Is the SWC 160 Cone Skimmer a worthy Skimmer?

[frd72]

I am using this skimmer for almost 2 years now and somehow satisfied.
All your research is correct. If they changed the Atman pump maybe it is better, mine stall sometimes when first plug in.

Originally Posted by stellarfly

Hey guys,

I have seen Mark Callahan (Mr. Saltwater Tank) use and review this skimmer on his show. I have seen both great reviews and some negative reviews of this skimmer. What do actual owners of this skimmer think? worth getting this skimmer? Is it as reliable as everyone says it is? I have personally seen this skimmer running at the LFS and it looks great. I could barely hear it running.

I have read that sometimes the pump does not turn on after turning the skimmer off and sometimes the venturi can get clogged. Any experiences? Let me know. Floor is open to anyone running the SWC 160 cone extreme.

[stellarfly]

Thanks guys for the quick and honest answers to my question. I really like this skimmer and these few answers only solidify my liking of this skimmer

[Jakegr]

I owned this skimmer for a year. Never had a restart problem. Great bubble density and it is easy to maintain. I really like having a gate valve too. Noise level was reasonable for a skimmer that size... don't let anyone tell you it is silent!

In terms of build quality (e.g. acrylic thickness) I would give it a 7/10. I now use a Vertex IN skimmer and despite being the same price, it is made of far higher quality materials.

I still think it is one of the best value skimmers available.

[Evilweevil]

I have had mine 6 months its been great no issues at all and if you order right from the company website it's about 279$ before shipping I believe

[Evilweevil]

It's 274.99 + 36.18 for shipping so its still a pretty good deal I though I think I seen it for 370$ in a store

[AquaPin]

I own the SWC180 and am very happy with it. Yes, pump is different, but otherwise it is identical in design, just bigger. Removes tons of crap, easy to clean. I would suggest instead of turning it off every time you want to empty the cup, just dial it down, empty and then turn the flow back up to your desired level.