Help Me Choose Protein Skimmer

[Adrianli]

Hi All Marine Experts

I need u guys help to choose for me a suitable protein skimmer. I just went to Sealife, PetMart, Rainbow, Taiwanese Lady shop and Keong Seong. I found three types powerhead operated venturi protein skimmer.

1) Jebo Brand S$45 w/o powerhead

2) Macro Brand S$75 w/o powerhead

3) Sea Clone S$208 with powerhead. Suitable for 400 litres tank.

4) No Brand, 2nd hand S$100 w/o powerhead. Selling by Sealife boss.

1 & 2 are taiwanese brands, the 3rd is german brand.

Mine marine tank is a 3.5ft fish only tank with internal overflow sump and also filtered by Ehiem 2215, capacity is abt 200 litres. 0.5ft is the overlfow sump. I want to place a protein skimmer there.

Do you guys have any recommendations or tell me which one to choose.

[Achilles Tang]

Would I be too much to say to buy the most expensive one?

They are expensive for a reason... higher quality and performance.

I think its more prudent to hold your purchase till you save enough and then buy a quality product than to get a so-so one and whine about its lack of capabilities and begin hunting for a better one.

You save money, grief and time if you do it right the first time... trust me... it's the best way.

I am sure many of us can agree with that.... and save thousands... but I think most people won't have the capital to build the ideal reef system until later... and that's where the compromising starts... impatience comes in... and livestock suffers.... and where does our happiness comes in?

[Tanzy]

All clownfish tank!

Cute!

[Adrianli]

A more recent pic.

[LiveRock]

Hi AdrianLi

Just wondering did you DIY your fan holder or u get it somewhere.

I'm interested in such a device so I can tilt the fan to blow the waters.....

Thanks.,

[Phang]

Live Rock,

The holder is about $10 from LFS....

And back to the topic,

Adrain, I am currently using the Macro Skimmer ...

Fed it with a 3000l/hr submerged pump with half of it output channelled back to the mains.... and oh boy... it's skimming black stuff into the skimmer Cup!!!!

[LiveRock]

Thanks, Phang.

Wow! a 3000L/hr pump! Your skimmer must be very efficient to get black gunk consistantly.

Mine only produce greenish sludge.

Green Tea vs Black Coffee

PS: Where to get the fan holder?

[Phang]

Aquatic Connection

Blk 53 Sims Drive...

You can get Macro Skimmers from there too....

Directions :

From Aljunied MRT, cross overhead bridge...

then look for blk 53...

The only LFS there....

[bawater]

phang, i got a macro(quite big) but still figuring out how much power i need input- thought i try 1200ltr powerhead i have spare tonite- see wat happens.

its 2nd hand so didn't have instructions & didn't know the previous powerhead flowrate.

adrianli? i got a spare Jebo skimmer for $20 if u want(but u gotta figure & tinkle on powerhead cause i couldn't get one to fit)- used it twice(total 2hrs usage)& that was nearly a yr ago,been in the cupboard ever since.The jebo is the kind that has the clip to screw onto the sides.

[Phang]

Bawater... get an oversized Pump, get a tee joint...and a control valve..

fix it all up... and you can control the amt of flow into the skimmer with the remaining channelled anywhere you want... that's what I did with my skimmer....

[Adrianli]

Hi

I bought that AC Fan from Nature. Cost abt S$35 I think. you can get the fan from sim lim tower for S$20 with out the holder.

Regarding the Macro skimmer, is it good??? I was thinking of getting the German one. Does it really skim a 3ft tank abt 200litres??? If good then I get it, save a lot like that.

Anyone doing a review for Macro Skimmer???

[bawater]

ok phang, tried a 1200ltr last nite.in one of my test tanks..& it works.

cut some pvc pipes to fit.

worked a little too well actually cause it was a 2ft filled half with old tnk water(from my 4ft water change)- i tink it turned over the water within an hour or 2 & there was nothing to skim anymore hee hee.Tonite gotta break it down & into storage again.

its for a future additional 4ft. so i collecting all the barang barang now...lights,chiller,skimmer,LR,fishes.

[Phang]

Hey Bawater,

Why wait?? Get a tee Joint... control the amt of flow into the skimmer and let the remaining create water motion in your tank...!

The best of both worlds...