The Powerflotor is a trio of compact controllable protein skimmers from the brand that popularized one of the first mass produced needle wheel skimmers, the Turboflotor. On its own the Turboflotor seems like a pretty reasonable and worthy protein skimmers for small to medium sized tanks but in a move that is still baffling to us, AquaMedic decided to make the Powerflotor in three nearly identical sizes.
All three models of the Powerflotor, the Small, Medium and Large, use the same DC Runner 1.2 with a clear volute, positioned inside the base of the skimmer to limit the required footprint to a very compact six inch square footprint. The only tangible difference between each of the three Powerflotor sizes is their height which are – wait for it – 16.5, 17.7 and 18.9 inches tall, so basically 3cm or one inch different between them.
The air production difference is also negligible with the small, medium and large models drawing 350, 400 and 450 liters of air per hour. Honestly in day to day usage this range of air draw volume, if you can even call it a range, is totally negligible and sure as heck doesn’t amount to AquaMedic’s very lofty tank size rating of 80 gallons, 105 gallons and 132 gallons.
Any one of these protein skimmer ‘models’ is probably plenty good enough for up to a lightly stocked seventy five gallon reef tank. We guess that if you’re really pressed for 19 inches of space or less underneath your tank you’re definitely not trying to skim a 100+ gallon reef tank but for medium sized aquariums, the new Powerflotor does offer up some choice for those who have to get the “tallest” skimmer possible.
