Is it worth it? Vertex alpha 300 vs octopus xp-5000?

psykobowler · 04/06/2010, 02:18 PM

Hi all, I have a system that holds approximately 530 gallons total water volume. My display is 300 gallons and I am making this a full blown sps reef. I had originally planned to get a vertex alpha cone 300 skimmer but I found the octopus xp-5000 basically at half the price. Is there enough difference between the 2 cone skimmers to warrant the extra $600 to purchase the vertex?

At half the price I can pick up the octopus within next week, the alpha 300 will be in may. Thanks in advance for your input.

reeftec · 04/06/2010, 03:26 PM

I would go with the Vertex Alpha, premium has them on sale now.
RD pumps are proven, BB pump on the Octo is a new pump, no one knows if in 1 year they will all have grinded shafts,.....
They do seem to be OK so far but again they have been on the market only for a short time.
Also as far as service I would say Proline is much better than Coral Vue.
That is just my personal experience !!! I guess nuff said

DRC69 · 04/06/2010, 03:33 PM

Isn't Vertex going or out of business?

Proline · 04/06/2010, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRC69

Isn't Vertex going or out of business?

No, this is a ridiculous rumor.

psykobowler · 04/06/2010, 05:04 PM

Thanks for the replies. I have the vertex in80 and in180 so I know vertex are well built. I guess I am going to have to wait a few more months to get the skimmer.

reeftec · 04/06/2010, 05:45 PM

The INs are great skimmers, I have seen them @ LFS, they also had the Alphas there.
They are just different league, like Lexus & Ferrari.
Try socal tropical fish in Fullerton, they have all of them in stock.

Johnny C · 04/06/2010, 06:00 PM

I'm sure the Vertex is great, but my LFS uses the XP-5000 on a 265+120+75 system and it's constantly filled with dark skimmate. HTH

PS- If you do decide to go with the XP, I hope you have room. The collection cup barely fits in a 5G bucket!

slief · 04/06/2010, 08:48 PM

If you can afford the Alpha, you wont be dissapointed. I had the same concern as was also considered the octo. I am glad I went with the Alpha. I was coming from a beckett skimmer that was BY FAR the best skimmer I had ever owned up until my Alpha 300.

I have seen the Alpha 300's for around $1100 as recently as yesterday. I think it was So Cal Tropical Reef Outlet. Premium aquatics is also running a special on them if I am not mistaken.

psykobowler · 04/06/2010, 09:35 PM

I think premium aquatics is at $1250 but they appear to have a sale until only may. I will check out socal. By the way, I am friends with a fish store owner in Roseville so I may be able to get the alpha at cost plus shipping.

djze · 04/06/2010, 10:21 PM

i have the octo 5000 external cone on my 180 display with 250 gallon sump ran a euroreef and a tunze before and the octo is by far the best skimmer i have seen its built like a tank it pulls halve a cup in two days super silent you wont be disappointed vertex cant even compare to the octo cones besides the pumps halve 3 years guaranty unless something gets pulled in the pump to damage the shaft which is very unlikely because u have to feed it with another pump there shouldn't be any problems

corwin · 04/06/2010, 10:34 PM

While I have never owned one of the Octo skimmers I have had 2 of the Alpha 250's. I have never seen a skimmer so easy to set up and problem free to use. These things are beast. They are made by Royal Alpha maker of the Bubble King. They have consistently worked with the owners of these skimmers to increase performance and send out replacement parts free of charge. I know of no other manufacturer that so willing to please there customers.

The Red Devil pumps have custom CNC volutes made for the Alpha series skimmers, cut out of a solid piece no cheap injection molding here. Every part with the exception of the titanium screws are made in Germany, not China.

If you chose to go with the Alpha 300 you will understand the difference the second you take it out of the box. Truly a quality piece.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

tangtang clown · 04/07/2010, 10:46 AM

I'm positive the octo will be more than enough, especially for the price diff.

djze · 04/07/2010, 02:33 PM

take a look at this thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1727974

HighlandReef · 04/07/2010, 03:44 PM

I have had the sro 5000 ext for a little while now and these new octo skimmers rock. I don't think you could go wrong with either skimmer but the octo skimmers are hard to beat for the price

reefsafe · 06/13/2010, 10:10 PM

Been running the oct xp3000. Awesome skimmer. would not spend the extra money on vertex. the octo kicks butt.

woowoodengy · 02/15/2011, 02:02 AM

old thread but i would agree with most posts here. oct is good for the $$$ but alpha is a beast and made by RE so quality is second to their own BK skimmers.

Which one did you choose?

04/06/2010, 02:18 PM	#1
psykobowler Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 2,137	Is it worth it? Vertex alpha 300 vs octopus xp-5000? Hi all, I have a system that holds approximately 530 gallons total water volume. My display is 300 gallons and I am making this a full blown sps reef. I had originally planned to get a vertex alpha cone 300 skimmer but I found the octopus xp-5000 basically at half the price. Is there enough difference between the 2 cone skimmers to warrant the extra $600 to purchase the vertex? At half the price I can pick up the octopus within next week, the alpha 300 will be in may. Thanks in advance for your input. __________________ Guitar playing reefer Current Tank Info: 300g & 90g display, 90g fragtank, 34g fuge, 120g sump1 w/ RO Xp-5000, 20g sump2 , 5 (2x54wattT5 retrofits) 3 radion xr15pros, 5mp60s, 4tunze6255s, Apex, WXM, KnopCaRx, Avast KalkRx

04/06/2010, 03:33 PM	#3
DRC69 Oh Well Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: RSM, CA Posts: 3,430	Isn't Vertex going or out of business? __________________ Thanks, D Current Tank Info: "A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have" ----- Thomas Jefferson

04/06/2010, 05:04 PM	#5
psykobowler Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 2,137	Thanks for the replies. I have the vertex in80 and in180 so I know vertex are well built. I guess I am going to have to wait a few more months to get the skimmer. __________________ Guitar playing reefer Current Tank Info: 300g & 90g display, 90g fragtank, 34g fuge, 120g sump1 w/ RO Xp-5000, 20g sump2 , 5 (2x54wattT5 retrofits) 3 radion xr15pros, 5mp60s, 4tunze6255s, Apex, WXM, KnopCaRx, Avast KalkRx

04/06/2010, 06:00 PM	#7
Johnny C Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 4,140	I'm sure the Vertex is great, but my LFS uses the XP-5000 on a 265+120+75 system and it's constantly filled with dark skimmate. HTH PS- If you do decide to go with the XP, I hope you have room. The collection cup barely fits in a 5G bucket! __________________ "...the sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonders forever" -Jacques Cousteau

04/06/2010, 08:48 PM	#8
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	If you can afford the Alpha, you wont be dissapointed. I had the same concern as was also considered the octo. I am glad I went with the Alpha. I was coming from a beckett skimmer that was BY FAR the best skimmer I had ever owned up until my Alpha 300. I have seen the Alpha 300's for around $1100 as recently as yesterday. I think it was So Cal Tropical Reef Outlet. Premium aquatics is also running a special on them if I am not mistaken. __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

04/06/2010, 03:26 PM	#2
reeftec Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Newport, CA Posts: 259	I would go with the Vertex Alpha, premium has them on sale now. RD pumps are proven, BB pump on the Octo is a new pump, no one knows if in 1 year they will all have grinded shafts,..... They do seem to be OK so far but again they have been on the market only for a short time. Also as far as service I would say Proline is much better than Coral Vue. That is just my personal experience !!! I guess nuff said

04/06/2010, 05:45 PM	#6
reeftec Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Newport, CA Posts: 259	The INs are great skimmers, I have seen them @ LFS, they also had the Alphas there. They are just different league, like Lexus & Ferrari. Try socal tropical fish in Fullerton, they have all of them in stock.

04/06/2010, 09:35 PM	#9
psykobowler Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 2,137	I think premium aquatics is at $1250 but they appear to have a sale until only may. I will check out socal. By the way, I am friends with a fish store owner in Roseville so I may be able to get the alpha at cost plus shipping. __________________ Guitar playing reefer Current Tank Info: 300g & 90g display, 90g fragtank, 34g fuge, 120g sump1 w/ RO Xp-5000, 20g sump2 , 5 (2x54wattT5 retrofits) 3 radion xr15pros, 5mp60s, 4tunze6255s, Apex, WXM, KnopCaRx, Avast KalkRx

04/06/2010, 10:21 PM	#10
djze Moved On Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: newark Posts: 136	i have the octo 5000 external cone on my 180 display with 250 gallon sump ran a euroreef and a tunze before and the octo is by far the best skimmer i have seen its built like a tank it pulls halve a cup in two days super silent you wont be disappointed vertex cant even compare to the octo cones besides the pumps halve 3 years guaranty unless something gets pulled in the pump to damage the shaft which is very unlikely because u have to feed it with another pump there shouldn't be any problems

04/06/2010, 10:34 PM	#11
corwin Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Garland, TX Posts: 29	Alpha 300 vs Octo While I have never owned one of the Octo skimmers I have had 2 of the Alpha 250's. I have never seen a skimmer so easy to set up and problem free to use. These things are beast. They are made by Royal Alpha maker of the Bubble King. They have consistently worked with the owners of these skimmers to increase performance and send out replacement parts free of charge. I know of no other manufacturer that so willing to please there customers. The Red Devil pumps have custom CNC volutes made for the Alpha series skimmers, cut out of a solid piece no cheap injection molding here. Every part with the exception of the titanium screws are made in Germany, not China. If you chose to go with the Alpha 300 you will understand the difference the second you take it out of the box. Truly a quality piece. Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

04/07/2010, 10:46 AM	#12
tangtang clown Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: The DUB, NC Posts: 2,711	I'm positive the octo will be more than enough, especially for the price diff. __________________ Mind over chatter.

04/07/2010, 02:33 PM	#13
djze Moved On Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: newark Posts: 136	take a look at this thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1727974

04/07/2010, 03:44 PM	#14
HighlandReef Chalice Monger Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,163	I have had the sro 5000 ext for a little while now and these new octo skimmers rock. I don't think you could go wrong with either skimmer but the octo skimmers are hard to beat for the price

06/13/2010, 10:10 PM	#15
reefsafe Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Arvada, CO Posts: 2,332	Been running the oct xp3000. Awesome skimmer. would not spend the extra money on vertex. the octo kicks butt. __________________ Is there such thing as a big enough tank? Tank build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1969509 Current Tank Info: 360 Gallon AGE tank, Radion lighting, mp60 pumps and lots of equipment

02/15/2011, 02:02 AM	#16
woowoodengy Upgrading my 20gal Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chicago/Glenview Posts: 1,230	old thread but i would agree with most posts here. oct is good for the $$$ but alpha is a beast and made by RE so quality is second to their own BK skimmers. Which one did you choose? __________________ Twitter is my personal customized news feed. It only tells me what I want to hear. Current Tank Info: never big enough