Let's talk about skimmers
 

Ok, I need a skimmer. After trying to run three different BK minis, all now broken, I need to figure out what to add to my sump.
Currently running a borrowed BK mini 180, it's ok. Built like a truck, quiet, blah blah, doesn't pull what it's rep says it should. That's ok, I didn't really expect it to.
Anyway, what are you guys using that you feel is doing a great job? I have a height restriction of about 25 inches.
Total water volume, 107g. Medium load, but feed heavy.

Looked at the Vertex Omega 150, owners tell me it's a bit under powered and probably best for 90g or less. (They actually said 75g, I'm being generous)
The 180i looks good, and probably the top of my price range. Remember, lots of dollars just went out on BK Betta Bowls.

Things I'm trying to factor in are initial cost, performance, cost and availability of replacement parts (the big downfall for BK). Noise level, not a huge factor, but quieter is more betterer.
I don't care much about build quality, it will sit in my sump untouched for the next 5 years. Seriously, I don't want to touch it until I tear the tank down :)

Ok, whatcha got?

Oh, Peter, I WILL delete you -lol

Skimz?

4 minutes, not as hung over as I thought you'd be :)

Not opposed to skimz, model in mind?

I have the csc 250 which is the skimz e series 201.

Works great but I'm not sure if it'll fit your height restriction

22 inches, looks like?

Actually yeah that looks right.

I have an Omega 150 on my 120 with 40 breeder sump and it is puling dark green crap consistently. I have heard of people using them on much larger systems and being happy with them. If anything, it's overpowered and won't foam well on a smaller system or one with a low bioload in my experience.

How is the water height adjusted on those?

Have you considered Deltec?

I was a huge fan of Vertex until I bought a couple Deltec's. Now I use them exclusively in store and only have one Vertex Alpha 250 left to swap out with a Deltec.

The Deltec SC 1455 would be a good choice for you.

We run one on a well stocked 120 display at the LFS here, not pulling what it could. Not bad at all, but I think it could do more.

So hard to really tell though, so many variables. I do have one available to borrow, I could try it.

I had considered them very briefly, as I couldn't find a local supplier. Deltec have been around since I started reefing and would look at them.

They can be sensitive to changes. My foam collapses sometimes when I'm doing something in the tank. I'm assuming from the oils from my skin. Goes back to normal shortly though. It did start to overflow once recently but I pulled the volute/venturi off the pump, gave it a vinegar soak and a scrub with an old toothbrush and it went back to normal again.

Where do you get your's from?

Not to turn this into a vertex omega 150 thread......but I purchased this skimmer and I am just waiting on my build to finish before actually trying it. What I am wondering is if most people are also adjusting the volute as well as the wedge pipe or if most are just using the wedge pipe and not adjusting the volute and is that why they seem to have issues?

That's also a question I have. Nobody I've talked to has brought this up. Might be the reason for the less than stellar reviews.

Maybe because it is such a new concept that people are not wanting to mess with it to much and just run it full open or closed or whatever and just adjust the stand pipe.

It's possible. Maybe I'll run one for a week and see what I think. Not opposed to going up to the 180i though.

Just watched a review on tht Deltec, guy broke it in 2 places before really using it. Again, German parts = big line of credit at bank :)

Also, what kind of volume you running now? Seems over powered for my tank. 2 pumps??

The 180i would be my choice with your tank, mine is only 67-ish gallons so thats why I went with the 150. What about the cad lights cone skimmers? I know they are more on the lower end price wise but they seem like a well purposed no frills cone skimmer design....I could be wrong though. That was just my first impressions when I seen pictures.

Sober or drunk, I will help you out.

Just figured you and the boys would be in jail this morning -lol

201 should be the single pump 8" body.

I dunno about rest of the crew.. But I manage to send one away on a boat.

Maybe got my pictures mixed up :)

Already? Doesn't sound like much a party if nobody is in jail!

I have a reef octopus nwb 200 and it's on my 125 with sump and it is awesome had a minor impeller priblem at the start but they sent out a new one and works like a charm

You probably would need he nwb 150 the. 200 might be a bit much

I hear good things about RO, but I owned one of the original ones and hated it. Not sure I'd chance it again. SRO gets good reviews too.

And now for something completely different (kind of).....
 

As an alternative to Royal Exclusiv and Deltec (I'm still a fan - sorry) ; a few local hobbyists here seem to have had good success with the AVAST Marine Works skimmers from the U.S.. It's a pretty good concept of partly "building it your own" like a Lego kit. I'm not the most technically inclined person and was able to follow a build. However; some may not have the patience.

What I also find appealing is the darker acrylic that is used for the foam "column" part to inhibit algae growth. Not seen that often in skimmers on the current market.

Perhaps an AVAST Marine Works CS1 Skimmer? + a Head/Neck "Swabbie" cleaner?

P.S. - For "special nights out" and potential incarceration; I have my attorney on retainer. ;)

I would consider Deltec, although the review I just watched has me rethinking :)

I guess for RE, while the unit I'm currently running is doing a fine job, it's over priced. I mean sure, it's built well. But we don't need that built. It's quiet, but a lot of skimmers are quiet. Easy to clean, but I clean skimmers at build time and at sell time.
The kicker for me is this. They use a pump that probably costs them in the area of $50. They glue it to a plate. The plate and glue somehow now make this a $250 motor block. Oh, sorry, it has a shiny sticker. It's sad. I mean, sure, I get it, they have to recover R&D, setup for prod, etc, but there are some many threads on so many boards complaining of the same issue, it's just not acceptable. Especially for those that paid such huge dolllars for their units new. I'm only mildly upset, as I bought mine for quite cheap, but I cannot justify paying RE prices for parts. If you can get them. I currently need 3 pumps. That's sad.

Very sad. I'll work on this......

P.S. - I also agree on price points.

I'm checking with Hagen tomorrow to see if they have PT-344 blocks anywhere in the back room, if so, I'll rebuild the units I have here. 2 x160 and a 200. I wake up everyday expecting the 180 in my sump to be dead too -lol

If they don't have them, I'll try a single 1350 pump. Supposedly the same block. If that works, I might just get three of those. I Know a guy who knows a guy who owns a dog that once bit someone that knows a guy, but I'll get him to hold off on anything Until I sort this out. Even if I can get better pricing, I can't afford that x3.

lol....understood

I have run Euro-Reef and RE BK's on anywhere from a 40g to 300g. A BK Mini 180 on 40g up to the 85g, a Euro-Reef on the 85g (before I got the BK Mini), and a BK DC 250 with RD3 Speedy on the 270g. The BK's were temperamental when it came to water height in the skimmer chamber, that needs to be set and forget. The BK's have a tough time really looking impressive until you have a high bio-load in the tank. The Euro-Reef always pulled out a constant nog but nothing as thick as what the BK's would do when they were running optimally.

Do I feel the RD3 Speedy is worth it? Not for the adjustability, but yes for the DC pump and it's efficiency. Like you said the build quality on the skimmer bodies is undeniable.

Would I buy a BK again... yes. It may just be the same as a cheaper skimmer but so far I haven't decided the Vertex is quite the same.

Just my 2 cents.

My 180 seized up once and all I needed to do was clean the magnet, etc. I think keeping up on the yearly maintenance is pretty darn important with the BK motors. My version didn't have the bypass. That's not to say you weren't doing it, but maybe the person you bought them from wasn't?

Mine were all clean, even the one that just stopped. Impellers look new, no tightness in the bearing. It's a huge issue with the Gen 1 issues. Not saying they are bad skimmers, I think they do a decent job. But god, if they stop, you're screwed. They also don't need to be so pricey, they could be built less like trucks and still last 20 years.

Going to pick up an Omega 150 for a test run, I'll compare it to what I've seen with the BK. I'm sure it's less. :)

The SWC 160 I owned would outskim any of the other lower priced needle wheels. Then I tested some Skimz for AD. It worked very well once we got the pump and needle wheel figured out right. I would say it skimmed better than the SWC. I imagine they are even better now.

When I looked after Mikes tank while he was overseas or away, I got to see many of the high end skimmers he tried. The duel Eheim pump Deltec he had out skimmed any of the other fancy expensive skimmers.

If its any worth at all.......I'd personally never buy an omega sjkimmer for my own home system , in fact I was just offered a pretty much brand new omega for $100 to use on my new build ( yes you heard right ) and turned it down

I've had impellers go on one twice , pump seize , body crack and the cups are tiny the tuning is horrible(was never a fan of twist pipe anyways)

I love vertex product I just don't think the omega series is all its cracked up to be , the new I series maybe diff but I'm not holding my breath , i havent played with one yet but if anything I figure now I woudl have to take the body apart to replace what Breaks lol

Love my csc 450 skimmer but it's discontinued so that's just great too , I'm hoping it lives forever lol I've had no issues with this skimmer , gate ale for control and you can adjust the airlines.....two things that are important to me for how a skimmer operates.


Somewhat did I buy for my new build?

Curve series from bubble magus , cheap Chinese skimmers that are cheap as hell and even though it should be a piece of junk I've never had to warranty one , they are easy to tune(numbers can be such an easy addition to the twist pipes no?) and have a few different sizes not just a 130 or 150/180

I know I won't be amazed with this skimmer but I also ow I won't pull my hair out from it either lol

So skimmer recommendation? I have none really , I played with the new bubble king dc skimmer , it's whisper quiet and easy to tune , love the dc pump but again it costs an arm and not something I could afford to buy.

Played with the new reef octopus , again love them like the bubble king but after my last dc buy I'm not sure I would buy a dc skimmer or not atleastnntill it's been out for a year with little warranty issues .

I run an Omega 150 in approx.100 gal. with DT & sump pulls dark brown/ dark green gross smelling sludge out and has worked flawlessly now for the last year.