Blue Z Reef Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 (edited) Hey reefers! I’m always on the lookout for deals and DIYs that can save us all some cash (we all know this hobby is expensive as it is..)! I randomly stumbled upon this skimmer on eBay while searching for one for my friends tank. The main thing I was drawn to was the body shape, nice smooth wine glass like we are used to seeing on most higher end skimmers (and now trickling down). I figured even if the pump sucked, I could retrofit it with something else. Here’s the limited stats listed on the add: Quiet operation with powerful & fast internal 50W DC pumps Easy water level adjustment with an unique spiral design Needle wheel system producing small, compact bubbles for greater cleaning efficiency DC powered pump made with a durable zirconium axis Specification:Type: Protein Skimmer Model: CG-160 Tank Capacity: Up to 140 Gallons Water Flow Rate: 680gal/hr (2600L/hr) Water Type: Marine Filter Location: Internal Pump Power: 50W, DC Powered Voltage: 110V/220V (Transformer Build-In) Color: White/Clear Dimension: 20.3"H x 14.7"L x 7.4"W (53cm x 36cm x 19cm) The only photos shown in the listing were these CAD drawings, so I had no idea what to really expect, was a bit of a gamble! I waited till the last second and bid! Won it for....an amazing....$100 shipping included! I figured this was cheap enough to totally roll the dice on, so I waited for it to show up. Just an FYI, the seller has these for BIN $200 all the time but seems to put them up for bid at $100 regularly... Seems the guy doesn’t like me getting such a deal and priced them up $10 haha: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F362554541925 It showed up about a week later. The guy paid $36 to ship the beast! LOL Overall I am super impressed with it! It has a lot of nice details. It isn’t super thick walled like that of a Vertex or Reef Octopus, but the collection cup has some flex and seems sturdy overall (molded instead of acrylic tube I believe). It is able to be completely disassembled via plastic screws on the base (one thing I wish my Vertex did!). Lid is a short 1/4 twist to remove, sealed with an oring. The only part that I find a bit weird is the inlet to the skimmer from the pump. It is rubber all the way, a bit awkward to put in but likely won’t bother most once in use (this is nice if it needs a pump retrofit in the future however!). Also has a drain for the cup with ball valve (similar to that of the Red Sea skimmers that just came out). Here’s some pics of it when it arrived. I put it through a vinegar bath for a few days, definitely a must, some black dust seems to have come off of somewhere but wiped out fine after the bath. Always clean your stuff first! Pump was slightly noisy at first but calmed down and is quiet as I would expect a DC pump to be. At 50% power it is silent, starts to get the DC hum once you move higher into the power range (also, I had it in a Rubbermaid with an uneven bottom so we’ll see how it fairs in a sump). Controller also has feed mode with 10/20/30 min intervals. My friend is traveling and back this coming week, will update this as it is put into service on his tank! It is replacing an SCA301, which is dwarfed in comparison to this puppy! I was so impressed I bought the CG200 model to have as a backup/spare skimmer around! Paid a whopping $110 for that one today. I believe the only difference is the body diameter is slightly larger (uses same pump). Edited February 11, 2019 by Blue Z Reef 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaylorW Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 I'm looking for something very similar to this so thanks!! If you still have the sca301 I was originally looking for one so it would be perfect and I'll buy it!! Let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaylorW Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Ahh, just realized your friend is the one taking the skimmer and with the sca301 lol! Well if he wants to sell it please let me know 😀 trying to look around for used first before buying new... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Z Reef Posted March 30, 2019 Author Share Posted March 30, 2019 PMd you about the SCA301. The CG160 skimmer has been great so far for my friend. It barely fit in his sump, these are pretty big overall, just under 8” wide to fit in his sump. This is an older pic while still breaking in but has been skimming great! Ive got the CG200 sitting in my garage, it’s a beast too! Haven’t fired it up yet though, other projects afoot LOL 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClark Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 What a find! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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