Hang On Ecosystem to replace skimmer?

[andyos]

I have asked this before but it was more hypothetical.....I have a Trigon 190 with a second hand Deletc MCE 600 that for the love of god I cannot get to run quietly :mad: It's got to a point where the noise is even annoying me, let alone my wife, so I am thinking about my options for replacing the skimmer with something quieter.....

I don't have a sump and woudn't really want to go down that route but was wondering if I could replace the skimmer with one of the hang on refugiums running miracle/mineral mud and Caulerpa? The Trigon 190 side length is 700mm and the way the tank is positioned I've got about 5 inches behind it that I could use. I've looked at the Ecosystem website and they have a HOB Refugium that they say will support 20-60 Gallons and it's 30 x 4.5 x 11.5 in (W x D x H)....cost's megabucks, but there are some ebay types very similar much cheaper.....

Will this type of refugium be enough to replace the skimmer or is it only really suitable as a food source? I could always part time skim during the night? I'd really appreciate anyone's experience using soley a HOB.

Oh, the tanks is lightly stocked, just a pair of clowns, is three months old and has a mix of soft corals and some LPS.

Andy

[Dive Master]

The skimmer you have is one of the best ones out there in the market. All external hang-ons are always noisy- I know, I have the same one!

I personally think that a HOB refugium is hit or miss and should not be considered a straightforward replacement for the skimmer. Indeed, I have an ecosystem 'fuge and the skimmer running.

I would personally re-think and have a small sump in your trigon to house the skimmer AND other bits e.g. heater plus it will add extra space in terms of volume.

[andyos]

Thanks for that Dive Master, much appreciated. I had thought to be honest given the low cost of a hang on 'fuge that if they were an ideal replacement everyone would have one! It is looking more and more likely that the sump is the way to go.....wish I'd drilled the tank before I filled it, doh :banghead:

[Dive Master]

You don't need to drill the tank Andy!

Get an overflow system. I use tunze myself:

http://www.tunze.com/details.html?&L=1&C=GB&type=&user_tunzeprod_pi1[prodid]=1074/2

A sump and a pump. The sump measured so it can house your skimmer. You can use the sump to put your heater or the 'fuge route...

Not saying the HOBS are crap, but I can't see a single small unit like that would support a 190l tank. I suppose they would be ok with a nano.

HTH!

[andyos]

Yeah, I had looked at the Tunze overflow, it looks a nice piece of kit. Getting a sump in the base of a Trigon 190 is tricky without moving the centre support and even then I think it will only take an 18" x 8" sump footprint - would this be enough? Do you have your skimmer in the first section and then an ecosystem fuge followed by return pump?

[Dive Master]

You can chop the centre bit off the cabinet and net support it with a frame thus opening the whole cabinet up.

Then you can add a sump no problem.

And your plan of 1st section skimmer, 2nd fuge and then 3rd pump will defintely work.

Have a look at Ridgeway 's tank build. Albeit he's got a trigon 350, it will be the same principle.