Reef Octopus 6" Pinwheel In Sump Skimmer NWB150 vs SWC 160 Extreme Cone

[Zakk]

I did have to put an acrylic box under the SCW to bring it way up, it just foams over if it's too deep.  The octopus sits in 12" of water and works great, the swc would only tolerate 6 or so, not that it was a big deal

And nope, not saying they're a bad skimmer at all or I would offer it up for sale instead of keeping it

Actually, construction wise, the SWC looks better built that the RO.  It just needs to go to the sicce pumps from the atman's. 

 

[crazybizzle]

nope havnt had to replace it yet. it looks like its cheap but its works might even be a diy mesh wheel csuse i bought it used but works killer

 

[Blob-79]

Actually, construction wise, the SWC looks better built that the RO.  It just needs to go to the sicce pumps from the atman's.

yea that is one think i love about the swc's, the quality of construction. Looking at that bubble magus you partially traded me for..its obviously made in china issues with it left and right, that isnt just poor manufacturing, but poor design.

From what i can tell in my experience though, the sicce pumps are no better then the atmans, even though they are italian made, they are plagued with startup issues also.

 

[Zakk]

[quote author=Zakk link=topic=2078.msg16075#msg16075 date=1328629630]
Actually, construction wise, the SWC looks better built that the RO.  It just needs to go to the sicce pumps from the atman's.

yea that is one think i love about the swc's, the quality of construction. Looking at that bubble magus you partially traded me for..its obviously made in china issues with it left and right, that isnt just poor manufacturing, but poor design.

From what i can tell in my experience though, the sicce pumps are no better then the atmans, even though they are italian made, they are plagued with startup issues also.
[/quote]

Heh, I never sang the praises of the bubble magus.... and part of the reason I'm wary of places like the fish street site... I'll never buy another BM again.  Although, except for electrocuting the tank and my hand, once I put the needle wheel in there in place of the mesh wheel, it did skim pretty good.  Without question the SWC was miles ahead of bubble magus.  miles.  P.S. No returns.  ;D

 

[Zakk]

I do have to stress again.... there is nothing wrong with the SWC skimmer, except my distrust of the atman pump.  This was more a "I'm shocked" post that the Reef Octopus works as well as it does, for the price. 

The SWC makes a TON more foam than the Reef Octopus, who knows, maybe I needed to get it up to 3" of depth to get a more consistent skimmate.  I'll admit that I didn't spend a lot of time messing around with it, because the reef octopus went plug and play right away, and well I'm lazy.  Also, if it wasn't for the reputation on the motor (and my experience with one), I would never have swapped it out.  ;D

The SCW extreme 160 (non cone) has the sicce pump, I bought one and was going to try to mod the bubble magus with it, it's a nice powerful little pump. 

 

[crazybizzle]

ya my sicce 2500 does have startup issues most of the time when i shut it off and then plug it back in i gotta hit the pump to start it up

 

[Blob-79]

Heh, I never sang the praises of the bubble magus.... and part of the reason I'm wary of places like the fish street site... I'll never buy another BM again.  Although, except for electrocuting the tank and my hand, once I put the needle wheel in there in place of the mesh wheel, it did skim pretty good.  Without question the SWC was miles ahead of bubble magus.  miles.  P.S. No returns.  ;D

lol yea man, i got shocked pretty good too when i was testing, all was fine and it was running in my laundry tub..stuck my hand in the water and ZAP..

lol no worries on the returns, its payment to siderjan for installing a new exterior door for me

 

[phi delt reefer]

here is my swc 150 after 5 days

I also mechanically filter the water with 75 micron socks first so its pulling that out of filtered water

 

[Zakk]

[quote author=Zakk link=topic=2078.msg16079#msg16079 date=1328630166]
Heh, I never sang the praises of the bubble magus.... and part of the reason I'm wary of places like the fish street site... I'll never buy another BM again.  Although, except for electrocuting the tank and my hand, once I put the needle wheel in there in place of the mesh wheel, it did skim pretty good.  Without question the SWC was miles ahead of bubble magus.  miles.  P.S. No returns.  ;D

lol yea man, i got shocked pretty good too when i was testing, all was fine and it was running in my laundry tub..stuck my hand in the water and ZAP..

lol no worries on the returns, its payment to siderjan for installing a new exterior door for me
[/quote]

I wasn't kidding about the current leak on the atmans... It's the angle the cord is at in the chamber, it just fails after a while.  I feel for you, it was tripping the GFI instantly when it started up.  With a new motor it would likely run fairly well.  If fact it ran pretty darned good after I put the new pinwheel in there.  the meshwheels kept exploding or jamming up on me.

 

[Zakk]

I'll say that this skimmer 'settled down' a lot and now skims very similar to the SWC.  Still easier to get thicker gunk (easier to adjust), but definitely not the powerhouse it was when new.  Who knows, maybe it's just got the tank a lot cleaner?

 

[Neopimp]

Bubbleblaster all the way