The NRF is different from putting a biopellet reactor inline with a skimmer in a couple ways.
1.) it operates from one pump... So.. Less electricity, less heat generation, and only one plug taking up outlet space.
2.) it has a smaller footprint so where you would need say 12" x 12"" or more in your sump for a typical skimmer/reactor arrangement, this accomplishes the same in a 6.5"x8" space. If you are short on sump space this can be critical
3.) The biopellet reactor is essentially a slightly modified F5 reactor. Which can be removed for filling. Additionally, it can be operated separately outside the skimmer body if sump space allows to regain any lost skimming capacity. Outside the skimmer body it can be run off the skimmer pump, or off its own pump.
The system is really designed to be as versatile as the end user needs it to be. The extreme efficiency of the biopellet specific F5 design allows it to operate solely from the pressure produced by the water height difference between the top of the reactor and the water level in the skimmer body. Its the only reactor that can completely fluidize 400 ml of pellets (no dead spots) with less then 67 gph of flow (a rio 50+ pump). I won't get into the physics of it, but for a large granular substrate like biopellets there probably isn't a better way to do it.
