It's here! It's finally here!
After a long wait, my new Tunze 9004 skimmer arrived in the mail today. I remember being just as excited in November 2006 when I was among the first to recieve the Tunze Nanostream pumps. For some of us this hobby is about the fish and corals, and for others we know it's really about the TOYS!
Initial Thoughts: I'm really glad Tunze finally made a skimmer to fit between the tiny 9002 and beefy 9006. The Comline DOC skimmers have a great design that is tried and true, but it will be interesting to see how the modifications made to the 9004 improve performance. The price is fantastic considering the competition and the steep price jump between the 9002 and 9006. Then there's the fact that you're getting a Tunze product with excellent quality, resale value, and customer service provided by Roger.
The Good: Simple, well designed, and quality construction. QUIET (Can't even hear this bad boy when my VorTech MP10 is anywhere above 50% power). The included cleaning brush is a nice touch. Easy to install and dial in immediately...setup took about 10 minutes. I like that the collection cup is easy to remove but still feels secure, no twisting and yanking like on some other skimmers.
The Bad: Somehow my box didn't include the foam for the bottom of the skimmer. I do have some microbubbles getting into the display but I'm hoping these will die down as the skimmer breaks in. Of course this accessory is not necessary for function and I could easily cut my own foam to size, but I want my custom foam. Also, my glass is the maximum thickness for the skimmer's magnet holders (3/8) so it's not as glued to the wall as I would like, but it gets the job done. Neither of these things will apply to most users.
I will update as the skimmer breaks in and I get some skimmate. Enjoy the pictures!
