AquaC CLUB!

[nigeldcat]

Not sure this will help, but I had an EV-120 on a mag 5 for years and it never worked but never well. I shifted several years ago to a EV-180 when
I changed tanks and put on a Mag 7, but never liked the performance of that either. I shifted to a Sicce Syncra 3.5 and have been very happy with this combo. I have to dump cup daily and it is dark nasty stuff. The 3.5 had lower flow but higher head pressure capability than the Sicce 3, and appears to have better flow with higher head pressure than Mag 7. If I were to reboot the EV-120 I would seriously look at the Sicce 3.5 so if the ehieim does not work, look at the Sicce 3.5 as better with pressure which happens with these skimmers.

 

[jmareef1022]

Can anyone offer any help on a aqua c remora hob protein skimmer..

 

[AdamNC]

Can anyone offer any help on a aqua c remora hob protein skimmer..

Depends on what your issue is, there are lots including myself.

 

[jmareef1022]

Thanks for your response...Ok so acquired my first ever protein skimmer about 5 mos ago not the best one..kinda old school but still reliable..everything working fine till yesterday...loud rattling noise I believe coming from the pump or maybe the body ..in the past I would just unplug for a minute or two and back to normal but not this time just won't go away...I've been unplugging and plugging it in to maybe hope it will stop..been seeing alot of limpets around it could that be it? The whole time I have been in the hobby I never used one so I guess I could go a few days without it but really want it back to working condition..it has a mag7 which is too strong for it been advised I should get a mag 3 maybe time for a new pump..the skimmer still pulls skimmate when on so don't really know if the pump is completely shot...was just going to pull it out today and start working on it but figure I ask first..searched in you tube and Google for some help but nothing..

 

[jmareef1022]

So after a bit more research looks like some people with similar problems went ahead and just disassembled the pump..just don't really know where to start..should I drain it or can I just lift it up..how many gallons are in body of the skimmer? Don't really know what I'm looking for:sad2: don't get a day off till Thursday so I guess that's when I'll attempt to fix it..any input is appreciated

 

[AdamNC]

Well since the skimmer body itself has no mechanical parts in it, only the pump itself has any moving parts. Try taking the pump apart and give it a thorough cleaning in vinegar and scrub it inside and out. Sounds like there may be a small snail that got sucked in. If this model is the Remora and not the Remora Pro, you should be using either a Mag 3 or a MJ1200 pump. I run the MJ1200 pump inside the pre-skimmer box and have had good success with it. Stinky full skimmmate about every 3 days. If you don't like the pre-skimmer box, they also have a sponge that will fit over the MJ1200 pump intake that does just that, it prevents snails and things from getting sucked in. But it must be cleaned about once a week. I don't think there is a pre filter sponge for the Mag series pumps, but I'm sure you could DIY some kind of screen or sponge cover.

 

[AdamNC]

Just turn it off, lift it straight up and just remove the pump itself. If thats not feasible just take the whole thing off the tank but keep a slight angle backwards so as not to dump the water.

 

[jmareef1022]

Cool thanks..am I going to need a wrench to remove the pump and onced removed is it easy to disassemble to look for the snail or do I just soak and scrub..I would love to just take off the pump while it still being in the tank but it's a tight squeeze..when I got the remora on a trade it came with the mag 7 and seemed to be working fine..a few other reefers had advised me to get a mag 3 or mj1200 but figured it was all good..will look into finding a screen to put on the pump..will post again once I pull out the skimmer

 

[zachts]

Cool thanks..am I going to need a wrench to remove the pump and onced removed is it easy to disassemble to look for the snail or do I just soak and scrub..I would love to just take off the pump while it still being in the tank but it's a tight squeeze..when I got the remora on a trade it came with the mag 7 and seemed to be working fine..a few other reefers had advised me to get a mag 3 or mj1200 but figured it was all good..will look into finding a screen to put on the pump..will post again once I pull out the skimmer

If you can get at them all you need to remove first is the 4 screws that hold the pump impeller housing to the motor. That portion can be left in place and just brushed out to remove any debris. be sure to support the pump motor if doing this so it doesn't twist and snap off any screws. then soak the impeller and body if need to remove any lime deposits, otherwise just brush out to remove any slime build up, sand, or snails. check the impeller carefully as every once in a while they break, I've replaced two on my mag 5's over the years, they are generally rather stout unless something jams them up.

There are plenty of prefilter sponges with plastic strainers that just slip over the intake of the Mag pumps. Get a few spares as you have to clean them weekly at least, sometimes more depending on what all you have floating around to clog them. It's simpler in my opinion to just pull one off and slide another on while the pump is still going rather than having to shut things down while you clean.

 

[jmareef1022]

Ok thanks for the advice..

 

[Quiverfull]

Need some advice on my 120. Has been running for two weeks and seems to be broken in. Having some issues with tuning. Either too wet and overflowing or not generating foam. Do I just need to wait it out more or any helpful hints on where to set the water level with respect to the collection cup? Anyone running the auto shut off overflow container? Is that the answer - to use an overflow container with air shut off and just let it run? Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[cas1069]

Need some advice on my 120. Has been running for two weeks and seems to be broken in. Having some issues with tuning. Either too wet and overflowing or not generating foam. Do I just need to wait it out more or any helpful hints on where to set the water level with respect to the collection cup? Anyone running the auto shut off overflow container? Is that the answer - to use an overflow container with air shut off and just let it run? Any thoughts are appreciated.

the containers are a good idea I would stay away from anything that uses a float switch as they get gummed up, but the vacuum switched work great

 

[Yellow Eyes]

I just set up an AquaC ev-120 skimmer on my 40 breeder+29 gallon sump. It is installed external, where there is about 6" from the output gate valve to the sump water level. I installed a straight piece of PVC that goes to a T, where I have another piece of PVC dropping to the water and another that can have a cap on it. If I put the cap on (and the other end of the pipe is just barely submerged), I can tell that the skimmer is siphoning the water. If I take off the endcap it is just a ton of bubbles and sloshing of water which sounds awful compared to how quiet the rest of my system is. When it is in full siphon mode, there are no bubbles and it is completely quiet.

Is running it at a siphon like that really that bad? Or is there a better way to quiet the gurgling and splashing of water?

Thanks.

 

[zachts]

I just set up an AquaC ev-120 skimmer on my 40 breeder+29 gallon sump. It is installed external, where there is about 6" from the output gate valve to the sump water level. I installed a straight piece of PVC that goes to a T, where I have another piece of PVC dropping to the water and another that can have a cap on it. If I put the cap on (and the other end of the pipe is just barely submerged), I can tell that the skimmer is siphoning the water. If I take off the endcap it is just a ton of bubbles and sloshing of water which sounds awful compared to how quiet the rest of my system is. When it is in full siphon mode, there are no bubbles and it is completely quiet.

Is running it at a siphon like that really that bad? Or is there a better way to quiet the gurgling and splashing of water?

Thanks.

It will never work right siphoning, I just drilled a small hole in the cap on my setup, basically the same as you described, that breaks the siphon and greatly reduces the noise. Angling the T so it drops into the sump at as much an angle as possible, up to around 45 degrees, also reduces the noise and bubbles. They are in general not the quietest skimmers on the market but they work great once dialed in. If you have the ability to do so, eliminating the T and letting the water drop directly into the sump onto a course block of filter media that sits well above the water line will virtually eliminate splash, bubbles and noise and lets the skimmer work it's best. The T adds some back pressure which reduces the performance of the skimmer a bit, having the outflow after the gate valve unrestricted is best if you can.

Air intake is louder on mine now than the discharge of water. I built a silencer for the air line to reduce that to acceptable levels.....

 

[L8Braker]

What he said should do the trick, but especially if you are under powered(pump) you do not want to restrict the flow. I have a simple 90 elbow with a few small holes drilled on the upper portion.

 

[Boberic]

Hi guys,
I've been running a ev-120 for a couple of years till my tank crashed... long story short it wasn't pulling out enough, skimming very dry all the time and I never had to empty the upper cup. So, I'm starting again and I upgraded the pump to a Sicce Syncra 4.0, that I cut back a little until the water level was at the top of the box, with gate valve wide open and air pipe half open. It's making good foam now but when it hits half way it collapses, it's been doing that for a day. Any ideas what could be wrong?
Thanks for any help

 

[cas1069]

try giving it more air

 

[Boberic]

Just did and still collapsing half way

 

[cas1069]

how long has it been running since the crash? it may need a good cleaning or to break in again maybe. I know the only time my foam will crash is when I have my hands in the tank or feed the tank

 

[Boberic]

It's been running for 4 months since the crash, not good as expected (with a deep cleaning) so I put the new pump 5 days ago, air pipe and gate wide open for 4 days and I noticed this morning that it collapses half way so I'm closing the air little by little to see if that's the cause but no improvement.