Ira Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 Each skimmer was run on my tank for 1 week, one after the other. Similar feeding, no major changes over those period. After the end of the week the volume of liquid skimmate was measured and all the slime was collected from around the collection cups. I'm not quite sure how exactly to compare the volume of proteins collected by each accurately. Probably need to dry the samples and then weigh them and figure out and subtract the weight of salt. The MCE was adjusted to about the best I could get it and it always filled the collection cup with foam and then the nice dry foam overflows all over the place and makes a mess. (Yes, I collected all that spilled gunk) So it's not really possible to run the MCE any wetter. The Prizm has a MUCH bigger collection cup which didn't have that same problem. But here's what I have... Results: MCE 600 Liquid: 59cc Total weight(Liquid+slime): 61g Specific gravity: 1.028 Prizm Liquid: 285 cc Total weight(Liquid+slime): 279g Specific gravity: 1.026 The Prizm's skimmate is noticably less concentrated, but there's almost 5 times as much of it. I tried taking 10cc of each and diluting the MCE's to about the same darkness and it took 20 ccs. So, the MCE would be about 3 times as concentrated but about 20.7% the volume. So, by that logic the MCE600 would have removed about 2/3rds as many proteins as the Prizm. I think saying the Prizm skims better than the MCE600 is hard to say given that my comparison isn't very precise. But I think their performance is close enough that price becomes the major factor. If you don't have an unlimited budget you'd be better off with the cheaper Prizm and a couple good powerheads. And, realistically, if you're looking at a HOB you're probably trying to keep the costs down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 age of skimmers? why not run both simultaneously - more accurate result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 The MCE is about 2 years old, the Prizm, I'm not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 cool, pity you can't work out what level of nutrients were exported from the skimmate. weight doesn't count for anything unfortunately (so i've read) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostface Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 cool, pity you can't work out what level of nutrients were exported from the skimmate. weight doesn't count for anything unfortunately (so i've read) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2006 I don't quite have room to fit both on my sump at the same time. But I think giving them both the same amount of time on the same tank in the same conditions(As closely as I can keep them) should have given reasonable results. But, as close as I can tell without a FishyPoo testkit I'm going to say the amounts of nutrients skimmed by each over the week is roughly similar. If I'd done this test before I bought my MCE600 I think it would have been a tossup between the Prizm and the MCE600. Maybe more likely the Prizm because it doesn't vomit foam all over the place. Though, I've checked some online prices and it seems that prices of the MCE600 and Prizm pro in the UK at least are pretty similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tang Posted September 29, 2006 Report Share Posted September 29, 2006 i have just put 2 x mce 600 on my tank dont have any sumps, mine dont foam all over the place they are running sweet as, empty thick brown sludge every 2 days cant here any noise from them either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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