ATI, OCTO Pro, or Reeflo 200

[reefchaos]

ATI, OCTO Pro, or Reeflo 200

I am close to setting up a new tank and need to make a decision on what skimmer I would like to purchase. I am open to all suggestions and advice.

I am looking at the ATI bubble master 200, the Octopus Pro 300, or the Reeflo Orca 200. I am currently leaning toward the Octopus Pro due to price/performance/efficiency(electrical).
My budget is up to $850 (with the Reeflo maxing out the budget).
The only issue I am concerned about with the ATI is the mesh contained within the pumps they use. I am designing the system to be as maintenance free as possible I quite frankly do not want to have to be constantly tinkering with the skimmer I choose. All opinions and advice is greatly appreciated!

The tank with be approximately 140gal with a 30-40 gal sump/refugium. Total water volume will be slightly less than 180gal. The tank will be dominated by SPS/LPS and clams.
The fish will consist of:
clown fish
wrasses
anthias
1 Tang

Thanks
Erik

 

[roscoe]

Check out the new cone skimmers. They are in your price range and use very little energy and more efficient. I'm not the expert here but that is the direction skimmers are going to. Check out these manufactures.

Warner Marine
ATB
SWC (Salt Water Connection)

 

[edwing206]

ATB has the cone skimmer game locked in right now but as soon as the WM cone comes out that's most likely going to change.

 

[mike1441]

i have the ATI skimmer and i just love it good power with the mount of air it pulls in, For every 3 parts of water each pump pulls in 2 parts air

 

[roscoe]

The ATI is great but you can spend half the money on a SWC or MSX Extreme skimmer and get the samme or better performance than the ATI. ATI Bubble Master to me is just more recognised for their name.

 

[Adam Black]

I would say choose between the Octo and the Ati. The Reeflo's generate to much power. I've never seen a Octo pro or Ati perform but I can tell you that my Octo extreme sure pulls out some nasty smelly thick stuff.

 

[roscoe]

I'm sorry ATI is overpriced compared to other manufactures out there. You get pretty much the same thing if not better with the SWC and MSX extreme skimmers. Think about a ATI BM 250 is around $800-$900 vrs a SWC/MSX extreme 250 for $380-$400 depending where you get it from. If I were you I would X out the ATI from your list and use that extra $400 plus dollars on some other useful gadgets in this lovely expensive hobby of our. Just my 2 pennys worth. Oh my bad I just checked out the lastest price on ATI the cheapest I see is $680. I wonder why they went down so much in value HMMMMM interesting. I think I know why

 

[Adam Black]

I'm sorry ATI is overpriced compared to other manufactures out there. You get pretty much the same thing if not better with the SWC and MSX extreme skimmers. Think about a ATI BM 250 is around $800-$900 vrs a SWC/MSX extreme 250 for $380-$400 depending where you get it from. If I were you I would X out the ATI from your list and use that extra $400 plus dollars on some other useful gadgets in this lovely expensive hobby of our. Just my 2 pennys worth. Oh my bad I just checked out the lastest price on ATI the cheapest I see is $680. I wonder why they went down so much in value HMMMMM interesting. I think I know why

I'm interested Roscoe in why they went down in price? Have you owned one of these skimmers before? Are they really that bad?

 

[edwing206]

It's not that they are a bad skimmer(besides the bubble plate) it's just that if you can exactly toe same + a better bubble plate for 1/2 the price, why not?

 

[Adam Black]

It's not that they are a bad skimmer(besides the bubble plate) it's just that if you can exactly toe same + a better bubble plate for 1/2 the price, why not?

There's no reason not to. I would. I was just wondering if there were sorry skimmers. If that's why the price went down.

 

[edwing206]

The price went down because of how extremely low the price of the MSX & Octo Extreme are compared to the ATI's. I suppose ATI is trying to keep up with MSX & Octo Extreme. Pretty soon no one will be buying ATI BM unless there is a SIGNIFICANT price drop.

 

[roscoe]

OK Edwing explained it LOL. Good job

 

[meitzler]

The ATI is great when it works and if you leave it on all the time. I have a 250, and starting the pumps at times can be frustrating. I am aware of numerous people that have this concern. Mine turns off with a controller for feeding, but I eventually caved in and now leave it on all the time. But it is still an issue if you have a power failure and you are not home. Again, great skimmer but some, not all, require tinkering with the pumps and mesh wheel. Cann't speak to the others since I do not own one. I would go from the experience rather than the specs.

 

[edwing206]

You just have to keep trimming and restarting the pump until it goes on it's own. Sometimes you have to wait a while, but it works.

 

[Skimmy]

The tank with be approximately 140gal with a 30-40 gal sump/refugium. Total water volume will be slightly less than 180gal. The tank will be dominated by SPS/LPS and clams.
Erik

then check out these 3 skimmers...
oh and dont be afraid of the mesh, there isnt a skimmer out there that isnt going to take some tinkering, mesh is not problematic, it's just that a few noobs cant get the mod right...

http://www.aquacave.com/warner-marine-as200-br-in-sump-protein-skimmer-2332.html

http://www.shop.reeffiltration.com/product.sc?categoryId=2&productId=22

here'a cone with 2800lph of air w/ 2 meshed sicce psk 2500's for your budget price of $850

http://www.shop.reeffiltration.com/product.sc?categoryId=2&productId=17

i like the WM cone better (not out yet), but this one with the 2 sicce psk 2500's is hard to beat the power and cone for the price. and i know SWC does a great job with this cone skimmer too!

 

[Jay03GT]

I don't understand why you would pay good money for a brand new skimmer that you have to mod to get it to perform properly. It seems everytime I read about an ATI skimmer the thread goes along the lines of, "It is a great skimmer once you add X and mod Y, it really performs then!" Why not just get a skimmer that does this without all the BS?

 

[luke33]

The ati shouldn't even be in question as its overpriced and outperformed by any of the other skimmers mentioned in this thread. The msx/swc is better designed, and you get a meshwheel and PW with the skimmer and its half the price. The octo pro is an excellent skimmer due to the pump. If you get the pro you need to get the 300 and make sure you run it in 6" of water. It will perform excellent at this water level. The reeflo's pump pulls to much energy and they always need work with them. The new WM and SWC cone's look very nice.