Skimz Monzter SM201 Internal Protein Skimmer VS Omega Vertex 150

[ReefChasing]

I have a 130 gallon display with around 25 gallons in my sump. Tank is heavily stocked with fish and soft corals. I'm currently running a Omega Vertex 150 but it doesn't seem to be keeping up. Really bad hair algae issues despite using 2.5 cups of carbon/1 cup of GFO in a dual reactor changed weekly. Weekly 10%+ water changes with RO water.

Would a Skimz Monzter SM201 Internal Protein Skimmer do better?

These are the ratings listed on BRS. I couldn't find any similar rating for the Omega 150.

Heavy Bioload (Most Common) - 190 gallons
Medium Bioload - 240 gallons
Light Bioload - 320 gallons

[kegogut]

I have an Sm201 on my 400 gallon system and it works great.

What lighting do you have? I have three tanks in my system and one of them has red/green leds on the unit and I have hair algae in it and I have 0 algae in my 220 and my 40B nem tank.

[Captain smoke]

I have a SM201 in my med stocked fish/ med SPS 150. It's a very large skimmer and will easily work on your 130 heavy. They're a little touchy getting them set for a dry skim as mine seam to constantly skim on the wetter side. The air setting on the pump for me is open only a 1/2-3/4 turn anything more and its just froth.

If I was to do it over I would go one size down, with the DC pump. With Skimz or the new Eshopps x- series.

[ericarenee]

I to have the sm 201 and it just works its been on my tank for almost 2 years now i think

[ReefChasing]

Originally Posted by kegogut

I have an Sm201 on my 400 gallon system and it works great.

What lighting do you have? I have three tanks in my system and one of them has red/green leds on the unit and I have hair algae in it and I have 0 algae in my 220 and my 40B nem tank.

I have two kessil 350s and two kessil 160s. All lights are dialed up 100% for the blue spectrum and about 30% for the white spectrum. Mg is at 1500 to try and limit the algae. Nitrates are at zero. Organics are the cause of the algae though. Theres an oil looking slime on the surface of the water.

After doing more research I'm thinking about going with the Oval SV203 DC because of the flow control that's available with the dc pump.

[oseymour]

In the Past year I've run the Skimz SM202, Skimz sm163(current) And the Vertex Omega 150 and Omega 130..

I have a heavy stocked 75 gallon display 91 gallon total system volume.

I started with the Vertex Omega 130 from an old tank, upgraded to the 150 and it still could not keep up. BRS rated it for a heavy stocked 55 gallon tank.

The Skimz SM201 would definitely do better. The build quality of the acrylic is not as refined as the Vertex but it skims well. AND BRS handles warranty themselves -I broke the gate valve on the 163 when setting it up and they overnighted me the replacement parts.

I chose the 163 because it use a DC pump which is much quieter. That AC Pump on my Vertex and SM202 was loud and the tank is in my living room.

So overall I think the Skimmer you are looking at would definitely be an upgrade. Consider one with the DC pump as it's quieter and offers you more options to tune.

[ReefChasing]

Originally Posted by oseymour

In the Past year I've run the Skimz SM202, Skimz sm163(current) And the Vertex Omega 150 and Omega 130..

I have a heavy stocked 75 gallon display 91 gallon total system volume.

I started with the Vertex Omega 130 from an old tank, upgraded to the 150 and it still could not keep up. BRS rated it for a heavy stocked 55 gallon tank.

The Skimz SM201 would definitely do better. The build quality of the acrylic is not as refined as the Vertex but it skims well. AND BRS handles warranty themselves -I broke the gate valve on the 163 when setting it up and they overnighted me the replacement parts.

I chose the 163 because it use a DC pump which is much quieter. That AC Pump on my Vertex and SM202 was loud and the tank is in my living room.

So overall I think the Skimmer you are looking at would definitely be an upgrade. Consider one with the DC pump as it's quieter and offers you more options to tune.

That's insane the omega 150 couldn't even keep up with your 75 gallon. No wonder I'm having so many issues.

I'm not sure why BRS states this in the 'Full Details' section.

Vertex Omega 150 Protein Skimmer is quality construction and performance at a reasonable price point. It will perform for a well-stocked reef aquarium up to 150 gallons total but is not over-sized for systems as small as 60 gallons.

Then they contradict themselves with this in the 'Quick Overview'...

Lightly Stocked - 150 Gallons

Medium Stocked - 90 Gallons

Heavily Stocked - 55 Gallons

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I'm going to pull the trigger on the Oval SV203 DC.

[Skim]

Originally Posted by ReefChasing

That's insane the omega 150 couldn't even keep up with your 75 gallon. No wonder I'm having so many issues.

I'm not sure why BRS states this in the 'Full Details' section.

Vertex Omega 150 Protein Skimmer is quality construction and performance at a reasonable price point. It will perform for a well-stocked reef aquarium up to 150 gallons total but is not over-sized for systems as small as 60 gallons.

Then they contradict themselves with this in the 'Quick Overview'...

Lightly Stocked - 150 Gallons

Medium Stocked - 90 Gallons

Heavily Stocked - 55 Gallons

------

I'm going to pull the trigger on the Oval SV203 DC.

Well I guess that's if you believe what BRS says. If you speak to Premier they say they are way under rated. BRS will also say that if you are looking at the Vertex 180i they recommend you go with the 150 because of the pump using up space inside the body the 150 will be more efficient. There are many reefers using the 150 on 200+ gal systems with no problems and are happy. I would not use the 150 on anything smaller then say a 90 even when I had the 150 on my 110 gal with total volume say 90 to 100 gal. with sump, it would not run 100% consistent and when skimmers do not run consistent and people say I have to adjust all the time is 99.9% of the time the skimmer is too large and will have down until the Organics build up again. In the end it is your choice but what I would recommend is if you can fit it, use a skimmer with the pump outside of the body as you gain a lot more contact time. When pumps are inside you do lose a lot of water volume. It is surprising just how much water the pump displaces.