agsansoo

Well I finally bought a new protein skimmer this week. It huge compared to my old CSS-65. It's still breaking in ... so on with the pictures.

Old skimmer:


New Skimmer:

sgould

Sure is pumping out a lot of foam. I'll be interested to hear/see more after it finishes breaking in!

Slug

Nice! I have the Reef Octopus recirculating 150, havn't had a chance to run it yet though. I was surprised at the size of Reef Octopus skimmers as well, heard good things about them.

agsansoo

Me too ! LOL.
Check out the size of the collection cup lid in the second photo. At present I'm using the pin wheel instead of the mesh wheel. It's already making some nice foam.

agsansoo

Update:
It's still breaking in. This big thing is very quiet too !

sgould

A quiet skimmer? Say it ain't so!

Mike

Wow, the amount of foam in that last pic is impressive and the gunk in the bottom of the collection cup looks nice and dark too. How much for one of those? <getting out wallet...>

agsansoo

Price was a big reason I chose the Extreme. Take a look.

Warmer Marine AS-150 - $495
ATI-160 BubbleMaster - $499
Reef Octopus Extreme 160 - $265 ( no taxes - free shipping )

I purchased it from http://www.reefspecialty.com it has a one year warraty on the (Sicce) pump and acrylic body.

agsansoo

Update:
So I returned last week from a short vacation and changed the pin wheel to the supplied mesh mod prop. What a difference the mesh makes. The bubbles are twice as small with the mesh. The mesh wheel took about one week the break in. Now it's very easy to adjust the skimming level. Either wet or dry !

First photo is 2 days of wet skimming. Remember the collection cup hold about 1/2 a gallon of skimmate.



Second photos are 4 days of dry skimming.

Oil_Fan

That thing is huge!! How big is your tank?

I'm still in my return period of my Marineland skimmer that I bought and that could be a nice replacement!!

agsansoo

My tank is a 65 gallon with a 20 gallon sump/fuge.

agsansoo

Skimmate photo. Yum Yum. That's a 16 oz cup.

agsansoo

agsansoo

Correction:
The collection cup holds about 1 quart of skimmate. (32 oz)

saltmaniac

My Extreme 200 arrived today. I've got some plumbing to move before I can get it in my 40L sump...It didn't come with a manual? Did yours? How difficult to dial it in? Wet to Dry??
I contact CoralVue to request some information.
Any help is appreciated.
THX, Salty

agsansoo

No manual ... Easy to set up though. Post your question, I will try to guide you. Just keep it dialed down for the first few days, while it breaks in.

saltmaniac

Thank you...the stand pipe-do you just twist it closed to open? The more open is the skimmate wetter or dryer?? I'm going to set in my 40L and keep my Aqua C running while the Octo breaks in.
Any suggestions or tips you could provide that you determined with yours is appreciated.
Thanks again.
-Salty

agsansoo

Yes you twist it open or closed. Open is dry, closed is wet on over flowing. Open it all the way the first few day, then start closing it a little at a time until the foam water reaches just above the cup line.

saltmaniac

Thank you. Any other words of advice.
-Salty

agsansoo

Yeah ... Great choice in a skimmer ! You and your tank are going to like it.

saltmaniac

I can't wait. I'm having a custom cabinet built and it and the new 120 arrive Thursday..the swith over will begin. I was wanting to go ahead and get the Ext 200 running in the sump to start the break in process.

agsansoo

I would. Most people grab some live rock and a plastic tub of some kind, and start the break-in. By the way, will you be running the pin-wheel or mesh-wheel in that skimmer ?

saltmaniac

I'm starting with the pin wheel...I've got the mesh, but haven't messed with it.
-Ted

rado316

Im really torn right now between the Octopus 160 and Bubble Magnus and a Marineland 300. I want the Octopus, but i only have a sump area of 10x10 and also have to fit in my Mag return pump, and eventually a small pump for a uv.
I have a 98 gallon, with 125 lbs of live rock. No fish yet. Eventually will get 2-3 clowns, a couple yellow tangs, and a flame angel in the next year or so.
My maint. guy said i should just get a Sealife Systems seastorm, since my wet/dry is the same. They are cheaper and smaller, but i want a kick arse skimmer, that can fit in the small sump area. I really wanted the Octopus 200 but thats way to big. By the way im curently running the darn Sea "Clown" 100 that was thrown in witht he purchase of the tank, and need to upgrade soon. Im trying to be very patient before adding fish, and really dont want to with the seaclone in their.
Any suggestions is the Octo way better than the Bubble Magnus.

agsansoo

I'm not so sure about "way better". IMO the Octo-160 is pretty good. The one advantage is pump replacement parts. Its easier to get parts for the pumps and replacements out of warranty with the Octo-160, than the Bubble magnus 150. Very popular Sicce PSK-2500 pump vs German made Aquabee pumps in the Bubble magnus 150.

rado316

Im really leaning towards the Octo-160. Is it relativly quiet? Any overflow problems?

After i found out Marineland also manufactors the Sea Clown i eliminated that from the list fast.

Matt

I may purchase an Octo- 160.

-Matt