aquamaxx ConeS CO 1 skimmer review

[reeftivo]

I'd ask SAMINDENVER from post #54 if his has idled yet. He's the 2nd person I've heard from that is using it on a 100+ system with great results.

 

[Quintis]

I got my CO2 from MD a few days ago, and it's quite beasty. I won't have my build done for a few more weeks but the skimmer is very nice.

 

[yeldarbj]

I bought one about a month ago for a 125gal mixed reef and am using it in conjunction with a reef dynamics bio pellet system. I am extremely happy with it and it pulls foam like no other skimmer I've ever had. I highly recommend it.

What other skimmers have you used on that tank? I've been eyeing these b/c of the space saving design. I was hoping the co2 would be similar but it has a large foot print. I too am concerned it may not be strong enough for a well stocked 105g sps tank.

 

[moondoggy4]

Thanks for the review tivo, looks like a great little skimmer, it finally seems that they're is more quality competition in this market. The price point is getting better it used to be not much of difference between the larger skimmers in price as the smaller ones. I feel it is harder to skim a small tank so this skimmer will be another great option.

 

[reeftivo]

Thanks for the review, very helpful. So much so, that mine just arrived. Just a quick note. I noticed that the venturi fitting that the yellow hose fits on to is not glued onto the rest of the pump head (i.e., the part that has the ceramic bearing and notches is separate piece). The venturi can be removed, as well as slightly rotated so that it does not point straight up and cause the possible kinking of the hose as shown in your fig.

Sorry, I missed this post. Oops!

Hmm? Thanks for the info! I gave mine a serious twisting when i first inspected it to see if it would come off but it did not, so I assumed it was glued. I will have another look at it for sure this weekend. Hope it's working well for you!

Happy reefing!

 

[reeftivo]

Thanks for the review tivo, looks like a great little skimmer, it finally seems that they're is more quality competition in this market. The price point is getting better it used to be not much of difference between the larger skimmers in price as the smaller ones. I feel it is harder to skim a small tank so this skimmer will be another great option.

Thanks moondoggy4!
Smaller tanks mean more attention to stability for sure. It's nice to have a smaller, quality, well designed skimmer to help ease our troubles:thumbsup:

Interested to see how the omega 130 will compare to this skimmer when/ if it gets released after MACNA. Vertex better have a solid design to compete with the CO 1.

Take care:beer:

 

[solitude127]

The CO2 and CO3 show available at Marine Depot.

 

[reeftivo]

The CO2 and CO3 show available at Marine Depot.

It will be interesting to see the reviews. I saw a couple videos of the CO 2 on you tube a while ago. Think they were posted from china-not sure though. It looked really nice and even less turbulence than the CO 1. I looked around on you tube last night for the same videos but or some reason I couldn't find them again. Hmm?

I think they will be hard to keep on retailer shelves once the word gets out and the reviews start posting.

Happy reefing:fish2:

 

[JMurphy97]

What is your total water valume on your system. I ask because my system is similar size to yours and I'm trying to have mostly sps and maybe 5 pt so fish in a 40 breeder.

 

[reeftivo]

39 gal DT with 15 gal sump. 54 total but net w/rock, equipment and livestock maybe around 45 gal of water. There are several members now that are running the CO 1 on 100+ systems and loving it so the performance range is pretty broad. It's a great little performer and super quiet.

 

[2JZGTE]

Had my eye on this skimmer and saw that MD had a 15% off one item sale yesterday so I pulled the trigger on the CO-2. Looking forward to see how this works out for my 150G moderately stocked DT.

 

[reeftivo]

bunkerbean's video of his CO 3.

he just got it too. SICK!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNC9vynQb9Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I'm sure the CO 2 would rock your system

 

[solitude127]

Had my eye on this skimmer and saw that MD had a 15% off one item sale yesterday so I pulled the trigger on the CO-2. Looking forward to see how this works out for my 150G moderately stocked DT.

keep us posted on the CO-2. I really like my skimmer now but I'm always willing to try something new.

 

[reeftivo]

keep us posted on the CO-2. I really like my skimmer now but I'm always willing to try something new.

Same here!!!

I love kicking back watching the tank but tinkering with new toys is just as much fun for me. I've got my eye out for the omega 130 next. Hopefully I'll see it around MACNA in August.

 

[jfeva0049]

Update day 6
All is good and the skimmer is doing is job well. Tank looks better than ever and the skimmer produces the most putrid smelling skimmate since the old deltec I used to have. I've cleaned the cup for the first time since installing it 6 days ago and this is what I got. Break in looks to have finished but it needs a little more time to be sure. I'm running it at 9 3/4" right now but will bump it to 10"after my water change tomorrow.

Not bad!
View attachment 236073

View attachment 236074

damn how much do you feed in order to get this in only 5 days????
i think it would take 5 weeks for me to get that much.

 

[jfeva0049]

Update!

In my opinion the skimmer is a keeper. The best operating level for me has proven to be 9 1/2 inches. I attached my rmb meter shortly after my last post and the air numbers have stabilized at right about 340lph. I had not been able to get the 360lph that the mfg states but i'll settle for the 340 since it's working great. I would say this skimmer would be ideal for systems from around 45 net gallons to about 100.
Couple pics at 5 days after the last cup cleaning. Smelly stuff for sure!
View attachment 236786

View attachment 236787

sorry i meant to quote these pic's not the other ones.

 

[reeftivo]

sorry i meant to quote these pic's not the other ones.

I feed a healthy dose of spectrum pellets once daily for the fish and twice a week I feed a very small mixture of reef roids and mysis/spirulina. The 6 days of skim in those pics were because it was catching up with what the PLS100 wasn't taking out. Now I get that amount of skim at about a week and a half to two weeks. Tonight will be two weeks since my last WC and I looked at the cup at lunch and its almost exactly the same amount. The skimmate is always concentrated since I've got it set to skim pretty dry. It just keeps on chugging along silently. No start up issues, no noticable heat, low watts-LOVE IT!

I'll post another skim pic tonight before I clean the cup

 

[reeftivo]

I forgot to post a note on what I've found interesting about the slanted neck design!

Mine doesnt produce the water fall effect of foam that my other skimmers have. It always has a foam head right at the deflector but what it seems to do is to allow the bubbles to rest and pop as they run down the slant. So far its very efficient and definately intersting for sure. My water quality has never been better!

 

[captnHaddock]

Hi guys,

excellent review.

do you think that skimmer would handle a 60g cube + 20g sump, sps lightly stock (app 5 small fish).

and what is the difference betweeen the CO1 and the EM100?

 

[reeftivo]

Hi guys,

excellent review.

do you think that skimmer would handle a 60g cube + 20g sump, sps lightly stock (app 5 small fish).

and what is the difference betweeen the CO1 and the EM100?

Hi captnHaddock,

Thanks for the thumbs up!

Either the EM100 or the CO 1 would work fine for your system. The pumps are the same but the differences are the chamber design, body size and bubble plate. The EM100 has a 4.7 in body diameter and the CO 1 is 5 inches at the transition to the cone. The CO 1 also utilizes the cone diffusers off the bubble plate and from what I've experienced with mine, it reduces the turbulence where the bubbles transition at the air/water line quite a bit. The CO 1 also has a cone transition which is slightly "wine bottle like" leading to the neck transition into the unique slanted cup. The EM100 is a bit more traditional in design but appears to be a well balanced unit based on reviews. The EM series make good use of the under pump design and seem to maximize the reaction chamber. Both use the shark 1.5 and the pump is a truly quiet, quality pump.

They are both pretty deep running skimmers so keep tah in mind when making any decision.

My CO 1 is still cranking away.

Happy reefing

TiVo