POLL : Reeflo Orca 250/ BK Super Marine 250 / BK Super Marine 300

[Chin_Lee]

OK i have decided that I'm not going to have time to build my dream skimmer and I'm going to resort to just buying a retail product. But I can't really decide what to get.
I have about 650 gallons of water with 165g in an LPS moderately fish stocked tank, 300g in a moderately stocked FOWLR tank, 125g in a sump with a couple of dinky fishes, and 40g in a refugium.
I'm kinda narrowed down my purchase to three possibilities:
Reeflo Orca 250
BK Super Marine 250
BK Super Marine 300

I know most people will believe the BK should be the answer but I'm a fan of and always considering the Orca 250 because its reaction chamber is almost double the size of the BK and its pushing through 2500 l/hr (http://www.reeflopumps.com/nwskimmers.html) of air compared to the BK's 2000 l/h.

which one should I get?????? Polling for the most popular........

[marie]

Actually the BK supermarin 300 is pushing about 3600lph of air but then you could probably buy 2 orcas for the price of 1 BK


I voted for the BK300 because its not my money your spending

[Powertec]

I have a reeflo and i wouldn't trade it for anything.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I don't have any of these skimmers, but after some research, I voted for the Orca. Factors were comparability to the BK 250, yet at about $400USD less. The BK 300 is impressive indeed, but seems to be about $700 more, if I'm not mistaken.

[Delphinus]

Interesting question. I guess my thought though is that is either one really going to be a disappointment? Both the BK250 and Orca's are very high end skimmers that I doubt will leave you feeling down. The only real basis of comparison that I can see is 45w for the BK250 and 120w for the Orca. Depends on what you pay for electricity, you guys on the coast are mostly hydro which is cheaper than hydrocarbon generated, which might push you towards the model with the lower initial cost whereas somewhere else you might be pushed the other way.

[fkshiu]

I think they'll both be similar in skimming ability, but the BKs will be quieter, use less electricity and take up less room - that's the extra that you're paying for. So if you're planning to put it in your basement sump room and you've got enough space and electicity isn't a big deal the Reeflo makes more sense. Of course it doesn't have the name cachet of the BK.

The almost cliched car metaphor works here: the Reeflo is like a Corvette, the BK is a Porsche. The American Vette is as fast (arguably faster depending on the model) as the German Porsche and it's cheaper, but at the same time the Vette is bigger, chunkier and uses a huge V8 versus the Porsche's flat-6. The Vette also lacks the Teutonic snob appeal of the 911.

[Chin_Lee]

Originally Posted by fkshiu

I think they'll both be similar in skimming ability, but the BKs will be quieter, use less electricity and take up less room - that's the extra that you're paying for. So if you're planning to put it in your basement sump room and you've got enough space and electicity isn't a big deal the Reeflo makes more sense. Of course it doesn't have the name cachet of the BK.

The almost cliched car metaphor works here: the Reeflo is like a Corvette, the BK is a Porsche. The American Vette is as fast (arguably faster depending on the model) as the German Porsche and it's cheaper, but at the same time the Vette is bigger, chunkier and uses a huge V8 versus the Porsche's flat-6. The Vette also lacks the Teutonic snob appeal of the 911.

nice metaphor - i like it.

[Chin_Lee]

Then this guy has to post a Volcano skimmer for sale http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1494636

man oh man...... what to do???? what to do????

[Delphinus]

That's easy. Buy the Volcano. If you hate it I'll buy it off you.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Originally Posted by Chin_Lee

Then this guy has to post a Volcano skimmer for sale http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1494636

man oh man...... what to do???? what to do????

Ironically enough, the seller's avatar is a Corvette