reeferaddict
08-09-2005, 10:15 AM
OK... so I finally got over to J&L... I was very impressed, (note to Islanders - We will be a long time coming before we have anything here even close to J&L, the sheer volume and shipping issues will prohibit it - so don't think our local guys are always ripping us off) - and I was bad ... I picked up a Bullet 2, mainly because I got to see one work beside both the Euroreefs and the Aqua C's... Skimming became an issue as I upgraded the tank... then the lights... and boom... ALGAE... All kinds of different colourful slimy kinds... Good thing I have a high interest right now as I dutifully cleaned all the time... hoping my biological balance would return, much to my chagrin when it didn't... So on looking for a skimmer I went. I've heard people having great success with the Euroreefs, and even read good things about the ASM's and Aqua C, but when I got to see these things in action I was sold!
First off, I am stepping into a different class of skimmer, a sealed unit that you can connect to an optional collection cup that shuts down skimmate production when it's full allows for means that you don't have to worry about skimming 5 gallons of salt water out of your system and have it replaced with 5 gallons of fresh water from an auto top off system. No more spills or serious overflows... zero chance of skimmate being dumped back into the tank...how nice! The construction is impressive, they advertise them as not being a toy for good reason, next to them everything else seems like a toy. And then the skimmate - yuck! Best I've EVER been able to get with my previous skimmers, (SeaClone, Prizms..), was a thin dark greenish gunk. After about a 16 hour break in period this skimmer started to produce the foamiest black gunk I have ever smelled! The green tinge is gone in my water, and I don't have to scrape the glass every single day... after less than one week, my algae is disappearing at an amazing rate, and I've already noticed some excellent polyp extension. I can't wait to see the effects of this beauty skimmer long term. It's more versatile than the Euroreefs in that it doesn't run with a riser tube allowing you to either put it in the sump or plumb it externally, though it is undoubtedly a little less "Plug & Play".
I know I paid a lot for it... but I think I wish I would have spent this money the FIRST time...
First off, I am stepping into a different class of skimmer, a sealed unit that you can connect to an optional collection cup that shuts down skimmate production when it's full allows for means that you don't have to worry about skimming 5 gallons of salt water out of your system and have it replaced with 5 gallons of fresh water from an auto top off system. No more spills or serious overflows... zero chance of skimmate being dumped back into the tank...how nice! The construction is impressive, they advertise them as not being a toy for good reason, next to them everything else seems like a toy. And then the skimmate - yuck! Best I've EVER been able to get with my previous skimmers, (SeaClone, Prizms..), was a thin dark greenish gunk. After about a 16 hour break in period this skimmer started to produce the foamiest black gunk I have ever smelled! The green tinge is gone in my water, and I don't have to scrape the glass every single day... after less than one week, my algae is disappearing at an amazing rate, and I've already noticed some excellent polyp extension. I can't wait to see the effects of this beauty skimmer long term. It's more versatile than the Euroreefs in that it doesn't run with a riser tube allowing you to either put it in the sump or plumb it externally, though it is undoubtedly a little less "Plug & Play".
I know I paid a lot for it... but I think I wish I would have spent this money the FIRST time...