4Ft Tank looking for Protein skimmer and pump

[onizukaa]

Dear All,

Planning to setup a 4Ft tank for FOWLR. Just a very basic one first.

Currently item in hand

---------------------------

1) 4Ft Tank

2) Salt

3) Sand

4) Liverock

5) Test Kit

6) Hydrometer

Reading from the forum, i know that i will need

1) Protein Skimmer

2) Pump for Skimmer

3) Sump

However, my budget is limited, looking at Jevis pass thread, interested in getting a Elos Sump (but not sure how much is it, will call AquaM to check today).

For Protein skimmer, had a budget brand in mind -> weipro

but is it enough for a 4Ft tank with around 10 lifestock inside?

and for the pump, think it must be at least pumping 1000l/hr.

Need advise on the Skimmer / pump / sump to get.

Budget not exceeding $500 for this 3.

Any advise will be much appreciated!

Thanks bros/sis/ah ma/ah gong/uncle/auntie/any1

[TayHongSiang]

Dear All,

Planning to setup a 4Ft tank for FOWLR. Just a very basic one first.

Currently item in hand

---------------------------

1) 4Ft Tank

2) Salt

3) Sand

4) Liverock

5) Test Kit

6) Hydrometer

Reading from the forum, i know that i will need

1) Protein Skimmer

2) Pump for Skimmer

3) Sump

However, my budget is limited, looking at Jevis pass thread, interested in getting a Elos Sump (but not sure how much is it, will call AquaM to check today).

For Protein skimmer, had a budget brand in mind -> weipro

but is it enough for a 4Ft tank with around 10 lifestock inside?

and for the pump, think it must be at least pumping 1000l/hr.

Need advise on the Skimmer / pump / sump to get.

Budget not exceeding $500 for this 3.

Any advise will be much appreciated!

Thanks bros/sis/ah ma/ah gong/uncle/auntie/any1

Get Reef Octopus protein skimmer, price not much difference and performance better than weipro.

You need to get weipro 2014 for yr 4ft and does not comes with pump. So if you add up, not much difference in price.

Sump tank you can approach glass makers to do for you. Give them the measurements and design.

AM and Reborn got sell.

[vt_snowman87]

for a 4ft tank, go for a better skimmer.. like bro ahsiang mentioned here, reefoctopus is fine, or i would recommend beckette.. $200 could get u a decent 2nd hand skimmer in the buy/sell forum..

tank makers can make u a sump tank with dimensions for abt 100..

500 is definitely okay.. good luck..

[TayHongSiang]

Ya..there are some reefers here decomming n selling high end skimmers at reasonable prices, why not contact them?

Save you money to buy better lightings or corals...hehe

[dachkie]

take my ap850 lah up to 1000l of water on heavy stocking, cheap cheap $550 only,

i throw in 1 quietone pump for u foc 4000l/hr can use as return pump

oh yah i got a 3ft x 2ft sump also going at $50, u take the skimmer i can reduce the sump price some more

[dleecool]

Yes, AP850 is very good for 4ft!!Highly recommended!!

[onizukaa]

take my ap850 lah up to 1000l of water on heavy stocking, cheap cheap $550 only,

i throw in 1 quietone pump for u foc 4000l/hr can use as return pump

oh yah i got a 3ft x 2ft sump also going at $50, u take the skimmer i can reduce the sump price some more

Bro, so expensive... skimmer already burn my pocket big big already,

interested in your sump, can you pm a picture link for your sump?

[dachkie]

cheap already lor, retail price when new is arn $1500i see tomorow i free to take pic not, if not sunday then take

[ReDDeviLs]

Bro, so expensive... skimmer already burn my pocket big big already,

interested in your sump, can you pm a picture link for your sump?

bro the deltec skimmer dachkie intro to u, no need anymore upgrade nxt time liao!

[jyoon]

Hi Bro

Is your piping all done? You might want to consider using gravity feed to skimmer to save 1 pump. Any additional pump in sump means increase in electricity bill as well as increasing temperature to the whole system.

Pros and cons on gravity feed.

Pros : Save 1 feed pump. Save electricity. Do not introduce additional heat to system.

Cons: Controlling the flow rate into the skimmer is limited.

BTW Deltec AP850 is an excellent skimmer. It does accept gravity feed too.

Upz for you in finding your items.

[onizukaa]

Hi Bro

Is your piping all done? You might want to consider using gravity feed to skimmer to save 1 pump. Any additional pump in sump means increase in electricity bill as well as increasing temperature to the whole system.

Pros and cons on gravity feed.

Pros : Save 1 feed pump. Save electricity. Do not introduce additional heat to system.

Cons: Controlling the flow rate into the skimmer is limited.

BTW Deltec AP850 is an excellent skimmer. It does accept gravity feed too.

Upz for you in finding your items.

yo bro,

Thanks for your advise, my tank doesn't have gravity feed (dont want workmanship to be done on the tank as it cost too...) will get another pump to pump down the water.

BO lui for AP850 even though i wanna get it. so sian.. marine tank is costly!!! thats why searching for those cheap one first (to start a tank)

Thanks alot for your advise bro. appreciate it.

[speakerphone]

bro the deltec skimmer dachkie intro to u, no need anymore upgrade nxt time liao!

Not true bro, seen at least 4 deltec owners "upgraded" to skimz.I suggest you to join me to get Skimz SM200, only 37w and proven result already.Mine coming 20 this month. Looking forward to it.

[MbmC]

Suggest you lurk around the Pasar malam forum.

For your budget of $500, you'll be able to get good stuff. Do a search, you'll be able to find items like these.

1. H&S skimmer - $200 - $250

2. Eheim 1262 - $80 - $100

3. Sump - free - $50

Total of $400 with some cash to spare.

I think 1000l/hr is too low for your 4ft tank, not enough turn over.

[TayHongSiang]

Suggest you lurk around the Pasar malam forum.

For your budget of $500, you'll be able to get good stuff. Do a search, you'll be able to find items like these.

1. H&S skimmer - $200 - $250

2. Eheim 1262 - $80 - $100

3. Sump - free - $50

Total of $400 with some cash to spare.

I think 1000l/hr is too low for your 4ft tank, not enough turn over.

Dun save on protein skimmer esp yr tank is 4ft. If you cannot afford gd skimmer, can hold back....set-up a refugium system in yr sump and dun introduce big fishes like angels and tangs for the time being. Trust me, weipro 2014 need at least a 3000L/hr pump to drive it which will cost you around $150 and above for brands like Aquabee and Ehiem.

[MbmC]

Dun save on protein skimmer esp yr tank is 4ft. If you cannot afford gd skimmer, can hold back....set-up a refugium system in yr sump and dun introduce big fishes like angels and tangs for the time being. Trust me, weipro 2014 need at least a 3000L/hr pump to drive it which will cost you around $150 and above for brands like Aquabee and Ehiem.

Not everyone can afford a Deltec. Even 2nd hand, Deltecs are expensive. There are much cheaper options which work as well. I think HnS skimmers are well worth the money and work well, not sure why getting a HnS skimmer would be saving on a skimmner.

Skimz skimmer

HnS skimmer

These are some options available in the pasar malam forum. OP has a limited budget, he can get better equipment for less 2nd hand.

[dachkie]

well if he gets a underrated skimmer , even if its bubblekind also is also considered skimping on skimmer

then next thing u know he will be asking to upgrade

well this senario is exactly what is happening to me

i changed from HNS 150 to skimz 200(old version) then to deltec 850 which is enuff but i want to overskim , so now aiming skimz sm250

[jyoon]

Hi Bro

Check out this link for a H&S skimmer. http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=75978

[MbmC]

well if he gets a underrated skimmer , even if its bubblekind also is also considered skimping on skimmer

then next thing u know he will be asking to upgrade

well this senario is exactly what is happening to me

i changed from HNS 150 to skimz 200(old version) then to deltec 850 which is enuff but i want to overskim , so now aiming skimz sm250

I hardly think HnS and Skimz are underrated skimmers.

In any case, I only made these suggestions as he has a budget of $500 for return pump and skimmer. If anyone else can a good and reliable and overrated skimmer, and a good and reliable return pump, with a sump, for that budget, I will respectively agree with you.

And don't tell me you rate Weipro better than HnS or Skimz.

EDIT : I probably misunderstood what you meant by underrated. I think the skimmers I suggested are not underrated for a 4ft. Rather, he would not be able to overskim his system, but keep only a reasonable load. In any case, one of the more pressing issues here is budget

[onizukaa]

ya lo bros,budget is the sucky part, as keeping a marine tank is alot more expensive compared to freshwater.

the setup that you got (spending time with your family) and viewing the tank when its completed with LS swimming around gives you something which freshwater doesn't do. (IMO)

just starting to have a weipro 2013 to do the work for me currently, will upgrade in the future when got bonus HAHA.

thanks all, got the information i need and most of the items, xie xie!

[Solo77]

bro, maybe you can consider schuran skimmer which bro storm is selling........i think there isnt any comprehensive study to show which skimmer is more superior than the other...but proven brands seem to perform the job better with "thick kopi O". Anyway, as mentioned by some bro here, if you dont have the money, setup a refugium and add stock slowly till your refugium kicks in. I know some reefers here dont use skimmer and they are able to maintain good water parameter.

[onizukaa]

Hello All!

Good Morning!

Have started a two feet tank instead -.-||, currently filled the water on sunday night and mix with salt, added a boyU pump to "stir" the water and SG is around 1.02. maybe adding alittle bit more of salt to make ti 1.023.

Is BoyU products good? dont really hear peolpe using this product, i think its quite cheap (but i dont know the reliability compare to a german product as its from china).

Haven let it run through the filter yet as the salt is not really properly mixed till today, at night i will connect it to the filter and let it run.

When shall i kick start the cycling process by adding the prawn from market,lol, after i let it ran with the filter a few days?

Am not using any distill or RO water,therefore waiting longer then usual to really start the system up.

have not added the skimmer (as i hear that some people does and some people dont , save electicity first )

When do i add the stinky prawn to "

[TayHongSiang]

Hello All!

Good Morning!

Have started a two feet tank instead -.-||, currently filled the water on sunday night and mix with salt, added a boyU pump to "stir" the water and SG is around 1.02. maybe adding alittle bit more of salt to make ti 1.023.

Is BoyU products good? dont really hear peolpe using this product, i think its quite cheap (but i dont know the reliability compare to a german product as its from china).

Haven let it run through the filter yet as the salt is not really properly mixed till today, at night i will connect it to the filter and let it run.

When shall i kick start the cycling process by adding the prawn from market,lol, after i let it ran with the filter a few days?

Am not using any distill or RO water,therefore waiting longer then usual to really start the system up.

have not added the skimmer (as i hear that some people does and some people dont , save electicity first )

When do i add the stinky prawn to "

Actually you do not have to add that stinking prawn for recycling process to kick in.

Just let yr system run. No lights and skimmer.

Dose bacteria to speed up the process.

I suggest this is the best time for you to read up or check out some of the threads here while yr tank is establishing itself biologically.

Boyu is low end brand.

Since you are a budget reefer like me, Dymax has a nano skimmer that looks exactly like Aqua C hang-on skimmers which i saw it at Reborn for less than $70. You may want to check that out.

[adrianlau]

I would add LR, and a few freshwater mollie (sold as feeder fish) to start the cycling. Mollie will survive in SW, don't even need to acclimatise. When it is time to remove them, they are easy to catch out (unlike damsel fish which some use for the cycling process).

I would let the tank cycle for 1 month. Just my 2 cents' worth.

BTW if you're still looking for a protein skimmer for your 2 feet, I have:

Red Sea Prizm ($70)

Red Sea Prizm Pro ($100)

AquaMedic Biostar Flotor (never touched water) ($220)

[DCH]

Hi there!

Just to share my experience with you, if you feel that you will be in it for the long haul you should go ahead and purchase a good skimmer for your 4 footer that doesn't require any more upgrading in the future.

Because when you use the budget skimmers, you will realise it isn't good enough and you upgrade it and more money will be spent. Now really is a good time to get good stuff at intermediate pricing as sadly, alot of reefers are getting out.

[onizukaa]

Hi there!

Just to share my experience with you, if you feel that you will be in it for the long haul you should go ahead and purchase a good skimmer for your 4 footer that doesn't require any more upgrading in the future.

Because when you use the budget skimmers, you will realise it isn't good enough and you upgrade it and more money will be spent. Now really is a good time to get good stuff at intermediate pricing as sadly, alot of reefers are getting out.

yoz,

I got a low end one to start out with so that i can proceed slowly as i am very inexperience on this, as times goes by,

when i am understand more about on how to keeping Marine fish, will upgrade accordingly. hehe

Got Chaeto from sisreefer already and put in my friend tank for time being, once everything is set will put it inside to fight the skimmer

lol.(hope i am right)

BTW, bros/sis, you all using which brand of activated carbon? (must change 3-6 month) right?