Skimmer Q&A Thread

[anderson0196]

For $200 it is really hard to beat the vertex in 100 gen 3. Great skimmer The bm nac 6 would be my second choice.

Thanks Mojo - You'd go with these over the Tunze I mentioned as well? Is there an incredible value I'm missing slightly above this price point?

 

[mojo~]

The Sea side aquatics CS2 or the SRO 2000 int would be my top two choices. The 1000 is a bit on the small side as far as wather throughput.

I think those two would both work well. The new sicce syncra is a great pump.

So I am building a 100 gallon, with 40 sump.
Looking at SWC Cone 160 $275 600lph/21scfh atman 2500
CS2($349)
"¢Capability: 230G
"¢Needle wheel protein skimmer
"¢Pump: Sicce Syncra PSK-1000
"¢Air intake: 780L/H

Octopus XS 200
Reef Octopus® Extreme XS 8″ In Sump Skimmer
Dimensions: 15″ x 9″ x 23″
Rated up to 200gal.
Modified cone neck design designed for easy transition of micro bubbles into cup
Powered by Italian made Sicce PSK-1000 pump/Reef Specility show BB pump, BRS shows Sicce?
2 year warranty on pump

Super Reef Octopus 1000
® 5" In Sump Skimmer RO-PS-1000INT Footprint: 10.6" x 7.5" Height: 19.7" Neck: 3" Dimensions: 10.5"x7.5"x20" Rated up to 125gal. Features the new Bubble Blaster HY1000S High quality machine welded cast acrylic construction High performance design 3 year warranty on Bubble Blaster pump.1 year warranty on skimmer.Lifetime warranty on support.

Sump is in basement. What does everyone reccomend? Most bang for the buck.

 

[mojo~]

Thanks Mojo - You'd go with these over the Tunze I mentioned as well? Is there an incredible value I'm missing slightly above this price point?

Not really, The SRO 1000 and the sea side aquatics cs1 would be good as well but are above your price. Those two use better pumps and are going to perform slightly better.

 

[MyOwnGrowOp]

Gravity feed is never 100% consistant. Its not bad. But Ialways reccomend a seperate supply pump. It only take one surge and you have a mess on the floor.

How do I know what size pump to put on it?

 

[mojo~]

roughly 2x to 2.5x the water volume.

 

[mojo~]

maxijets work well

 

[andyrm66]

Mojo do you not like the SWC?

 

[mojo~]

The larger ones with the askol pumps are really nice. There are just better skimmer pumps for the money. The atman is a really inexpensive cheaper pump. That last thing you want is to go look and see the pump took a dive. I would rather suggest something I have had better luck with

 

[andyrm66]

mojo, fair enough. I value your input, I have heard *a few* people say the have pump issues. Also have heard people like the bubble blaster better than the siccie. You dont like the octo X? 200

 

[mojo~]

The new sicceis way better than the old one. The psk 2500 was the old one. The newer psk 600 and psk 1000 are great. Pretty much the same as the Tunze 9410 and 9420 hydrofoamers.

The octo XS 200 has the same psk 1000 sicce pump as the Sea side aquatics CS2...both are good but the xs 200 has a larger footprint.

 

[andyrm66]

So I think its down to the SRO 2000 for $350 or the SWC 160 for $250. A hundo is good for some other things I need. Do you think the SRO is worth it?$100

I really like the price of the SWC. On my 40b I have an older Octopus 110, pump sucks on that. $350 is probably upper end of what I want to spend, though the XP is $100 more, is it that much better?

 

[andyrm66]

Oh and what about the 200XS vs the SRO 2000? BB2000 pump vs the new sicce? The BB has 3 year warrenty on the pump. hmmm Looks like the BB pulls more air.

 

[mojo~]

So I think its down to the SRO 2000 for $350 or the SWC 160 for $250. A hundo is good for some other things I need. Do you think the SRO is worth it?$100

I really like the price of the SWC. On my 40b I have an older Octopus 110, pump sucks on that. $350 is probably upper end of what I want to spend, though the XP is $100 more, is it that much better?

I would get the Sea Side aquatics CS1 at $299 before the Atman ran Swc 160.

I get email and pms every week about finding parts for the atman 2500. Either the whole block or other parts.
The swc 160 does not perform the same as the others mentioned. Its not a bad unit but the pump is the weak point. It doesnt skim real well when the pump isnt running.

 

[andyrm66]

Haha for sure. K SWC is out. Leaning towards SRO 2000 INT, it will handle everything I can throw at it in a 100 gallon right? Plus I like the neck cleaner down the road.

 

[andyrm66]

What about an MF181 or 121

 

[M Woodhill]

what about sro 2000int

it's said the bubble blaster pump is perfect.

best regards

mike

 

[TheFishMan65]

Thanks Mojo, I will be ordering the pinwheel. But this does make me wonder

I get email and pms every week about finding parts for the atman 2500.

Will I have any trouble keeping this pump running? That is why I was wondering about replacing it. Although IIRC I found 2 or 3 places that sold the entire pump with pinwheel.

 

[mojo~]

Haha for sure. K SWC is out. Leaning towards SRO 2000 INT, it will handle everything I can throw at it in a 100 gallon right? Plus I like the neck cleaner down the road.

Yea the sro 2000int would be great.

 

[mojo~]

Thanks Mojo, I will be ordering the pinwheel. But this does make me wonder

Will I have any trouble keeping this pump running? That is why I was wondering about replacing it. Although IIRC I found 2 or 3 places that sold the entire pump with pinwheel.

with the pinwheel it runs much smoother but still not perfect. Its not always easy to retrofit. it makes more sense to get the skimmer designed for the pump it was intended to run.

 

[aandfsoccr04]

Mojo,

Is the only difference between an external skimmer and an internal skimmer the fact that one is in the water and one isn't? If I get an external skimmer instead of an internal skimmer it really doesn't make a difference, right?

What skimmer would you recommend, preferally external if it will be just as good as internal, for a 120 gallon reef with a 40 gallon sump?

Stocking will be 2 tangs, a few wrasses, goby, pair of clowns, mag foxface, and maybe a gramma or some other smaller fish down the line.

I was thinking maybe the SRO-2000ext but was wondering about the ATB 870 and some of the other skimmers.
Thanks