ETSS Skimmer Club!

[bif24701]

Bump

 

[JasonD]

Question regarding the Reef Devil. I'm currently running a good 22 inch Venturi skimmer on my 120 gallon mixed reef. I'm using a mag 9.5 to power it. Im thinking of switching to the reef devil to see if it out performs it or maybe the evo 250. Can both of these skimmers be outside the sump? Also do you think they would out perform my life reef 22 inch Venturi skimmer?

 

[jmsalt1]

Fs: Sb40

Fs: Sb40

No selling allowed outside of designated forums.

 

[docbattysreef]

Why does my skimmer lose its foam every morning for hours? Is this common for ETSS skimmer or all skimmer? Is there something I can do about this? Frustrating.

Yes. It is common for downdraft skimmers. Feeding and sticking your hands in the water release oils that temporarily stop the skimmer from producing foam. Keeping your bioballs clean or preferably replacing them from time to time greatly reduces this effect. Here is a pic of mine with 10 bioballs and a mag 7.

 

[bif24701]

Yes. It is common for downdraft skimmers. Feeding and sticking your hands in the water release oils that temporarily stop the skimmer from producing foam. Keeping your bioballs clean or preferably replacing them from time to time greatly reduces this effect. Here is a pic of mine with 10 biob alls and a mag 7.

I recently went from 7 bio balls to 3 and its skimming better than ever! Couldn't be happier at this point. Had the skimmer almost a year, and never got this nice dark skimmate. I think my main problem was my filter bag would block the exit gate of the skimmer raising the water level thus causing it to over flow from time to time. No more filter bags.


http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa456/Aaron_Wasson/IMAG0694.jpg

 

[docbattysreef]

I recently went from 7 bio balls to 3 and its skimming better than ever! Couldn't be happier at this point. Had the skimmer almost a year, and never got this nice dark skimmate. I think my main problem was my filter bag would block the exit gate of the skimmer raising the water level thus causing it to over flow from time to time. No more filter bags.


http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa456/Aaron_Wasson/IMAG0694.jpg

Looks Great! The Protean 400 AIO Sump is a really nice system. I just found this thread and I'm glad to see there are still fans of downdraft skimmers. There seems to be a perception in the hobby that downdraft skimmers are inferior to needle wheel skimmers and this simply is not true.

 

[ktg113]

ok how do i need to have my skimmer set up

i belive it is a older etss 800 dual downdraft

i have a little giant 3mdx feeding it and the out put sits right at the water level in the sump.

i am not getting a dark skim it is a very watery one


i also loose my foam from now and then but i thought this could be my ato dumping fresh water in right on top of the skimmer input

i have it running on a 180 mixed with a 55 sump any info would help

thanks

what do i need to do tog et a nice dark foam

 

[ktg113]

Bump


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[bif24701]

ok how do i need to have my skimmer set up

i belive it is a older etss 800 dual downdraft

i have a little giant 3mdx feeding it and the out put sits right at the water level in the sump.

i am not getting a dark skim it is a very watery one


i also loose my foam from now and then but i thought this could be my ato dumping fresh water in right on top of the skimmer input

i have it running on a 180 mixed with a 55 sump any info would help

thanks

what do i need to do tog et a nice dark foam

Start by changing to out put of your ATO. Is your skimmer getting raw overflow water from you display tank, ie before a refugium? Are your overflows skimming the surface of your DT well. Is there a film? How many bio balls are in each downdraft? Are they new bio balls? I would raise the skimmer so that's its output is just above the water level in your sump. Let's see a pic of you skimmer and skimmate.

 

[gchaney]

Etss 800

Etss 800

I also have an older etss 800 and the most helpful thing so far was putting a valve on the air intakes and reducing the air flow until the bubbles get small. since I have done that it doesn't drop out when i feed or add water etc.

 

[ktg113]

I also have an older etss 800 and the most helpful thing so far was putting a valve on the air intakes and reducing the air flow until the bubbles get small. since I have done that it doesn't drop out when i feed or add water etc.

That is what I was thinking about doing next


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[ktg113]

Start by changing to out put of your ATO. Is your skimmer getting raw overflow water from you display tank, ie before a refugium? Are your overflows skimming the surface of your DT well. Is there a film? How many bio balls are in each downdraft? Are they new bio balls? I would raise the skimmer so that's its output is just above the water level in your sump. Let's see a pic of you skimmer and skimmate.

Skimmer sits right above the water level in sump
----

Overflow is a coast to coast on the short side of the tank ( set up as a peninsula)
----
Skimmer intake is right below the intake to the sump so getting raw water
----
Bio balls are not new and I am not sure how many are in each tower. I will pull the skimmer out and check

----
The one with the pipes is the out put
----
The three large pipes are the beananimal overflow from display
----
Running water between the two on the right is skimmer out put
----
Small pipe on the far right is the ago (which I am moving)
----
Red under water on right is skimmer intake.


---
Skim mate is very wet and clear almost with a small hit of green




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[ktg113]

Also the pump is a little giant 4 mdqx-sc could I have too much pump ???


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[bif24701]

Is the out out put valve wide open?

 

[bif24701]

More bio balls would reduce the air intake alone so you shouldn't need a valve.

 

[ktg113]

Most of the time yes


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[bif24701]

Then you will need more bio balls or your pump is to much. Though if you have no idea how many balls you have then you may just need to add some bio balls. Let me know how many you have.

 

[bif24701]

Skimmer sits right above the water level in sump
----

Overflow is a coast to coast on the short side of the tank ( set up as a peninsula)
----
Skimmer intake is right below the intake to the sump so getting raw water
----
Bio balls are not new and I am not sure how many are in each tower. I will pull the skimmer out and check

----
The one with the pipes is the out put
----
The three large pipes are the beananimal overflow from display
----
Running water between the two on the right is skimmer out put
----
Small pipe on the far right is the ago (which I am moving)
----
Red under water on right is skimmer intake.


---
Skim mate is very wet and clear almost with a small hit of green




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

how are things going are you skimmer?

 

[zaheda]

Anybody have an ETSS 800 to sell and post to South Africa? No pump is needed as we run 220v. I just sold my skimmer so have some money.

 

[mcarroll]

I just replaced my bioballs after about 8 years - slightly more than they recommend - does seem to make an improvement, but nothing over the top

More bio balls = less air mixing. Recommended to have relatively less balls if you have a relatively larger pump.

If you haven't seen it yet the mfgr (AETech) has a decent tuning guide that goes into this.

-Matt