How much did your protein skimmer cost?

I know what you mean. I would be lying if I didn't cringe with I signed away that $865 for the BK. I was on the fence about the BK or the Vertex In-250. What swayed me away from the Vertex was the pump. I figure I will save money on the electric bill dropping to a 28W pump on the BK, from the Mag7 that runs 80W. It's not much, but every little bit adds up. My electric bill has dropped by $5 a month after the switch.

 

So it'll be paid for in 14 1/2 years.

 

I spent about $120 on my Bak Pak 2... but that was almost 5 years ago! Maybe i am in need of and upgrade hah...

 

Sounds like a good reason to me.

If someone has the cash to shell out for a high end product (even if overpriced) it's their money to spend as they please. I'd rather pay $2,200 once for a skimmer for a tank of that size rather than pay half as much, then find I need a better skimmer later and pay again.

I'm into my Bullet 1 for about $280 currently. It gets the job done...

 

$100 on a 1 month old Vertex IN 250 with Sedra pump. Heard nothing but good things about this skimmer.

 

$275 ASM G2. It is the only one I have ever used but it seems to pull a bunch of crap daily.

 

If you can find one at a comparable price, get the CSS220 instead. The 125 is, by far, the worst of the three when it comes to modding them and making them perform better. Not sure why but thats my experience with the CSS skimmers so far. The 125 and 220 have the same exact pump on them and that may be why the 125 doesn't do as well - same pump on a smaller body.

As for my own skimmer? Hmm. I have a CSS220 that was bought as part of a package on a 120G RR tank so I can't say what I paid for it. Had 3 CSS65'es and a CSS125 that I paid 180 for all of it plus a lot more stuff from someone getting out of the hobby. I have another box full of skimmers that I don't know what I paid for them. I don't own a skimmer that I bought new
As for the one I built, I have around 200 dollars in it and I would not hesitate to put it on a 500 gallon tank (It was tested on a 500G tank is currently running on a 300G tank). Built out of PVC, ugly as Methusala but it works

 

Care to elaborate a bit on the one you built ? Pics perhaps?

 

I could get pics of it in a sump but thats about it. I didn't take pics when building it. Its a 12" PVC pipe though. I build it last November. I had surgery in January and still not healed from it (double disc fusion in my back). When I get over the surgery (hopefully soon), I am going to build a 6" version and will post a DIY build thread on it in the DIY area. There is a thread on a different site where I put together a 4" version. I had some issues with it (pump was too large) and then I started on a 6" version. The main problem with a PVC skimmer that size is getting parts at a reasonable price. 6" PVC parts are anywhere from 15-30 dollars a fitting. The 12" we didn't use fittings but used PVC sheet to make the parts we needed. The 6"x4" reducer I have (I have 2) were around 15 dollars each.

If you don't see a DIY thread from on skimmers by July 1, send me a PM and smack me upside the head to get me kick started. I have all the parts to build one, just gotta get my back where I can go do it.

 

I have an Aqua C EV180 with a Mag 7 running it and am very satisfied with the unit. Paid about $349.00 for it!