DeepBlueSea
New member
So, I'm getting back into the hobby. I had what I considered a very successful system back in the late 90's... Multiple tanks running off a single sump with approx 250 gallons. Pride and joy of that system was an ETSS Downdraft skimmer. It was a real beast, skimming dark and thick. Was "set it and forget it skimmer". Empty the collection cup, clean the neck and didn't ever have to deal with it, broke the system down after 5 years. Never a pump issue, no 'fine tuning', no nothing... empty cup, clean neck, walk away and it would skim.
Granted it was loud and an energy hog, as it was in a dedicated sump room, sound didn't matter.
So now I'm reading up on PS and reading the reviews and seriously I'm confused. Reading reviews of the top needle wheel PS's seems ridiculous at this point. On every PS, people are complaining about broken pumps, cheap workmanship, having to replace this one for that one. Most of the reviews are started out with "I purchased this skimmer last week and the junk it's pulling out is...."
Honestly, I don't care about your brand new skimmer. I want to hear your long term success stories. i.e. Running an ETSS with the same pump for 5 years straight with never dealing with anything but cleaning the neck and cup is my baseline.
In 2007 I purchased a Bermuda BPS - 3C Venturi, runs with an Eheim 1262. I could put that onto my new system. OR I can purchase one of these new fangled DC needle wheel PS, that may just need to be replaced in a years time... (based on reviews) OR since AE Tech is out of business and I can't easily get my hands on a DD-PS, maybe a LifeReef Venturi is in my future.
I just want to purchase reliable, long term, filtration ONCE, this time around.
Two ways to do a reef aquarium. The expensive way and the more expensive way. I'm trying to do it the expensive way.
Granted it was loud and an energy hog, as it was in a dedicated sump room, sound didn't matter.
So now I'm reading up on PS and reading the reviews and seriously I'm confused. Reading reviews of the top needle wheel PS's seems ridiculous at this point. On every PS, people are complaining about broken pumps, cheap workmanship, having to replace this one for that one. Most of the reviews are started out with "I purchased this skimmer last week and the junk it's pulling out is...."
Honestly, I don't care about your brand new skimmer. I want to hear your long term success stories. i.e. Running an ETSS with the same pump for 5 years straight with never dealing with anything but cleaning the neck and cup is my baseline.
In 2007 I purchased a Bermuda BPS - 3C Venturi, runs with an Eheim 1262. I could put that onto my new system. OR I can purchase one of these new fangled DC needle wheel PS, that may just need to be replaced in a years time... (based on reviews) OR since AE Tech is out of business and I can't easily get my hands on a DD-PS, maybe a LifeReef Venturi is in my future.
I just want to purchase reliable, long term, filtration ONCE, this time around.
Two ways to do a reef aquarium. The expensive way and the more expensive way. I'm trying to do it the expensive way.
