Considering swapping skimmers...

[Skuba]

Currently I'm using a eshopps psk100 the tank is a 27g cube with 8g display fuge and a rs75 sump. I figure around 40-45g total volume.

The eshopps has worked fine for the 2 years the tanks been going. But I'm thinking a upgrade couldn't hurt.

Another reason is the stand my 27 came with its pretty cramped. The 22" tall eshopps is a pain to get in and out for maintenance so a shorter skimmer would be nice.

The options I'm considering are a bubble magnus, a sc skimmer, or a reef octopus 4" cone. I also have a tunze 9004 laying around but I figure the cup would need to be emptied a few times a week.

Anyone have a suggestion on these or another I overlooked?

Don't mind the messiness in the pic. Considering a diy stand for my fuge and to house a easier to work with sump area.

[Skuba]

Anyone have some input?

[disaster999]

if you are looking for an upgrade but dont want the 22" height...your pretty limited in choices...

 

A quick search, I came up with these 3

 

Vertex Omega 130, 20" height, but bigger footprint

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vertex-omega-130-protein-skimmer.ht

 

Bubble Magus NAC 7 20" height, but bigger footprint

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bubble-magus-bm-nac7-cone-protein-skimmer-1.html

 

Reef Octopus SRO 1000int 20" height, but bigger footprint

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/super-reef-octopus-sro-1000int-5-in-sump-protein-skimmer.html

 

As rated, the Vertex isnt really much of an upgrade in terms of filtration capacity, but HUGE upgrade in quality and bling bling.

Bubble Magus can slightly cater to larger volume, but I take their ratings with a grain of salt. The pump isnt the best also. Same goes with the Reef Octo, but the bubble blaster pump is quiet and good performer.

[Skuba]

if you are looking for an upgrade but dont want the 22" height...your pretty limited in choices...

 

A quick search, I came up with these 3

 

Vertex Omega 130, 20" height, but bigger footprint

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vertex-omega-130-protein-skimmer.ht

 

Bubble Magus NAC 7 20" height, but bigger footprint

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bubble-magus-bm-nac7-cone-protein-skimmer-1.html

 

Reef Octopus SRO 1000int 20" height, but bigger footprint

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/super-reef-octopus-sro-1000int-5-in-sump-protein-skimmer.html

 

As rated, the Vertex isnt really much of an upgrade in terms of filtration capacity, but HUGE upgrade in quality and bling bling.

Bubble Magus can slightly cater to larger volume, but I take their ratings with a grain of salt. The pump isnt the best also. Same goes with the Reef Octo, but the bubble blaster pump is quiet and good performer.

Thanks yea the footprint isn't a deal breaker since my fuge is sepetate.

I also read about seaside aquatics. Basically the higher end version of a BM or sca with a sicce pump.

If a hang on bh1000 can sit in water that's a option to or any hang on similar

[GHill762]

is the skimmer you're using underperforming? or are you just looking for a new toy (nothing wrong with that, we all like new toys )?

 

the tall skimmer may be a pain, but will likely perform better than a shorter one simply because the bubbles have more contact time with the water before spilling into the collection cup..

[Skuba]

is the skimmer you're using underperforming? or are you just looking for a new toy (nothing wrong with that, we all like new toys )?

 

the tall skimmer may be a pain, but will likely perform better than a shorter one simply because the bubbles have more contact time with the water before spilling into the collection cup..

It performs. I get some nasty muck. But it's a pain to clean since you can't dissasemble the body and most long brushes aren't long enough. Plus getting it in n out of my cabinet stinks. And I figure a cone would perform better

[disaster999]

i vote for the vertex omega because of the build quality

[jestep]

SCA 302 for sure. It's cheap and only 18" tall. Tons of people are using them and I've heard of very few problems.

[farkwar]

i vote for the vertex omega because of the build quality

The cup screws off to remove it. Can be done with one hand, with an inch of overhead.

 

SCA 302 for sure. It's cheap and only 18" tall. Tons of people are using them and I've heard of very few problems.

The SCA 301 a piece of junk. If the 302 is anything like it, thats a DEFINITE downgrade.

[Skuba]

Also another factor is I feel I have a fairly high bioload. 2 gobies. 3 clowns. 2 cardinals beyween the dt and fuge. And really want a helfrichi lol

[jestep]

The cup screws off to remove it. Can be done with one hand, with an inch of overhead.

 

 

The SCA 301 a piece of junk. If the 302 is anything like it, thats a DEFINITE downgrade.

 

It's pretty much identical to the bubble magus NAC 7. Has same pump, but is about 1/2" - 1" shorter.

 

It's supposedly rated to 180 gallons, but I think 120 - 140 is more realistic under normal stocking. I've been using one on a 90 gallons with ~20 gallon sump for more than a year and it keeps up no problem.

[Skuba]

Any of you guys familiar with seaside aquatics?

[farkwar]

Thats another name for Bubble Magus.

 

Jestep,I have a BM Curve 5 and an SCA 301. In comparison the SCA is built like a dangerous flimsy Chinese happy meal toy.Its wobbly, came with a crack in the body (plastic is super thin), and takes two hands to remove the cup else youll pull the whole skimmer out of the sump., and without a modification the pump falls off when you do. And its loud as diesel truck.

 

It does make skimmate.So does a plastic coke bottle and airstone.

[Skuba]

Thats another name for Bubble Magus.

 

Jestep,I have a BM Curve 5 and an SCA 301. In comparison the SCA is built like a dangerous flimsy Chinese happy meal toy.Its wobbly, came with a crack in the body (plastic is super thin), and takes two hands to remove the cup else youll pull the whole skimmer out of the sump., and without a modification the pump falls off when you do. And its loud as diesel truck.

 

It does make skimmate.So does a plastic coke bottle and airstone.

You like your BM though?

[farkwar]

Wish it were a Vertex Omega.

 

The BM C5 is pretty noisy, half as noisy as the SCA. Skims well.

 

The build quality from the SCA to the BM is the same from the BM to the Vertex.

 

I would recommend the Bubble Magus as a budget skimmer. The Curve 5 would be good size for the 27 gallon. Cup comes off with one hand.

[Skuba]

Wish it were a Vertex Omega.

 

The BM C5 is pretty noisy, half as noisy as the SCA. Skims well.

 

The build quality from the SCA to the BM is the same from the BM to the Vertex.

 

I would recommend the Bubble Magus as a budget skimmer. The Curve 5 would be good size for the 27 gallon. Cup comes off with one hand.

I think if I decide to go that route ill try the seaside aquatics. Supposedly they import the BM or something so it's better built and has a sicce pump.

I'm surprised not more people reccomending the octopus skimmers or some of those skimz

[farkwar]

Well, there you go.

 

A Bubble Magus with a Sicce pump.

[disaster999]

I guess it really depends on your budget and what you want out of the new skimmer. If you want something cheap but does the job and its not a flimsy piece of shit, then go with BM. Seaside Aquatics is pretty much BM skimmers with a better pump as farkwar said. You should be familiar with Sicce PSK pumps since you are using one on your current skimmer.

 

Im guessing you would want to keep a similar rating (100gals) for the skimmer and dont want to "downgrade" to a smaller skimmer. The closest option would be either the NAC 7 (~$290) from BM or the CS7 (~$350) from Seaside Aquatics. For that price, I might as well go with the Vertex Omega 130 (~$320) for around the same price and same performance, but a MUCH higher quality build construction. Its sort of a no brainer at this point...at least for me.

 

Skimz or Reef Octopus arent bad skimmer, I recommended the RO also in my first post here for your reference. Performance wise all the skimmers here (except for the SC skimmers) would perform very similarly.But with build quality and personal preference, I would, hands down, pick the vertex over all any day.

[xmas_one]

If it ain't broke...

[Skuba]

I guess it really depends on your budget and what you want out of the new skimmer. If you want something cheap but does the job and its not a flimsy piece of shit, then go with BM. Seaside Aquatics is pretty much BM skimmers with a better pump as farkwar said. You should be familiar with Sicce PSK pumps since you are using one on your current skimmer.

 

Im guessing you would want to keep a similar rating (100gals) for the skimmer and dont want to "downgrade" to a smaller skimmer. The closest option would be either the NAC 7 (~$290) from BM or the CS7 (~$350) from Seaside Aquatics. For that price, I might as well go with the Vertex Omega 130 (~$320) for around the same price and same performance, but a MUCH higher quality build construction. Its sort of a no brainer at this point...at least for me.

 

Skimz or Reef Octopus arent bad skimmer, I recommended the RO also in my first post here for your reference. Performance wise all the skimmers here (except for the SC skimmers) would perform very similarly.But with build quality and personal preference, I would, hands down, pick the vertex over all any day.

Thanks for taking the time to type that out. I agree as far as price a no brainer. It looks like the vertex I can pull the pump off to remove from sump? Like my eshoppes since its so crammed I'd never get the skimmer in and out of the sump with the pump attached

[disaster999]

I have no idea if you need to or not, you would have to see once you get it. But if you do need to pull the pump off, Its only connect by a silicone hose so taking it off and re-installing it should be fairly simple

[Skuba]

Just a update to all that contributed with my decision. Received this sexy beast in the mail today. Purchased for a pretty good price,used 3 months. I can tell the second I picked the box up it was quality by the weight, then the actual product box was similar to a apple products packaging. The footprint is larger than I would of preferred but the quality of this thing makes up for it. Tommorow ill do a quick cleaning and fire it up. Can't wait to see it in action!

 

I guess it really depends on your budget and what you want out of the new skimmer. If you want something cheap but does the job and its not a flimsy piece of shit, then go with BM. Seaside Aquatics is pretty much BM skimmers with a better pump as farkwar said. You should be familiar with Sicce PSK pumps since you are using one on your current skimmer.

 

Im guessing you would want to keep a similar rating (100gals) for the skimmer and dont want to "downgrade" to a smaller skimmer. The closest option would be either the NAC 7 (~$290) from BM or the CS7 (~$350) from Seaside Aquatics. For that price, I might as well go with the Vertex Omega 130 (~$320) for around the same price and same performance, but a MUCH higher quality build construction. Its sort of a no brainer at this point...at least for me.

 

Skimz or Reef Octopus arent bad skimmer, I recommended the RO also in my first post here for your reference. Performance wise all the skimmers here (except for the SC skimmers) would perform very similarly.But with build quality and personal preference, I would, hands down, pick the vertex over all any day.

 

Btw it's the vertex omega 130

[farkwar]

Needs vinegar bath.

 

I dont think youll be dissatisfied with it.

 

With a longer silicone tubing, you can put the pump anywhere in your sump.

[Skuba]

 

Needs vinegar bath.I dont think youll be dissatisfied with it.With a longer silicone tubing, you can put the pump anywhere in your sump.

Unfortunately my sumps not too large. Eshopps rs75 just fit in the cabinet. Considering building a stand for display fuge that could house a larger better designed sump. But unless I tank the tank off the cabinet the existing sump can't come out lol. I had to disassemble part of the stand to get the sump in

[disaster999]

Just a update to all that contributed with my decision. Received this sexy beast in the mail today. Purchased for a pretty good price,used 3 months. I can tell the second I picked the box up it was quality by the weight, then the actual product box was similar to a apple products packaging. The footprint is larger than I would of preferred but the quality of this thing makes up for it. Tommorow ill do a quick cleaning and fire it up. Can't wait to see it in action!