based upon a couple of considerations, I have deceided that I should go with a needle wheel skimmer. Those considerations being power consumption and the amount of heat added to the system by the pump needed to power a beckett/becett style skimmer.
Over on reef central there is a strong following for Octopus Skimmers, and the DAS seem to have somewhat of a following over here (if you can avoid the tilted cup)
In the DAS category are the DAX EX-1 and the DAS EX-2. Cali reccomended the EX-2, and I that is what Jhale uses. I reviewed Jhales posts in the skimmer thread (thanks , it is the best information on DAS skimmers on the web) and the EX-2 looks like one hell of a skimmer for the money.
My concern with the EX-2 is the footprint. (16.1"x11") Currently my sump consits of a 20 gallon long (30 inches long), but I wanted to knock it down to 15 gallon (24) inches long, each is 12 inches wide. the reason being that with the longer sump I can no longer fit my top off water under the stand, and this makes the wife unhappy.
The DAS EX-1 would make a slightly better fit, but not by that much, as most of the increase in the foot print is in the width and not the length, it's foot print is 15.4"x7.1". The EX-1 also has less power consumption, but it has a narrower body and is shorter.
I also wonder if the DAS Ex-2 is overkill, remeber this is a 65 gallon tank...although i could fit a whole lot more fish! I think Jhales is using this skimmer on 120 gallon tank.
The other option is the
octopus recirculating NW-150. This has a slightly wider body and is taller than the DAS-EX1. But I am cncerned about the pump quality in comparison to the DAS if DAS is using relabled Aquabees. These skimmers have a
following over at RC