Any Eheim powered skimmers at a decent price point?
 

Gang,

I picked up a used nautilis te for cheap. For giggles, I tried an eheim 1260 on it, and the combo whoops butt. :D

That got me to thinking...

I know about the high dollar deltec and H&S skimmers powered by eheim 1260's. Are there any notable skimmers out there running eheim pumps that don't carry a big price tag?

With all the activity going on with the ASM mod scene, I'm really surpised modding for eheim power isn't done. This pump is stupid powerful and quiet. I mean for crying out loud, computer hot rodders are using this pump to liquid cool their systems.

Thanks,
Dan

No dice, eh?

prob is, that pump adds over $100 to the price tag, then becomes no longer a cheap skimmer.

Actually, Eheim 1260 needle wheels add about $299 to a skimmer each.

Thanks, Guys. I expect that the pump and nw would run up the cost to produce a skimmer, but I should hope the folks making the skimmers would be paying a bit less for the pumps than we do.

Maybe I should've phrased my question differently. :)

Anybody know of a good eheim powered skimmer for less than the $900 H&S in-sump model? :D Even with the $300 cost quoted above, that leaves $600 to cover materials and engineering....

Thanks,
Dan

H&S and Deltec share the patent on the eheim needlewheel...so the response to that is a big NO as it doesnt exist, and if it did, those two companies would sue.

Perhaps a better alternative would be to look at other pumps you can use. My favorite needlewheel pump to DIY with is the Aqua Medic Oceanrunner, sold alone at premiumaquatics.com. They are really nice pumps...sort of a 'poor man's eheim', but very efficient, and have great height performance when compared to sedras and eheims which start to choke when the skimmer starts getting taller.

FWIW, those turboflotor skimmers in the 5000 series (baby and shorty2 in particular) dont get the press they deserve. They are great performing units for a very reasonable price.

Only problem with Ocean Runner is no one has any anywhere. The US distributor in Colorado burn down this last December. So, the supply line is going to be very slow.

Blorton, what size tank are you looking at for this skimmer?

you might be able to find Octopus Turbine pumps with needlewheel. they are the same as OR pumps and even made in the same factory by Hailea.

Currently, the water column is in the neighborhood of 200 gallons. I'm hoping to add at least a 300G display within a year or so.

Basically, I'm tired of buying underpowered budget skimmers and want something beefy that doesn't require hundreds of watts to drive a beckett.

Oh - and that's funny the Ocean Runner pumps are being mentioned. I've got both a 3500 and a 6500 in this system. If I could find a nw impeller for either, I'd be very interested. I've only seen them for the 2700.

Thanks!
Dan

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6892494#post6892494 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Blorton [/i]
[B]Currently, the water column is in the neighborhood of 200 gallons. I'm hoping to add at least a 300G display within a year or so.

Basically, I'm tired of buying underpowered budget skimmers and want something beefy that doesn't require hundreds of watts to drive a beckett.

Oh - and that's funny the Ocean Runner pumps are being mentioned. I've got both a 3500 and a 6500 in this system. If I could find a nw impeller for either, I'd be very interested. I've only seen them for the 2700.

Thanks!
Dan [/B][/QUOTE]

Needlewheel for 2700 fits OC2500.
Needlewheel for 3700 fits OC3500.

Thanks, Johnny.

CustomAquatic is out of stock on the 3700 nw impeller. Does anyone know of other sources that may have one available?

Maybe I'll find more stuff to sell and just get that H&S instead. :D

Thanks,
Dan

I am sending back my OR 3700 to Premium Aquatics. Fittings are glue in, are metric and an elbow was glued to the input. Made it tough to attach to a skimmer.

check with PA about these fittings before buying. I don't think it is PA issue, PA said Aquamedic is sending them out this way.

rich

Dan, What H&S are you looking at?