BAK PAK 2 Vs. Coralife super skimmer

Waldo22 · 02/06/2008, 12:30 AM

I'm just starting up a 40 gallon tank. Im looking at getting either the BAK PAK 2 or the Coralife. Im leaning more towards the BAK PAK. My LFS has then but they took out the media and put in live rock. I like that idea, and haveing more options with the skimmer.

The Coralife seems apealling because of the price and that it works pretty well (Ive read.) Ive also been told that the design has been changed so it wont over flow.

I dont know what Im doing so what would you guys do?

RyanMcLaughlin · 02/06/2008, 12:32 AM

Personally I would go with the coralife. I have a SS 125 and it works great. Also I spent days researching skimmers and from just about everything ive read the BackPack are pieces of crap that are a waste of money. Make sure you do your research because this will have a big impact on your tank. Good Luck.

Waldo22 · 02/06/2008, 12:40 AM

Ive read pretty equal reviews on both. People either hate it or love it. Im not sure which one Ill go with just yet but Ill be getting one of them.

RyanMcLaughlin · 02/06/2008, 12:44 AM

Also just some advice. I had a backpack for a little while on my first tank but never got it setup right for it to pull out gunk. The collection cup has a rubber band on it so you can raise/lower it in the bubbles. Id say it is a little harder to get to work right than a Coralife.

Waldo22 · 02/06/2008, 12:52 AM

Hmm, thats good to know. Thanks for letting me know. I dont think that Ive read about that complaint yet.

bertoni · 02/06/2008, 01:28 AM

I have two BakPaks and one CoraLife (the smallest one) in operation. Judging skimmers is tough, but I think the CoraLife is working better.

m3rcury · 02/06/2008, 02:05 AM

i have a 40 breeder and i bought the bak pak from my LFS when i first set it up. i'm not going to lie, i cursed that thing for the better part of 4 months until i finally bought the coralife. i bought every little thing to go on it - the bubble trap, the overflow thing. ugh. it never pulled stuff out the way i wanted, it felt impossible to get adjusted correctly, and bubbles were always a problem. the bubble trap helps some... but not much.

i sold it on ebay and regretted the day i ever laid eyes on it.

by contrast, i find the coralife really easy to use and adjust. pulls out plenty of nasty stuff. for me, it has worked TONS better than the bak pak ever did.

but, that's just my experience. i have yet to see anyone get REALLY excited about their bak pak...

Waldo22 · 02/06/2008, 09:27 AM

Hmm, well I think that Ill be buying the Coralife.

Thank you everyone.

lancer99 · 02/06/2008, 01:00 PM

I have three Bakpaks. The Rio pumps they used to use weren't very good, but with a Maxijet (especially modded per instructions on the CPR site) they are efficient for their size & price.

I don't have any problems with micro-bubbles, but like any skimmer, you have to give them about a week to develop a biofilm.

I don't have a Coralife to compare them to, but since I've had no problems with them, there's no reason for me to buy a Coralife.

-R

kzooreefer · 02/06/2008, 02:10 PM

I did a lot of research on HOB skimmers before I bought a Bak-Pak 2 including looking at the Coralife Super Skimmer 65, which I was originally going to buy because they were cheaper. The Coralifes did seem to have a lot more negative feedback than the Bak-Paks, especially about the difficulty of dialing in the right air mixture with the needle wheel design. A guy at the LFS which sold both said the same thing and that from his experience with both he prefered the Bak-Pak so I went with it. Been happy with mine for 2 years now. Since I've had it I have done the air stone mod (directions on CPR website) and have replaced the provided air valve with another needle type valve and get even better results than when I first installed it. Also removed the bio-bale (or whatever it is called) media and just run that side empty and use the bubble trap on the discharge. I let algae grow inside the trap kind of like a mini refugium and that also helps cut down on micro bubbles. If you go with the Bak-Pak the combo intake and discharge bubble trap or at least the dischage bubble trap are highly recommended. Its amazing that someone can call some thing a piece of crap with out ever owning one but you get a lot of that here.

kzooreefer · 02/06/2008, 02:49 PM

Here's a link to the Super Skimmer thread on this site. Some good info there.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=1

02/06/2008, 12:30 AM	#1
Waldo22 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sammamish WA Posts: 6	BAK PAK 2 Vs. Coralife super skimmer I'm just starting up a 40 gallon tank. Im looking at getting either the BAK PAK 2 or the Coralife. Im leaning more towards the BAK PAK. My LFS has then but they took out the media and put in live rock. I like that idea, and haveing more options with the skimmer. The Coralife seems apealling because of the price and that it works pretty well (Ive read.) Ive also been told that the design has been changed so it wont over flow. I dont know what Im doing so what would you guys do?

02/06/2008, 01:28 AM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I have two BakPaks and one CoraLife (the smallest one) in operation. Judging skimmers is tough, but I think the CoraLife is working better. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/06/2008, 02:49 PM	#11
kzooreefer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 453	Here's a link to the Super Skimmer thread on this site. Some good info there. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=1 __________________ Tank.........29-gallon glass Lighting.....Current Orbit Marine LED Filtration....Reef Octopus BH90 HOB Skimmer, GFO Reactor. Flow..........2 Jebao WP10 Powerheads

02/06/2008, 12:32 AM	#2
RyanMcLaughlin Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Anaheim Posts: 982	Personally I would go with the coralife. I have a SS 125 and it works great. Also I spent days researching skimmers and from just about everything ive read the BackPack are pieces of crap that are a waste of money. Make sure you do your research because this will have a big impact on your tank. Good Luck.

02/06/2008, 12:40 AM	#3
Waldo22 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sammamish WA Posts: 6	Ive read pretty equal reviews on both. People either hate it or love it. Im not sure which one Ill go with just yet but Ill be getting one of them.

02/06/2008, 12:44 AM	#4
RyanMcLaughlin Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Anaheim Posts: 982	Also just some advice. I had a backpack for a little while on my first tank but never got it setup right for it to pull out gunk. The collection cup has a rubber band on it so you can raise/lower it in the bubbles. Id say it is a little harder to get to work right than a Coralife.

02/06/2008, 12:52 AM	#5
Waldo22 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sammamish WA Posts: 6	Hmm, thats good to know. Thanks for letting me know. I dont think that Ive read about that complaint yet.

02/06/2008, 02:05 AM	#7
m3rcury Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 325	i have a 40 breeder and i bought the bak pak from my LFS when i first set it up. i'm not going to lie, i cursed that thing for the better part of 4 months until i finally bought the coralife. i bought every little thing to go on it - the bubble trap, the overflow thing. ugh. it never pulled stuff out the way i wanted, it felt impossible to get adjusted correctly, and bubbles were always a problem. the bubble trap helps some... but not much. i sold it on ebay and regretted the day i ever laid eyes on it. by contrast, i find the coralife really easy to use and adjust. pulls out plenty of nasty stuff. for me, it has worked TONS better than the bak pak ever did. but, that's just my experience. i have yet to see anyone get REALLY excited about their bak pak...

02/06/2008, 09:27 AM	#8
Waldo22 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sammamish WA Posts: 6	Hmm, well I think that Ill be buying the Coralife. Thank you everyone.

02/06/2008, 01:00 PM	#9
lancer99 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Falls Church, VA Posts: 1,100	I have three Bakpaks. The Rio pumps they used to use weren't very good, but with a Maxijet (especially modded per instructions on the CPR site) they are efficient for their size & price. I don't have any problems with micro-bubbles, but like any skimmer, you have to give them about a week to develop a biofilm. I don't have a Coralife to compare them to, but since I've had no problems with them, there's no reason for me to buy a Coralife. -R

02/06/2008, 02:10 PM	#10
kzooreefer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 453	I did a lot of research on HOB skimmers before I bought a Bak-Pak 2 including looking at the Coralife Super Skimmer 65, which I was originally going to buy because they were cheaper. The Coralifes did seem to have a lot more negative feedback than the Bak-Paks, especially about the difficulty of dialing in the right air mixture with the needle wheel design. A guy at the LFS which sold both said the same thing and that from his experience with both he prefered the Bak-Pak so I went with it. Been happy with mine for 2 years now. Since I've had it I have done the air stone mod (directions on CPR website) and have replaced the provided air valve with another needle type valve and get even better results than when I first installed it. Also removed the bio-bale (or whatever it is called) media and just run that side empty and use the bubble trap on the discharge. I let algae grow inside the trap kind of like a mini refugium and that also helps cut down on micro bubbles. If you go with the Bak-Pak the combo intake and discharge bubble trap or at least the dischage bubble trap are highly recommended. Its amazing that someone can call some thing a piece of crap with out ever owning one but you get a lot of that here.