What's your absolute favorite skimmer?

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Hey guys, what is your absolute FAVORITE skimmer on the market? Why do you love that one?

Let's get some posts going in here, and maybe we'll have a poll about the top choices to see which skimmer gets most votes for top pick!

 

[DesertReefT4r]

I am a big fan of Reef Octopus skimmers. Many different models at different price points. All well made skimmers.

 

[sfmacguy]

So far loving my Nyos Skimmer. Super quiet, compared to my Vertex 180, and pulling out gunk.

 

[legionofdoon]

Lifereef. Simple and effective.

 

[SPR1968]

Well the one in the first picture is very impressive for sure!

Makes my NYOS Quantum 160 look most inadequate although I love it so far. It’s silent and very easy to set up.

 

[JoshH]

Lifereef. Simple and effective.

+1 on Lifereef, simple to set up and does what it's built to do

 

[alton]

Aqua C Urchin Pro, maybe not the first built but very close. My original is 15 years old and still working.
https://proteinskimmer.com/products/urchin-pro

 

[andrewkw]

While I am using a reef octopus on my main display these days my all time favourite is still my trusty ATI Bubblemaster 250. I got this 10 + years ago before bubble king had a mini line and it was the high end of medium end if that makes sense. It was expensive but not crazy expensive and while the pumps have been changed a few times it still performs great. I think it was the first commercially available mesh wheel designed skimmer which although worked great was not great for restarting and long term life of the pumps. It now has standard pin wheels but still performs great.

 

[Mortie31]

Royal exclusive bubble king

 

[Oldreefer44]

Lifereef. Had Vertex, Bubble King, Reef Octopus and many others. Lifereef is the simplest and yet the most effective of all.

 

[count krunk]

Reef Octopus for me 10/10 times. Even their hob versions work well!

 

[saltwaterlover]

Lifereef. Simple and effective.

Do you need a sump to have a skimmer?

 

[legionofdoon]

I had one of the first reef octopus models when SWC was branding them I liked it on my 75 but would not work on my 40. The OTP pump was really really loud and was a energy hog.

 

[legionofdoon]

Do you need a sump to have a skimmer?

No the life reef can be used outside of the sump as long as the pump can be used outside of the sump the lifereef will too.

 

[legionofdoon]

Jeff makes a HOB bracket.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Loving my NYOS 160. Super quiet and produces some good ol funky mess. Not to mention is purdy. Lol

 

[WVNed]

Another Reef Octopus fan. I have used them HOB and in sump. Just works.

 

[legionofdoon]

Looks like shaving cream lol.

Loving my NYOS 160. Super quiet and produces some good ol funky mess. Not to mention is purdy. Lol

 

[BestMomEver]

I hate all of them. :mad: Mine does it’s job but I find that they are fickle and a lot of work. FWIW, mine is a Somatic Vortex.

 

[cracker]

I still have an old ASm skimmer this thing has been & is a workhorse . I also have a reef octo 200 on a smaller tank . Like them both .