After the first presentation at Interzoo 2014, we are been able to have the new Vertex Omega 180i skimmer in our hands.
The construction is absolutely perfect, with acrylic and white PVC, in red and white livery, the same colours the Vertex uses on every their products.
Technically there is only one pump, one Sicce PSK1000 modified, that performs both air fractionation and water delivery, so it can drive from 1000 to 1300 liters per hour of air, with a power consumption of only 28 watt.
The main changes from the original Sicce PSK1000 come from the original needle-wheel and the cover of the same rotor.
The skimmer is a conventional high-end in-sump needle-wheel design, when a big internal pump takes air and water, and drives them above towards the diffuser plate. We will measure for sure the air performance of this beautiful skimmer. The body of skimmer has a diameter of 18 cm at the base, and it is perfectly cylindrical for 20 cm, when it begins to tightened until 10 cm of diameter where there is the cup junction.
The skimmer is born to be used also in conjunction with ozone, thanks to materials from which is built, as you can see by the two air inlets. In the right, with silicone pipe you have the air, in the left, with red pipe you could have the ozone.
The technical solutions are numberless, you have to see and to touch it to understand it, we hope we can help you with our pictures. Everything is been thought, anything is left behind.
First of all, the skimmer is completely disassemblable, and when I say completely I mean… completely.
So in the future we can perform a perfect clean of the skimmer, and we can remove all debris, all calcium encrustations inside it. We can have a skimmer like new one, whenever we want.
For example, the plate where there is the pump is incredible.
Over the plate there is a small area covered with damping material, in beige colour in the picture above, over there we will put the pump, and, together with rubber feet under the same plate, will contribute to maintain a very low level of noise.
In the side we can look a carved place, that’s important to place the front cover of the rotor, the big front cover, so the skimmer can use every inch of height, and can maintain the pump perfectly horizontal.
The skimmer has 7,5 liters of capacity, and the collection cup about 1,7 liters, it’s 59 cm high, and the cup is a screw on, very soft and easy to use.
Technically speaking the center pump has shortened all the paths of water, before and after the pump, so the mix can be shot inside the body at full velocity, with virtually no losses for friction. And with this disposition there is no waste of space in sump. I like it.
The Vertex Omega 180i is designed for heavily stocked SPS aquarium until 700 liters, and from some days the skimmer is inside our personal aquarium of 400 liters. We will keep you up to date about his use, before releasing our in depth review.
The price of the Vertex Omega 180i has to be near 499 USD or 499 Euro.
