Overkill- or just right? - Return Pump and Skimmer for 175 gallon dream tank build

[CasperOe]

Fellow Reefers- a question from the UK!

After a handful of years in reefing with a Red Sea 170, we have now decided to go all in and build our dream tank.

175 gallon custom build system to fit a space of just over 4 feet. The system will have a somewhat heavy bio load with many coral- and most of all, a heavy stock of compatible fish!

The system will have a large refugium and will be build to accommodate ’the Triton method’.

Two pieces of equipment where i would like some input from the Pro’s are on my planned Return Pump and Protein Skimmer:

Note: I am fully aware that it is fairly pricy equipment ;-)

Return Pump: Abyzz A200 (inspired by the BRS 160)

A200 DC Controllable Pump (4,400 GPH) - Abyzz

Quality controllable DC pumps are hard to find, we did a bit of searching around and found Abyzz. A German company that is only using the best parts to make reliable, efficient controllable DC pumps. The easy to use driver boasts a full menu that has a LCD display allowing you to know the status...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Protein Skimmer: Royal Exclusiv Bubble King Deluxe 200

Bubble King DeLuxe 200 Protein Skimmer - Royal Exclusiv

Form. Function. Quality. When a compromise in any of these areas is not acceptable for your filtration equipment, turn to Bubble King. The DeLuxe is Bubble King's premium flagship series, featuring robust acrylic construction, hand-welded seams, a two-point adjustable outflow, and the Red...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Question: Overkill- or just right?

Cheers!

 

[RGoltz]

The A200 seems like overkill for a return pump, IMO. Unless you are planning a closed loop or need to address significant head pressure, this is more water than you are likely to move through the sump of a 175 gallon system. You might look at the Red Dragon Speedy 3.

Regarding the skimmer, there are several lines with Royal Exclusive. You should speak with an expert to make sure you get a skimmer that fits your requirements (bioload, physical size, and desired skimming style being the factors). I would also look at UltraReef.

 

[CasperOe]

The A200 seems like overkill for a return pump, IMO. Unless you are planning a closed loop or need to address significant head pressure, this is more water than you are likely to move through the sump of a 175 gallon system. You might look at the Red Dragon Speedy 3.

Regarding the skimmer, there are several lines with Royal Exclusive. You should speak with an expert to make sure you get a skimmer that fits your requirements (bioload, physical size, and desired skimming style being the factors). I would also look at UltraReef.

Thank you for your reply and feedback!

I have given the Red Dragon pumps a look as well, however, I find it quite hard to figure out how to dimension them to my setup.

I might give Royal Exclusiv a message!

 

[Snoopy 67]

As stated above the Abyzz would be overkill except for a basement sump.
A good DC pump under the tank will suffice. Something in the 10-12,000 liter size.
If planning a roller filter too you should undersize the skimmer because the bio load drops.
I would look @ a Deltec skimmer. I have not had the best luck with Red Dragon Pumps.

 

[C_AWOL]

Depending on your planned mechanical filtration, you might want to ask royalexclusiv/sleif for advice on their skimmer recommendation. A roller mat will heavily affect skimmer function ime for example.

As far as the abyzz is concerned, it might be worth considering a different pump to allocate capital to other equipment or unintended purchases