best skimmer for under $1000 $
- Thread starter thenewone
- Start date
That's like asking the Ford -v- Chevrolet qestion...
I recently purchased a Reeflo Orca 250 Pro for way undert a grand, but it was a used unit.
The MRC unit which replaced the 250 is listed at $1,300:
http://www.myreefcreations.com/Reeflo-Orca-Pro-I
Over on the skimmer fanatic forums, I have read a lot of glowing reports about the Hurricone skimmers, again well under a kilobuck:
http://www.reefspecialty.com/Protei...00-External-Protein-Skimmer/product_info.html
Good luck with your decision...
LL
I recently purchased a Reeflo Orca 250 Pro for way undert a grand, but it was a used unit.
The MRC unit which replaced the 250 is listed at $1,300:
http://www.myreefcreations.com/Reeflo-Orca-Pro-I
Over on the skimmer fanatic forums, I have read a lot of glowing reports about the Hurricone skimmers, again well under a kilobuck:
http://www.reefspecialty.com/Protei...00-External-Protein-Skimmer/product_info.html
Good luck with your decision...
LL
slief
RC Sponsor
Probably the skimmer I just sold. It was a Barr Aquatic SK5020 single Beckett skimmer. One of the cleanest and easily servicable designs I have ever seen and it kicked some serious butt on my 500! Well made Beckett style skimmers are arguably the best design for producing skimmate.
For a grand, you could probably get the Barr 5200 dual beckett version from Austins Oceans with a collection container. The top of the line Orca would be a great choice also!
I switched from my Barr to a Royal Exclusiv Alpha 300 Cone Skimmer and absolutely love it. My thinking was similar to your both with the size of my tank and my budget being about the same. After lots of research, I decided to spend a bit more. At first I was a bit concened about how the Alpha was going to stack of against my Barr. I was however very pleased in the end..
The Alpha produces some of the smelliest skimmate I have ever smelled and can pull a gallon of it a week or more with ease. Like my previous Barr the Alpha is a foam making machine! The Alpha however is much more efficient. You could get an Alpha 300 from Premium Aquatics for around $1250 as they are 15% off right now. If you have the sump space and can pull of $250 more, you would be very happy with the Alpha 300 and your electric bill will be substantially less than a comparable Beckett skimmer!
For size reference, I took this picture when I first got it. The skimmer is huge even though I am used to 4'-5' tall skimmers. The dog didnt seem to mind.
For a grand, you could probably get the Barr 5200 dual beckett version from Austins Oceans with a collection container. The top of the line Orca would be a great choice also!
I switched from my Barr to a Royal Exclusiv Alpha 300 Cone Skimmer and absolutely love it. My thinking was similar to your both with the size of my tank and my budget being about the same. After lots of research, I decided to spend a bit more. At first I was a bit concened about how the Alpha was going to stack of against my Barr. I was however very pleased in the end..
The Alpha produces some of the smelliest skimmate I have ever smelled and can pull a gallon of it a week or more with ease. Like my previous Barr the Alpha is a foam making machine! The Alpha however is much more efficient. You could get an Alpha 300 from Premium Aquatics for around $1250 as they are 15% off right now. If you have the sump space and can pull of $250 more, you would be very happy with the Alpha 300 and your electric bill will be substantially less than a comparable Beckett skimmer!
For size reference, I took this picture when I first got it. The skimmer is huge even though I am used to 4'-5' tall skimmers. The dog didnt seem to mind.
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Antonais1391
New member
wherent you on la fish guys?? if so hows every thing going with the ich??
depresed34
Premium Member
slief
RC Sponsor
Yep. That was me. Ich is gone but the casualties were heavy. I don't attribute all my losses directly to the ich but even those that were not, were indirectly related.. Some were the result of my treatment such as dropping my salinity or moving them to another tank. A smaller one that at. At least I will still be able to go forward with inverts and I really didnt suffer any losses there other than a coral bandit shrimp.
:twitch:
Like I said, it's a Ford -v- Chevy question...
Folks have good things to say about the skimmers they have used successfully. That doesn't make it a top skimmer available on the market. It's just the top skimmer that person has used...
I wish there was an objective source based on actual skimmer performance comparisons. Now that would be interesting reading...
LL
Like I said, it's a Ford -v- Chevy question...
Folks have good things to say about the skimmers they have used successfully. That doesn't make it a top skimmer available on the market. It's just the top skimmer that person has used...
I wish there was an objective source based on actual skimmer performance comparisons. Now that would be interesting reading...
LL
Reef Happy
New member
I hear good things about the Super Reef Octopus XP-5000 External Cone Series. I also have the Reeflo Orca 250 external that I got from Lightsluvr used and this skimmer is a work horse. I am looking for a 2nd skimmer for another system and may consider the Octopus XP-5000.
http://www.reefspecialty.com/Protei...00-External-Protein-Skimmer/product_info.html
http://www.reefspecialty.com/Protei...00-External-Protein-Skimmer/product_info.html
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PSU REEFER
New member
2nd what reef happy said. I've only heard good things about them. That's what I'm going w/ on my 500g.
Reef Happy
New member
They also have a nice in sump cone model almost same capacity.
