Coral Vue Technology AC20287 Octopus Needle Wheel Skimmer for Aquarium Filter, 6-Inch, 150-Gallon

I replaced a cheap brand "beginner" protein skimmer with this model for my 75 gallon + 30 sump system. The break-in period was shorter than advertised, was already pulling out material in a few days.

Basically for the price point this is the best skimmer you can get until you start throwing down serious dollars on a out-of-sump model. I reviewed a large number of skimmers online and finally picked this one based on those conditions. Spend less than $100 and your skimmer is basically trash.. you won't get a good skimmer until about $300 and >. Since I already had a cheap skimmer I knew the problems.

I've always believed in over-filtering my tank, so I bought the NWB-150 for my 90 Gallon Reef Tank. The benefits of running this larger skimmer exceed the extra money it costs to go to the next size up. Initially, the protein skimmer will not produce much skimmate because of the factory residue that is on the skimmer, but once it kicks in, you will be blown away once you see how much foam this produces and how much stinky green "goop" you'll be pulling out of your water column. The needle wheel impeller is second to none for what you will pay for this skimmer. If you are worried about the collection cup overflowing while you are away, simply remove the rubber plug to the collection cup and run the silicone hose (that comes with the skimmer) into a washed out milk jug!

I've found that if I detach my collection cup weekly and and scrub out the green film that develops on the insides walls, it runs much better. If you run it dirty or if you run your water level too low in the skimmer, you will not allow the foam to climb high enough so that it falls into the collection cup, which results in a slimy build-up in the wrong area of the skimmer.

As far as the construction of the skimmer goes, I am very happy. They use a very high-density plastic so you don't have to worry about accidentaly bumping it and causing a crack.

In terms of noise, I give this one an A+. This particular unit comes with a baffle that controls the airflow to the impeller and ALSO blocks off any noise that you might be used to hearing from your old skimmer. It is virtually undetectable when running, so that is a huge plus. The gate valve on the skimmer also makes it very easy to control the water level within the skimmer, and if you don't like to hear splashing from the return section of the skimmer, simply turn the return pipe until the water is falling against something that muffles the sound! The motor of the unit is also very efficient and silent, so you don't have to worry about hearing any "hums" from it.

All-in-all, this is a great skimmer that will keep your aquarium healthy and free of excessive protein build-up. It is a must have for any saltwater aquarium, so go with the next size up if you plan on upgrading to a larger tank in the future or plan on having a lot of fish in your tank.

Buy Coral Vue Technology AC20287 Octopus Needle Wheel Skimmer for Aquarium Filter, 6-Inch, 150-Gallon Now

Have had this skimmer for several months now and it works great. Took a bit to adjust and learned to make sure I set the water level by measuring what the water is at inside the skimmer and not by the sump. Found that the skimmers water level inside when running is usually a couple inches higher than the sump. Point being, when you set the height of your sump according to the water level on the sticker on the skimmer make sure it is the height of the water inside the skimmer while it is running. Love it

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worth every penny there is a lot cheaper out there its hard to explain why reef octopus is so much better till you put your hands on 1 .... easy to set easy to maintain high quality plastic and fittings, simple layout feels like it will last a long time

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Great looking and perfect design!!! This skimmer is by far the best I've bought and I strongly recommend it to anyone that has had problems with other skimmers in the past.

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