The new ATI skimmers look really sweet to me! The whole design is awesome.

 

I know bubble size is a big issue in any skimmer, I also know that becketts and downdraft skimmers process a lot more water than any other type. I have also seen them increase the oxygen level in the tanks they are on by quite a bit. My main purpose is to see if you can make one work well with a much smaller pump than is used traditionally. Most of what I have read recommends a pressure rated pump that will do at least 1000gph at about 8' of head pressure, I think the mag7 only does around 350 at that height.

They are going to be a total needlewheel killer.

 

Becketts and downdrafts are awesome skimmers, the only problem is that they require large, powerful, pressure rated, expensive pumps that take up a lot of space and use a ton of electricity. This is still in the planning/r&d phase, but it looks really promising. I am using a mag7 pump to run it, 65w, not much bigger than your fist. I don't think a 65w pump on a skimmer is excessive. Tonight I put the airflow meter on it for the first time and was a little surprised.

The numbers are a little hard to read, most of the time it pulls between 40-45 scfh on the meter.

The body is just a 4 1/2" tube with no bottom, and a 3 1/2" neck. This thing easily pushes foam all the way out the top, so I am getting about a two foot head of foam. I wish I had an orp meter so I could see how much it affects that. Hopefully in the next couple weeks I will have it finished and have a better idea what it will do. I will leave the pump in the sump and plumb it externally, the Mrs. will love seeing another piece of fish equipment in the office.