Compare · Skimmer Brands
Reef Octopus vs Nyos vs AquaMaxx — by the numbers
The three most cross-shopped skimmer brands, compared the only fair way: dollars per honestly-rated gallon — the medium-bioload rating each manufacturer publishes, not the optimistic box number — plus what each brand's pumps cost to run. Computed from the same dataset behind our skimmer calculator.
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Specs and prices from manufacturer and retailer pages on 2026-07-01 (each row links its source). Only models with a current US price and a published medium-bioload rating are in the value math — no gaps quietly filled. Full methodology →
The brand scoreboard
avg $/rated gal
avg $/rated gal
avg $/rated gal
Every qualifying model, ranked by value
| # | Skimmer | Medium-bioload rating | $/rated gal | Pump | Footprint | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AquaMaxx ConeS Q-2 | 200 gal | $1.35 | 22W | 6.7 x 9.5″ | $269.95 ↗ |
| 2 | Reef Octopus Regal 250INT (VarioS) | 500 gal | $1.99 | 70W | 16.5 x 11″ | $993.29 ↗ |
| 3 | Reef Octopus Classic 150-SSS | 180 gal | $2.25 | 18W | 7.3 x 9.5″ | $404.24 ↗ |
| 4 | Nyos Quantum 220 | 250 gal | $2.56 | 22W | 9.3 x 12.2″ | $639.99 ↗ |
| 5 | Nyos Quantum 160 | 150 gal | $3.00 | 18W | 7.1 x 9.8″ | $449.99 ↗ |
| 6 | Reef Octopus Regal 200SSS (VarioS-4S) | 300 gal | $3.16 | 40W | 11.6 x 9.7″ | $947.09 ↗ |
| 7 | Reef Octopus Regal 150-SSS (VarioS) | 160 gal | $4.48 | — | 9 x 7.5″ | $716.09 ↗ |
| 8 | Reef Octopus Regal 150SSS (VarioS-4S) | 160 gal | $4.48 | 40W | 9.0 x 7.5″ | $716.09 ↗ |
| 9 | Nyos Quantum 120 | 75 gal | $4.53 | 8W | 5.9 x 8.3″ | $339.99 ↗ |
| 10 | Reef Octopus NS80 Nano Skimmer | 15 gal | $6.93 | — | 4 x 2.4″ | $103.94 ↗ |
$/rated gallon = price ÷ manufacturer's published medium-bioload rating. It's a value metric with an assumption inside it — that manufacturers rate honestly relative to each other. Where a model publishes no medium rating or no current US price, it's excluded rather than guessed.
What the numbers don't capture
Serviceability and parts. Reef Octopus's parts availability in the US is the best of the three — pumps, cups, and o-rings are stocked everywhere, which matters in year three. Nyos's twist-off cup design is the nicest weekly-cleaning experience in the category, and owners pay the premium for it on purpose. AquaMaxx wins checkout day; the other two argue they win the years after. All three are legitimate — which is why we show the math and say the trade out loud.
FAQ
Why compare on the medium-bioload rating instead of the box rating?
Because the box rating assumes a lightly-stocked tank. Manufacturers publish tiered ratings (light/medium/heavy bioload) for exactly this reason, and the medium figure is the honest one for a normally-stocked reef. A skimmer that costs less per box-rated gallon can cost more per honestly-rated gallon — the whole point of doing the math.
Are these three brands actually different, or just badges on the same pumps?
Genuinely different. Reef Octopus builds the broadest range with its own Aquatrance pumps and wins on availability and parts. Nyos is German-designed with its Quantum line's easy-service twist-off cups and strong owner loyalty at the performance end. AquaMaxx is the value line of the three, frequently undercutting comparable capacity. The table shows where each one's economics actually land.
Which one should a first-time sump owner buy?
Size first, brand second: run your true volume and stocking through our skimmer calculator, then buy whichever of these three hits your honest capacity number at the best price — that's usually an AquaMaxx or a mid-line Reef Octopus. Brand loyalty is worth paying for on the second skimmer, not the first.
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