HELP ME PLZ BEFORE I GO CRAZY! IM 50 Gallon Lagoon Pro AIO Skimmer/Overflow Questions

[nyleloccin]

I upgraded to the Fusion Pro 2 AIO 50 Lagoon last year for my mixed reef.

Sorry for the long post/rant but I need help! Main question at bottom.

I was running my old nano skimmer (unsure of the model, I originally bought it in 2015) in it even though it was way too small for the tank, it was working well for about 6 months in the new tank but needed to be emptied constantly. It has recently given out and I am searching for a replacement.

I was hoping to get something that fits in the second chamber but finding decent options in that size range is a nightmare! 3.7" x 4"

I have tested out the NuvoSkim MidSize DC Protein Skimmer by IM and though it fit beautifully, the skimmer was GARBAGE. The cap was constantly being pushed off of it by the foam, and no matter how many adjustments I made to it, waste foam would leak from around the poorly designed rubber band. I attempted to add silicone to the rubber band to keep it in place but it still leaked waste back into the tank.

I also ordered the PLS-50 Elite II Skimmer from Mode Aquariums (that took 4 weeks to even ship out to me..), that arrived this week and it is not going well. Not only does the model I received look nothing like the one I ordered, there are no videos/reviews/instructions for the model version I have, only the original design. No matter what air flow amount or water level I place it at the cup immediately fills with water so it is currently unplugged. The model I received does not have the option to rotate the pipe to adjust the internal water level.

Now I am trying to decide if I want to try the K1 Nano Icecap Skimmer even though it is not rated for my tank size, or if I want to go with the Comline DOC Skimmer 9004 – Tunze and risk it not fitting since it is 4.3" and I only have 4" to work with.

I currently have the Aqua Shield UV Sterilizer in my right hand overflow chamber (so no media caddy) and a filter sock in the left hand one. If I cannot find a skimmer to fit in the second chamber, my only options then become removing the filter sock in the overflow and placing the skimmer there, or getting a HOB skimmer, but I really dont have the room to add anything externally.

My main questions are does anyone run an AIO without a filter? Is there an alternative I can add in the second chambers or elsewhere if I take out the hanging filter sock? Or is there a different skimmer out there that I am missing? Any negatives to the K1 Nano Icecap Skimmer apart from it being too small?

 

[blaxsun]

The IM skimmers are all garbage, you're not wrong. The two nano skimmers I'd look at are either the IceCap or Bubble Magus. The Tunze isn't going to fit well without modification.

If you're running the AquaShield on one side I'd remove the black sponge, clean thoroughly, replace and then add a thin layer of filter floss on top that you can throw out every week (otherwise the black sponge tends to clog up quickly).

You really want to run filtration on an AIO - either a filter sock or filter floss, something like ChemiPure Blue and bio media in the caddy.

 

[Reefplnr]

I use the AquaMaxx HOB 1.5. It’s a beast when it comes to efficient skimming. You have to hang it outside the tank in the back, so it needs to be at least 5 inches from the wall, but it’s way better than any skimmer you’ll put in the AIO chamber.