BIG SKIMMER question?

[Ryan L]

Becketts = watts

Go for the octopus or bk.

RK2's were good skimmers in the 80's. Mazzei venturi injectors = ancient.

Although the octo's are chinese laguna copies they are saying good things about them on reef central and they have a 3 year waranty. I just think that the large octo cone best matches your application. No bias as I run a bk.

Ryan L

[Doug]

Ah yes but no more than a multi pump octopus or some others. And if one is building an 800g aquarium system, I would think 200w for a good pump on a good skimmer, {built for $50}, is a minor thing.

Now a BK monster like Mike had with the single RD pump. Very nice if one has the bucks. Does Octopus now make huge skimmers with a single pump. I never checked any for sometime now but the large one at SWC had 4 pumps, which I,m sure would be close to any Panworld/Blueline to run a beckett.

Or how about driving it with a large but lower powered direct drive pump.Not pressure rated but I know many driving becketts with them.

But what the heck do I know. I only have a 30g tank.

[Dez]

I like the Beckett skimmers. I run a 30" tall PM Bullet 3 on my 340 gallon system with my return pump T'd off. My return pump uses about 300 watts (running from the basement up to the main floor) and it runs my main tank, a 40 gallon frag tank, a 20 gallon frag tank and a Beckett skimmer. I'd say that's pretty efficient for running all of that. My pump was just over $260 shipped to my door (mind you I bought it on a promo deal). The skimmer is a set and forget type skimmer and I clean it once every couple of months (other than emptying my skimmate collection container once a week).

The Beckett Skimmer won't cost you $50 to make though even if you have all the acrylic. The beckett alone is about $20 I believe, and the gate valves are pricey. However, I have made Beckett skimmers that don't utilize a gate valve but use other water height adjustment techniques.

I guess the point of this post is that if noise isn't a concern, then becketts are awesome skimmers (the beckett skimmers tend to be a bit louder due to the amount of air that gets drawn in, but I guess you could employ various "muffler" strategies though).

[mseepman]

Funny enough, Octo does make a single pump big skimmer....XP-8000. At least if you think 38" tall is a big skimmer...haha.

[littlesilvermax]

I think the idea of electrical prices has a lot to do with where you live.

In Socal where it is about 24 cents a KW, then costs are huge. In much of Canada where costs are 6 cents a KW, then so much of an issue.

[albert_dao]

Supermarin 300 is rated to 1100 gallons... I don't know where Richard (Salty Supply) got that rating, but that's the one for the SM250 on his site.