9010 capacity

[mxett]

Hi,

I am currently setting up a 200g reef with medium to light bioload of lps and spsand fish. I already have a tunze 9010 which I have been more than happy with on my 90g.

I have posted my plans in the large tank forum:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=11592110#post11592110

There are a number of people in that forum who are concerned that the 9010 is nowhere near capable of handling a 200g reef. Are they just typical USA sheep (not meaning to be racist, just stating an observation) that are following everyone else into buying grossly overspecked skimmers for their reefs? Or should I be concerned and consider upgrading?

Thanks

Marcus

 

[David Grigor]

I'm in a very simliar situation.

I have a 9010 that has served quite well on a 110g heavily stocked tank.

Current system is a little over 200g total but with a much larger refugium for addtional filtration.

I plan to run the 9010 and see what happens, If it proves to not be enough, I will just add a second 9010. Luckily, for me, I have a spare 9010 from tank consolidations so no additional expense for me.

 

[rvitko]

I would generally agree that for a modest fish load and SPS a 9010 is not enough for a 200gallon. It may work with additional help from phosphate removers, carbon, ozone or a refugium but either a second 9010 or a 9020 may be required to do the job.

 

[mxett]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11596904#post11596904 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rvitko
I would generally agree that for a modest fish load and SPS a 9010 is not enough for a 200gallon. It may work with additional help from phosphate removers, carbon, ozone or a refugium but either a second 9010 or a 9020 may be required to do the job.

Thanks Roger. Would an upgrade to a 9015 be enough?

 

[rvitko]

The best would be to upgrade to the foam extractor if anything.

 

[mxett]

Thanks

I just noticed some of your comments about how the 9010 is essentially the same as a 9015, except for the collection cup. Also that having the higher cup, as on the 9015, allows for 'opening' the venturi, which would skim just water on a 9010.

I seem to need my venturi fully open just to skim anything on my 9010. If I plug the hole at the back of the skimmer it seems to rise the bubbles up higher in the chamber and collect skimate easier. Anything I'm missing here?

 

[rvitko]

The outlet of the skimmer pump must be installed in the jet pipe, water should be exiting the front outlet pipe, if both of these are correct check the fit of the airline into the venturi, it should be tight enough that you can almost lift the pump by the hose, if it is loose the venturi is defective and should be replaced, some were made early on that the hole was .1mm too big.

 

[viodea]

sorry for hijacking this thread. I'm setting up a 120gal tank with 40gal sump. Is 9010 enough for a mix reef system with medium bio-load?

 

[rvitko]

I would say it is, I generally find from my experience that it is the right size for anything up to 120 gallons mixed reef.

 

[viodea]

but I have a total volume of 160gal... still good enough?

 

[rvitko]

The sump is basically empty water, it doesn't contribute load so I see no reason to include it in the equation.

 

[Runfrumu]

On the riser pipe, I noticed on 1 side it has what looks like a "bur" or sorts, but it looks like it may be there for a reason, is that there to keep the pipe from going into the pump too far or is it a defect on my pipe?

 

[rvitko]

Do you mean on the elbow or on the pipe?

 

[Runfrumu]

right on the elbow part where it goes into the skimmer:

sorta where the arrows pointing.

 

[rvitko]

It is both actually, the elbow is a US made part, it is just a black PVC elbow from Spears but we orient the part so that the casting nub acts as a stop for proper insertion of the elbow.

 

[mxett]

Roger,

my 9010 hasn't made any skimmate for a week now, with the air intake fully open.

There are lots of bubbles just visible in the lower part of the chamber, where the water level is, so it seems to be bubbling fine. I have taken the skimmer apart and checked everything a number of times, such as a kink in the airline and the venturi lined up correctly. Infact I think I know the design of this skimmer backwards now, so I'm sure it is correctly assembled.

I have made a number of changes to the tank recently, such as a new rdsb and the first large water change to the new setup, so I have been putting my hands in the tank quite often.

Is this just an adjustment to the changes I've been doing?

How long until I should start getting worried that the skimmer is not functioning correctly?

 

[Bill Boy]

I have the same issue with my 9010. Right after I clean the neck and collection cup it skims about 100ml in a few days and then thats it. I have never had my cup filled past 100ml.
Should I be cleaning the cup and neck more often than every two weeks that I am doing now? I hear some people have to empty their cups every day. Is there something wrong with it?

 

[rvitko]

mxett, given all the changes I would suspect that is the culprit, just give it a few days, sand dust in particular can have a big impact.

Billy Boy, the gunk that builds up on the riser definitely impedes skimmer performance, what size is the tank and what are the inhabitants?

 

[Bill Boy]

Roger, 90 gallon with 20 refugium.
15 Fish, most small

 

[rvitko]

So you get about 100ml in 3 days and it stops? The volume sounds normal and correct, I usually clean my 9010 every week and I collect about 150ml in a week. The skimming slows but does not stop, if I wait 2 weeks I get about 200-250ml. It is the oily deposits on the cup sides which break the foam column, feeding fatty foods makes this worse, flake foods and pellets tend to have the most fat content.