The SkimMate Ghost Protein skimmer from Innovative Marine is so intriguing it really makes us want the kind of all in one reef tank for which this device is designed. When Innovative Marine’s first SkimMate was launched over two years ago, calling the needle wheel “as simple as it gets” was our polite way of saying that it was wholly unremarkable. The SkimMate Ghost is so removed from that original “me too” bubble cylinder that it is easy to miss the wealth of sophisticated features hiding within its basic boxy frame.
Innovative Marine has designed the SkimMate Ghost protein skimmer in three sizes to fit their three lines of all in one aquariums. The SkimMate Ghost skimmer sizes are the DeskTop Ghost for Nuvo Aquariums, the MidSize Ghost for the Fusion aquariums, and the FullSize Ghost for the Nuvo Shallow Reef aquariums. The three sizes will retail for $150, $200 and $300 respectively and will fit like a glove inside the protein skimmer chamber of their intended aquariums.
The stealthy boxy design of the SkimMate Ghost skimmers is intended to be easy to use and easy on the eyes with a plethora of engineering under the hood to refine what it means to use a drop-in protein skimmer. Innovative Marine took a very perfecting approach to building their second generation SkimMate protein skimmer by taking stock and keeping in mind every criticism you could possibly throw at a protein skimmer.
The SkimMate Ghost protein skimmer is a passive recirculating needle wheel design with dwell time essentially being controlled by the passing water of the chamber in which it sits. The DeskTop and MidSize Ghost skimmers use the same pump while the FullSize Ghost uses a larger model, all of which are attached to the skimmer while being suspended off the bottom of the tank in order to reduce noise and vibration.
The kink-free airline is integrated into the body and even an oversized air silencer is conveniently built-in to the to the body of the SkimMate Ghost. Since the Ghost is a drop in protein skimmer, water height inside the body is controlled by the water level of the filter chamber that it sits in, leaving the height of the cup and the air flow valve as the only adjustments required to adjust the performance of this protein skimmer – we can’t imagine an easier protein skimmer to send home with mom.
Innovative Marine states that the design of the SkimMate Ghost protein skimmer has an exceptionally low break-in period and other subtle touches really add to its refinement. There’s a waste collection drain on the skimmer cup and the entire assembly practically disappears inside the filter chamber of its respective aquariums, leaving little to no obstructions protruding from the back of your beloved aquarium display.
Innovative Marine will begin shipping the SkimMare Ghost Skimmers to authorized IM Dealers nationwide Starting May 19th and they should also be available in EU/UK and Australia stores by Mid June. The first official unveiling of the SkimMate Ghost protein skimmer will be at InterZoo in Germany later this month and you can be assured that this is one piece of equipment which will be high on our hit list of new gear for us to check out in real life.
