advice recommendations, help, something help!!!! please!!!

[coachtjm]

ok, guys/gals I am looking at a couple things and need some help looking to spend about 250 on a protein skimmer.

I am looking mainly at the following two but am open to other suggestions: asm g2 and vertex 180...........what are your thoughts? opinions and also where to buy the absolute cheapest....


Other question does anyone know any online retailers who sell the tidepool system? Otherwise what do you all think of the premade sumps? SCARED to attempt to build my own...so really thats not an option

 

[sjm817]

I'd take the Vertex 180 over the G2 by a mile. You can use an aquarium for a sump. Add in a couple of baffles and you are ready to go. Its easy.

 

[coachtjm]

anyone else willing to offer suggestions help advice?

 

[skimmy]

ASM skimmers are lame by comparison of today's models with modern features, not to mention over priced, over rated....
and yeah, use a cheap glass tank for a sump. you might not even have to bother with baffles unless you want a refugium with your skimmer.
considering that your looking at the vertex 180, I would suggest looking at the SWC extreme 200 instead. $289, 1300+ lph of air with mesh-wheel impeller, and 27 watts
I'd much rather have a sicce pump than a resun. not to mention I think the design of the SWC is superior. the vertex is just a euro-reef with a bubble plate and a cheap pump, but it's heads and tails above the ASM.

btw, what size tank is this, and type/amount of bio-load?

 

[coachtjm]

120 reef ready....probably a heavy bioload

 

[fufu]

Look in the reef central buy/sell forum for a cheap/high quality one. I think Vertex will be better, I have a ASM g3 and the skimmate sucks.