final skimmer choices

eshopps s-200

 

Yeah, I have heard good things about the eshopps from my lfs.

And the reviews online are favorable about their new cones.
Just trying to figure out where its place is against msx250A, vertex IN 280, the ATB 840, the WM K2, BK mini 160, and others.

At $600+ I don't want to rush a decision but I've been looking online for a long time now reading reviews/opinions and just need to decide - I am getting sick of staring at an empty tank...

 

Eshopps is a bargin line. Not saying it is bad, but there is better quality and performance. These days... Vertex, Eshopps, Bubble Magus are at the low end of the spectrum. For those brands they have good perfomance for the price...certainly better than the other cheap crap out there.

Next up is SWC and Octopus. Better materials, better pumps, better performance. Trust me.... any day of the week I would say get an SWC with an Askoll pump.... very good pump.... However, your tank is not big enough for a Askoll based skimmer, and you will be quite disapointed with it's performance... on your tank.

ATB, Warner Marine, Bubble King are all premium products with premium materials and pumps and performance. Now personally.... Bubble King is at the very top... built like a tank... a flippin work of art... very well designed. But at the top of the heap, the law of diminishing returns is in full effect. The extra money you spend does not equate to extra performance. I really loved my BK Mini 160.... but I will never pay for a BK again... the workmanship does not get better perfomance. The performance of ATB and WM is just as good without the few extra hundred tacked on. Like I said, a 160 would be maxed out on your system, the 180 is twice the skimmer, but if you are going to pay for a 180, then the door is wide open to anything on the market.

If you are seriously looking at $600+, then you need look no further than an ATB 840, WM K2, or WM AS-200.

If you want to step down, then a SWC Ex200, SWC Mini S, SRO XP 2000(cone) or SRO 2000.

After that a Vertex.

 

i have a swc 160 cone also and it is the same build as the eshopps a lot of the things look the same from the pump mounts to the thumb screws on the bottom to the collection cup and lid bubble plate just that the eshopps is bigger even the box it came was the same thing just different names regardless the majority of the skimmer was probally made in the same factory in china under each company specs either way if you went eshopps or swc you would have a great skimmer good luck

 

Honya is a big manufacturer.

 

how about these? any good?

Marineland Marine Series Advanced In-Sump Skimmers

Marine Pro 300 $239.99 up to 300g

Aquarium Protein Skimmer: Marineland Pro Skimmers

 

Ok, i think a decision has been made...ATB 840 it is.

Any recommendations on where to buy etc?

Also I was thinking of an eheim 1262 as a return pump - any thoughts?

thanks to everyone for all the help!!

 

all this skimmer info is confusing me.. I guess i fell out of the loop on skimmer knowledge as i've been using my sealife 60 skimmer from 1999. it doesnt have fancy stuff cones,bells,whistles.. but works. same original rio pump still works.. I think a paid around $175 bucks back then for it.

 

I am thinking of ordering the ATB 840 from ReefSpecialty
New ATB 840 v.1.5 Cone Skimmer | Reef Specialty

Anyone have any experience with them? Are there other online stores that sell ATB that you would recommend?

thanks