Which Skimmer?!?

Dowtish · Dec 19, 2011

So I am really needing an upgrade on a more efficient skimmer, and these 3 listed below are my choices. Any personal experience with them and any other comments are welcome!
I have a 90 gallon bowfront with a 20L sump with an anticipation of a medium bio-load.

1. The Vertex IN-100 Vertex IN 100 In-Sump Protein Skimmer - AquaCave.

2. The SWC BMK 150 http://www.saltwaterconnection.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=148

3. Reef Octopus 6" Pinwheel NWB150 Reef Octopus 6? Pinwheel In Sump Skimmer OCT-NWB150 - English

Dowtish · Dec 19, 2011

anybody?

tbdh20 · Dec 19, 2011

Dowtish, I've been running the BMK 150 for several months. Great skimmer for the price imo, very quiet, small foot print, easy to disassemble and great performance. I picked mine up from Luke at reeffiltration.com, fast shipping and great customer service.

LILBUDDHA · Dec 19, 2011

Dowtish said:
So I am really needing an upgrade on a more efficient skimmer, and these 3 listed below are my choices. Any personal experience with them and any other comments are welcome!
I have a 90 gallon bowfront with a 20L sump with an anticipation of a medium bio-load.

1. The Vertex IN-100 Vertex IN 100 In-Sump Protein Skimmer - AquaCave.

2. The SWC BMK 150 http://www.saltwaterconnection.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=148

3. Reef Octopus 6" Pinwheel NWB150 Reef Octopus 6? Pinwheel In Sump Skimmer OCT-NWB150 - English

I had the first gen In 100 and it had pump issues . When it ran it skimmed well . Did not help to come home to a overheated pump with a jammed impeller . Pump was replaced once and i went through 3 impellers .
They are @ gen 3 . U would think since they are on Gen3 it would be made to fully disassemble/ mait . NOT ..

The RO is a consistent skimmer but does not come apart for cleaning . The pumps do jam up after a while and the pump is huge, taking amount of real estate in the sump .

SWC . 150 is a very consistent skimmer . I trust the atman pump more than a Resun ... or Octo IME .
The SWC can be cleaned and taken apart . Atman replacement pumps are easy to come by due to a large amount of lower end skimmer manu;s using these pumps .
The SWC would be my choice and I would check with LUKE @ RF on the status of SWC as a company that may or may not be around .
It would be my skimmer of choice of these 3 regardless of the prior statement .

luke33 · Dec 19, 2011

SWC is going to continue with there products. IMO i see them getting fined and life going on. As far as me, i will stock them as usual and warrant them as usual : ) If something were to happen to SWC I would continue to bring there product in, just in a different way.