EuroReef Vs. Beckett/downdraft

tapeworm

tapeworm

Member
I am looking for a new skimmer design for my 210FOWLR tank.
If I compare apples to apples...
Myreefcreations MR2 uses around 120-145 watts and is rated for 300. Blueline 40 or Mag18. It uses Beckett technology.
Euroreef CS12-1 uses around 100 watts and is also rated for 300. Two Sedra 5000 pumps at 50 watts each. It uses needle wheel technology.
ETSS 600, same numbers as the MR2. Use downdraft setup.
Both skimmers will turn as much water over per hour.
I have heard about the power savings in Euroreef style skimmers, I guess it is 20%-45% or in other terms, a 20watt light bulb:)
Are my calculations correct?
If so, then the MR2 costs 299, the ETSS costs 649 and the Euroreef costs almost 800.
Results wise, I guess they are more subjective.
 
golfish

golfish

Active Member
The MR2 will cost you about 450-600.00 when you add the pump,depending on what you use..Andy makes a good skimmer but I feel the MR2 is a little over rated at 300 gals. I've used an ETSS before, I wasn't impressed. I now use an ER skimmer, I'm very impressed with the ER I just don't like the company itself.
The big differnce your going to find between the Beckets and the ER is noise. The Beckets head skimmers are a lot louder then the ER's, if that's not a problem I'd probably go with the MR3 over the MR2 for your size tank.
You also might want to check out the new Geo needle wheel skimmers (Geosreef) These are very very well built ER copies, built much better then the ER is and cost a lot less. The 830 model he has should be more then enough for your tank.
 
tapeworm

tapeworm

Member
You are right, I did not add the cost of the pump to the whole deal.
I made myself an ETSS 600 clone and I am testing it right now. I am able to change it from a beckett head to a down draft with ease, so I am testing both ways.
My total cost was about 80 dollars plus my time. What I like most about the DIY is that I can change things around and try different things.
You are right, the noise is horrible, but I am very impressed with the skimming.
What do you think about ASM?
I may have to build a clone of a needle wheel as well:)
 
flatzboy

flatzboy

Active Member
Asm's are the same as an ER for the most part. I myself have not owned one but have seen a ton of good reviews. Pretty much everyone agrees they skim as good as an equally rated ER. The only thing that I dislike about asm's is they are made out of clear pvc instean of acylic therefore it is not recommended for use with ozone. HTH I run an aquac ev120 and am very impressed doesn't need a really huge pump is easy to adjust to skim wet or dry and pulls out a tn of nasty stuff the only thing is some people have problems keeping it tuned so they sometimed have to be tuned weekly to keep it skimming the way you want. Another member Robchuck has runned an ER and aquac ev on the same tank at different time and said that the aquac skims better but needed more frequent adjustments then the ER . :D
 
robchuck

robchuck

Active Member

Originally posted by FLATZBOY
Another member Robchuck has runned an ER and aquac ev on the same tank at different time and said that the aquac skims better but needed more frequent adjustments then the ER . :D
The AquaC EV-180 has produced much better results for me than I ever could get with my old ER CS6-1; though I do have to make small adjustments about every 7-10 days to keep the skimmate consistant.
But when I start my new larger system later this spring/summer, I will be running a Beckett skimmer (either MRC or Barr Aquatic).
 
tapeworm

tapeworm

Member
I don't know about you guys, but I run to my tanks every morning as soon as I wake up:) So an adjustment or two once a week does not bother me at all:)
I think my next DIY project will be a double beckett skimmer. I built a single one already, now I want a double. It skims like a champ.
Cost of building it is about 70-100, so cheap to try different variations.
By the way, in the 12 skimmer comparison, the AquaC and the ETSS won their rounds so far over the needle wheels.
 
tapeworm

tapeworm

Member
Acrylic,
They ran the MRC3 with dual becketts against the ETSS Evo750, which are two different purpose skimmers.
They said that output wise, they were very close, but ETSS won because it needed a smaller pump to operate.
I dont think it is fair comparison, since the MRC3 dual beckett is a huge very powerful skimmer and the Evo750 is more of a gentle soul:)
A more fair comparison would have been the ETSS 800, which also has dual towers and requires the same pump as the MRC3 dual beckett.
Does that make sense?
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
It does make sense what your saying... I don't think the comparison was really fair across the board. I think they could have grouped the skimmers a little better then what was done.... I really don't understand what the big deal is about the use of a big pump... As long as the puppy performs and becketts do handle huge volumes of water and that is what they are designed to do... Again either way you go their are pros and cons, just depends what your willing to sacrifice... I'm still and MRC fan and will be purchasing one with dual injectors... Haven't decided between the MRC 3 or 4 yet????
Thanks!!!!!:)
 
tapeworm

tapeworm

Member
Hey Acrylic,
For your 240?
Check out the height on the 3 vs the 4. If you can deal with the height, might as well go for the 4:)
I am doing a 3 with dual injectors now, in a way. I am actually trying my own design, it is a bit different.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Height definitely isn't a problem for me. I have some pics of the new setup in progress, but the filter room is actually going to be behind the tank so I don't have to contend with stuffing everything under the stand, which will make it alot easier. Hopefully will get the pictures sized so I can post a few!!!!!! Was actually leaning towards the 4.
 
tony detroit

tony detroit

Active Member
For the most part yes, although becketts will excel a bit compared to a needle wheel like a euro reef or ASM. The beauty of a recirc is you can use different feed pumps but get the air intake at a even higher rate. To skim wet with a euro reef you are shaving gph of of your total skimmed water per hour. To skim wet on a recirc you just turn up your feed pump. The pumps feeding the air and circulating the water in the chamber do that, and that alone. This is why Deltec, H and S, GEO, and EuroReef have all gone to the recirc design.
The europeans have been using it for a while now, Deltec and H and S just recently started making a hit in the US market. Euroreef copied their design just like they do everything else. Same story for GEO. H and S and Deltec share the patent. The recircs also use the downdraft principle, the water is put into the skimmer at the very top of the neck and has to "fall" through the bubbles.
Becketts are great skimmers, just be ready for a flood at any moment, higher electrical bills, constant adjustment, and noise issues.
I almost went with the beckett but after seeing, reading, etc. I think the recircs are the best thing out there right now. Steve Weast runs a Deltec Recirc, need I say more? If you get a recirc I assure you you won't be dissappointed.
tony
 
tapeworm

tapeworm

Member
I understand what you mean.
I am running my pumps in the garage, which is the other side of the wall that the tank is on. It cuts down on the noise a bit.
The other reason why I like my design is because I built it myself:)
The bottom line on skimmers is that they blow bubbles and stuff sticks to them:)
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
What's the price of an H and S??? I'm quite sure rather pricey as well.... I haven't heard any horror stories of floods from anyone with an MRC skimmer why are they prone to cause a flood????
 
tony detroit

tony detroit

Active Member
You will find after being shut off and on they usually need an adjustment. You'll also find that the pump that feeds them must be at the same waterlevel all the time or you're going to have adjustment issues as well. A beckett can overflow itself very quickly.
Like I said earlier, becketts work very well, I just think they have their limitations.
 
tony detroit

tony detroit

Active Member

Originally posted by TapeWorm
The bottom line on skimmers is that they blow bubbles and stuff sticks to them:)
Very true, it is crazy the money they get for some of these things, but keep in mind there are many factors that can make a skimmer a better performer.
Bubble size, water turnover per hour, reaction chamber size, and diameter, circulation inside the chamber, amount of air injected per hour, the list goes on and on. There are probably around 10 different variables that can make one skimmer better than another.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top