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Review on 🐠 Fluval Sea Mini Protein Skimmer for 5-10 Gallon Tanks - Black (14324) by Jim Bodnarchek

Revainrating 5 out of 5

This skimmer is AWESOME!

I don't know why so many people say this skimmer is bad or difficult to set up but I think this skimmer is amazing! I've had this in my Fluval Evo 13.5 for 6 months now with no sign of a problem. It was originally in chamber 1 as intended, later I "upgraded" to the InTank media basket (a waste of money) and moved it to chamber 2. This is the only nano skimmer I've found that has 2 settings: water level and air flow (bubbles). It's easy to set up, watch a youtube video if you want, but all you have to do is turn the big knob until the waterline is where the bottom edge of the cup meets the skimmer body, and then adjust the airflow (smaller knob up) until the bubbles are just below the inside rim of the cup. That's all. Very easy! Please note that EVERY skimmer you buy takes about 3 days to "break in" (a layer of slime perfectly adapted to your situation forms), after which it becomes a kind of autopilot. Every time I change the water I turn the knob a little but that's about it. I found a skimmer with the same performance in my Biocube 32 and have bought 3 so far, none of which have worked as well as the Fluval in my Evo 13.5. The Tunze 9001 fits into the second chamber if you have an InTank media basket (which is worthwhile with the BioCube), as does the AquaLife 115. The water level in chamber 2 fluctuates so much that almost nothing is ever removed. Unless you spend $200 on a good auto recharge system, they are useless in my opinion. The Coralife skimmer developed for the Biocube 32 is placed in chamber 1 to keep the water level constant, but the skimmer never goes dark, probably because it doesn't skim from the surface. He also adds special Linden air vents that need to be changed monthly. Trust me this Fluval is AWESOME and I can snap an entire lid on my biocube and cut it to fit just then my wife will stop laughing at me and saying "did you buy another skimmer?" LOL PS - anyone looking to buy used nano skimmers? LOL JK

Pros
  • Perfect for outdoor activities
Cons
  • Update available