is the vibrations through the 4 peg legs that reverberate through the sump/stand that are loud. Rob thinks the silencer is the loud part, I think it's the vibrations. it probably varies by unit or is a combination of both. i only live 30min from Ben, so I think I can talk him into coming over and listening to mine before buying it. dont get me wrong, i love mine, and Rob's recommendation was the main reason I went with it. for the price point, especially with the amazing davy jones locker, its unmatched IMO. i just dont think its the most quiet skimmer out there is all. I modify all of the skimmers that I build. I use most of the parts and throw away some others. The bottom ring that holds the peg legs is a vibration enhancer and it goes out the window. I also change the air intake to make it serviceable to prevent volcano action if/when it gets clogged with salt. My personal skimmer is dead quiet except for the air intake. <br /><br /><br /> I don't believe that this is true, but it does have some reputable references..... http://www.usatoday....09-shrimp_x.htm LOL Better get some actual proof. The mantis shrimp breaking glass theory has never been witnessed, only surmised. I've had numerous Peacock Mantis over the years and even the big 8" ones couldn't break glass. I've even let them smash my thumbnail when feeding them by hand and it certainly didn't do any damage. It's just another fish tale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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