Adding second 9010 to 125 gallon

[Runfrumu]

I have a 125 gallon with 8 fish and a few softies, mostly LPS, and was wondering if it would benefit from adding a second 9010 to the tank so basically making a 9020 without the foam extractors. I'm pulling about 200ml of really dark smelly stuff in 3 days and was wondering if I added a second one, would both pull this much or would the load sort of be divided between them?

 

[rvitko]

Likely it will work, if you remember Julian Sprung's famous aquarium from when he was writing the Reef Notes series in FAMA, he used two 230/2 skimmers and if I recall between the nano, mangrove tank and sump he had a cumulative 50 gallons. I once asked him why and he said they both pulled stuff out and it was a handy back up if one failed. My experience with such a set up is the skimmers do not perform equally, they seem to take turns, one works, the other rests, a lot has to do with the sequence they are cleaned in and the water flow nearby. It works fairly well if the skimmers are identical and not well at all if the models are diifferent. You will likely see some benefit.

 

[Runfrumu]

Shouldnt the 2 9010's work about the same as a 9020? The 9010 skims great for its size, but as my bioload grows, I'm afraid it won't be able to handle it, so I was thinking with limited space, and the 9010 being around 6 months old and working good, theres no need to replace it, just help it out some.

thanks roger,


Mark

 

[rvitko]

Yes but a lot depends on installation and that both skimmers are matched, that they are identical. This is harder to do with an older 9010 and a newer 9010 as some changes have been made over the years. The skimmers should be in fairly identical conditions of flow. It will work but that is not to say there is not some complications that may require tweaking to get the matched performance.

 

[Runfrumu]

the one I have is only about 8 months old and i've taken it out and cleaned it once a month. If anything I'll reclean it when I add the second one.

They will be side by side in the sump, I have the flow from the overflow directed where it has to go right by the skimmer intake through the sump, the second one will sit directly beside it.

 

[rvitko]

If you have any problems I can likely solve them.

 

[Runfrumu]

thanks roger