Don't have a DAS. I can't see spending big $$$ on a Deltec when I can get a Bubble King or ATB for a similar price. But if DAS is comparable to Deltec in terms of performance, then all I need is a reply from petorama. IMO it is way to difficult to get these skimmers. I'm surprised DAS is not out of business. Poor customer service combined with a "dated" skimmer line is not a recipe for success.
DAS skimmer club
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
painkiller1009
Member
sometimes there customer service is not up to par...
The DAS skimmers are NOT DAS's main source of income by any means. DAS manufactures pet store and aquarium display's.
I think that they also own (or own in part) the several Pet-O-Rama retail location throughout Texas. Whatever the case, the skimmers are a small portion of their business and clearly NOT a priority for the company. They are supplied to the retail chains for sale and also directly through the Pet-O-Rama/DAS website for retail sale. Also available to ORCA and there also was an ebay seller selling them at some point. Quite frankly, I dont think DAS cares whether you buy a skimmer from them or not. They arent going out of business if their skimmers dont sell.
They dont have great customer service and never did but they do ship quickly IF the skimmers are in stock at the warehouse.
They use to be a fantastic bargain ... the prices were lower than they are now and recircs. were still were "new tech" and one of the hotter skimmer types to own as well as one of the best price/performance recircs. Now, there are lots and lots of asian recics. to chose from for less money. Some are basic junk and others are probably a better bargain than the DAS are now in terms of price/performance.
With all the marketing for the Bubble King type skimmers and all their clones as well as the newer Cone shaped skimmers, the DAS and recircs in general are now seen as old tech. Kinda funny to me how a skimmer that had a reputation as a great performer and was seen as one of the better price-performance skimmers out there just 18 months or 2 years ago is now obsolete and can no longer skim effectively. But thats the way it goes in this hobby, isnt it ... especially with skimmers these days
Deltec owners used to debate or argue with DAS owners regarding how much better the comparable Deltec model was ... probably moreso because the deltec cost two or three times as much more than anything else. Now it's irrelevant because they are both "obsolete". I love this hobby.
BTW ... Im not saying that the "new tech" Bubble Kings and the high end Cone shaped skimmers arent better performers. Im saying that if a reefer could keep a pristine tank with a recirc. or any "obsolete" skimmer a year or two ago, then they can keep a pristine reef with that same recirc. or other "obsolete" skimmer today. And related to that, I have seen plenty of pictures here on RC and elsewhere of some nasty skimmate from all types of skimmers over the years, including recirc skimmers. I have also seen pics of some nasty skimmate from some of the "new tech" skimmers as well, like the Bubble Kings. But what I havent seen is a picture of nasty skimmate from a "new tech" skimmer that looked like it was worth $2500.00 more than the nastiest skimmate from the "old tech" skimmers. But Im sure that there are some high dollar "new tech" skimmer owners who would point out my ignorance in making that comment.
I think I got off topic. Oh well, I'm off my soap box now
I think that they also own (or own in part) the several Pet-O-Rama retail location throughout Texas. Whatever the case, the skimmers are a small portion of their business and clearly NOT a priority for the company. They are supplied to the retail chains for sale and also directly through the Pet-O-Rama/DAS website for retail sale. Also available to ORCA and there also was an ebay seller selling them at some point. Quite frankly, I dont think DAS cares whether you buy a skimmer from them or not. They arent going out of business if their skimmers dont sell.
They dont have great customer service and never did but they do ship quickly IF the skimmers are in stock at the warehouse.
They use to be a fantastic bargain ... the prices were lower than they are now and recircs. were still were "new tech" and one of the hotter skimmer types to own as well as one of the best price/performance recircs. Now, there are lots and lots of asian recics. to chose from for less money. Some are basic junk and others are probably a better bargain than the DAS are now in terms of price/performance.
With all the marketing for the Bubble King type skimmers and all their clones as well as the newer Cone shaped skimmers, the DAS and recircs in general are now seen as old tech. Kinda funny to me how a skimmer that had a reputation as a great performer and was seen as one of the better price-performance skimmers out there just 18 months or 2 years ago is now obsolete and can no longer skim effectively. But thats the way it goes in this hobby, isnt it ... especially with skimmers these days
Deltec owners used to debate or argue with DAS owners regarding how much better the comparable Deltec model was ... probably moreso because the deltec cost two or three times as much more than anything else. Now it's irrelevant because they are both "obsolete". I love this hobby.
BTW ... Im not saying that the "new tech" Bubble Kings and the high end Cone shaped skimmers arent better performers. Im saying that if a reefer could keep a pristine tank with a recirc. or any "obsolete" skimmer a year or two ago, then they can keep a pristine reef with that same recirc. or other "obsolete" skimmer today. And related to that, I have seen plenty of pictures here on RC and elsewhere of some nasty skimmate from all types of skimmers over the years, including recirc skimmers. I have also seen pics of some nasty skimmate from some of the "new tech" skimmers as well, like the Bubble Kings. But what I havent seen is a picture of nasty skimmate from a "new tech" skimmer that looked like it was worth $2500.00 more than the nastiest skimmate from the "old tech" skimmers. But Im sure that there are some high dollar "new tech" skimmer owners who would point out my ignorance in making that comment.
I think I got off topic. Oh well, I'm off my soap box now
Last edited:
jman77
New member
"Thanks DarG. I agree with you in many ways. BTW- ORCA does not carry the DA NW (EX-1) anymore. Too many breaks during shipping. Just talked to them yesterday."
The ORCA shipped EX-1's were breaking because they were being shipped with the pumps already mounted.
Petorama is the place to purchase from ....
" But if DAS is comparable to Deltec" DAS IS based on the older Deltec design and uses AB pumps.
I have a Deltec that i purchased around 4 + years ago. Now would I buy another Deltec, heck no.
These are the reasons...
1) DAS
2) MSX and Octopus Skimmers based on Laguna and psk pumps
3) Cheaper Cone Skimmers soon to come out based on psk / Laguna pumps
Everything above is cheaper than Deltec Skimmers, and work well. I had a EX-2 that I had to sell because it would not fit in the stand , that was replaced with a MSX 200 Skimmer. The MSX works well, but is a not a Plug and Play/set and forget skimmer like the EX-2 was....
DAS Skimmers are great guys, you should be happy
The ORCA shipped EX-1's were breaking because they were being shipped with the pumps already mounted.
Petorama is the place to purchase from ....
" But if DAS is comparable to Deltec" DAS IS based on the older Deltec design and uses AB pumps.
I have a Deltec that i purchased around 4 + years ago. Now would I buy another Deltec, heck no.
These are the reasons...
1) DAS
2) MSX and Octopus Skimmers based on Laguna and psk pumps
3) Cheaper Cone Skimmers soon to come out based on psk / Laguna pumps
Everything above is cheaper than Deltec Skimmers, and work well. I had a EX-2 that I had to sell because it would not fit in the stand
, that was replaced with a MSX 200 Skimmer. The MSX works well, but is a not a Plug and Play/set and forget skimmer like the EX-2 was.... DAS Skimmers are great guys, you should be happy
Last edited:
jman77
New member
painkiller1009
"Does it need a upgrade?
My ex2 will overflow if the air is on all the way. Is the ex1 like this?"
You skimmer is overflowing because you have too much water going to it. You need to set the air values to fully open, then adjust the water going in to the skimmer to bring down the bubble breaking point on the neck.
"Does it need a upgrade?
My ex2 will overflow if the air is on all the way. Is the ex1 like this?"
You skimmer is overflowing because you have too much water going to it. You need to set the air values to fully open, then adjust the water going in to the skimmer to bring down the bubble breaking point on the neck.
Like Shag says, they can rate them for any size tank they want. The DAS may be rating for a heavy bioload and the Deltec may be rating for maximum size system with light bio-load.
Also, as far as the retail stores go, they dont have much to do with DAS. In other words, last I checked, Pet-O-Rama online is actually DAS, it is not an online webstore directly related or run by the retail stores. Buying from Pet-O-Rama online is buying directly from the DAS warehouse. So all the Dallas store manager can do is call the DAS warehouse / offices and tell them that they have email from potential Pet-O-Rama online customers. The retail stores dont answer that email. DAS does.
Make sense?
I emailed DAS/Pet-O-Rama online asking if the skimmers were in stock. I got no answer ... this was on a thursday I think. I eventually got an email response from DAS but it was a couple of days AFTER I ordered the skimmer online from Pet-O-Rama. Since I got no reply to my email before the weekend I ordered, I called one of the retail stores to find out if they were able to get skimmers from the warehouse or if they were still waiting on backorders. The manager I spoke to told me that they were getting stock regularly for the retail stores at the time. He acknowledged that there was a backorder previously that was recently resolved. I ordered online based on that info and got the skimmer 2 or 3 working days later. Shipping was upgraded to next day or 2 day since they didnt answer my email quickly.
Thats why I say that if you dont get an email reply from DAS themselves (who run the online site) then call one of the retail outlets and ask if they know for sure whether the warehouse has the skimmers in stock before you buy ... again, if you cannot confirm stock with DAS directly.
BTW, I think someone on the forum many, many pages back, actually bought one over the phone from one of the retail stores. It was shipped from the store, not from the DAS warehouse.
This is all from memory and, from memory, I think it is the way it works with this company.
Out of curiosity, how much are the EX-1's and EX-2's selling for now? I havent checked in a while.
He probably didnt want to commit in case they werent in stock.
I went by the one manager saying they had no problem getting them but I guess that is a bit risky.
Thanks for the pricing info. They have gone up since I bought them but I cant recall exactly how much they were. I thought that the 2 was $335 but it may have been $399.
Anyone else remember what they sold for about 18 months ago?
Is the build quality the same as the Deltecs? I know by reading this thread (which has been helpful) that the detailed polishing is not there, but are the same materials used? I was happy with the build of my APF600. Hopefully the EX-1 is the same. A little more research then I'll place my order. EX-1 is $285 and the OctoX160 is $265 and I don't need a feed pump. Decisions....
painkiller1009
Member
I just use the settings posted by usc-fan. here they are.
Have you tried it this way?
I always heard you get smaller bubbles/better skimming by turning the air valves to about 1 or 2 oclock and setting the water level right under the neck.
There probbaly wont be very much water going through it if you have the water level all the way down and the air full blast.
I broke the collection cup (dropped on concrete floor and shattered) for my EX-1 and went to order one from the Petorama website but they don't list a cup for the EX models. is it because it is the same exact cup from the BX-1 model that they do list?
If anybody has a spare cup to sell I would be interested.
Thanks.
If anybody has a spare cup to sell I would be interested.
Thanks.
