DOC 9011 Bad Design Vs 9010

[gillies]

Could use some help here. I've run a DOC 9010 for the last several years with zero problems. Hands down the best skimmer I've owened. So I try running GFO (another story) and it gets into the pump on my 9010 and freezes it up - can't get the impeller out of the motor, so I figure I've gotten my life out of it and order a 9011.

Got it tonight and am now thinking this was a big, big mistake. The new Hydrofoamer is an odd round shape that is awkward to fit into the skimmer body versus te 9010, but I get it together, set it in my sump, and plug it in. No bubbles. What the heck? The setup is the same as my old 9010, so why no foam? I'd seen this same issue posted here before and couldn't believe it was happening to me.

Well, I pulled it out of the sump, did some comparisons to my 9010, and found the problem. Seems the new hydrofoamer has a slightly larger diameter hose and fittings for the air intake. Well, the white silicone hose that runs between the hydrofoamer and the skimmer is not up to the job!!! The problem is it kinks every time the unit is assembled. The kink cuts off all air flow to the hydrofoamer. Nice.

So what to do? Again, I've been running the 9010 for years, and the 9011 is virtually the same thing except the weird shaped new hydrofoamer and the larger diameter air hose that defeats its own purpose. I know how to assemble and operate this skimmer - in my sleep.

I got brave and tried to cut the hose a bit shorter, but that didn't work either. As soon as the hose is curved into the proper position after assembly, it kinks. Crud and double crud. You'd think an outfit with the reputation that Tunze has would have something like this figured out during design, and never release what is so obviously inferior to the 9010.

My tank has been skimmerless for a week waiting for this thing, and now I'm stuck returning or trying to fix it.

I want my 9010 back! Can I still get a hydrofoamer for the 9010? Is there a real fix for the 9011?

Anyone?

 

[gillies]

Here are some pics of the new style hose and the hose from my 9010. You can easily see how the new hose kinks shut at the same amount of bend that the old hose handles easily. I am simply flabbergasted that Tunze would allow this poor level of quality control on such a simple and inexpensive part. Unbelievable!!! My osmolator kicks butt, my Silence 040 return kicks butt, my 9010 kicked butt until it met up with GFO. What the heck happened to Tunze on this one?

 

[gillies]

Another design flaw found. In the photo below, you will see a fitting on the end of the silicone hose. This fits into the hole shown on the hydrofoamer. This is the same design as the 9010, but with a critical difference. The 9010 hole is smaller and the fitting fits snugly into it, using simple friction to hold the two pieces into place during assembly and operation. The new hole is larger and exposes an obstruction inside that does not allow the hose fitting to fit snugly into the hydrofoamer. The hose fitting pops loose easily, thus creating another failure in the delivery of air to the skimmer.

Again, I am very surprised Tunze quality control would allow this design into production. German engineering did not get its reputation from stuff like this. I like Tunze. I like their products. That is why I expect so much more from them and am writing this. Roger is a good guy, and I hope he can respond to these issues.

Until then, buyer beware. This may not be the skimmer to purchase until evidence is presented that my assertions are unfounded or the issues are resolved.

 

[rvitko]

This is not a general pump problem, this is only an issue of the end fitting, in fact the impeller housing of both your 9010 and 9011 should be identical, this end fitting is hand drilled so there is the distinct possibility of human error.

As for the hose, I am completely puzzled by where this hose came from, it should just be plug and play in your existing skimmer body, no new hose should come with the pump, it uses the existing tubing from the silencer that is already in your skimmer housing. That tubing appears to be the tubing for the 9410 skimmer which is a needlewheel skimmer that consumes much more air and has a larger tubing.

The 9010 pump is no longer made, 9011 is honestly superior, my air flow gauge shows this, my watt meter shows this and the shape should be no problem. The shape was changed so the same basic motor design could be used as a powerhead in a magnet mount like the Stream 2, in the same way the 9010 motor housing was repurposed for the 1600/2 and 3000/2 and many other models of pump and powerhead. I think the only issue is the misdrilling of the impeller housing. For the air tubing, I am not sure if you ordered that separate or it accidentally was in the box but it does not belong to that pump or skimmer. It is for the 9410.040 pump.

 

[Ycore]

Funny, I have the exact same hard plastic like hose in my 9011 too. At least looking from the top with the cup off, I don't see a crimp, but I am only able to see one end of the connection. I've been putting off taking it out of the sump (a real ***** to get it out), but may do so now to verify if there's a crimp. My problem is too much water production from the standpipe and not enough air input, so this might be my problem. I definitely have that white plastic like hose though and not a rubber based one.

 

[rvitko]

There should be a black heavy gauge PVC hose from the underside of the air adjustment to the silencer. From the silencer to the pump should be a standard 4mm silicon airline. The silicon is far more flexible and doesn't harden and get brittle like standard PVC airline, both airlines shown are silicon, but the large one goes only to the Master DOC skimmers.

 

[gillies]

I'm not referring to a problem with the pump itself, aside from the new rounded shape being awkward during assembly. What I am referring to, as shown in the pictures, is the white silicone hose that runs from the pump to the skimmer. It's the only hose that connects the two, so I'm unsure where the confusion is.

Anyway, the hose must be long enough to allow the owner to remove the pump for servicing and still be able to reattach it to the pump for reassembly. The hose is about five to seven inches long. Once the pump is reinstalled into the unit, the hose lies inside as a half circle between the pump and its' attachment point to the skimmer.

On the 9011 it's this half circle that kinks the new, larger-diameter hose and blocks off all air flow. The smaller-diameter hose on my old 9010 connects and lays inside the skimmer the same way, but it does not kink.

Again, this simple piece of silicone hose is a real issue for anyone thinking the 9011 will be plug-n-play like the 9010. What I ultimately did was visit Lowe's and purchase some vinyl hose of the same internal diameter that seems to work fine, so far. As far as the hose fitting on the pump is concerned, if the hole is drilled by hand, someone did a poor job of it on my unit.

I've got the 9011 working, but it took a couple mods right out of the box to make that happen. Not what I expect from Tunze.

 

[rvitko]

My apologies, it appears around late November they increased the tubing diameter to allow more air flow, I will contact them about the kinking issue. The last time I had looked at a 9011 it was June and they still used the same 4mm airline tubing. If you need a new impeller housing I am happy to send a replacement. There may be a simple fix to the kinking problem, I will update you when I get a reply.

 

[gillies]

Thanks Roger. I've sent you a PM. Like I said above, I love this skimmer (9010), especially for those like myself who have very limited space in the sump. It was my poor use of GFO that froze up my 9010, not any problem on its' part. The replacement 9011, however, has a couple issues that do need sorting out IME.

 

[gillies]

Update: the 9011 is working well with the vinyl hose I got from Lowe's. I've tried running it with and without the standpipe and found use of the standpipe makes the skimmer far more productive. Roger sent me a new part for the misdrilled hydrofoamer, but the new part has the same issue. I have also not seen or heard anything from Tunze about the apparent issue with the new larger diamer hose. With a couple mods, the skimmer works very well, just not out of the box.

 

[Aquadepot]

It seems the hose issue was an isolated issue in production as we have not had this hose supplied with any of the skimmers supplied to the Australian market.

Graeme

 

[rvitko]

Gillies, I had sent you a PM, it apparently was lost to an RC hickup which is not uncommon lately, I have a lot of problems sending PM"s and often have to resend a few times as I keep getting error messages, however I did check with the factory and I made an effort to update you. The tube only needs to be cut to prevent the kinking, it was roughly 1-1.5" too long. This has been solved and was a short term problem that was quickly discovered and remedied. I am relatively certain I checked the part I sent, I suspect if it has the same problem the issue is the nipple and not the hydrofoamer nozzle, I am happy to send a matched set.

 

[yellowbellied]

I'm looking into getting a Tunze 9011 or 9006. How would I know if the store is selling the models with the problems?

 

[rvitko]

Since this issue was corrected in February 2011, the odds are pretty remote of finding a model that old in stock. I would go to a higher volume dealer and you should be OK. For the most part most dealers have sold out at least once since this issue, we are behind on 9006 and just caught up on 9011, we have sold out to where we had no stock 3 times since the correction. Further, the issue is relatively simple and if you do get a skimmer with a problem, we will fix it under warranty.

 

[jackofalltrad3]

I have to ask, since this Tunze thread is already started... Am I the only one that finds the new 9006 magnet is a HUGE mistake!? It doesn't even fit on tanks with a trim. The black aquarium trim forces you to put the skimmer lower, then the cup interferes with lowering it, and it becomes a lose lose situation.

Am I doing something wrong?

 

[rvitko]

Remove the magnet holder and reattach it on the two lower nipples. There are two positions to install the magnet holder.