Ron Popeil Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 i know most of these "whats the best skimmer?" threads can get pretty monotonous and annoying, but i would like some input from you locals on what possible skimmers are recommended that i might not know of.... ive been running an ASM G4 skimmer for four years now. originally i was really impressed, but in the last several months i just havent felt its been performing as well as i demand. i replaced the impellor, i modded it for recirc, and still...just not feeling it. so im in the market to do better. i want thick foam. i want disgusting froth. i want in sump. here is what im currently operating: 130 or so total gallon system. i like to feed heavily. i have a sump slightly wider than a 55 gallon. my water level does fluctuate in the sump, and ive heard this is a problem with the msx skimmers. what are some other recommended skimmer names i should look into? thanks for any suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 The G4 is a pretty big body for the measly Sedra 9000, even with the recirc mod. You could add another recirc pump to it, and it would rock! I'd go with an Ehiem1262 along with the 9000. But, if you're into stimulating the economy, why not get an ATB, or a reeflo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 ATB is definitely the flavor of the day when it comes to latest and greatest, but they are an in-sump so the changing water level in your sump would be a problem. I agree with chewie, though I'd replace the Sedra 9000 with a single modded Sicce 2500. If that turned out to be too light, I'd add a second Sicce. Either way, I'd upgrade the G4 long before I'd replace it with something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Popeil Posted June 5, 2008 Author Share Posted June 5, 2008 jon, unfortunately i dont have the space for a reeflo skimmer. nor the budget. so you think i should just drill out the opposite side i have my current sedra, and plumb in an eheim and use that for dual circulation? andy, as far as ATBs and water levels go, my current ASM is in my sump, and doesnt seem to fluctuate with water level, is there a reason for that? and do you have any links for the sicce 2500 pumps or any additional information you can give me on why i should get one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sol Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Any in-sump skimmer with a wedge-pipe/gate valve type of water level adjustment will do poorly in a sump with changing water levels. The only way to get around this is with a telescoping standpipe. Your ASM has one, so that's why it doesn't fluctuate. AFAIK it's pretty much the only skimmer that still uses a telescoping standpipe. All other manufacturers have switched to wedge pipes because they're quieter. My recommendation would be to mod your sump to keep the water level constant. Either with an ATO, or with a baffle. -Sol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 One source for Sicce: http://www.marinesolutionsinc.com/catalog/Pumps/c25/p135/Sicce-PSK-2500/product_info.html Sicce thread at RC: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1119004&perpage=25&pagenumber=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 you think i should just drill out the opposite side i have my current sedra, and plumb in an eheim and use that for dual circulation? Yes. The Sedra 9000 is probably running around 7-10 LPM and the Ehiem would get you another 13-17 LPM. 20ish LPM would be very good on that skimmer body and I doubt you'd need anything else to skim your system. Even if you added another 20-30 gallons:) I can't speak for the Sicce' as I haven't had one in my hands yet. I looked at the sicces on Shawns MSX300 but I didn't want to take em apart as we were busy making(drinking) beer.(clap) I did test them though. In stock form, they were pulling 10LPM and 20 watts each. With some work they're capable of much more. Either way, I don't think you can go wrong with either one. Ehiem, or Sicce. I bought my Ehiem for longevity. Mine has been running for around 4 months, but I plan on it lasting more than a few years. I have smaller eheims going on 10 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Popeil Posted June 5, 2008 Author Share Posted June 5, 2008 thanks for the help guys. ill keep researching and figure something out. i may try the sicce pumps. if anyone else has ideas, im always interested in hearing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 chewie, did you mod your Eheim at all? I'm pulling 12 -15 lpm from my mesh-modded OR2700, and that feels about right for my skimmer but with a tank upgrade in my future I'm looking around... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Yep. Mine pulls 17lpm(no bounce) @ 40w hooked up to the skimmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Jordan, If you go the Ehiem route, get ahold of me. I'll mod it for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocboat Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Hey Jordan, let me know when you decide what you are going to do. I have an Octopus NW-200 that I need to upgrade also and am having trouble deciding on what to do. There is a member on RC who said that he would help me mod a Laguna 1500 which is a poor mans Red Dragon and is the pump they are using on the new Octopus Pro 300. It would be a beast on your G4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Here's a pic of my skimmer with just the RC'd 1262. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocboat Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Chewie. Is that using mesh or a needle/pin wheel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Popeil Posted June 6, 2008 Author Share Posted June 6, 2008 THATS EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO SEE IN MY SKIMMER!!! a nice thick milkshake of bubbles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 Euroreef Pinwheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 That's after 24 hours the day after I set it up for the first time on a 90g. Now that I have it set where I want it, It pulls more drier, darker and worse smelling gunk, just not as much. It takes me 3-4 days to pull that amount of dark skimmate now, but MAN! IT IS FOUL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R-3 Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 MSX, Octo Pro or Core or Extreme, ATB ?? What can Joel get ya a sweet deal on? That would be the determining factor if I was you. Later Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Popeil Posted June 6, 2008 Author Share Posted June 6, 2008 sweet deals are nice, but not necessary a selling point for me. all too often things that are grossly cost prohibitive arent exactly the most efficient....right now the modifications are mostly appealing to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R-3 Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 What I meant was that if Joel had a hookup on skimmer X1 that made it 1/2 price of the X2 and they were both very comparable I would go with X1. Thats kinda where I was going Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 sweet deals are nice' date=' but not necessary a selling point for me. all too often things that are grossly cost prohibitive arent exactly the most efficient....right now the modifications are mostly appealing to me...[/quote'] Agreed! I put this whole skimmer together for less than $400. I did get a smokin deal on the skimmer body, but anybody could buy a used ER, ASM, GEO, ect. add a good RC'd pump and have a great skimmer. If money wasn't tight for me, I would have bought the ATB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 What I meant was that if Joel had a hookup on skimmer X1 that made it 1/2 price of the X2 and they were both very comparable I would go with X1. Thats kinda where I was going I knew what you meant Hookup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Popeil Posted June 6, 2008 Author Share Posted June 6, 2008 its definitely a nice incentive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 Yep. Mine pulls 17lpm(no bounce) @ 40w hooked up to the skimmer. Niiice, stock venturi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 My venturi is DIY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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