there are hobbyists here, but everything is in japanese. i don't speak a word of japanese and therefore have a lot of problems with finding equipment. it just seems easier for me to shop online at an american speaking company to where i can understand what i'm buying and what kind of specifics there are.
does anybody know about berlin skimmers? they look pretty good, but like i said, i have no experience with them. what about this one, it's a berlin
HOB skimmer. it comes with the pump and is just over $200 (which is my price range).
http://aquariumguys.com/berlincomplete.html