Best Skimmer for Large System (for the price)?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6925037#post6925037 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gcarroll
If power consumption is an issue, keep in mind that a mag24 used with a aqua c ev400 will only consume approx 130 watts. That's not bad and in some cases better when compared to some of the multiple pump needle wheel skimmers

The 24 actually uses 245 watts :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6925467#post6925467 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by REEF-DADDY
The 24 actually uses 245 watts :)
Not when used on the EV400. The head pressure caused by the injector actually reduces current draw. This has been verified by Aqua C as well as Dave Botwin of o2manyfish.com when he conducted the skimmer tests, actually he says 125 watts.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6923239#post6923239 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gcarroll
you better be looking at the ASM or consider Geo and MRC because as far as new goes:

Aqua C EV400 w/mag 24 $595
Euroreef CS400 $998
Euroreef RC500 $1528
Deltec - I won't even waste my time looking up the price becasue even used you won't find one rated for 300 gallons in this price range
I'll help.
Deltec AP701
Capacity: Normal Stocking: 380g
Heavy Stocking: 250g
Pump: Eheim 1260
Total Power Usage: 52 watts
Air Intake: 950 L/H
H2O Throughput: 475gph
Dimensions: Length: 15" Width: 12.25" Height: 23 "
Cylinder: 8"

Price: $1,079.00

If you want bang for the buck, maybe an ASM G4-X would do it.
 
welp- after reading that ER thread, i probably won't be getting one from them.

i totally agree on not skimping on a skimmer. i have no problem going above the $500 range. just wanted to get a consensus on the value of these "Ferrari" skimmers.

t.
 
the ASM G4-X almost seems like a ER knockoff... at 1/4 the price.

maybe the MRC MR-2?

both are in the $300-$400 range.
 
Here is what you do, call Jeremy at premium aquatics. Tell him MarineDepot sells the Bullet3 for $469 and will ship for free, then tell him liveaquaria sells the PCX-70 hp for $153. He'll price match and you have the skimmer in less than 5 days. I guaruntee it will blow away the other skimmers mentioned for $622 delivered to your door. You'll save money in the long run because you'll never need to upgrade and you'll never say, gee I should of went bigger. That being said you could even do a Bullet2($369) if you don't want to go too crazy, but you'll be thinking about the Bullet 3. :D
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6926248#post6926248 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by REEF-DADDY
Here is what you do, call Jeremy at premium aquatics. Tell him MarineDepot sells the Bullet3 for $469 and will ship for free, then tell him liveaquaria sells the PCX-70 hp for $153.

I don't understand why one would want to reward Jeremy at premium aquatics for marketing products at a higher price than his competitors. Just buy the skimmer at MD and the pump at LA. Or at least by both at MD where they will also price match the pump. and you still get free shipping.
 
Since we have been having this discussion on skimmers I was wondering: How does one tell if a skimmer is truly performing at a high level? What is to say that one skimmer is better than another (other than build quality)? Just a question that I have always wondered.
 
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i was just kidding :) , hence the smilies....

but, he also said he didnt mind spending more, as long as it was justified. for <$500, ASM or DIY are pretty what much fits the budget.

also, to the original poster, what is more important to you, energy efficiency/noise or the biggest bang for the buck? if energy efficiency/noise is more important, than a NW or the like would probably be better. on the other hand, if you just want raw power and dont mind the electricity or noise, a beckett would probably be the best choice. keep in mind to, that pumps(any brand) will add heat to the water.

one more thing, another brand to consider would be H&S, basically the same as deltec (and not a knock-off) but a little cheaper in most cases.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6926503#post6926503 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gcarroll
I don't understand why one would want to reward Jeremy at premium aquatics for marketing products at a higher price than his competitors. Just buy the skimmer at MD and the pump at LA. Or at least by both at MD where they will also price match the pump. and you still get free shipping.

Because the service is much better and you can get the best price on both products and only place one order.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6928563#post6928563 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by REEF-DADDY
Because the service is much better and you can get the best price on both products and only place one order.
So other than him being gracious enough to have a higher asking price for his products than Marine Depot, what else makes his service so much better?
 
I've dealt with both MD and PA quite a bit. PA has far and away superior CS. If i were buying a product that had questionable CS from the mfgr such as ER, I'd definitely want a vendor that would make things right if there was a problem. IME, PA is that type of vendor, MD is not. JME, and JMO.

I'm really acronym happy tonight!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6928903#post6928903 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gcarroll
So other than him being gracious enough to have a higher asking price for his products than Marine Depot, what else makes his service so much better?

What makes you think I care where you order it from? Use MD please!

I can call PA get one of 3 different people, give them my first name and they know who I am and what I've ordered. I used MD, LA, AND PA. I've spent thousands at each place. PA is the only place this happens. Free market being what it is, no one has the best price on everything. Any place that is willing to work for my business is OK in my book. Bottom line is if I ordered the pump and skimmer from MD it would of been more money although the skimmer was cheaper, LA does not even sell the skimmer. I spent the least amount of money by using PA for both. Do I care if you or anyone else uses PA? NO! As someone that just wasted money on a less than perfect skimmer(ASM) and needed to find a replacement on a budget I am just sharing my experience. If you prefer to use MD, god bless you. I am not going to argue with you.
 
You can make a Deltec AP702 clone for around $500. That's what I'm currently making and it will end up at right about the $500 mark, I could have cut off about $140 but I wanted a cone transition and twist lock neck. This skimmer will easily handle a 400 gallon tank. Here is a picture of the skimmer I'm just waiting for the transition and neck assembly and then it will be completed.

Rich

It will be around 24" tall, the reaction chamber is 10" diameter and it has 2x Sedra 5000 needle wheel/venturi pumps.


 
For $500 on a tank that size the ONLY option IMO is an MR3. If you want to go up to $700 then a Geo dual pump needlewheel would be in order. If you want a needlewheel you really need to look at dual pump skimmers and those are pretty pricey:)
FWIW, Chris
 
if you are handy and have some space (read: not fitting your skimmer in your stand/underneath your tank)...then it is basically impossible to beat a well designed and well built counter current skimmer.

if you dont mind the ugly factor...you could make an absolute killer 8" skimmer that is 6' tall, along with the feed pump, airstones etc for well under $500. what is ugly?

no, not this:
RosieODonnell.jpg


but it sure is up there in the top three.

ugly would be the whole thing made of opaque pvc:
http://www.hawkfish.org/snailman/diy8inskimmer.htm

i modified the design a little to be a little better (a little more $$$ but aesthetically more pleasing).

i have found CLEAR PVC in 8" diameter etc...with the end price being somewhere near $1000 for a complete 10' skimmer.

i may be stepping on a whole lotta toes...but i seriously doubt that any 'consumer' (please dont link the $25k rk2 skimmer to my response) skimmer would come close to this skimmer. i was in the middle of planning it until a 390g acylic tank fell into my lap and has since distracted my energies!

what to do with a 10' high 8" diameter skimmer? power it with an alita 60 airpump (an alita 80 would kick even better) along with a 6 to 8 airstone skimmer manifold. with the availability of uniseals now...it is so much easier to drill and attach pipes to cylinders now.

just throwing out options...

sometimes the 'bought' stuff isnt always the best! again, my opinion only...
 
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