Entry

ATB Conical Waste Collector –Pairs Great With Cone Skimmers

ATB is no stranger to conical designs, but owner Anton Burian has taken the implementation to a new level with this cone based waste collector. These are selling overseas for €234 or $330USD and I imagine will be quite the hit within the heavily California based ATB fan club.

For those unfamiliar with waste collectors, they [...]

ATB is no stranger to conical designs, but owner Anton Burian has taken the implementation to a new level with this cone based waste collector. These are selling overseas for €234 or $330USD and I imagine will be quite the hit within the heavily California based ATB fan club.

atb-waste_collector

For those unfamiliar with waste collectors, they connect to a drainline on the Skimmer’s collection cup. The skimmate is then collected in the container, but air only exits out of one air ventilation hole (larger pipe sticking out of the lid). As the skimmate accumulates (or the skimmer overflows) a floating object, typically a table-tennis ball inside the ventilation hole, floats to the top blocking an air from escaping–the skimmer is then “sealed” and can no longer inject air; provided the collection cup is sealed sans the drain line. [See waste collector diagram here] These units are very popular as add-ons to Becket and Downdraft skimmers, but can work equally well on aspirating needle wheel skimmers. They also can help keep odors to a minimum with simple carbon filters on the waste collectors ventilation output.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, ATB has some very exciting products in the works.  We’ll have more on their creations as they develop.

Related Posts

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  3. AquaDriver Skim Clean with Wash Down System on ATB Large Cone
  4. Blue Zoo Aquatics | Launches Collector’s Choice WYSIWYG Section
  5. New Shark Cone Skimmers from JNS

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  • brad
    add me to the list. same reason i just paid extra for a polished intake manifold and turbo on my car. it looks good.
  • Nick
    I want one too, i paid extra for a rimless, tank, steel stand with low profile light rack, ATB skimmer, why stop at the waste collector, it would perfectly finish my sump area.

    if i do get one ill have the ping pong ball replaced with a float switch.
  • charles
    Well if you have the money, why not? :) I'm thinking about getting one, just for fun.
  • dhnguyen
    $330, over doing it a little don't ya think for a turd collector?

    No matter how you dress up a turd it's still a turd.

    Sad thing is... There will probably be idiots... I mean guys with money to blow who will jump on this.
  • rarelyseriousb
    if you have a skimmer drain hooked up you do need a collection cup that will shut down the skimmer if it fills. I have seen tanks crash from the skimmer going nuts a draining on the floor. This can stop flow in the tank from the sump going dry or it can make the top off run wide open. bad bad bad. at least make one yourself out of pvc
  • Greg Carroll
    Definitely not a scam. However a gimmick? I feel so. I love ATB but the use of the cone in this application is purely a novelty because it increases the footprint of the collection chamber only to give away collection volume. Unlike the skimmer there is no added benefit.

    Will I get one to match my skimmer? Probably just because. It certainly wont be the first thing I purchased that has no real benefit to the tank!

    For those that feel juice bottles are just as effective as a good waste collector, you are dreaming. When you get a skimmer with enough balls to fill up the container and then continue to blow bubbles to overflow the juice bottle, then you will understand how important that little ping pong ball can be.
  • Jeremy Maneyapanda
    Yeah, and everyone knows that to collect the skimmate properly, the cone needs to be the other way!
  • @All, there was some sarcasm injected in this post, hence the inclusion of the ATB fan club. However, as Mike said it's a luxury item. ATB's branding is based on the cone design and for some the symbol of ATB and the idea of supporting the company is worth the cost.

    Worth pointing out, as CP did, is the labor involved. This hand welded cone requires nearly double the labor of standard cylinder models. Typical waste collectors of this size retail for $150.

    Lastly, let's not forget the value of the dollar at the moment...
  • mcliffy2
    Guys, I see where you are coming from, and I myself probably won't get one, but I think it needs to be pointed out that this is a luxury item. Is the cone necessary? No. Does it look cool? Yes. There is a demand, I think, for status symbol items, and if it makes those who buy them happy, then its money well spent for them. IMO, however, there is no need to call it a scam.
  • +1 @Nat

    Total scam. I use juice bottles.
  • cp
    The things I love are the built-in cost of making a cone and loss of volume compared to making it as a box or cylinder. Labor and inefficiency!

    ATB makes some nice stuff, but I'm not really into the craftsmanship so much if I'm buying a something whose function is merely to "catch the excess." I see equipment as an investment and like the pricey goods, but this jumps the shark.
  • Nicholas Sadaka
    I was thinking the EXACT same thing as Nat. Why would you ever pay that much to catch overflow skimmate? Is it just for the lack of the smell, or am I not quite understanding their function fully?
  • Nat
    A $330 milk jug? I'm in the wrong part of the design business!
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