ATB vs. Vertex Alpha Cone

[coral_lagoon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15617749#post15617749 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by robthorn
Not to be a jerk but I don't believe the skimmer knows how many gallons a tank has. I think it knows a level of nutrients in the water. When the level is depleted it should shut down. to me this gives you headroom. I want my skimmer to shut down so I know it has done it's job. If it's always going it means it can't keep up. My skimmer just never has worked. Jeremy has a 200 on his 70ish gallon tank and his works great., Not sure what is different but mine is useless so far. I have 110 gallons of water. I am feeding 1-2 full cubes of mysis,brine and cyclops every day. I should be doing something besides growing algea by now.
Back to the neck diameter I think you are very right about them being to big for these skimmers. They should do better with smaller necks or a more powerful pump. They also undersized the discharge/wedge pipe. Why not use something larger just in case?

where is the outside water level on yours? Are you always fiddling with the adjustments? As for me, I have my sump water level above the skimmers water return, and set the water level inside the skimmer JUST right above the seperation between the cup and body. The adjustment is also very sensitive. A little turn counterclockwise, clockwise will do alot.
After I set mine that way. I just let it run. After 4 hours it started to produce a dry foam and started to do it's magic on my 60gallon reef..

 

[robthorn]

I have tried the sump level from 8-10 inches and it overflows at 10 and does nothing at 8 so I set it to 9 inches according to jeremy and has been that level for the last 5 days. I have been trying to leave it alone and not make any adjustments. I wanted to try leaving it alone and see what happens. Inside water level is right at the neck/body joint.
Actually I think I have about 100 gallons not 110 like earlier stated. Wrong tank I was thinking of my old sump that was larger.

 

[ksed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15617643#post15617643 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mojo~
The 170 as I posted a picture of the sticker on it. I bought mine from premium but it doesnt matter. They use the 1500 motor block like V said. they change teh nazzle and pinwheel to try to accomidate the body size.

Doesn't R/E do some sort of R&D before putting a product out?
Soo this way they can match the right pump for the right body

 

[sjm817]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15619097#post15619097 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ksed
Doesn't R/E do some sort of R&D before putting a product out?
Soo this way they can match the right pump for the right body

I wonder sometimes. They have a track record of putting out skimmers with undersized pumps.

 

[vanillagorila]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15619097#post15619097 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ksed
Doesn't R/E do some sort of R&D before putting a product out?
Soo this way they can match the right pump for the right body

sure they do, it was all the people who bought the first batch of them.

 

[robthorn]

Ksed I am not sure. One would think but it seems they did some math and put it together and shipped it.
vanilla I am sorry to say you may be right and I may be one of the suckers. Must be the introductory pricing factor. when it works you will have to pay full price.
I just put a bubble master 100 in my tank and took out the vertex 200 because I need something I know works.

 

[vanillagorila]

Rob, if you manage to get your money back, you should get a ATB 840 v1.5. New seemless cone, $665 and they work, which is something that we all want.

 

[coral_lagoon]

I want to also do a back to back personal comparo. So today I ordered the new ATB 840 with the seamless body. Hopefully when my new ATB comes this week. My 60gallon sps tank still has proteins left to be pulled out. So far the Alpha 170 has been doing a real good job..

 

[robthorn]

Vanilla I don't know what will happen. I am not saying all I am saying to get my money back but if it is offered instead of a fix I will take it in a second. Jeremy also offered me to send the skimmer back to see if it works but I really don't want to mess with that. I surely don't want to pay shipping for it to work on their system. What if it works on their system and not on mine? What does that say? I am an idiot or their system is dirtier than mine? I wouldn't know how to call it. I have tried the things I was asked to try with the same results.
Coral I would be very interested in those results. since your 170 is working right I say it is probably doing fine. The test will be which one keeps on trucking after the other shuts down. Can you fit an I-tech in there also? That might put the debate to rest. At least in my head. I will buy the one that keeps working after the others shut down. Of the 2 I have tried it was the i-tech 400 that was pulling and the vertex was doing nothing.

 

[coral_lagoon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15620526#post15620526 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by robthorn
Coral I would be very interested in those results. since your 170 is working right I say it is probably doing fine. The test will be which one keeps on trucking after the other shuts down. Can you fit an I-tech in there also? That might put the debate to rest. At least in my head. I will buy the one that keeps working after the others shut down. Of the 2 I have tried it was the i-tech 400 that was pulling and the vertex was doing nothing.

Rob,
By the looks of it. I think the I-tech will fit in a 10 gallon standard glass tank. Keep in mind that the Alpha 170 is big, and it has a decent size footprint to. So dont let the small numbers fool you. With that being said. I put in my tank, 6 mangrove plants. This was done about 2 weeks ago, and the roots have really started to grow. So in the back of my mind, Im thinking that my skimmers(Alpha + ATB) might not pull anything more in the near future. One of the funny thing is. That I read some articles online, where people were saying that mangrove plants & roots grow real slow. So far with the 30+ plants I have acclimated and experieced with. I find the total opposite..

 

[victor90]

Coral_lagoon
Where are you located in norcal?

 

[coral_lagoon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15621350#post15621350 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ATB USA
Coral_lagoon
Where are you located in norcal?

Check your PM. Thanks..

 

[victor90]

thanks