picking up a mr-2 tomorrow!

reefermike1 · 08-18-2007, 03:47 PM

found a local guy selling an mrc mr2 skimmer with the mrc waste collector for a pretty good price it has the newer style injector but doesnt have the screw off cup. i just happen to have a mag18 to run it also. i plan to run it on my 125gallon tank. i was planning on getting an octopus nw200 before i saw this deal. at about the same price which would be better? still trying to weigh the pros and cons of beckett and needlewheel skimmers. needlewheels seem to be more popular lately.

zxcv123 · 08-18-2007, 05:27 PM

sell the mag and get a pressure rated pump to run the injector. There is no comparison in performance to a beckett/ downdraft skimmer ran with a standard pump to one that is ran with a pressure rated pump.

Nice find on the skimmer!!

reefermike1 · 08-18-2007, 05:35 PM

hmm, well part of the reason i was going to buy it is to put the mag 18 thats been sitting in the closet to use. buying a pr pump would really offset the good deal on the skimmer. maybe ill run the mag for now and upgrade the pump at a later time... i hope it will still outperform my css125! also i was planning on running it in-sump... are there any submersible pr pumps?

reefermike1 · 08-18-2007, 05:43 PM

honestly im having second thoughts about buying this skimmer... someone talk me into it!!!

but its sooo pretty!!!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...Picture053.jpg

Hop · 08-18-2007, 05:53 PM

Yeah, the mag doesn't have what it takes to deliver full performance to the skimmer. If you are just going to run one injector, I would look at the panworld 50px-x... A mild pressure rated pump that will deliver to the injector at only 90 watts. If your thinking 2 injectors, I would go bigger.

Not having the quick disconnect is OK... In fact getting the so called quick disconnect tight is a pain and I would up just useing the thumbscrews any way.

It's a great skimmer and one I would recomend as I beleive you have a wetroom... They are a little loud for under the tank apps

reefermike1 · 08-18-2007, 07:39 PM

yea i dont have a wetroom anymore...and the space is no longer available. i got a baby due any day now and if it werent for my skimmer flooding every other day i wouldnt have been able to convince my wife we needed a new one. theres NO WAY shes gonna let me get a new pump too lol. at least not any time soon.

so- mr2 with mag 18 or nw200?

Hop · 08-18-2007, 07:46 PM

nw200. Quiet and reliable. MRC skimmers are tinker toys, loud and you will have overflows(the waste collector stops most of it though).

The MRC is capable of skimming more, and better, but no wetroom and the need for a pressure rate pump, I would go nw200 hands down

reefermike1 · 08-18-2007, 07:51 PM

alrighty then lol. but just so i understand the pump u recommended was 1100gph, the mag is 1800. so what is pressure rated and why is it better? in laymans terms if possible.

Hop · 08-18-2007, 08:03 PM

Basically to use a comparision it has to do with speed vs. muscle.

The mag 18 may be similiarly the same or even higher of a flow rate, but it falls off significantly when you add head pressure. The beckett skimmers add a ton of headloss when water it forced through the injector. It needs muscle to push the water through the injector and draw the air in.

The mag 18 would make water flow and would make the skimmer, skim, but IMO the NW200 will outperform the mr-2 w/o the pressure rated pump.

reefermike1 · 08-18-2007, 09:10 PM

gotcha