Considering skimmer upgrade

S

Squirt

Hi All. Right now on my 140g sps reef, I am running my old Berlin Turbo hang on skimmer. It pulls crud out of the water, but with the load of corals and fish, I think that somehow there ought to be more than what I am getting out of it.
I added an air pump to the airhose intake (just a venturi, not a needlewheel) as per a post on here recently. It does look like it is helping, but I wonder what else I could do, that wouldn't break the bank. I am not able to go nuts price wise, I would really need to stay under $300, so used is probably my best option. I have an Eshopps refug sump, so I do have the space to put it in there, or hang on.
What skimmer do you suggest for sps reef with tangs in a 140g?
Catherine
 
New:
Bubble-Magus BM150
Marine Solutions MSX160
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I just installed the MB150 - very quite and the aquabee pump is reliable.
The MSX seems to work better with a mesh mod impeller - the pump is a Sicce - which is also a very good pump.
Basically these are ATI & Bubble King knock-offs for under $300.
Both have very low wattage pumps.
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@Squirt wrote:
Hi All. Right now on my 140g sps reef said:
The MSX160 and MSX200 are under $300, but with that size tank you're on the border of effectiveness taking the sump etc into account with the 160. I would recommend the MSX200 in that case.


MSX160
http://www.marinesolutionsinc.com/catalog/p131/MSX160/product_info.html
MSX200
http://www.marinesolutionsinc.com/catalog/Protein-Skimmers-MSX-Skimmers/c22_48/p132/MSX200/product_info.html

The BK products are out of that price range by quite a bit and the ATI, while it uses the same pump as the MSX series, has issues. I owned one and when it was dialed in it worked great, but it didn't stay dialed in and I was always having to adjust it. The build quality is about the same between the ATI and MSX, except the hoses on the MSX are flimsier. If you buy one, you will want to replace them with regular vynil or heavier latex if you run ozone. You may also need to trim the mesh a bit, both of which are simple and took me about 20 minutes before install on my MSX160. I would stick with the mesh, but the pinwheel is also an option and if you go with the 200 you won't see much difference between them.
Click to expand...
 
I am using that same skimmer, until i get my orca 250 plumbed in... (110 gal tank)

but, i tripled my effective skimmate on that by:

Run the skimmer off of a mag5, NOT A 7, not a 3, a MAG5.

Once it settles in, figure out a way to clog up one of the two outputs (i used filter floss crammed in there) It make some nasty stuff now, and about 3 times as much, just as dark, compared to when i was using a mag7. Something about dwell time I guess.
 
:idea: Austin, I am going to change out to the Mag 5. I am pretty sure I still have one in the house somewhere. When you plugged up one output, did you close off one of the venturi vents on the output also?
Catherine
 
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