Octopus Extreme 200 vs. AquaC EV-120

[Rickyrooz1]

I currently have a 120 gallon mixed reef and a 30 gallon DIY refugium/sump. My current protein skimmer is an AquaC EV-120 and I'm considering purchasing the Octopus Extreme 200 but don't know if this would be a worthy upgrade from the AquaC EV-120. I have 13 fish and lots of corals and only get 3-4 ounces of skimmate per day. I was hoping to get twice that amount with the Octopus Extreme 200. If anyone can advise me to stick with what I have or switch to the Extreme and a explanation on why to switch I would greatly appreciate it.

This is how dark my current skimmate is, this was 6 hours worth.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/YellowBellyTang/IMG_2909.jpg

FTS
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/YellowBellyTang/FTSDEC202008.jpg

[chemi19]

Tagging along

[Rickyrooz1]

Anyone have the Octo Extreme 200 that can chime in?

[Opes]

I have the Octo X and it pulls 3 times that in an hour. My total water volume is about 120 gal and I have a MUCH lighter fish load than you.

[Rickyrooz1]

Opes, do you have pictures?

[tangtang clown]

This is some stanky stuff!!!
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f54/bnutz8/Monday%2045scfh/monday45scfh009.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f54/bnutz8/Monday%2045scfh/monday45scfh010.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f54/bnutz8/Monday%2045scfh/monday45scfh007.jpg
This is where it was set
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f54/bnutz8/Monday%2045scfh/monday45scfh001.jpg
This was about 1 weeks worth, but I was constantly taking it apart and messing with the pump.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f54/bnutz8/Monday%2045scfh/monday45scfh008.jpg
Now I will have it set here
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f54/bnutz8/Monday%2045scfh/monday45scfh014.jpg

[Rickyrooz1]

tangtang clown, nice skimmate, why is it so green? Are you adding phyto? Are you using the standard pinwheel or the mesh to get those results? The skimmate in the cup, that was a weeks worth or a days worth?

[Opes]

Here is an hours worth. It looks "clean" because I just did a major cleaning on it and had just fired it back up an hour earlier. With the RS mesh mod it skims more like what TT Clown posted.
http://www.saltbucket.com/d/15693-2/DSC01342.jpg (http://www.saltbucket.com/d/15691-1/DSC01342.jpg)

[tangtang clown]

Thanks Opes. That looks great. I can't seem to get mine to make those sort of bubbles. I noticed that you have yours set a lot higher than mine. I this where you leave it set?

Good call on the phyto. I add phyto and coral frezny. I "had" 2 types of Prime Reef food, but my dogs ate one whole can. The kind I have now has more algae in it, formula two. The food itself is green.

[Opes]

I used to leave it set to almost the top of the neck. I just switched to the Mesh Wheel so I'm doing a little experimenting.

[ant1k]

[QUOTE]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13995134#post13995134 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rickyrooz1
[B]I currently have a 120 gallon mixed reef and a 30 gallon DIY refugium/sump. My current protein skimmer is an AquaC EV-120 and I'm considering purchasing the Octopus Extreme 200 but don't know if this would be a worthy upgrade from the AquaC EV-120. I have 13 fish and lots of corals and only get 3-4 ounces of skimmate per day. I was hoping to get twice that amount with the Octopus Extreme 200. If anyone can advise me to stick with what I have or switch to the Extreme and a explanation on why to switch I would greatly appreciate it.

This is how dark my current skimmate is, this was 6 hours worth.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa85/YellowBellyTang/IMG_2909.jpg

i would stick with the octo. i have an msx 200- same thing as yours. i currently have 13 fish, mixed lps and sps. and a similar setup that you do, 125 disp/70sump/30fuge.

i feed maybe 2 dice sized chunks of brine to my fish about 6 times a week, and i feed the corals mysis and coral food about twice a week.

try messing with the mesh job, because my skimmer is skimming really dry yet it fills the cup with black muck within 6-7 days. ill post pictures if requested.

[Rickyrooz1]

ant1k, I don't have the Octopus, I am thinking about purchasing it if the Octopus Extreme 200 produces more skimmate than my AquaC EV-120. Could you post pictures of your skimmate? Honestly, I don't think 3 ounces of dark skimmate per day is enough fish waste to be taken out daily.

[newmoon]

Here's 24 hours worth of skimmate from my Octo X 200(90g tank). No mesh mod. Great skimmer for the money.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Cacico/OctoX200.jpg

[Rickyrooz1]

newmoon, thank you for the pictures. How often do you perform water changes and do you run carbon?

[tangtang clown]

Newmoon, where do you have your water set? Looks pretty high, but the foam head looks really good notheless. Which PW are you running?

[newmoon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13996505#post13996505 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rickyrooz1
newmoon, thank you for the pictures. How often do you perform water changes and do you run carbon?

And you are welcome. I perform water changes monthly, or when I think there's a need to one(poor coral expansion/begin of algae or silicate/nitrate problems).
No carbon, but Phosphate reactor.

[newmoon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13996550#post13996550 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tangtang clown
Newmoon, where do you have your water set? Looks pretty high, but the foam head looks really good notheless. Which PW are you running?

Yup, I keep about half inch from the bottom of the collection cup. That gives me good skimmate and is easy to clean. If I put too low I can get skimmate but take more time, probably due to the fact that I'm running it without the mesh and have less air going trough. Pump is the stock Sicce 2500.
I will try the mesh to see if I will get that much more skimmate to justify all the extra fine tuning associated with it. It's been pretty set and forget the way it is now

[newmoon]

I just shoot this video for ya Ricky, so you can see mine working. Sorry for the bad quality!

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Cacico/th_skimmer.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Cacico/?action=view&current=skimmer.flv)

[tangtang clown]

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f54/bnutz8/Monday%2045scfh/monday45scfh015.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f54/bnutz8/Monday%2045scfh/monday45scfh018.jpg

[Rickyrooz1]

Nice video, very helpful.

[ant1k]

this is about 3 days worth, right after a complete neck cleaning


http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/183056skimm.jpg

[Rickyrooz1]

ant1k, that's a lot! Is that with the mesh mod? How high is your water level in the sump?

[ant1k]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13999334#post13999334 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rickyrooz1
ant1k, that's a lot! Is that with the mesh mod? How high is your water level in the sump?

just about 8", yes it has a mesh mod, i finally got it to a point where it doesnt rattle WOOOOT!!! just a low hum now which is acceptable. other than how much its pulling out, i dont have a killawatt or air meter so i dont know if its performing as it should, but based on my levels id say its okay, phosphates=0, nitrites~0, nitrates are a little high around 5-10.

[mg426]

I have an MSX 200 and it skims mighty darn good !!!

[tangtang clown]

Ant1, where do you have the bubble/water line set in you skimmer?