Cheap skimmers vs high end skimmer

TimeSlayer · 01/02/2015, 09:08 PM

i just want to know how much of a performance boost will i get with a high end skimmer vsing a low end.

I have a Odyssea PS160 Protein Skimmer, it does a good job pulling out dark green waste.

I'm looking to get a Reef Octopus Classic 150EXT 6”Recirculating Protein Skimmer or a Skimz Monzter SM122 External Protein Skimmer.

Will the performance be so big it will justify the $350 for the new skimmer? Or just a small performance boost that i will like be unhappy with because i was thinking if i spend $350 on a new skimmer it should pull out at least double the waste.

My reason I'm looking at a external skimmer because i don't have a sump and don't mind seen the skimmer next to the tank on a stand.

i have a 75 gallon tank with 2clown, 1 foxface, 1 blue tang, 1 sailfin tank all less than 2 inches big.

http://www.aquatraders.com/Protein-S...60-p/43013.htm

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-o...n-skimmer.html

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/skimz-...n-skimmer.html

myram · 01/03/2015, 07:29 AM

It's the quality of the build and the pump that dictates the price difference.
When you buy a cheap skimmer, you are getting thinner acrylic that can crack and a chinese pump that will fail.
When you go for a quality skimmer, you get thicker acrylic that will last a lot longer and an italian or german pump that will be very dependable.

I went from a SCA skimmer, thin acrylic and chinese pump.......to a Skimz, great build and italian pump, and the difference is amazing. Just the quality of the build and pump makes the upgrade well worth it.

ca1ore · 01/03/2015, 08:38 AM

I think there is less of a performance delta between 'cheap' and 'high end' skimmers than the manufacturers would care to admit. But the old adage 'buy cheap, buy twice' certainly applies to skimmers.

moondoggy4 · 01/03/2015, 12:09 PM

As much as I love that Skimz skimmer I would not get it External pumps are hard to come by so if it fails you will not be able to use that skimmer, Skimz does not have good history with C/S.

Have you considered installing a sump, it would take about a month, pull all of the fish and put them in a QT drill the tank, put everything back in and make sure it is cycled again.

viggen · 01/03/2015, 12:56 PM

As stated I would also suggest adding a sump to your aquarium, it makes life much much easier!!

You can yank everything and drill..... or buy a pre drilled aquarium and swap into that.... or you can buy a hang on the back overflow box.

Safest is to drill/buy new tank however there are some overflow boxes that are very reliable and do not loose siphon. Going the hang on the back route is very easy to do ... I would definantly give thes different directions a good look

That being said I wouldn't call a Octopus skimmer high end... more mid or low/mid grade. To me high end is Reef Dynamics, Deltec, Bubble King, ATB, H&S & a few others

I do believe there is a difference in quality at the different price points. Some go through lots of R&D while others seems to just follow the latest craze and copy.

suzig · 01/03/2015, 01:04 PM

if the skimmer you have now pulls a good cup of dark skimmate- i see no reason to replace it. id invest the money into a hang on back overflow and a cheap maybe 20 or 30 gallon sump with return pump to house your equipment.

Larz_1 · 01/03/2015, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myram

It's the quality of the build and the pump that dictates the price difference.
When you buy a cheap skimmer, you are getting thinner acrylic that can crack and a chinese pump that will fail.
When you go for a quality skimmer, you get thicker acrylic that will last a lot longer and an italian or german pump that will be very dependable.

I went from a SCA skimmer, thin acrylic and chinese pump.......to a Skimz, great build and italian pump, and the difference is amazing. Just the quality of the build and pump makes the upgrade well worth it.

+1
I did the same thing. Went from a SCA skimmer to a SKIMZ SM163.

The difference in quality was amazing. The SCA did a fine job, but the acrylic had cracked in a couple of places and I could tell that it would not last much longer.
I got the SKIMZ from BRS during the holidays for 15% off, no tax, free shipping and I had $100 credit ... so it was a no brainer.

myram · 01/04/2015, 07:03 AM

All skimmers accomplish the same end result, and a cheap skimmer will work.......but you get what you pay for with skimmers to a certain point.
Build quality and pump quality is what matters most.

yeldarbj · 01/04/2015, 02:29 PM

I agree with everyone. You are paying for quality and reliability. Rather than going external, why not consider an internal skimmer like the new Tunze 9012?

TimeSlayer · 01/04/2015, 04:35 PM

ty for the information. i will just keep the one i got and build a sump.

Since there isnt a big jump in performance boost

TimeSlayer · 01/04/2015, 05:05 PM

i just thought bc my skimmer wasnt a needle wheel skimmer. It wasnt pull out as much as it could of been if it was a needle wheel skimmer.

ssdawood · 01/04/2015, 09:41 PM

I was going to say the samething. Reef octopus are very nice skimmers but not high end. They are affordable middle of road.

For me high end is usually bubbleking, atb etc.

davidfrances · 01/29/2015, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larz_1

+1
I did the same thing. Went from a SCA skimmer to a SKIMZ SM163.

The difference in quality was amazing. The SCA did a fine job, but the acrylic had cracked in a couple of places and I could tell that it would not last much longer.
I got the SKIMZ from BRS during the holidays for 15% off, no tax, free shipping and I had $100 credit ... so it was a no brainer.

Good luck with your Skimz, this is what your impeller will look like after 4 months when your pump seizes up:

01/02/2015, 09:08 PM	#1
TimeSlayer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 24	Cheap skimmers vs high end skimmer i just want to know how much of a performance boost will i get with a high end skimmer vsing a low end. I have a Odyssea PS160 Protein Skimmer, it does a good job pulling out dark green waste. I'm looking to get a Reef Octopus Classic 150EXT 6”Recirculating Protein Skimmer or a Skimz Monzter SM122 External Protein Skimmer. Will the performance be so big it will justify the $350 for the new skimmer? Or just a small performance boost that i will like be unhappy with because i was thinking if i spend $350 on a new skimmer it should pull out at least double the waste. My reason I'm looking at a external skimmer because i don't have a sump and don't mind seen the skimmer next to the tank on a stand. i have a 75 gallon tank with 2clown, 1 foxface, 1 blue tang, 1 sailfin tank all less than 2 inches big. http://www.aquatraders.com/Protein-S...60-p/43013.htm http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-o...n-skimmer.html http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/skimz-...n-skimmer.html

01/03/2015, 08:38 AM	#3
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	I think there is less of a performance delta between 'cheap' and 'high end' skimmers than the manufacturers would care to admit. But the old adage 'buy cheap, buy twice' certainly applies to skimmers. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

01/03/2015, 12:56 PM	#5
viggen Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 2,213	As stated I would also suggest adding a sump to your aquarium, it makes life much much easier!! You can yank everything and drill..... or buy a pre drilled aquarium and swap into that.... or you can buy a hang on the back overflow box. Safest is to drill/buy new tank however there are some overflow boxes that are very reliable and do not loose siphon. Going the hang on the back route is very easy to do ... I would definantly give thes different directions a good look That being said I wouldn't call a Octopus skimmer high end... more mid or low/mid grade. To me high end is Reef Dynamics, Deltec, Bubble King, ATB, H&S & a few others I do believe there is a difference in quality at the different price points. Some go through lots of R&D while others seems to just follow the latest craze and copy. __________________ A tub of fish

01/03/2015, 01:04 PM	#6
suzig Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: long island Posts: 176	if the skimmer you have now pulls a good cup of dark skimmate- i see no reason to replace it. id invest the money into a hang on back overflow and a cheap maybe 20 or 30 gallon sump with return pump to house your equipment. __________________ ... Current Tank Info: 45 cube, Custom King sump, 250w Halide, 2x T5s, G4 Radion, ATO, Reef Octopus skimmer, mp40/10

01/04/2015, 09:41 PM	#12
ssdawood Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Wappingers Falls Posts: 324	I was going to say the samething. Reef octopus are very nice skimmers but not high end. They are affordable middle of road. For me high end is usually bubbleking, atb etc. __________________ Elos 120, ATI Led Powermodule , Hopefully SPS dominated reef

01/03/2015, 07:29 AM	#2
myram #347, 19 years Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Biddeford, ME Posts: 1,714	It's the quality of the build and the pump that dictates the price difference. When you buy a cheap skimmer, you are getting thinner acrylic that can crack and a chinese pump that will fail. When you go for a quality skimmer, you get thicker acrylic that will last a lot longer and an italian or german pump that will be very dependable. I went from a SCA skimmer, thin acrylic and chinese pump.......to a Skimz, great build and italian pump, and the difference is amazing. Just the quality of the build and pump makes the upgrade well worth it.

01/03/2015, 12:09 PM	#4
moondoggy4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: menifee So cal Posts: 11,042	As much as I love that Skimz skimmer I would not get it External pumps are hard to come by so if it fails you will not be able to use that skimmer, Skimz does not have good history with C/S. Have you considered installing a sump, it would take about a month, pull all of the fish and put them in a QT drill the tank, put everything back in and make sure it is cycled again.

01/04/2015, 07:03 AM	#8
myram #347, 19 years Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Biddeford, ME Posts: 1,714	All skimmers accomplish the same end result, and a cheap skimmer will work.......but you get what you pay for with skimmers to a certain point. Build quality and pump quality is what matters most.

01/04/2015, 02:29 PM	#9
yeldarbj Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,295	I agree with everyone. You are paying for quality and reliability. Rather than going external, why not consider an internal skimmer like the new Tunze 9012?

01/04/2015, 04:35 PM	#10
TimeSlayer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 24	ty for the information. i will just keep the one i got and build a sump. Since there isnt a big jump in performance boost

01/04/2015, 05:05 PM	#11
TimeSlayer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 24	i just thought bc my skimmer wasnt a needle wheel skimmer. It wasnt pull out as much as it could of been if it was a needle wheel skimmer.