Review of CPR Aeroforce AP skimmer

[beefORchicken]

We just added the new CPR AP skimmer to our tank, and has been running for two weeks. I thought I'd share thoughts about it and possibly help those looking for a HOB skimmer to include this one in their considerations. I'll break the review into three parts 1) why we choose it 2) pros 3) cons



1) Why we chose this skimmer:
after tons (i mean tons) of research my brother and I decided to finally add a skimmer back onto our 25g system. It had been skimmerless for almost 2 years. For the past year the tank has shown great health with growing corals and low phosphates and nitrates. What triggered our decision to go back to using a skimmer was the desire to get top notch sps colour. We read and follow threads and totms and want to also have success with sps colour.
The CPR skimmer showed promise for a few reasons, some of these are laid out in a reefbuilders video: http://reefbuilders.com/2012/04/27/cpr-aeroforce-ap/

These were:
- low noise (because it is an airstone skimmer with a small feed pump)
- the right footprint for our tank (little equipment showing inside tank)
- small feed pump (the possibility that the skimmer would have a good dwell time)
- the video showed good bubble production (seemed more than our old css65 and our friends' prizm, remora)

With this in mind we went ahead with the purchase.


2) PROS:
- easy set up
- very small feed pump, takes up little space in display
- fairly quiet (50-56db in noise using a phone app)
- skimmed right away after install
- lots and lots of bubbles
- looks good
- skimmer level does not change! despite water level in display, has not flooded collection cup
- super easy cleaning of collection cup, just leave skimmer on, pull out cup, empty, put back on. no loss of foam head, no adjusting afterwards
- not many micro bubbles in display (same as an aquaclear)
- came with everything needed in the box, no need to purchase extra pumps etc.
- counter current desgin


3) CONS:
- not the best skimmer compared to what is out there (there is no way i can say this one is the best because I don't own any others. Also having a sump with a non-hob skimmer would probably be better)
- not as quiet as we thought it would be. it is bearable for a skimmer that is in a bedroom
- the need to replace the airstones
- have not run this long term to say that there are no other problems
- not all retailers carry this skimmer



I hope this can help others searching for a HOB skimmer to consider the CPR AP. Thanks for reading,
BeefORchicken