Pets · Head-to-head
NYOS Quantum 120 vs Reef Octopus Classic 110-INT
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Aquarium Protein Skimmers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Quantum 120 packs a 25 to 125 gallon rating into a 5.9 by 8.3 inch footprint and 18.3 inches of height on 8 watts, with separate water and air adjustment for fine tuning. The Classic 110-INT is the one to buy if you would rather have the maker tell you plainly what it does under a heavy fish load.
NYOS Quantum 120
Buy itA small-footprint in-sump skimmer with a hybrid impeller and genuinely independent water and air adjustment, rated by NYOS for 100 to 500 litres.
- NYOS rates it for 100 to 500 litres (25 to 125 gallons) while drawing only 8 watts.
- Water volume and air volume are set separately, with a water setting pipe for the rough level and a micro-adjustment screw for fine tuning.
- The 15 by 21 cm (5.9 by 8.3 inch) footprint and 46.5 cm (18.3 inch) height fit sumps that a wider skimmer will not.
- NYOS publishes a single volume range rather than separate lightly, moderately and heavily stocked figures, so you have to derate it yourself.
- The product page does not state a required sump water depth, so you need to check clearance and operating level before you commit.
- Body diameter is not published, only overall length, width and height.
Reef Octopus Classic 110-INT
Buy itA straightforward acrylic in-sump skimmer whose maker publishes three honest bioload numbers instead of one optimistic headline figure.
- Reef Octopus states 130 gallons lightly stocked, 90 gallons medium and 60 gallons heavily stocked, and says the figures exclude the sump.
- The full spec sheet is public: 5 inch body, 10.2 by 6.9 inch footprint, 2.4 inch neck, 19.70 inch total height, 6.5 inch output height.
- It calls for a 7 to 8 inch sump water height and adjusts through a gate valve on the output, which is easy to nudge in small steps.
- The 10.2 by 6.9 inch footprint is wide, and 19.70 inches of height plus cup removal clearance rules out shallow cabinets.
- The Aquatrance 1000s pump draws 9 watts, slightly more than the NYOS unit for a smaller rated volume.
- It is a fixed-speed AC pump, so there is no electronic flow control or ramping.
Side by side
| NYOS Quantum 120 | Reef Octopus Classic 110-INT | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | A reef keeper with a tight sump who wants strong performance and fine control, and does not mind sizing conservatively themselves. | Most saltwater keepers with a standard sump who want a skimmer sized against a real stocking level rather than a marketing number. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the NYOS Quantum 120 - A small-footprint in-sump skimmer with a hybrid impeller and genuinely independent water and air adjustment, rated by NYOS for 100 to 500 litres. Choose the Reef Octopus Classic 110-INT instead if most saltwater keepers with a standard sump who want a skimmer sized against a real stocking level rather than a marketing number.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Aquarium Protein Skimmers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).