Does this Skimmer fit my needs?

[Bifferwine]

I use an Octopus skimmer and I like it a lot. I highly recommend Octopus, and I'd recommend it over the Coralife one you linked to earlier.

[fatman]

Needle wheel technology is an advancement over Beckett type or down flow type skimmers. Admittedly the Coralife skimmer is made of extruded acrylic and so is the other skimmer, and the needle wheel skimmer works better at a smaller operating cost. I would choose the Coralife as it is more efficient and made of the same materials. A needle wheel is also quiet where as the other skimmer is not. Plus downflow skimmers inherently have clogging problems. I have used every imagineable type of skimmer over the years and find the needle wheel skimmers the best advancement in skiimers since venturis. Needle wheels use a venturi principle plus a needle wheel to chop up the air drawn in through a venturi. Definitely the most efficient, quietest skiimers that have ever been available on the market. And they are sold in all sizes and price ranges. Light weight, heavy weight, small, large or HUGE.

[HeavyHittah]

@fatman-thanx for the info. im still trying to decide between the two. They both seem to have there pros and cons. wich model do you have? Is it modded?

@biff-How quiet or loud is your Octopus?? What model do you have??

@piggy-How quiet ot loud is your coralife?? What model you have??

[Bifferwine]

This is the one I have:
http://www.dtpetsupplies.com/catalog...ucts _id=6255
But I didn't buy it from this website.

The only noise it makes is the vinyl tubing bringing the water back to my sump, since it's a recirculating skimmer. The skimmer itself is not noisy at all. Sometimes the lid on the collection cup rattles, but then I adjust the lid and it's quiet again.

[reeffreak]

The Coralife is a pretty decent skimmer for the money.Finicky and takes some adjustments in the beginning but works well when properly dialed in.

This is one of the few agreements between Fatman and me.Go with a needlewheel design.I just don't buy into the becketts and downdrafts.A needlewheel/venturi will work just fine and save electricity plus its much more simple to adjust.If you want something a little better than go with the Octopus needlewheel or recirculating needlewheel.The former is about the same price as the Octopus downdraft you linked to.

[fatman]

The Octopus needle wheel skimmers are made of a heavier walled cell cast plastic and can stand up to accidents witout breaking as do the TurboFlotor and Coralife which are made of cheaper extruded thin wall plastics. I run TurboFlotors because I get a good price on them and because I like their pumps better than Coralife or Octopus. I have had to glue up a lot of cracks though, and if I was paying straight retail prices would buy the heavier needle wheel Octopus skimmers instead. I run TurboFlotor 1000 skimmers. I believe probably every TurboFlotor collection cup I own has at least one glued up crack in it. ASM needle wheel skimmers are also made of cheap extruded plastic.

[Piggy]

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...4&pcatid=13924

I have this one. It works great once you get it tuned in. You don't hear it at all. I'm using it in sump.