Skimmer Q&A Thread

[TheNomadRhodes]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15375549#post15375549 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
How do you know that? Do you have experience in manufacturing? Are you familar with the costs of the materials, shipping, ect?
What price would make you happy?

Oh and he wasn't talking to you.

More then you it seems, if Aqua euro USA can sell the copy cat skimmer that tuzes makes for a fraction of the price then yeah, they are grossly over priced.
Not to mention they are of the same build quality, shipping and materials ect.
I'm thinking about waiting until some body comes along with a copy cat of these cone skimmers for half the price, my 400 is chugging right along.
For the price of these skimmers I can buy a rotation assembly for my engine I'm building.

 

[GSMguy]

its not the same skimmer tunze sells the pumps are very different, not that i was using tunze as an example as they have no bearing here when discussing cone skimmers. but since you brought it up the ATB and VERTEX cones are cheaper than the tunzes...

again i ask, what price is right for you?

 

[mojo~]

Free ?

 

[GSMguy]

Free would be sweet, i wonder if we can talk Anton and Klaus into giving these skimmers away, that would surely stick it to the detractors and ASM fans.

 

[rs1831]

Hello, in the next few weeks I am going to start setting up my new 75 gallon tank. I will be using a 20 long for a sump. The tank will be mostly sps and I plan on carbon dosing. I'm curious what you would suggest for a skimmer for this set up?

Thanks,
Roland

 

[mojo~]

Well what is your budget?
The ATB 840 $650
Warner Marine as 150 $450
Vertex in 100 or 180 $199, $289
Bk Mini 160 $870

As you can see these will all work but it depends on what you want to spend and the features you like.
If you wait a couple months you will also have the new octopus skimmers with the bubble blaster pumps they look promising.

 

[rs1831]

Are you talking about the super reef octopus xp2000? I guess my budget is around 500. Have you tried the msx minis? If so what do you think about it? Do you like the vertex series better than the msx?

Thanks,
Roland

 

[joncat24]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15378388#post15378388 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rs1831
Are you talking about the super reef octopus xp2000? I guess my budget is around 500. Have you tried the msx minis? If so what do you think about it? Do you like the vertex series better than the msx?

Thanks,
Roland

MSX 200 would be a good candidate at $289

 

[gorey]

Hey mojo, Just wanted to give you am update. We talked about 9 months ago and you reccomended the vertex 100 for me with the budget I had. Anyway here I am 9 months later and it is still working great!! Thanks for the info!! I see they now sell a gen 2 vertex 100, what is the difference between the fist and second one?

 

[mojo~]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15378439#post15378439 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gorey
Hey mojo, Just wanted to give you am update. We talked about 9 months ago and you reccomended the vertex 100 for me with the budget I had. Anyway here I am 9 months later and it is still working great!! Thanks for the info!! I see they now sell a gen 2 vertex 100, what is the difference between the fist and second one?

the second one has a lower bubble plate and the pump sits on it side and goes straight in. I fw little improvements but nothing worth selling and upgrading for. Unless you get a good deal. lol.

I am glad you like it and I was able to help you get something you enjoy. Thats all I am here for really. So you dont waste your oney on something sub par.

Mojo~

 

[mojo~]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15378388#post15378388 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rs1831
Are you talking about the super reef octopus xp2000? I guess my budget is around 500. Have you tried the msx minis? If so what do you think about it? Do you like the vertex series better than the msx?

Thanks,
Roland

THE MSX larger 1A model cone is performs really well. But I think if you went with a msx skimmer for your tank the 200 like John said would be better....

And yes the Octo cone is the one I was talking about. I will see if I am lucky enough to get one of these to play with here in another month.

 

[mojo~]

I do like the Vertex over the MSX. Both do a great job. But no rotation issues on the vertex. comparing the vertex 180 to the msx 200. Well the vertex has a real smooth transition to the neck I like and a longer neck. THe MSX 200 has the water exit the skimmer from under the bubble plate which I like as it can handle a little more air for those who mod it out. If you want to set it in your sump and go I would get the Vertex in 180 over teh msx 200. Both are areally good skimmers and the customer service from marinesolutions is really good as well. As far as vertex I deal with Jeremy from premium and he always takes care of anything I need too. Heck I just call him and tell him what I want.... He bills my card and its at my house the next day. Kind of hard to beat that.
Either way both will do a fine job.

 

[launchnukes]

I had a question, if anyone could help i'd appreciate it. I'm in the process of downsizing from a 200 to a 120 tech tank (it will be a heavily stocked tank and i will eventually be concentrating on sps. I'm currently running an aqua c 400 externally with a mag 18 pump and it's a great skimmer. I'm taking the time to upgrade everything i can when i do the downgrade/upgrade in a few weeks and i was considering updating the skimmer to something a little more efficient if possible. is there anything out there now that would be better or more efficient than my aqua c? Keep in mind that i'd really like to keep it external, that way i can have the skimmer in my garage (about 2-3 feet away) for easy cleaning and maintenance. the total water volume will be around 160-180 gallons. also, i will consider an in-sump skimmer if it is significantly better and has a small footprint.

thanks.

thanks.

 

[GSMguy]

i was considering updating the skimmer to something a little more efficient if possible. is there anything out there now that would be better or more efficient than my aqua c?

that is a very inefficient skimmer setup you have now If you went in sump it would be very easy to get more skimmate and use 20% the energy you are using now.

whats the budget?

 

[launchnukes]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15378694#post15378694 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
that is a very inefficient skimmer setup you have now If you went in sump it would be very easy to get more skimmate and use 20% the energy you are using now.

whats the budget?

if it'll save that much energy & heat, then i'll definatly consider insump skimmers (again, as long as i have the room).

as far as budget goes, i'm tossing and turning on the budget now. but i must warn you, i was never good at budgets. lol. I'd really like to be under $700. and for a laugh, if i decided to step up, what would be the best with no budget?

thanks.

 

[mojo~]

BEst with no budget is the Bk super marine 200.
I would look at these internals for your setup.
BK mini gen2 180
ATB 1050A
WM AS 200

And for external I would go with the WM RX 200.
AR 200
or the maybe eve a bk or atb external.

With no budget those are what I would be looking at.

 

[GSMguy]

Within the budget I'd look at these specific skimmers both run at less than 25w and will draw more air than the aquac but will process less water so they will not be oversized for your tank volume.
ATB 840
I-tech 200

 

[rs1831]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15378550#post15378550 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mojo~
I do like the Vertex over the MSX. Both do a great job. But no rotation issues on the vertex. comparing the vertex 180 to the msx 200. Well the vertex has a real smooth transition to the neck I like and a longer neck. THe MSX 200 has the water exit the skimmer from under the bubble plate which I like as it can handle a little more air for those who mod it out. If you want to set it in your sump and go I would get the Vertex in 180 over teh msx 200. Both are areally good skimmers and the customer service from marinesolutions is really good as well. As far as vertex I deal with Jeremy from premium and he always takes care of anything I need too. Heck I just call him and tell him what I want.... He bills my card and its at my house the next day. Kind of hard to beat that.
Either way both will do a fine job.

Would you mod either one or just use them right out of the box? Currently I have a used Euroreef rs80 that I could use on my new set up..would you just use that for a while and then get something like the The ATB 840? Would there be that much of a difference between the 2 that I could get now and something that I could afford in a few months?

Thanks for all your help.

 

[mojo~]

I would run them out of the box. The ATB is a great skimmer and the customer service is awesome. If you can afford it I would go that route. But if that wipes out the budget, the other 2 would work fine.

 

[rs1831]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15380046#post15380046 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mojo~
I would run them out of the box. The ATB is a great skimmer and the customer service is awesome. If you can afford it I would go that route. But if that wipes out the budget, the other 2 would work fine.

I guess it all depends on the Euroreef skimmer that I have right now. Its probably 3 years old. Its the rs 80 model. If I mess modded it do you think it would a descend job until I am able to purchase the skimmer that I really want? Do you think that the atb would be overkill on a 75?

Roland