Timothy Tom
August 18th 04, 02:01 AM
I have a 4 year old 150 gallon reef tank. The tank was custom built
for me, and came with a protein skimmer built by the tank maker.
Although the tank including the fish, LPS and SPS have done very well
in general, I still have persistent low levels of nitrates 2-5, and
phophates in the tank .05 which have been difficult to keep down
without starving my fish (I think I actually starved a yellow tang to
death reducing my feedings in an attempt to reduce the phosphate
levels). I have since increased my feedings to once every other day
fish feedings. Further I often travel out of town, and the tank sitter
tends to overfeed the tank. I would like to upgrade the skimmer, and
I have often read the advice to buy as much skimmer as you can afford.
The skimmer would be placed in the garage so size is not an issue, and
plumbed into a chiller circuit cycling about 600 gallons per hour,
although I guess I could add another pump to further supply the
skimmer. Any recommendations for a skimmer with more than enough
capacity to skim my tank, without being ridicuously overcapacity would
be appreciated. Further considerations are once again the fact that I
am not infrequently out of town for weeks at a time, so stability of
function, and low maintainence are a must
for me, and came with a protein skimmer built by the tank maker.
Although the tank including the fish, LPS and SPS have done very well
in general, I still have persistent low levels of nitrates 2-5, and
phophates in the tank .05 which have been difficult to keep down
without starving my fish (I think I actually starved a yellow tang to
death reducing my feedings in an attempt to reduce the phosphate
levels). I have since increased my feedings to once every other day
fish feedings. Further I often travel out of town, and the tank sitter
tends to overfeed the tank. I would like to upgrade the skimmer, and
I have often read the advice to buy as much skimmer as you can afford.
The skimmer would be placed in the garage so size is not an issue, and
plumbed into a chiller circuit cycling about 600 gallons per hour,
although I guess I could add another pump to further supply the
skimmer. Any recommendations for a skimmer with more than enough
capacity to skim my tank, without being ridicuously overcapacity would
be appreciated. Further considerations are once again the fact that I
am not infrequently out of town for weeks at a time, so stability of
function, and low maintainence are a must