Can't Decide on Skimmer

[mattyg]

I have read post, researched with vendors, gone to stores and talked to friends about skimmers and can't decide what to buy.

Start with my tank: 90 gallon aga with 30 gallon sump (10" deep sump fixed water level with topoff)
Medium stocked with fish(7), tons of other life(snails, starfish, crabs, micro fauna, etc) getting overgrown with mixed corals over the years, been going 7-8 years. 4-6" deep sand bed and lots of coraline covered live rock. Lots of water flow and a wavebox that moves everything to the sump for the skimmer to process. Large filter sock changed weekly, skimmer cleaned once a week at same time. Tank has been working great for years.

Skimmers I have owned:
Aqua-c urchin pro
Aqua-c ev-120
ASM g3
MSX/SWC xtreme 200 - Current skimmer works good, but not great

I'm getting tired of messing with sicce pump. Broke ceramic shaft, replaced with hobby store carbon fiber rod that works. Have used lg ppw(broke), mesh, stock pinwheels, all worked ok, but not great. Start up issues more and more as pump gets older(1.5-2 yrs old). Loud, moody, vibrating, hates to be cleaned, pain to open(even with special tool-1.5" pvc tee cut to fit grooves). All that said about sicce pump - when it's working the thing is great at making bubbles. Rather than spend $110+ to replace, I'd like to try a new skimmer.

Past skimmer experience makes me want a few things.
Good construction. Quiet operation(not silent but ya know).
Deeper water level operation - Had a bad experience with eggcrate skimmer stand tipping over/breaking pouring skimmate in stand. Really ****ed off my wife cuz house stunk. Been using drip tray out of old wet/dry filter that gives me 1.75" lift so my current skimmer sits in 8.25" water depth. I can build a larger skimmer stand if I need to, but it also makes it hard to remove cup if it's on a 4" stand. Why haven't skimmer manufacturers figured out how to incorporate adjustable base to raise skimmer to working height? They have to look/work better than the ghetto rigs we're putting our beautifully built skimmers onto. But I digress.

Disclaimer - I am not trying to bash any of these products or want to have arguments about the information and opinions expressed, just want to find a product I WANT TO BUY FOR MY SYSTEM

Skimmers I have been looking at:
SWC Xtreme 160 Cone
Like build of my current swc 200, so I know it will be nice.
Don't have any experience or have never seen atman pumps. Look cheap but functional. Worried about mesh/needlewheel durability. Love the small footprint with pump inside. Good that it works in deeper sump depth of 8-9". Great price at under $300.

Octopus SRO 2000 or XP 2000
Played with one (XP 2000) at local store, bb pump is big, impressive, nice pinwheel, but really worried it will be too loud/humm/vibration/etc. Not good that it works in shallower depth at 6-7". Good price at $350-$400.

I-tech 100 or 200
No experience but fantastic reviews. Main thing that I keeps bringing them up to me is Tunze Hydrofoamer Silence Pump. I love the Tunze pumps I have (2 x 6085's and nano wavebox). Wish there was more information on these pumps and skimmers, have read all the forums and reviews I could find and talked to store briefly. They suggested the 100 model with 9410 tunze pump for my size system. Not good that it works in shallower depth at 6-7". Little higher price at $500-$650.

These are the main skimmers I'd buy at this point. Lots of other higher priced models I'd like but probably won't spend the money.
Please give me any information about the above skimmers you can - Id like to hear what you like and mostly what you dislike or wish they had built better before I buy.
Thx,
Matt

[Tbduval]

I would really consider the SRO 2000. If you like the cones designed go with XP 2000 but they may or may not be worth the extra money. I bought the SRO 3000 and this thing is a skimming beast. As far as the pump being loud, mine is dead silent. Sometimes I check on it to make sure it is running. No vibration, no noise, just stinky and I mean really stinky nog. I think right now they are the best skimmers on the market for the money.

[moondoggy4]

I have the I-Tech 200 on a 120 I would get the I-Tech 100.

[Myvirtue]

goodluck with that, theres so many

[Drewbaby]

I've been looking into new skimmers myself and have been leaning more and more towards the octopus brand. Ive talked to alot of people that worked thier way up to an octo and the only regret they have was not buying one sooner. They are reasonably priced, but are well worth it from what I've seen and heard. I've also heard great things about eshopps skimmers. Ultimately it's up to you, but I know my next skimmer will cost me a pretty penny because with most things you get what you pay for and a great skimmer won't be the cheapest out there. IMO.

[mattyg]

Tbduval
I am going back to local store this weekend to hopefully see SRO xp 2000 in action again
Moondoggy4
Do you have tunze pump on your i-tech? If so how do you like it and compare to other pumps? I wish i could see i-tech in action.

[DDRR]

I have a Tunze 9410 Skimmer on my 120 gal and it works great. Very energy efficient and quiet. Its around 400 new.

[Johnny C]

I'd either go with the XP2000 or the SRO2000; judging from your past experience, I don't think you'll like the Atman pump too much. JMO!

[ZurichOne95]

Deltec ap600! I'm getting one next time around. Local friend has 2 gravity fed and his tanks are kickin!

[moondoggy4]

On my I-Tech 200 I have the sicce pump I got my skimmer before the Tunze was available. PS there is used I-Tech 100 with the Tunze pump on the used forum for sale.

[moondoggy4]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1874461 They don't last long Good luck

[davidtsx]

I run a mrc MR-2 on my 120 and it is awesome. On my new build I'm looking at a MR-4, Geo, or using my existing BK supermarin 250. Personally I like Becknet skimmers better though.

[KafudaFish]

I ran an I-Tech 100 on my 95 with 55 sump.
The system is now down but I will keep it and use it the next go around.

It is one of the few pieces of equipment that I never questioned my purchase.

If you have the space you can build a skimmer stand.

I would ask for a cup drain to make things easier though because of the amount of skimmate you will collect.

No experience but plenty of reading and my second choice would be the SRO 2K.

Maybe even a WM 150 too and they use to be around $325 I think. Just more options and more headaches.

[dcs03tx]

Ive got an ATB 840 and I couldnt even imagine a better skimmer. They ROCK!!

[mattyg]

Missed out on used i-tech.
Went to lfs to see sro xp 2000 in action, but they sold their last one. Store employees all agreed it was a great skimmer and great pump, but they thought it would be oversized for my 90 gallon and suggested the 1000 model(Not sure I agree).
The search continues

[badmotorfinger7]

ATB is high quality!!

[Tbduval]

Originally Posted by mattyg

Missed out on used i-tech.
Went to lfs to see sro xp 2000 in action, but they sold their last one. Store employees all agreed it was a great skimmer and great pump, but they thought it would be oversized for my 90 gallon and suggested the 1000 model(Not sure I agree).
The search continues

You bio-load looks like medium load. The XP-2000 has range from a 90-180 or so. If you go with the 1000 you will limit your self on upgrading tanks. You know that reefers curse! Do you want a cone skimmer because the SRO-2000 not xp is a hybrid cone with a lower price tag? I agree with you that the 1000 will be too small. Worse comes to worse and the skimmer is over sized just throw more fish in there or upgrade to a larger tank

[barfish]

theres an i-tech 200 w. the tunze used in my area,local reefer is breaking down one of his tanks.

[varyhare]

My Tunze 9010 has been running for 3 years now without a problem. Even decided to keep it when I went the Elos way for my tank. $366 at MD.

[drunkfish3]

I would do the reef octopus i have a SRO 5000ext on my 120 and it is a awesome skimmer and for the money unbeatable IMHO.

[IluvGod'sreefs]

I was thinking of getting an Octopus, but, Jeremy at Premium Aquatics told me the Vertex would outperform it. So I got the Vertex IN-80 for my 55 and I really like it. Bet of all , it didn't cost me an arm and a leg!