Maintenance costs
The pump by Askoll with brush impeller and monopump skimmer given by ATB for a declared consumption of about 38 watt, that per year is 332 kwh, and an estimated cost of about 90 euro if the cost per kwh remained stable at 0,27 euro.
As usual, we measured the consumption:
We found it lower than declared, with a little more than 36 watt. The difference, practically, is that you go from 90 euro to 85. Unimportant. What we wanted to underline is the closeness between the declared values and our measurations.
Conclusions
Now let’s hear Jonathan‘s thoughts about his experience with the skimmer. But first here’s a glipse of its aquarium, so that you picture how was the testing ground.
Before you ask – yes, Jonathan‘s tank will figure soon in the aquarium of the month on our pages!
Jonathan tells us the skimmer really is quiet and he has been impressed by the very tiny bubbles at its very base. The skimmer wasn’t very sensible with hands in the tank or while feeding the fish. Sometimes the administration was right at the same time of the automatic cleaning, set to 2 minutes for 4 times a day. But during the feeding of the corals the skimming stopped and started again after a short time. Easy and comfortable the control drain and it’s the only one you have to do! There isn’t any control on the incoming air, aspirated by the skimmed.
The main flaw that clashes with the rest, tells Jonathan, is that the cleaning system is badly assembled. The brush comes only close to the superior edge of the neck, as you can see from the previous picture. That little space close to the top of the internal cylinder remains dirty. It probably has a little effect on the performance, but on the other hand it doesn’t cost anything to fix this detail in the construction.
It’s the first time Jonathan finds himself with a skimmer that tarnished heavily during the use. It could be why it has few ventilation holes at the top. Anyway, after few days the internal cylinder becomes completely invisible so practically speaking it’s the same. But the problem persists even excluding the tube for the smell recovery. After three days it begins to defog. The timer for the automatic cleaning unluckily isn’t included, and the float snaps immediately but if you let it end its run the pump switches on again. Sure, it doesn’t change anything because it can’t ever get it, but the thing is weird anyway.
First impressions
The skimmer is very slow initially, it took 10 days before it began to foam.
During the second week it almost filled up the glass but Jonathan voluntarly set it to be very wet.
The cost
The skimmer ATB Medium Size da 25 cm costs 980 euro. The second pump costs 395 euro, but the skimmer can be order with one pump or the other at the same price. The automatic cleaning system, that we recommend, costs 299 euro, while the anti overflow system costs 119 euro.
Conclusions
This skimmer is a real monster. Its values are amazing and, if it isn’t enough, take a look at the general conditions of the aquarium, with a lot of beautiful fish anche very colorful Acropore. The construction is good, too bad for some unexpected flaws, like the brush badly calibrated and the lack of its timer. The opportunity to have the float is very good, so that you don’t have to worry about the overfill of the skimmer into the sump. We think that 980 euro for this skimmer is a high price, but in line with its performances. We have never registered 1320 l/h for the intake air before. Well, the cost of the accessories is high too, but once you try them you can hardly do without.
During the use it has been regular and efficient. Easy to open and clean, but an operation that we did a really few times, and that’s one of the features that we will surely miss in the future.
According to us, then, it’s adequate for an aquarium of SPS corald and fish until 700/800 liters. Obviously in the case you have less populated aquariums, with only fish or with soft corals, you can push until the verge of 1500/2000 liters.
PROS
Very high value of aspirated air Very comfortable the automatic cleaning system (of 299 euro) Very useful the float in order to avoid the overfill (of 119 euro) Very silent skimmer
CONS
Cleaning system to be calibrated better There’s isn’t a tymer for the cleaning system High cost, even with the accessories
The ATB skimmers are distributed in Italy by Aquariatech and by H.V. Innovation, that takes care of the warranty.
