What are the top 3 skimmers out now?

[Opiy]

I didn't want to ask this in the equipment thread yet to keep from annoying people or getting a religious debate going but thought I would try with you guys.

If you have to pick, what would you say are the top 3 best skimmers on the market now. You don't have to pick and exact model but the company will do.

I see there are alot of new ones out now since I left the hobby so maybe this will help narrowing down the options.

Larry

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Have you seen this latest performance review on skimmers in Advanced Aquarist magazine?

 

[j1b1e1]

Good article reference Tomoko, thanks!

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I like those myth buster articles

 

[wpecoul]

Thanks for posting that, Tomoko! I was thinking about a Reef Octopus 200, but it looks like I'll stick with my old mesh-mod EuroReef CS5-3 and just clean it more often.

 

[j1b1e1]

I'm with you wpecoul! I'm still running the cs8-3.

Opiy - I see you're back in reefing! I've still got the 58 and working on the 180.

 

[Opiy]

I went to the Bass Pro Shop here near Mobile and they have this 11,000 gallon saltwater tank and I just love to go in there to eat and check out the tank. I went there this past weenend and thought man I really should get another tank but a kinda small one. I am pretty sure I have decided on a Marineland 70g cube tank, lights, and now I think I know what skimmer according to the article. This is all plans though so in time I will see how it works out.

 

[JR's Reef]

Im going to say
ATB
Warner Marine
BK

 

[Opiy]

Oh yea and from the article I got that the skimmer isn't quite as essential as popular belief says. I good skimmer and water changes are the way to go. Or did I miss something.

 

[wpecoul]

I wouldn't go without one, but no skimmer is a substitute for regular water changes and (IMO) carbon and bit of GFO for phosphates.
That said, some skimmers are definitely not worth their price - and I mean 'budget' models and expensive ones, too.

 

[Opiy]

what is GFO? I have seen it before.

 

[wpecoul]

Granular Ferric Oxide - phosphate remover. ROWAphos, Phosban, etc. are all GFO's. Its use has pretty much replaced the older aluminum (?) based media for phosphate removal.