Who has a SWC 160 Cone or Skimz Kone SK181?

Myka · #1 07-21-2011, 02:16 AM

Can anyone explain the large cost difference between these two skimmers that seem to be fairly comparable? Anyone have any comparison reviews? It sounds like the Skimz pump is a better pump, but $225 difference...? Hmmm...

This skimmer would be replacing the EuroReef RS-180 that is currently employed on my ~100 gallon reef. The ER performs well, but is very noisy and likes to overflow.

Skimz Kone SK181
Skimmer pump: 1 Skimz ES2000 needlewheel
Power consumption: 12W
Air intake: 540 l/h
Rated: 50-200 gallons
Price: $500 (I think??)

SWC 160 Cone
Skimmer pump: Atman 2500
Power consumption: 27W
Air intake: 650 l/h
Rated: 100-150 gallons
Price: $275

I would prefer the SWC 180 Cone, but it has a Sicce pump on it which I refuse to buy. Anyone know of a replacement pump for the SWC 180 Cone?

Skimmerking · #2 07-21-2011, 03:35 AM

Mindy i will chime in here for a little help.

Cone 160 excellent little skimmer built like a Tank.

The sicci pump 2500 POS pump IME. i have owned 4 of them all POS.

The Skimz skimmer after what i have seen with Doug's Its a POS the 161 not built very good. If you want to know the truth about skimmer's hey ask me i will tell you striaght up.

for you the cone 160 is a good skimmer i heard that jayson is running another pump on the 180 now. I emailed him asking him to throw on the bubble blaster pump to the 180 cone now you have a beast.

dreef · #3 07-21-2011, 03:42 AM

SWC 160 Cone for me mindy..doesn't break the bank and i've had mine for almost a year.I'm still amazed on how much crap this little work horse pulls out.And against there suggestion only took it apart twice and cleaned the pump,hasn't skipped a beat

Myka · #4 07-21-2011, 03:57 AM

Thanks for the info guys! dreef, what other skimmers are you familiar with?

Quote:

Originally Posted by asmodeus

i heard that jayson is running another pump on the 180 now. I emailed him asking him to throw on the bubble blaster pump to the 180 cone now you have a beast.

Ya Jayson told me "they" are trying a new pump out, but wouldn't tell me which one. He did say it would be quite awhile before they decide on a new pump. So I don't think I can wait. Maybe I should just go with the SWC then, I'm really happy with the one I already have.

dreef · #5 07-21-2011, 04:29 AM

dreef, what other skimmers are you familiar with?

Its shroom Mindy ..you know me

I ran a euro 135 RS before,like you said noisy.What my euro use to pull out in a week,i can get with the cone in 3 days.LUV it,and quiet and a joy to tear apart and clean.

Myka · #6 07-21-2011, 03:32 PM

Hahaha, oops forgot you're "shroom"! Why you gotta be all confusing like that?

Thanks for the info!

shootingstar · #7 07-21-2011, 04:21 PM

For what it's worth I was in exactly the same boat as you. Wanted the 180 but bought the 160 just to get the atman pump.

Have owned it for 5 month's, the atman quit for the third time this past weekend and is now in a box on it's way bag to winter-peg.

Not overly impressed with the atman and at this point can't imagine how the sicce could have been worse.

Myka · #8 07-21-2011, 04:35 PM

Hmmm...that sucks. It is the same Atman you have been fighting with this whole time or you have had 3 fail? How do they fail?

shootingstar · #9 07-21-2011, 04:44 PM

Yes it is all the same atman pump. It quit for the third time. I would only define it as "fail" this third time because I simply could not get it running again.
All 3 were failed re-starts after power loss or even a power flicker.

I do love the performance and it is very quiet.....all wonderful....

just needs a better pump IMHO

Myka · #10 07-21-2011, 04:48 PM

Those are the exact same problems the Sicce pump has! I haven't heard of other people having this trouble with the Atman, maybe you just got a bogus pump from the get go? I have had a 120 Cone (on nano) with the smaller Atman 1100 pump on it for about 6 months, and I haven't had any restart issues with it at all. Actually no complaints at all about the skimmer, which is why I want a bigger one for my reef.

FWIW, in my research I have been hearing if a person puts the AquaMaxx Large Red Devil Needle Wheel on the Sicce 2500 pump that it restarts with no issues. I'm going to continue this research, and it if is consistent then I will just buy the SWC 180 Cone.