I set my tank up in June 07' it is 120 gallon with a 40B as sump/ref TWV about 140 gallons w/heavy bio load 20 plus fish. I bought the G-2 as it was recommended as a good cheap skimmer on most of the forums I read both good and bad. I had it running for about 6 months very little skim mate if I changed the settings it would overflow. In reading the forums I then did the gate mod this was an improvement no more floods skim mate was still low. I then did the mesh mod this too was an improvement now I got about 3/4" to 1" of skim mate this took about 2 weeks and was still green tea color not dark like pictures from others. I than did the recirculating mod this was a bigger improvement now I got 3/4" to 1" in 1 week and just a little darker than before I ran it like this for about a 1.5-2 years. I finally had a enough and bought an ETSS800XR from an other reefer ran this skimmer for about 6 months and it would fill the Large ETSS waste Collector half full in a week with dark skim mate. I replaced this skimmer on 11/2009 (big skimmer not pretty setting out in living room) with an RK A250 skimmer and it pulls just as good as the 800 did. Just ask if you have any more questions.
Tim
Now I'm leaning towards the Octopus, lol. So I take it you would not recommend an ASM? The ASM seems like a PITA, on top of all the modding for an almost $300 skimmer. The Octopus is a recirculating skimmer already, and it seems they usually get pretty good reviews, although I can't seem to find a review on that particular one. I definitely do not need a skimmer that will flood because I have the tank the my upstairs of my house.
Like I said I'm kind of stuck trading for one of those cause the SWC is to big for my sump, and am having no luck selling it locally. It's still in the original box, so it would cost a fortune to ship.
Thanks