A Protein Skimmer

[girlfish]

I have two powerful Penguin filters in my 75 gallon, but I want to add a protein skimmer- what model should I buy? I'd like one that's easy to clean and operate, and I'm also worried about my octo getting sucked up into it after I read that it happened to someone else here. Can I put one of the white net baggies you can buy for the filters around it or something?

I remember back when I first took my R/O filter out of its box. I took one look at that contraption, decided I would need an engineering degree to figure it out, and was ready to throw in the towel for cephalopod ownership! Now of course, I know how easy it is to use

 

[rrtanton]

I'm not as much the skimmer expert, but I've been happy with a CPR Bak-Pak. I consider the biofiltration chamber added "insurance." I've come to understand there are better models, but it serves fine for now. Do you have a sump? Supposedly it's better to have an in-sump model rather than a hang-on-tank model, like mine (which I have subsequently hung onto the back of my sump.)

rusty

 

[cthulhu77]

I like the backpack also...very efficient in a small space. The larger in sump models do work more, but if you clean out the cup every day the backpack should be fine. Cheap too!
Greg

 

[girlfish]

A Protein Skimmer

Thanks!
I think the CPR Bak Pak is the one I'll buy, because it looks really simple to operate and maintain. There's a model that does biological filtration and one that doesn't- which one should I get?

 

[cthulhu77]

Personally, I prefer the backpack that is a dedicated skimmer...just my preference though. It seems counter-productive to have a device that removes biological material, and at the same time promotes it. I am sure that a lot of ceph keepers would argue my point however!
Happy cephing!
Greg

 

[rrtanton]

It kinda depends on how much biofiltration you have. Do you have a lot of live rock? Do you have biowheels or something like that? If you have enough bio elsewhere, save your money, but if you have very little live rock and not much in the way of artificial bio, you might want the bio model. That's the one I got...admittedly, that was a mistake as I have more than enough biofiltration from my live rock and sand, but at the time I wasn't sure. In my limited experience, however, it doesn't SEEM to be a problem in my system to have the extra.

If you did have a dedicated sump, an in-sump skimmer is a better idea, I think...cuts way down on all the clutter attached to your main tank, and you won't be trying to make a hang-on design work in a sump system (as I'm having to do now.)

rusty

 

[cthulhu77]

I am lucky enough to have a friend who owns an aquarium store, so I have access to a glass drill and can sump all of my tanks. In this case, the 72 is undrilled ( am I correct Girlfish?) so a backpack is the solution...next time you move the tank, you might want to get it drilled and plumbed to a sump...it is sooooo much easier to do all of your cleaning and filter changes,etc. in a sump!
Greg

 

[girlfish]

Protein Skimmer

Wow- the sump thing sounds complicated, but I'll keep learning. No, I don't have holes drilled in my tank. Maybe someday I'll do that. For now, I hope that my two Pengiun filters and a Bak Pak will do well. This cephalopod raising hobby just keeps going and going, doesn't it?! Just when I think I've reached a stopping point where I've got the equipment part of it licked, there's more...always more. I must admit, I fantasize about one day having cuttlefish. I wonder what THAT little venture would cost me!

 

[cthulhu77]

If you can locate a local dealer who has a glass drill, or a supplier who will sell drilled tanks, it really is no big deal. Trust me , once you have a sumped tank, you will never go back! For the time though, it sounds like you have a great setup!
Re: cuttlefish...these are very hard for me to get, it may be easier where you are, but once you have them, it is a piece of cake! Octos are waaaay harder to take care of!
Greg

 

[Colin]

Hmmmm dunno if i agree with that???

i think that a cutlle is harder to keep in the home aquarium, they can be skittish, bump into things, ink way more than an octo both in frequency and sheer amount. Also a typical cuttle like officinalis gets too big for anything under a 8x3x3' tank.

I always recomend that people have a fair bit of octo experience before trying a cuttle

they do also suffer more casualties with shipping stress and that could end up causing a premature death in your tank.

What species of cuttle did you have? Its rare to see others that have kept them... any info on your tank set up?

cheers
Colin

 

[sideways]

CPR just came out with a dual bak pak 2. It has 2 pumps and 2 skimming chambers running into one bio filtration area. It's supposed to be good for 100+ gallon tanks. Might be worth it when the bimac gets bigger. Either way, here's another vote from a bak pak 2 owner, they're great in my opinion.

 

[cthulhu77]

for a while, it was easier to get cuttlefish than it was ocotos out here...why? I don't know. I did have a 400 gallon tank then, but the little cuttles didn't bang around too much, and fed from day one! I just talked to my supplier and he moaned and groaned about obtaining cuttlefish, so perhaps it was just a fluke that there were so many available a few years ago? Hmm. I thought they were easier to take care of than the octos I have had, but they were in great condition when they arrived, and perhaps I just was lucky. I sure would like to try them again though...we had a school of 4. Neat!
Greg

 

[Colin]

*BIG HINT*

perhaps you should try tracking some down and supplying the trade with captive rasied babies??? hehe I know you'd get a LOT of interest over there

The most I had at one go was seven and boy do they keep you on your toes! Sometimes if one inks it makes all the rest do it too! More than once i had a jet black tank! LOL

cheers

 

[cthulhu77]

I tracked down the dealer I had bought those from, and am currently working on obtaining a bunch of them...anyone have any friends at Waikiki aquarium?
Now I have to convince the Mrs. that we are on a mission to produce cuttles and see how she feels about it...
:5 minutes later. That was easy. She said "sounds cool". Yikes! I will have to remember to ask her questions when she is baking!
She didn't even flinch when I told her the size tank we will need. I am a lucky guy!
Greg

 

[girlfish]

Cuttlefish- COOL!! ....So what size tank will you be getting for them??