|
|
|
|
#26
11/15/2006, 09:57 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
IMO, the remora has its place. Sure, I prefer needlewheels (I run a giant ER RC500 on my display), but I've been generally happy with the Remora I picked up used for <$100. It travels between my QTs as needed, and no in-sump skimmer can do that easily. It doesn't skim like my big skimmer, but it does a decent job at extracting some of the organics from these lightly biofiltered tanks.
For someone that requires a HOB skimmer, I think the performance is reasonable for the price.
__________________
Beware the power of stupid people in large groups..... |
|
#27
11/15/2006, 12:03 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
FB
__________________
hello |
|
#28
11/15/2006, 12:33 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
If it's possible to return the Remora would this Octopus skimmer be better?
http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=1011
__________________
Biocube 29 reef tank 4.36 144w Nanotuners PC Mod Tunze DOC 9002 Skimmer MaxiJet 1200 Pump 2 Hydor Koralia Model 1's |
|
#29
11/15/2006, 12:50 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
doubtfull. Its basically an overgrown CPR back pack.
IMO, the CSS are the best HOB skimmers out there for the $$.
__________________
72 Bow w/6x54w T5HO,,2xMaximod1200, PS-3000 skimmer |
|
#30
11/15/2006, 01:31 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Well... By the design, that HOB Octopus is similar to the CPR BakPak albeit with a needlewheel pump instead.
Infact very little differences between the BakPak, Remora, or even a Deltec MCE whathaveya in terms of how the "box" is designed. What makes them perform or not is the way in which the bubbles are generated. A needlewheel is the latest technology and is much more efficient than the Remora's "injector" or the BakPak's venturi. It (the HOB Octopus) SHOULD technically work better than the Remora but like others have mentioned previously.... It is still a HOB and won't perform anywhere near what an in sump skimmer in the same price range can do. D. |
|
#31
11/15/2006, 02:52 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Well, like I've stated previously I don't currently have a sump because of lack of space so that automatically excludes any in sump skimmers no matter how good they are! I have to have an HOB skimmer and while some people get the CSS skimmers working well there are more then a few people who have problems with them overflowing among other things. I know there are a lot of mods to those skimmers and I'm just not interested in doing that. I realize that I'll still have to fiddle a little bit with the Remora to get it working at the level I want it to but not nearly as much as a CSS skimmer. I guess i will stick with the Remora for now and graduate to something better once I move up in tank size, for now with a 29g reef tank I think the Aqua C remora will do nicely (I might even get that surface skimmer/bubble trap attachment as it says it increases the productivity of the skimmer by 20%...every little bit helps right).
__________________
Biocube 29 reef tank 4.36 144w Nanotuners PC Mod Tunze DOC 9002 Skimmer MaxiJet 1200 Pump 2 Hydor Koralia Model 1's |
|
#32
11/15/2006, 04:25 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
HOB versus In-Sump
Quote:
|
|
#33
11/15/2006, 04:43 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
#1 reason - size
My big skimmer holds ~10g of water (air/water mix, really), the neck is 4+" in diameter, and it collects over a gallon of skimmate a week. Obviously, that's an extreme example, but even an average size in-sump model has a significantly larger reaction chamber than a HOB.
__________________
Beware the power of stupid people in large groups..... |
|
#34
11/15/2006, 05:55 PM
|
|||
|
|||
No reason for HOB/HOT Skimmers to be Small
Quote:
If an external skimmer or in-sump skimmer can be converted to hang on a tank, then there should be no reason for HOB skimmers to be the runt of the litter. I believe that marketing is the reason that HOB skimmers are less powerful than their external or in-sump cousins. Most HOB skimmers are placed on display tanks and must be small to remain unobtrusive. Since I want to hang my skimmer on a sump, I do not have the same size constraint. Besides, size isn't the only criterion for skimmer productivity. The Tunze skimmers are very small but very productive. If Tunze can produce a HOB/HOT version of its 9010 skimmer, it would be the best HOB/HOT skimmer in the market. |
|
#35
11/15/2006, 06:04 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
It's not about what can be done, you asked why skimmers sold as HOB are inferior to in-sump skimmers. It boils down to size. They are made to be small so they can squeeze between a tank and the wall. They use smaller pumps, because they know the pump has to be inside the tank. All of these are design tradeoffs. When you move to an in-sump skimmer, you tend to have more room available, so you get a bigger chamber, bigger pumps, more air/water, generally a better skimmer. How big depends on the size of the sump. Go external and you have even less limitations.
It all comes down to design choices. HOB skimmers fill a niche for people that don't have a sump and want a skimmer that takes up little room. Nothing more, nothing less. It is not suprising that they are less effective than their larger cousins. You're right on that last point - efficient designs. Once the size is established, a pump (or pump system) needs to be chosen to optimize the air/water mix for maximum skimming. How well a skimmer is engineered in this respect can certainly vary from model to model (and company to company). You're probably right about the cost aspect. Maybe a low margin, inexpensive skimmer probably doesn't warrant the R&D investment of a larger skimmer. I have no idea. Then again, maybe they figure the hobbyist buying the HOB won't know the difference... 
__________________
Beware the power of stupid people in large groups..... |
|
#36
11/16/2006, 05:21 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Okay, so my hanging my remora pro inside my sump will not work? What skimmer would you suggest for my 40 gallon SPS, lps, clam set up? It also has a 18 gallon refugium hooked onto the sump which equals 29 gallons.
__________________
...Treat Others The Way You Wish To Be Treated... 40 breeder, BM 150 Skimmer, 25 gallon sump/fuge, Aqualight Pro, Closed loop with Reeflo Sequence Snapper and Vortech. |
|
#37
11/16/2006, 08:56 AM
|
|||
|
|||
Try It!
Quote:
However, your Remora Pro should be more than adequate for your system. Do hang your Remora Pro on your sump and let it rip! |
|
#38
11/16/2006, 09:40 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
The manufacturers just view HOB skimmers as throw away items.
__________________
72 Bow w/6x54w T5HO,,2xMaximod1200, PS-3000 skimmer |
|
#39
11/16/2006, 09:42 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Try It!
Quote:
__________________
72 Bow w/6x54w T5HO,,2xMaximod1200, PS-3000 skimmer |
|
#40
11/16/2006, 10:06 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
HoB's
I've own alot of HoB's (CSS-65, 2 Remoras, CPR-BackPak, Typhon), I picked a new one up every few months until I got a sump and did away with that nonsense (Think of what your best HoB does in a month and that's what a good sump does in 2 or 3 days).
CSS-65: Skims the best out of all the HOB's, but is huge in tank between the monster pump and bubletrap, so it's best in a new tank that you can build around it/cover it up. Remora / Bak-Pak: Skim exactly the same (I owned both the Rio and MJ Remoras). The edge to the Remora is it's simpler, you have to tinker with the Bak-Pack every few days. Edge to the Bak-Pak is it's a good deal cheaper, like 1/3 cheaper. Typhon: Has a few great features, but unfortuately doesn't skim well. -Any NW Sumpskimmer is going to be so much better it's not funny, so unless it's utterly impossible, try for a sump, you'll never regret it. PW
__________________
Dumbest Quotes Ever..... "Great color, great growth" closely followed by "all water parameters fine" |
|
#42
11/16/2006, 12:30 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I think the major factor are the people who buy Remora's are probably people w/55g tanks (myself included) who have only had 1 tank and have been thru multiple "cost effective" skimmers, i.e. seaclone's and air stone skimmers the buy at Petco........when you take the plunge and spend $150 on a skimmer only to find that it blows the aforementioned skimmers out of the water, you're one happy reefer and come on these sites and rave about it's performance. You use it for awhile, then you come across the "Skimmate of the Day" thread and realize there's even better skimmers out there. So it's a continuous education type of thing really.
__________________
You........Cake or Death? I'll have the cake please.... ....well we're outta cake! |
|
#43
11/16/2006, 12:33 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Here's the thing: The Remora isnt a BAD skimmer, but if cost was in line with performance, it would be down around $60. It just can't even come close to what your average non-Hob $150 skimmer can do.
__________________
72 Bow w/6x54w T5HO,,2xMaximod1200, PS-3000 skimmer |
|
#44
11/16/2006, 12:50 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Obviously, but the problem is that for those without a sump you are left with few options. I used to own a Remora Pro and it really did skim well for the size and cost. I believe I got one of the better ones as there seems to be some inconsistency in performance, but still a good little skimmer for the money. The CSS seems to be a good HOB, but they overflow quite often and the skimmate can be incredibly inconsistent. If I had to buy another HOB it would probably be the Remora Pro.
__________________
Matt Patience is the best remedy for every trouble. Titus Maccius Plautus (254 BC - 184 BC), Rudens |
|
#45
11/16/2006, 01:03 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Rich hit on the head, until you have a real skimmer you dont know what you're missing.
One skimmer that I like and use is the CPR bac pac...but I have modified the maxijet with a NW...and plan on mounting a recirc NW. The square large body give lots of room for modification...it just takes some creativity. If I had to buy one today, I probably wouldnt buy a bac pac or any HOB skimmer for that matter, but I had it laying around and put it to use  e+f
__________________
red|house|blog "i like bubbly, and i love animals - so it works out well" "there are a lot of people out there who think they have a modern house simply because they have alot of steel in it" |
|
#46
11/16/2006, 01:05 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Honestly, I think the best HOB out there is my Jebo (CPr Back pak clone). Why? Because it works just as well as all the other HOBs, and will cost you $39 with a pump.
If you want to spend $200 on a HOB, buy a Turboflotor. Theyre leagues better than the Remora, and probably better than the CSS, but not much different from the larger CSS.
__________________
72 Bow w/6x54w T5HO,,2xMaximod1200, PS-3000 skimmer |
|
#48
11/16/2006, 01:14 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...product=AQ1113
At some point they used AquaBee 2000s, but they use Ocean Runners now.
__________________
72 Bow w/6x54w T5HO,,2xMaximod1200, PS-3000 skimmer |
|
#49
11/16/2006, 01:28 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
In Display Skimming
There have always been renowned HOB skimmers, such as the Aqua Medic Turboflotor Multi SL. Unfortunately, their large pumps and return assemblies tended to be more appropriate for hanging on sumps than for hanging on display aquariums.
I submit that among the least obtrusive HOB skimmers for display aquariums are the Deltec MCE600 and MCE300. Their pumps are housed inside the skimmer body and are not immersed into the display tank. Other attractive options for “in-display” skimming are the Tunze 9010 and the Tunze Nano as they are compact and have a reputation for quiet operation. |
|
#50
11/16/2006, 01:47 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
THe Deltecs are decent, but the MCE300 is functionaly identicle to a CPR backpack, and significantly more expensive, and the 600 suffers from exactly what we're talking about here: Its $450 and performs like $150 in sump skimmer. Its just too SMALL to work all that well.
As to the tunzes, theyre nice skimmers, but c'mon, they in-tank. How is an in-tank skimmer less intrusive than a single pump?
__________________
72 Bow w/6x54w T5HO,,2xMaximod1200, PS-3000 skimmer |
|
|
Linear Mode
