More money, more better?

[Shon]

Alright, looking up General Wee as soon as I get a chance haha

 

[dmw913]

If you’re considering an high end build, you may also want to consider a Deltec skimmer. Beasts and silent even on AC pump. I’ve been very pleased with mine.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

To answer your thread title....

Absolutely no way!

 

[DeepBlueSomething]

I also toyed with getting a higher end skimmer but if it pulls out the funk who cares. I tossed around a few different skimmers and ended up getting a Lifereef. Best part is that it will take any pump and you can buy it with a pump or buy your own pump. No broken needle wheels or dealing with proprietary pumps that only works with the one skimmer. Very simple to get it dialed in and drain the cup weekly. I clean the cup out about once a month only because it has funk all over it. I am no expert but it works perfectly since day 1. When I upgrade I will be getting another one!

@RobertP Howdy & Gig 'Em!

Agree on the advantages of flexibility with pumps

 

[LbulletM]

That's awesome. I've fantasized about putting the 8.1L from my truck into a Smart Car haha

 

[PatW]

Every hobby has a cost/quality curve. At the lowest end, you tend to get clunky stuff that might not last. Pay a bit more to low end, and you can get some stuff that does the job and is durable if a bit ugly. But after that, paying more gives relatively less in improvement. But generally, the more you pay, the more quality you get. It is a matter of trade offs.

In racing bikes, $4,000 will get you a heck of a bike. The top end is about $12,000. If you are a recreational rider, the heck of a bike is fine. But if you are paying millions to field a team in the tour, you are nuts to lose any performance because you wanted to save a hundred thou on the bikes. Also if you can afford it and having that $12,000 dream machine is important and you can easily afford it, than it seems a bit foolish not to pay up. In the final analysis, is it worth it is a decision based on values.

 

[LbulletM]

That was the point of the whole post.

Don't know enough about the equipment to know where the break-over point for highly diminishing returns is!

 

[HippieSmell]

That was the point of the whole post.

Don't know enough about the equipment to know where the break-over point for highly diminishing returns is!

Highly diminishing returns is probably around a couple hundred dollars for a used skimmer. Like I said earlier, focus on ease of use. Set and forget, low maintenance, easy cleaning and minimal frequency cleaning.

 

[Davy Jones]

Good luck with this mate, I've been having this debate for my future build for a while.

 

[ycnibrc]

What is the major cause of tank crash beside lazy? It's equipment failure. While u at work or on your vacation your return pump fail. I see some reefer bought expensive frags but install Chinese made return pump in to their system. When ever I set up a system I always allocate my fund toward return pump light and controller. That's the heart of every system

 

[Orcus Varuna]

That was the point of the whole post.

Don't know enough about the equipment to know where the break-over point for highly diminishing returns is!

My current build I think is the essence of your thread as it’s all over the place as far as price of component goes. My sump, skimmer, media reactors are lifereef, my main light is a hydra 52hd, controller is apex 2017, and main flow is from 2 mp10’s. On the flip side the tank is an SCA, supplemental lights are $25 sunblaster t5ho strips, supplemental flow is two jebao rw4’s, ato is an icecap, and the return is a jebao dcp 8000 (the new dcp series return pumps are very well built).

For a skimmer in particular I chose a lifereef because it will last forever, is hand made in America, can use any pump I want, and really wasn’t more expensive then the Nyos and Deltecs of the world.

 

[doughboy]

Paying a premium for equipment transforms a perfectly normal reefer to an “entitled” reefer. Demanding free loaner, demanding no questions asked seller pays for return shipping replacement for nit picky issues, expect instant response on first ring when calling for support at any time of the day, scream and yell at support personnel, etc. Also gives you bragging rights in your signature to show how much more you spent than other reefers.

But seriously, a premium product has to offer something better, otherwise nobody will buy them. It’s really a personal choice.

It’s convenient to blame the equipment if it fails.

 

[Scorpius]

More better? That made me chuckle.

 

[HippieSmell]

Paying a premium for equipment transforms a perfectly normal reefer to an “entitled” reefer. Demanding free loaner, demanding no questions asked seller pays for return shipping replacement for nit picky issues, expect instant response on first ring when calling for support at any time of the day, scream and yell at support personnel, etc. Also gives you bragging rights in your signature to show how much more you spent than other reefers.

But seriously, a premium product has to offer something better, otherwise nobody will buy them. It’s really a personal choice.

It’s convenient to blame the equipment if it fails.

You jelly?

 

[Orm Embar]

I would say that it depends on the type of equipment. Advanced Aquarist did some research on skimmer efficiency and found that skimmers remove 20-35% of dissolved organics (Bubble King being one that might have gotten to 35%). I would interpret their results as "bubbles are bubbles", since even old style venturis and airstone skimmers were generally comparable to needlewheel and downdraft models. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/1/aafeature

Based on that, I would pick a "middle of the road" skimmer (if I went with a skimmer; I currently am skimmerless with macroalgae and a refugium instead) - something that isn't bottom end with some desireable features (ease of cleaning, reliable pump, . . . ), but that also doesn't have to be high end (where I think that you proportionately get less bang for your buck). When I was running a skimmer, I went with a Somatic S60 (as an example of a good middle-of-the-road option for a 34 gallon tank with a 9 gallon sump). It turned out to be significantly oversized, but it still worked quite well.

Hope this helps!

 

[LbulletM]

Good luck with this mate, I've been having this debate for my future build for a while.

Haha same! I've been planning this for months and finally got around to buying the first pieces. Figured I'd reach out to the masses, now I have too many options!

What is the major cause of tank crash beside lazy? It's equipment failure. While u at work or on your vacation your return pump fail. I see some reefer bought expensive frags but install Chinese made return pump in to their system. When ever I set up a system I always allocate my fund toward return pump light and controller. That's the heart of every system

I'm honestly probably going to go mostly Jebao. ANY piece of equipment can fail, so I plan for failure. I can spend $600 on a nice pump, or I can get 4 Jebao return pumps for the same price and have backups ready to hot-swap. Lights, I'm currently swapping over to SBreef lights, but I've already modded the first one for 0-10V operation (just have to test before putting it over my system). Controller, I didn't cheap on. I have the newest APEX, but even spending all of that money doesn't seem to give perfect reliability. ;Blackeye

On the flip side the tank is an SCA, supplemental lights are $25 sunblaster t5ho strips, supplemental flow is two jebao rw4’s, ato is an icecap, and the return is a jebao dcp 8000 (the new dcp series return pumps are very well built).

So you like the dcp pump? I'm looking at them, but I really wanted to be able to wire it to my APEX and I think only the older ones (dcs?, dct?) have solutions at this point.

More better? That made me chuckle.

Haha I'm glad. It was a slant on mo' money, mo' problems, which I think would have been just as apt a title with how this thread ended up exploding.

I would say that it depends on the type of equipment. Advanced Aquarist did some research on skimmer efficiency and found that skimmers remove 20-35% of dissolved organics (Bubble King being one that might have gotten to 35%). I would interpret their results as "bubbles are bubbles", since even old style venturis and airstone skimmers were generally comparable to needlewheel and downdraft models. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/1/aafeature

Based on that, I would pick a "middle of the road" skimmer (if I went with a skimmer; I currently am skimmerless with macroalgae and a refugium instead) - something that isn't bottom end with some desireable features (ease of cleaning, reliable pump, . . . ), but that also doesn't have to be high end (where I think that you proportionately get less bang for your buck). When I was running a skimmer, I went with a Somatic S60 (as an example of a good middle-of-the-road option for a 34 gallon tank with a 9 gallon sump). It turned out to be significantly oversized, but it still worked quite well.

Hope this helps!

Oh, nice, I'll definitely be taking a peek at that article, thanks! I guess my biggest hang-up right now is that plenty of people use reefoctopus skimmers which cost less than the Quantums, making the Quantums high end for me haha. I think I'm mostly worried about noise, though I probably shouldn't be. Everything will be enclosed and in a bar-room. It's not like it's going in my bedroom.

 

[stevieduk]

Alright, I'm looking to upgrade tanks. A big jump from a 29 box to a reef ready 150 with 75 sump. I'm currently looking at the Nyos Quantum skimmers for the new setup.

My main question is, throughout this entire hobby (and pretty much everywhere else in life), things that cost more are perceived as better. Grocery stores put more expensive, name brand products at eye level and we're happy to buy them. My Corvette is faster than most Porsches, yet costs half the price. Wal-Mart jackets protect you from the rain just as well as a North Face, but people buy the North Face because it's more expensive and thus "higher quality".

Now, I am the first to admit that in some cases "you get what you pay for" and "buy once, cry once" are perfectly valid. But, am I falling into the trap of premium pricing = premium brand with the Quantum skimmers? They are gorgeous and I've never seen a negative review, but still need to do my due-diligence.

corvette may be faster but does not handle as well , therefore making it overall slower

 

[LbulletM]

With all due respect, are you high? Below are top 20 from Car and Driver lightning laps. 2015 Z06 (~$85k) is a full 2+ seconds faster than the newer 911 Turbo S from the $125k+ category. Even the $60k Grand sport is only 0.3 slower than the $125k+ P-car.

I'll give you the 918, but that's also a $1MM car... It's the Bubble King of cars

 

[vertigo01]

I am running a Reef Octapus 150 INT DC controlled skimmer and it is dead silent.
I have no experience with the Nyos, so cant compare the 2 side by side but I'd be willing to bet that it doesnt out perform the RO by any large margin.
JMHO.

 

[LbulletM]

I am running a Reef Octapus 150 INT DC controlled skimmer and it is dead silent.
I have no experience with the Nyos, so cant compare the 2 side by side but I'd be willing to bet that it doesnt out perform the RO by any large margin.
JMHO.

Good to know. Might save myself a frag's worth of money!