Skimmer question

[Melusina]

I am upgrading from a 90 gallon to a 225 gallon. I'm currently using an ASM 2 and I like it but I've been doing some research on different skimmers. Does anyone have any experience/opinions on the D & D Marine Terminator II skimmer. I've heard from some people that they love it and others that don't. Can't beat the price, but I don't want to shoot myself in the foot. Thanks!

 

[Poseidon]

I have been doing some research on skimmers lately, and a member here has really helped a LOT, "skimmerwhisperer" is his name, anyway, he recommended the Warner Marine K-1 that is coming out soon, I would check that one out.

Also, with a tank that size, do NOT try and skimp on your skimmer, you will want a good one, or else you will end up spending more money having to buy the one you should have bough the first time.

 

[Sascha D]

You probably won't need a new skimmer for awhile. I mean you're going to have the same bioload that you have in your 90 gallon, except now its going to be in triple the water volume!

Expect less skim from the ASM 2 on the larger tank, but that isn't necessarily an indication of how well the skimmer is doing because of the decreased turn over of your current pump and the dilution of the dissolved materials.

 

[Skimmy]

i beg to differ with bojangles...

an asm g2 is crap in the first place for a 90g, so it's uber crappy on a 225g...

d&d terminator II = garbage

also, what kind of tank are we talking about here??
sps? large fish load? softies? is therer a fuge on this system?

but off the top of my head for a 225 i'd look at these:
http://saltwaterconnection.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=3

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=34_452&products_id=2686

and yes, the new warner marine K1 cone skimmer will be $699 if you can wait a few weeks/month for that, it's awesome!!
http://glassbox-design.com/2008/warner-marine-k1-cone-skimmer/

 

[Melusina]

Thanks for the input! I'll look at both of those skimmers. There are 2 forty gallon sumps with the tank and I will add a fuge. My preference runs to softies and I have a tendency to push the fish load on my other tanks (kind of like the dog load in my house).

 

[Sascha D]

Thanks for the input! I'll look at both of those skimmers. There are 2 forty gallon sumps with the tank and I will add a fuge. My preference runs to softies and I have a tendency to push the fish load on my other tanks (kind of like the dog load in my house).

So really you need a skimmer for a 350 gallon system...
I probably should have thought of that

...an asm g2 is crap in the first place for a 90g, so it's uber crappy on a 225g...

d&d terminator II = garbage

also, what kind of tank are we talking about here??
sps? large fish load? softies? is therer a fuge on this system?

but off the top of my head for a 225 i'd look at these:
http://saltwaterconnection.com/index...&products_id=3

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/cat...oducts_id=2686

Hey what do you think of the Octopus Extreme series? Maybe a 250 or 300...
How do they differ from the SWC series. To me they look the same but thats with an untrained eye.

 

[luke33]

The difference between the two you mentioned is just the venturi and pinwheel impeller. The octo extreme does between 13-17scfh with a pw and up to 35scfh with a meshwheel. The swc/msx extreme does between 25-30scfh with a PW and up to 50scfh with a meshwheel. A octo/cnc pro 300 would be a great choice as well. The askoll/laguna/airstar/red dragon pump's are superior to any sicce. ASM g2 is not going to handle that size of tank.

 

[Melusina]

Thanks for the explanation of the differences. That helps. BTW, if I stayed with the ASM brand I was planning on going with the ASM G4xx - I know that the G2 wouldn't be powerful enough. There's just sooo many choices out there and I don't want to skimp, but I don't want to just pay for a name either.

 

[luke33]

The Gx4 isn't enough for that size of tank. Its ok for a 125g tank stock. But the price is way to much for the terrible build quality and sedra pump. Even the new octo 200 is going to skim as well or outskim this g4. The msx200 will outskim both of those and msx 250 or 300 aren't even in the same class as either or. Then the pro 300 is a step above those : ) They there's the cone's coming out too! It all depends on what you want to spend, how much room you have and how much tinkering you want to do. Best bang for the buck skimmer is the msx extreme. Best mid level seems to be the octo/cnc pro 300 and the spendy class are atb's with an airstar.

 

[Skimmy]

yeah, if you can afford it, the SWC extreme 250 with the 2 sicce pumps is great if you like to push the fish load. ($399) but yeah, what's your budget for a skimmer btw?

 

[Adam Black]

yeah, if you can afford it, the SWC extreme 250 with the 2 sicce pumps is great if you like to push the fish load. ($399) but yeah, what's your budget for a skimmer btw?

How do I get ahold of a Msx PW? I've got the octo extreme and would like to try out the pm from the Msx. Also I don't see any difference in venturi's for the 2 skimmers.

 

[luke33]

Adam, there's a huge difference in the venturi's for the CV and swc extreme's. Problem with the CV is you can't try out any other reducers. But you could put a better pw in it. Just not sure its worth spending 15bux on a pw that may not give you any better #'s.

 

[Adam Black]

Adam, there's a huge difference in the venturi's for the CV and swc extreme's. Problem with the CV is you can't try out any other reducers. But you could put a better pw in it. Just not sure its worth spending 15bux on a pw that may not give you any better #'s.

So it's not actuall stock verturi's that your getting your numbers with?There modded?

 

[luke33]

Adam, the msx/swc extreme skimmer comes with a modded sicce. I've tried the swc, cnc, orca reducer on it and the cnc pulls 30-35scfh on my msx200. The orca pulls 22-26scfh and the swc pulls 25-30scfh with a PW. All you have to do is pop out the reducer and put a differnt one on to test it. So i wouldn't call it a mod, just a swap out. Now the input threads on teh sicce that CV sells with there octo extreme is modded and you can only use the reducer they give you. Which is inferior to the other three mentioned above. Hope that makes since.

 

[Melusina]

What's the difference between the SWC Extreme 250 and the MSX 250? Each one says that they're the "original xtreme".

 

[luke33]

SWC is the importer and designer of the extreme line and one of there dealers (marine solutions) branded them MSX after there store Marine Solutions Extreme. They caught on and now everyone calls them MSX skimmers but most don't know what it means. Coralvue is another importer and bought the bodies from the same manufacturer in China and called them octo extreme's. They tried to copy SWC's version with the sicce's. Only they didn't make good venturi's and PW's. Still great for the price though.

 

[Melusina]

So they're actually the same skimmer, just named differently and either one would be a good skimmer for my 225?

 

[Skimmy]

no they are not the same...you want the SWC version, theres more power because of the venturi...but other than that, yes, fairly identical

 

[Melusina]

Thanks, just one more question? There's a used Bermuda Aquatics BPS-3C for sale on another forum - is this something that should be considered?

 

[luke33]

Not for a 225g, its way to small.

Like skimmy said, there the same body and pump, just modded differently and the edge goes to swc(msx)