Which Protein Skimmer would be best for?

[c.dubstep32]

Just getting into reefing and all this fun stuff and I'm having a hard time finding a protein skimmer best for my 90g tank. I have read that you should get one that is 4x but then it is recommended to get one that is up to 10x-15x GPH. What would you guys suggest would be the best for my 90G? Also is there different types of skimmers for different things? I read something that made it seem like I need a special one.

[MizTanks]

Would this be an in sump or HOB?
For a 90g tank I recommend a skimmer rated for tank up to 180g+

[c.dubstep32]

I think a sump is something I would want bc I plan on getting a pre-drilled tank so would a sump be placed under those holes, am I correct or do you put something else there? And thanks for that skimmer ratio. That is 180+ GPH, correct?

[Rabidgoose]

Hi and welcome to the site. It will be a lot easier and narrow down the recommendations if you can give some sort of budget you have in mind for your skimmer.

chuck

[dlhirst]

c.dub, I believe you are confusing motors and skimmers. Skimmers use motors, but not all motors run skimmers.

A skimmer will generally have a rating that describes the size of the tank it can properly filter. Hence, a 90G tank should use a skimmer rated for a 90G tank. However, some folks push the boundaries of their bioload, others fail to include the TOTAL water volume - ie both display tank AND sump capacity. So, a good rule of thum, as MizTanks has stated, is to buy a skimmer that is capable of filtering a tank TWICE the size of your current display. This is a fixed number of gallons. There is no time element (ie "per hour") involved.

Pumps are generally rated at "gallons per hour" here in the States. This is just the volume of water that a pump can push through over the next 60 minutes. It is assuming no obstructions, and a relatively horizontal pumping direction. A reefer might aspire to a certain volume per hour of throughput - as your 10-15x might suggest. So, a 90G tank might have pumps/powerheads that will move 900-1400 gallons of water per hour. Not necessarily through a skimmer, or even a sump, in some cases - like the powerheads - it is just motion of water. The idea behind this water movement is to provide a current / flow in the tank so that detritus does not settle on the corals or even the bottom. Keep it all in the water column, so that it can find the various filter systems you might encorporate. Too little flow, and the muck just settles to the bottom - causing nitrogen spikes - or worse settles on the corals - causing necrosis.

If you read up a bit on how a protein skimmer functions, you will likely better understand the numbers behind the skimmers and the pumps.