Skimmer scammers?

S

somebloke

New member
Skimmers. Why the hell do they cost so much? They're simple devices and should be cheap to manufacture. You'd think they have onboard microcontrollers and perform robotic dances. I'm generally not a price whiner but in the skimmer market something seems "off." Cabal?

Sent from my R1 HD using Tapatalk
 
Free market economics. Something is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. It's an expensive hobby, therefore the more expensive skimmer is better, right? If enough people buy it, then it becomes artificially worth that amount, no matter how ridiculous.

Just like art.
 
Yes some are overpriced like an Apple product..
Others are actually very reasonable now IMO..

And many do have onboard microcontrollers now... (DC pump controllers)
 
There is also the matter of production quantities. They simply to not make and sell enough of them to justify a high efficiency manufacturing process. Those quantities would also drive down the relative overhead costs, making each skimmer cheaper to produce. There is a pretty good margin on these, but I wonder what their profits really look like after you include their fixed costs. It might not be as high as you think, but it could be higher too.

Keep in mind though, that you do not absolutely have to have a skimmer. I don't and in my upgrade I'm using an ATS and a fuge to control the nutrients. For me it is more fun and more efficient since I like running with my water a little dirtier to feed the corals. I just know I need to avoid risks that could add too many nutrients too quickly and nuke the tank if they died, like a sea cucumber or large nems. Staying on top of outbreaks and blooms will be key though, so I will have to be ready to do large water changes.
 
EVERY Product or service is Too much money, Unless its me providing the service or product then its never enough..



Just a example
 
Most of the skimmers that are expensive are also hand casted and assembled. Not the pump, but the acrylic body. So people who built those have small special casts that they use to produce these bodies (no factory based mass production here, mostly small workshops that can produce 10-20 units a day at max). It is hard to built something curved out of acrylic let alone cylinders,funnels and concave bodies that all modern "expensive" skimmers have.
 
For me it was just easier to buy one than to try and build one. Between research, time and parts to me it was not really a rip-off. One thing I don't know where you would buy or build is the part that creates the fine bubbles that makes the foam. Not rocket science but I wonder if you can buy that part?
 
jgln said:
For me it was just easier to buy one than to try and build one. Between research, time and parts to me it was not really a rip-off. One thing I don't know where you would buy or build is the part that creates the fine bubbles that makes the foam. Not rocket science but I wonder if you can buy that part?
Click to expand...
I hear you - yeah time is money. It was just a mild rant. I'm probably going to check our local "club" for a used one :)

Sent from my R1 HD using Tapatalk
 
ericarenee said:
EVERY Product or service is Too much money, Unless its me providing the service or product then its never enough..



Just a example
Click to expand...
Nah, you have monopolies, cartels, and the irrationality of consumers....the enlightenment ideal of automatic rational progress hasn't borne out in practice :)

Sent from my R1 HD using Tapatalk
 
Tripod1404 said:
Most of the skimmers that are expensive are also hand casted and assembled. Not the pump, but the acrylic body. So people who built those have small special casts that they use to produce these bodies (no factory based mass production here, mostly small workshops that can produce 10-20 units a day at max). It is hard to built something curved out of acrylic let alone cylinders,funnels and concave bodies that all modern "expensive" skimmers have.
Click to expand...
That's a good point about curved components. I'm sure it all could and would be factory-automated of the demand were high enough....if we can build a microprocessor and land a rover on mars, we can automate the build of a skimmer....but I hear ya.

Sent from my R1 HD using Tapatalk
 
jgln said:
For me it was just easier to buy one than to try and build one. Between research, time and parts to me it was not really a rip-off. One thing I don't know where you would buy or build is the part that creates the fine bubbles that makes the foam. Not rocket science but I wonder if you can buy that part?
Click to expand...

You can make your own skimmer, we used to built our own skimmers before things become accessible to home users. For a very long time only, places like public aquariums had professionally made skimmers.

To create bubbles you will need a pump that sucks in both water and air. Any pump with a strong enough suction would suck in air with water if you connect an air tube to the water intake. This will intrinsically create some bubbles as the air/water mixture pass through the pump propeller. If you want to further reduce the size of the bubbles for better water/air contact, you can add a second separate propeller to the outlet of the pump that rotates at a much faster RPM than the pump's . You might also add some fishing lines between the blades of the propeller so it cuts trough the bubbles and makes them even smaller. Congratulations, you made a very simple venturi skimmer pump! :). Final step is to add a bubble plate so the rising bubbles are evenly distributes. Connect this to a long tube with a neck that tank water passes through and a collection cup on top and you will have a skimmer.
 
Last edited:
somebloke said:
That's a good point about curved components. I'm sure it all could and would be factory-automated of the demand were high enough....if we can build a microprocessor and land a rover on mars, we can automate the build of a skimmer....but I hear ya.

Sent from my R1 HD using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Yeah exactly, the ones that are a bit cheaper are produced in a more "automated" way. The critical issue here is the demand. Would you invest in a factory that costs 5-10 million dollars just to produce something that would have a market demand of couple of thousands of units a year at best? It is just more practical to use workshops and human labor for this.
 
Not to get specific but a brand new bubble magnus curve 5 is like $110 buck on fishstreet. Thats an awesome skimmer and not expensive.

The entire world functions in the exact same was as the skimmer market I dont know why you're surprised.
 
Voodoojar said:
Not to get specific but a brand new bubble magnus curve 5 is like $110 buck on fishstreet. Thats an awesome skimmer and not expensive.

The entire world functions in the exact same was as the skimmer market I dont know why you're surprised.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the lead, checking it out!!!

In the same way, sure, but the level of distortion varies with the influence of market control and collective hysteria.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_mania

Sent from my R1 HD using Tapatalk
 
jgln said:
For me it was just easier to buy one than to try and build one. Between research, time and parts to me it was not really a rip-off. One thing I don't know where you would buy or build is the part that creates the fine bubbles that makes the foam. Not rocket science but I wonder if you can buy that part?
Click to expand...

Many ways.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/fish-supplies/aquarium-air-pump/airstone/ps/c/3578/3669/3671

https://premiumaquatics.com/products/pump-penductoreductor-34-male.html

http://www.customaquatic.com/estore/control/product/~product=PS-PMBLTR2

https://www.dripworks.com/drip-irri... injectors - mazzei&utm_term=mazzei injectors


https://premiumaquatics.com/products/sicci-sicpsk1000-skimmer-pump.html

http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMaxx...or_Aquariums-AquaMaxx-UJ1317-FIWPSBRP-vi.html
 
In some cases you do get really good build quality for your $$; in other cases it IS overpriced extruded junk.
 
Price is all relative. To some Royal Exclusive is insanely priced for what you get. For some the price was well worth it for what they got. Who's wrong? Depends on who you ask.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

reret10
Reret10's SCA 50 gallon Cube Build
Replies
10
Views
2K
reret10
reret10
E.intheC
New Protein Skimmers
Replies
16
Views
2K
rtparty
rtparty
O
KHG and the impact of stable ALK
Replies
3
Views
1K
drernesto
drernesto
O
AquaMaxx skimmer ? (WS vs Co-1)
Replies
2
Views
670
Orm Embar
O
ontheairship
Our tank is possessed.
Replies
2
Views
988
SMR45
S
Back
Top