Deltec AP600 vs Euro-Reef RC80
I have heard the hype time and time again on Reef Central about Deltec skimmers being better then H&S or Euro-Reef skimmers. Well I decided to get a Deltec AP600 skimmer and since I have a Euro-Reef RC80 which is comparable in size I thought I would test them against each other.
Contestants Info
|
Brand |
Euro-Reef RC80 |
Deltec AP600 |
|
Cost |
$498.00 (www.h20tropicals.com) |
$614.00 (www.deltecusa.us) |
|
Rating |
Ideal aquarium 80g+ |
Normal stock - 200g Heavy stock - 130g |
|
Footprint |
11"x13.5" |
11"x8.5" |
|
Height |
22" |
22.75" |
|
Diameter |
5" |
5" |
|
Pump |
1x Euro-Reef skimmer Pump Model SP2 |
Aqua-Bee 2000 |
|
Power Consumption |
w/Air - 28watts |
20watts |
|
Air intake |
500 lph |
480 lph |
Comparison pics
AP600 (left) and RC80 (right)
Top 1/2 of skimmers Bottom half of skimmers
AP600 Cup RC80 Cup
Top Down of Both skimmers
Top down of AP600 Top down of RC80
1st Impression
Deltec's reaction body is taller - able to handle more organics?
Deltec's riser neck is bigger - able to handle more organics?
Euro-Reef feels built more "beefy" - cast acrylic tube and sheeting compared to Deltecs European extruded tube and PVC sheeting
Deltec - Baynet (twist-lock) removal ER - 1/4 turn union - both are great no difference to me
ER has a true union ball valve on output - nice to remove to clean also it is adjustable - Deltec needs no valve which is great
Both have union pump fittings - great for easy removal
Deltec's unions are glued to body - ER uses uniseals which are not my favorite
ER has all PVC welded joints - Deltecs are glued (as far as I can tell)
Cost is similar for the size of skimmer but not sure how performance will be as the Aqua Bee is supposed to be a superior pump
Both skimmers need the consumer to supply a feed pump or gravity feed them
Riser taper on the skimmers is different. ER has a longer and more gradual slope then the Deltec. Not sure how this could affect performance, I'm not a skimmer dynamic guru. They both are tapered so that is a plus
Noise - experience to come when I run them both for a while
I will update info as the AP600 gets broken in. I already have ER 5day skimmate pictures to compare to the AP600's when it is broken in. More to come!