Skimmer Q&A Thread
- Thread starter mojo~
- Start date
jcgso
Saltwater Addict
OK, after much going back and forth, I have decided not to spend the extra money for a cone skimmer. I think I have it narrowed down to a Vertex In 180 or a Reef Octo 200 Extreme. I know they are both good skimmers, within a few dollars of each other and both have the Sicce pump. I have read about a fair number of pump issues on both. So, is there any advantage of one over the other and can both take the PPW mod. If so is it worth it and would it solve the pump issues. I'm concerned about that because I'm dosing bacteria, which requires turning off the skimmer every day.
mojo~
Skimmer Guy
The sicce pump issues are in the design in the volute. it allows for a difference in performance if it starts in a the other direction. It is a bi directional pump that perfoms differntly depending on the direction it starts. This is why ATB made theirs into a miniairstar. they made a custom Volute to solve this problem. This is why when I just built my skimmer I used a sicce and made a custom volute as well. No rotational issues with a custom volute.
The Resun pump on the Vertex is actually a ok pump. it is a Sedra knockoff pump. They use a little more energy but not that much. The vertex pump issues were in the shaft when they first came out. They had issues with them wearing out really fast and would swell slightly causing the impeller to lock up. They have redone the ceramic compound ad have no issue at all with them.
If you are going to shut it off I would go with the vertex in 180 hands down. No rotational issues and still pulls about 32 scfh stock out of the box on pinwheel. Runs better than rated. I even meshed one out and was able to pull 40 scfh but it was almost too much for the body. I think the Vertex has a nicer transition to the neck and is a more user friendly skimmer. If you are one who likes to tinker with their skimmer like it was a engine on a car then the octo X 200 is the way to go. Th stock pinweel with the octo's are junk. very little air draw and water draw. The MSX and ATB wheels are a big improvement over the stock octo wheel.
Good luck with your purchase. Get the vertex in 180 it is a really nice unit.
The Resun pump on the Vertex is actually a ok pump. it is a Sedra knockoff pump. They use a little more energy but not that much. The vertex pump issues were in the shaft when they first came out. They had issues with them wearing out really fast and would swell slightly causing the impeller to lock up. They have redone the ceramic compound ad have no issue at all with them.
If you are going to shut it off I would go with the vertex in 180 hands down. No rotational issues and still pulls about 32 scfh stock out of the box on pinwheel. Runs better than rated. I even meshed one out and was able to pull 40 scfh but it was almost too much for the body. I think the Vertex has a nicer transition to the neck and is a more user friendly skimmer. If you are one who likes to tinker with their skimmer like it was a engine on a car then the octo X 200 is the way to go. Th stock pinweel with the octo's are junk. very little air draw and water draw. The MSX and ATB wheels are a big improvement over the stock octo wheel.
Good luck with your purchase. Get the vertex in 180 it is a really nice unit.
mcbaes72
-Aidan's Daddy.
Might as well mention that I was getting cold feet on the XP-2000 since it's new and untested. So, I canceled that and bought the Alpha 200 (store demo) from Jeremy (Premium Aquatics). Looking forward to getting it next week! :thumbsup:
PowermanKW
New member
Tell me something Mojo...... the way I see it, if the volute is directional, and it performs better in the intended direction than backwards...... Then to me it seems that pumps with custom non directional volutes just put out the same as if it was running back wards.
Meaning if a non direction pump runs the same forwards or backwards, it would amount to the directional running backwards. My thinking then is that the directional volute running in the forward direction will perform better.
Does that make sense? Is that what you see in the real world, or are the sicce pumps with custom volutes making that up in other ways and in fact perform as well as a directional volute does just with out the starting direction issues. Just curious.
mojo~
Skimmer Guy
Yes and no, THe custom volute puts out more than a stock directional one backwards. but just slightly less than a directional one. So With the custom one you dont worry about what way it starts as it performs the same. This comes at a cost of about 2 to 4 scfh. Well worth the cost in my opinion.
Mojo~
Mojo~
PowermanKW
New member
Cool. Just something that was rolling around my head.
I turn my K2 off once a week to clean it so it is not that big of a deal to me. But if I had the choice.... sure.
You would think more companies would sell them for REASONABLE prices.
I turn my K2 off once a week to clean it so it is not that big of a deal to me. But if I had the choice.... sure.
You would think more companies would sell them for REASONABLE prices.
mojo~
Skimmer Guy
Well I can say after making my own skimmer and making everything from scratch. It is anything but cheap.I dont think anyone sells them as a seperate part. But try to go buy round stock a lathe ect.. Most places you have to buy a least 5 to 6 feet at a time. So to say things are expensive. Well I have a new found respect for some of things that cost a little more. To me some of them are simply worth it.
what are your thoughts on the Super Reef Octopus XP-2000 Cone Skimmer.
PowermanKW
New member
I understand. MSX sells a Askoll volute and pin wheel for $150. If that is what it costs, then hey... that's what it costs. But a $150 chunk of plastic is pretty low on the list for me.
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