skillter vs. bak-pak-2r

[drobbins]

We have a 20gallon reef tank with only 2 fish, several corals, a few shrimp, crabs, and snails, with a Penguin bio-wheel filter. We had some chemical balance problems, and have all that straightened out, but have had two recommendations we can't decide on.

One was to do away with the bio-wheel and use the Bak-Pak2R, and put some filter floss in it for mechanical filtratation since the live rock is providing the biological filtration.

The second opinion was to use a Skilter 250 instead of the Bak-Pak2R for both filtration and protein skimmer, still doing away with the bio-wheel.

My questions are, is the Bak-Pak2R the better choice even though we are giving up the bio-wheel? Do we need the floss addition to the Bak-Pak for any added benefit? Or is the Skilter a better way to go since it provides both?

We've had our tank for about a year, and had ups and downs, but have learned a great deal. We learned not to trust our local vendors, and have done much research on our own- and are much better off.

Any advice would be appreciated. We don't mind spending the extra for the Bak-Pak 2R if that is the better way to go. We are planning on moving up to a 65gallon in the future, so we'd like to keep our "solution" to this problem in the $140 range.

 

[dorian965]

i was looking at the skilters and got a lot of mixed comments. basicly the skilter is a glorified filter. i cant see the skimmer on that thing doing to much good. your also talking about going to a bigger tank and having corals so that thing would be pretty usless.
i would go with the back pak or maybe a aquac remora , depending on the amount of live rock you have.something you could use on the new tank so as not to waste money. i dont know man, i use a remora and a rena xp3 on a 55 gallon. the remora does a good job.very sceptical of the skilter though.

 

[greenmaji]

The bio-wheel is not as important as a good skimmer IMO. I wouldnt recomend filter floss, I dont see how it would be nessisary if you have enough flow, you should be able to syphon out most of the debis once it collects up in the dead spot(s).
I doubt anyone would put the skillter anywere near the same class as the bak-pak..

 

[austinsdad]

I doubt anyone would put the skillter anywere near the same class as the bak-pak

True 'dat.

 

[malkore]

Agreed, comparing apples to oranges...both are fruit, er, I mean skimmers, but definitely aren't in the same 'tier' as far as quality or efficiency of skimming.