oversizing a skimmer to the system, pro's and con's?

[expatgoalie]

I'm considering a 6" Reef Octopus NWB skimmer. It's rated to 150 gallons in their manual, but my system will be around 80...

I would like to be prepared for a heavy bio-load and possible modest tank expansion (30x30x24 someday when I'm rich and have bought my wife enough purses to allow me to do so), hence my desire to buy oversized.


My question is- is there a significant drawback to doing this? Everything I've read has said maybe a microbubble issue due to flow, but otherwise nothing else I've found.

Does anyone have any input?

 

[Andy V]

I have a skimmer rated for 150 gallons in a 50 gallon tank and I don't have bubble issues. The issue I do have is that the skimmer takes up all the room in the sump, which is a worse problem if you ask me.

 

[expatgoalie]

I'm planning to run a dual tank sump, so the skimmer will be in its own 20g sump...

Sort of like this. The 2d is off, as the tanks are offset, but you get the picture...

input and feedback appreciated.

 

[Turbosnail]

I use a skimmer rated for 300g on my 90g w/20g sump and 20gl fuge.

 

[tmarques]

i wouldn't put a sock on the fuge your going to collect all the bugs that grow in the fuge do it before the fuge. always good to have an over sized skimmer.

 

[expatgoalie]

ooh, good point. That's an easy amendment. Thanks a lot.

 

[inverted]

The biggest issue is it will be big and will use extra electricity. Also, the output may be somewhat inconsistent, as a certain amount of organics are needed to maintain the foam head. So, it may produce a lot, stop, produce more etc... However, the production should be about the same as a smaller skimmer over-all. Also, remember, what's important is the density of organic molecules (i.e. decaying food, poop). So, if you feed your 80 like a 150, it is probably perfect, otherwise, not big deal.

 

[willray]

I think skimmer ratings for the most part are exaggerated,so IMO the one you have is a perfect match.
"input and feedback appreciated" On a side seems like allot of flow going through a small fuge oh! and ball valves....only give you headaches and will bind up,used regularly or not...gate valves all the way if possible and no sock at all unless you want to clean it every other day.Maybe make your skimmer compartment a little bigger to facilitate easier removal..even an 1" or 2 goes a long way.

 

[expatgoalie]

yeah, dimensions will tbd really... The fuge is really only there so I can grow/harvest chaeto and pods. I'll have a sand bed in there, maybe a live rock and a few snails, but that's really it. I used a smaller fuge compartment (about 8" of a 30 long) on my old setup and was pleased with its benefits.

Flow is absolutely a point of contention for me, as I think I'm going to be pushing my 700gal overflow to the limit. I very well may split the drain and use gate valves to control flow independently between the fuge and skimmer compartments. I suppose I won't know final dimensions until I do a dry run in my garage and get everything in and installed. The socks- I just like a little bit of mechanical filtration in my system IMHO. My last setup I had 4 socks and would just swap them out every 2-3 days. It wasn't a terribly time consuming part of my maintenance.

Thanks again for the feedback though. Had I not posted, I'd be using sticky ball valves and filtering copepods from getting into the actual tank :lol:

 

[jrmx635]

I am running a etss 800 on a 120 and only run it at night,from 10pm to 10 am.
if I run it full time,most of the time theres hardly any foam.
thats what happens when you oversize.
however the ratings on a etss skimmer are very different from octopus and most needlewheels.
I have had tons of skimmers and with the 150 octo you will be fine on that tank.
it's not that big of a skimmer for that size and especially if you are heavily stocked.

 

[Ruge13]

Others mentioned this but I'd split your drain line. Gate or ball valve the split so you can slow the flow into the fuge. Then I would drain the fuge directly to the return area. You want the growing stuff to go directly to your display tank. This should be a fairly slow flow so you shouldn't have issues with bubbles etc.

I'd shrink the size of the return chamber a bit, and enlarge the skimmer chamber. I'd then put your main drain (the other end of the split mentioned above) into your skimmer chamber. You want the skimmer acting on the drain water. I'd also put the filter sock on the main drain here. Basically, you want the bulk of the flow and all the sloppy stuff in that drain/skimmer chamber then a bubble trap, then a clean return chamber.

The way you have it set up now, between the skimming of the fuge water and all the flow rushing through the fuge you won't get the benefit of the slow flow critters (sponges, algae, pods, worms, etc) and with that much flow there is no way you will ever get a sand bed in there if you planned on one.

 

[expatgoalie]

Thanks a lot. Your points make complete sense... Something like this would be more efficient, correct?

 

[Ruge13]

Yep, that's how I would do it. Others may have different opinions.

Good that you added extra unions. You may never need it, some thinks its overkill and it adds to the setup cost up front but if you ever move or need/want to change around your plumbing you just made your life a LOT easier. I have set up several tanks and this is one area I would never skimp on going forward. It was advice from another guy here (Alex) that I didn't take in my first tank, never again.

I would add a union right after your return pump before the ball valve. In case you ever need to change the pump. This way you don't lose the ball valve in that process as well if you have to cut the plumbing short.

 

[pallobi]

I have roughly 140 gallons of water in my system... i use a 3 year old Reef Octopus 300 extreme, dual pump... rated for 300 gallons... i would not want anything less than something rated at least twice the volume of my own system...

and i dont believe you can over skim in an sps tank, in a softie, perhaps... that of course is jmo