IceCap Aquarium Equipment

76 IceCap reef products — protein skimmers, gyre pumps, sumps, UV sterilisers, AIO aquariums and battery backups

IceCap started thirty years ago making ballasts and has since become one of the broadest reef equipment lines in the hobby. Today that means K1 and K3 protein skimmers, gyre-style flow pumps, V2 reef sumps, high-output and in-sump UV sterilisers, all-in-one aquariums, fish isolation boxes, battery backups and kalkwasser reactors. It is a house brand you can build most of a tank around without paying a premium for a badge. Everything below is IceCap, sorted by what it actually does.

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Top picks

IceCap Top Picks

Compare the strongest options in this collection at a glance.

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K1-200 Protein Skimmer - IceCap

Starting at $323.39

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IceCap 2K Gyre Flow Pump With Controller - CoralVue

IceCap 4K Gyre Flow Pump With Controller - CoralVue

Starting at $225.74

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Reef Sump 36 V2 - IceCap

Starting at $635.24

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Battery Backup v3 - IceCap

Starting at $202.11

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Answers

IceCap FAQs

What is the difference between IceCap K1 and K3 protein skimmers?

Both lines are compact, space-saving skimmers designed to come apart for cleaning. The K1 line runs from the K1-Nano, for aquariums up to 30 gallons, to the K1-200, rated for 150–300 gallons. The K3 line uses controllable DCAIR pinwheel pumps and comes in in-sump INT and OVP models and hang-on-back HOB models, up to the K3-200 OVP, rated for aquariums up to 400 gallons. Choose a K3 if you want to dial in the pump’s output, and either line if you need dependable skimming in a tight space.

What size IceCap skimmer do I need?

Size by your real bioload, not just tank volume. IceCap lists heavy, medium, and light bioload ratings for its skimmers; the K3-160 INT, for example, is rated for 125 gallons with a heavy bioload, 175 medium, and 250 light. Those ratings exclude sump volume, so for a heavily stocked or heavily fed reef, choose a skimmer whose heavy rating matches your display.

What does the IceCap Battery Backup do?

The Battery Backup v3 switches on the moment the power goes out and keeps one or two flow pumps running for hours, so your tank keeps circulating and exchanging gas until power returns. It works with most 12–24V pumps from brands like Maxspect, IceCap, and Reef Octopus, and two backups can be connected to double the run time for a single pump. It is built for DC flow pumps, not heaters, lights, or other AC equipment.

Are IceCap Gyre pumps compatible with HYDROS controllers?

Yes. The IceCap 2K and 4K Gyre flow pumps are direct-drive compatible with the HYDROS WaveEngine and WaveEngine LE, and we carry them with a WaveEngine LE, with IceCap’s own controller, or as a pump only. The IceCap controller has five flow modes (constant, stream, random, pulsing, and cycle), a 20-minute feed mode, and a night mode that drops to the lowest flow when it senses low light.

What changed with the IceCap Reef Sump V2?

The V2 sumps remove the built-in freshwater reservoir and add new drains and a built-in heater holder. They keep the spill-over filter sock compartment with lids for quiet operation, adjustable baffles, a triple probe holder, and room for a skimmer, heaters, a return pump, and reactors. V2 sumps come in 30-, 36-, 39-, and 48-inch sizes. Without the built-in reservoir, plan on a separate top-off container such as the IceCap ATO Reservoir.

Dive deeper

Dive Deeper: The IceCap Reef Equipment Range

IceCap is a CoralVue house brand, which is why the pricing sits below comparable equipment from the boutique manufacturers while the build quality holds up. It is also why the range is so wide — IceCap covers flow, filtration, lighting accessories, life support and tanks themselves.

Protein Skimmers

The K1 series is the value line, running from the K1 Nano through the K1-200, suitable for nano tanks up to roughly 150 gallons. The K3 series adds overflow protection (OVP), better needle-wheel pumps and more consistent skimmate control, in both in-sump and hang-on-back configurations. If you are choosing between them, the K3 is worth the difference on any tank you intend to run coral-heavy.

Gyre Flow Pumps

IceCap and CoralVue gyre pumps generate a broad cross-tank flow pattern rather than a jet, which is what most reef tanks actually want — it moves detritus off the rock instead of blasting a single spot. Paired with a WaveEngine LE controller, the 2K and 4K units run full wave programs.

Reef Sumps and AIO Aquariums

The V2 sump line is properly baffled with a filter sock or roller chamber, a skimmer section and a return chamber, in footprints sized to standard stands. The AIO 120 and 240 all-in-one aquariums put the filtration into the back chamber for people who do not want a sump at all.

UV Sterilisers, Battery Backups and Life Support

High-output and in-sump UV sterilisers for parasite and algae control, battery backups that keep a return pump or powerhead running through an outage, and kalkwasser reactors for alkalinity maintenance.

Fish Isolation Boxes

One of the most useful and least-known products IceCap makes. An aquarium isolation box hangs inside the display, holding a new arrival, a bullied fish or a fish under observation in the same water as the main tank — no separate heater, no separate filtration, no parameter mismatch. It is the practical alternative to a full quarantine tank when you need to separate one fish for a few days.

Buying Notes

Size the skimmer up, not down. IceCap publishes generous ratings; treat the upper end of the range as a maximum, not a target.
A gyre replaces two powerheads in most tanks. Check clearance behind the rockwork before you order the 4K.
The battery backup is not a UPS for your controller. It is designed to run DC pumps, and that is the job it does well.