MR2 Skimmer
- Thread starter rmenkes
- Start date
The MR-2 is superior IMHO to the Aqua-C. I think any becket designs are better than thier forced air injection method(ie modified venturi), again just my opinion. Now the MR-2 vs ER is a different story. The becket style requires a larger pump by design, so in the long run, you will save money by using the ER as it will consume less energy. Both are great skimmers, don't let Andy's making it himself fool you, it is top quality workmanship. It all depends on where you want to put you money at the outset, as the ER has a hefty price tag at first but can pay for itsself in the long run.
SKBok: Where do you get the impression that the ER has a "hefty price tag" idea from exactly? A MR-2 is $250 plus AT LEAST another $125-150(As high as $300 for some folks) for a pressure pump puts you right at $400 for the minimum initial cost. For an equivalent ER skimmer like the CS6-2(Both 24" tall,both with 6" O.D. tubing) you're looking at $349-$399 depending on where you purchase from and it already includes the pump. Initial cost is about the same or favors the ER unit. Then factor in the fact that the ER uses only 50 watts of electricity vs. about 200 watts and up for the pressure pump and your talking alot of money in the short and long term run for running a beckett. Even more so if you live in an Apt. or Cali.
Hefty might not have been the right word to use. Initially they do tend to be a little more expensive than most other compareable skimmers and yes one reason is the inclusion of the pump. I don't disagree that they consume considerably less enegery and believe I did state that.
Yeah I know your stance on the electricity, I was just miffed by your initial cost perception. The Myreef is the one of the lower priced becketts, but the Euro-reef is still cheaper and probably the cheapest in initial outlay for most of the commercial high end skimmers. Its cheaper than PM,Aerofoamer,AquaC,MTC,ETSS,Aqua-Medic and Lifereef when you factor in the price of the pump that must be purchased seperatly, and in some cases its even cheaper than its competitors without the pump too.
I guess maybe it had partly to due with the manufacturer recomendation on maximum tank size, which I think we can agree is usually overstated based on the average hobbyist's bioload. But if we were to factor that in that as well (not just reaction chamber diameter and height and then there is contact time and I am sure other factors) and take their max recommendation and devide it by half, the ER CS6-2 would support a 125 where the CS6-3 would support a 150, not a large difference, but just something worth noting.
The MR-2 would support the same size system as the CS6-3, and with the MAG18 at $110 from MD, bringing to total to $360 as compared to the CS6-3 at $420 from MD, there is an intial $60. It may be not a great deal, but some people can live with additional monthly electricity but not the intial outlay.
I have no problems at all with the ER and think they are one of the best skimmers on the market. I guess we would all need to know a little more info to properly reply, such as tank size, height under stand if that is a variable, in-line vs. in-sump ,perspective bio-load, any pumps already posessed that may be capable to running the skimmer, which could make a huge difference. If your sump return pump was big enough, you could T it off and run your skimmer as well and not need an additional pump, again, we just don't know.
I don't think anyone can make a wrong decision with any of the skimmers listed, they are all quality ones, but there are so many factors, it is hard to rate any one skimmer over the other, which I tried to avoid. I was just trying to point out the advantages/disadvantages of each the poster listed. He/She was concern sbout the quality of the MR-2, which they shouldn't be as it is a quality product even though it is coming form an individual rather than a company.
The MR-2 would support the same size system as the CS6-3, and with the MAG18 at $110 from MD, bringing to total to $360 as compared to the CS6-3 at $420 from MD, there is an intial $60. It may be not a great deal, but some people can live with additional monthly electricity but not the intial outlay.
I have no problems at all with the ER and think they are one of the best skimmers on the market. I guess we would all need to know a little more info to properly reply, such as tank size, height under stand if that is a variable, in-line vs. in-sump ,perspective bio-load, any pumps already posessed that may be capable to running the skimmer, which could make a huge difference. If your sump return pump was big enough, you could T it off and run your skimmer as well and not need an additional pump, again, we just don't know.
I don't think anyone can make a wrong decision with any of the skimmers listed, they are all quality ones, but there are so many factors, it is hard to rate any one skimmer over the other, which I tried to avoid. I was just trying to point out the advantages/disadvantages of each the poster listed. He/She was concern sbout the quality of the MR-2, which they shouldn't be as it is a quality product even though it is coming form an individual rather than a company.
Agreek Bok, but I for one dont go by manufacturers ratings really. I go by reaction chamber size(height/diameter),injection style and hourly thruput.So in a real world recommendation the CS6-2 would be a much better pair up to a MR2, and a CS6-3 would have a contact time advantage for sure. But its a pretty good rule of thumb to state that a skimmers reaction chamber size will dictate what size tank it actually is realistically good for. I do find that Euro-reef's capacity claim is more realistic than MOST, but I have found that many "recommended" capacity claims are at best 1 part marketing and one part long shot guestimate. Im sure we can both agree on this. 
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