Skimmer help!

[deano77]

I was given 100 gallon plexi-glass with wet/dry filter and bio balls, normal 48 inch lights, stand hood and various small stuff. I have always had fresh water tanks and decided I wanted a reef tank or fish and hearty inverts. I got rid of the bio balls added 125 lbs of live rock and a 4 inch base of sand seeded with live sand. I'm trying to find skimmer that will fit in the space that the Bio balls were in. The space is approx 4" wide 24"tall and 14 inches long. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have also added 2 new power heads to increase flows 2 new heaters and I am in the process of deciding what type and brand of lighting to purchase. So much for my free tank. :lol:
I also just finished "The conscientious marine aquarist" by Robert Fenner

 

[ChrisRD]

Hi Deano and :welcome:

Hmmm... ...that 4" width is a tough dimension - don't know too many good skimmers for a tank your size that will fit in that space.

One to consider might be the AquaC Urchin Pro.
Check here:http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_protein_skimmers_aquac_urchin.asp?CartId=
Personally, if I were going to buy that skimmer I'd go for the Mag pump over the Rio.

Another option, if you have the room, would be to consider plumbing an external skimmer (plumbed to the sump). There's a whole bunch of really good skimmers available then. That's a bit tougher to implement though since it sounds like the tank is already up and running.

HTH and good luck with your setup.

 

[ChrisRD]

Come to think of it, if you plumbed the skimmer with an over-the-side intake and return (over the side of the sump), the external skimmer thing would be just as easy - provided you have the room for it externally...

 

[WATERMAN R 83]

i agree chris, think that an external skimmer would be the best bet rather than trying to find something to fit into that opening, and yes, i would go with the mag pump as well, as i've had problems with rio's before.

 

[deano77]

Thanks for the input. I am not running a sump, when I set the tank up I still thought bio-balls were the way to go then started doing research and realized I needed to go with live rock. In hind site I probably should have plumbed in a sump set up. What is a good over the side skimmer.

An unrelated question how do you figure how much invert and corals your system can handle? Do corals count as a bio load?

 

[ChrisRD]

If you're running a wet/dry filter with no bioballs, that's pretty much a sump. The Remora-Pro is pretty much the same thing as the Urchin-Pro, and it's a hang-on model if you want to go that route. Personally, however, I would opt for an in-sump skimmer or an external skimmer plumbed to the sump.

As for the bioload question - generally speaking the corals don't add any appreciable amount of bioload.

HTH

 

[deano77]

Thanks Chris I think I might have to put the skimmer in the cabinet below and plum it up to the sump since I can't seem to find one thin enough to fit in the narrow sump space.