Why are becket skimmers so good?

[dearis]

Hi there,

I have narrowed my skimmer list down to 4 the

DB ReefTech foam jet protein skimmer
AquaJet range of protein skimmers
My Reef Creations protein skimmers
AquaC EV-2000 Spray Injection Protein Skimmer

However it has been brought to me that i may be better off going with a becket skimmer but i dont really know what this is. I have done some reading but still dont get the difference, also terms like needle wheel...

Also would like to use o3 as i have heard this brings added clarity to the tank is this true

Regards Darren

 

[Anonymous]

I had a DIY Beckett skimmer that kicked but. The my tank had an infestation of marine pills (small crustation) that clogged the beckett. I would have to clean it twice a day to keep it skimming, which I of course wasn't going to do.

Neddlewheel skimmers can handle marine pills.

I bought a Bubble King which is a needlewheel skimmer and have never had any more problems.

I'd suggest that you research all of the needlewheel skimmers and chose the one that suits your setup the best. ASM, Euroreef, Deltec, H&S and Bubble King are all needlewheel skimmers. There are probably others.

Louey

 

[Len]

A beckett-type skimmer uses a special injector (called a Beckett, hence the name) to create lots of air bubbles in the water that streams past it. Generally, you need a powerful pump with beckett skimmers. The effectiveness of these skimmers stems from brute force. An example of a beckett skimmer is the Precision Marine Bullet line.

Needle-wheels are on the opposite end of the spectrum. It's an evolution of venturi-type skimmers. In needle-wheels, air is sucked in on the skimmer pump's intake. The impeller of the pump is specially modified, and as the air enters the skimmer, it is chopped up into lots of tiny bubbles, thus increasing surface area. Needle wheels are probably the most efficient skimming method since they use smaller pumps. Needle-wheel skimmers include ASM, Euroreef, Deltec, etc.

There's a lot of ways to create a nice skimmer. Here's a nice list:
http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=78592