ETSS Skimmer Club!

How can you tell if a pump is pressure rated or not? I see the reeflo manta ray and tiger shark are which are maybe over kill (and alot of amps) and the iwaki 100rlt looks to be a little too small (2100 vs 2500 recommended) so I was looking at other pumps but if they don't say pressure rated can you look at the GPH vs head? I emailed Lifegard about there SeaHorse 1/2hp this morning to see what they said because it seemed to look to be the right size and only a little over 6 amps. The pan world and blue line do not make a pump strong enough. Could I use 2 pumps since it has 2 down tubes?
 
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Upstate GTI said:
Hey Don!


As for the sump buddy being loud the answer is both, however the water jetting into the skimmer is the loudest noise. You can mask this somewhat by putting a silencer on the air intake of the skimmer. I don't think you will be able to run the SB40 effectively t'd off your return pump unless your pump is huge and you have it valved down already. Also on the pump end, gph isn't important, head pressure is. If you must go with the dc route I would go with the Waveline DC6000 It has half again the head pressure of the Jeboa. A Waveline DC10000II would be better. Something along the lines of a Magdrive 7 or better yet a 9.5 with a valve is another, cheaper option. I mention the magdrives because they are cheap and can be picked up on craigslist but I would suggest a better pump than the magdrives with the same specs because of the heat issues.


Johan
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So I got the Waveline DC6000 and it is running the skimmer. Much to my surprise both the pump and the skimmer are nearly silent. Only noise is from the air intake. I am really pleased about that. However I can't seem to tune the skimmer right. I have the black gate all the way up which I think should lower the level in the column. But if I run the Waveline much past halfway the water blows clear up into the collection cup and I get a constant stream of water out of the waste outlet. The only way I can seem to get it to work right is with the DC6000 a little bit below half. Does this seem right?

Also, there are 3 bioballs in the intake column. Is that the right number?

Thanks,

Don
 
Where is the water level in your sump compared to the skimmer box? Also are you using full size or mini bioballs?
 
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criticalencore said:
How can you tell if a pump is pressure rated or not? I see the reeflo manta ray and tiger shark are which are maybe over kill (and alot of amps) and the iwaki 100rlt looks to be a little too small (2100 vs 2500 recommended) so I was looking at other pumps but if they don't say pressure rated can you look at the GPH vs head? I emailed Lifegard about there SeaHorse 1/2hp this morning to see what they said because it seemed to look to be the right size and only a little over 6 amps. The pan world and blue line do not make a pump strong enough. Could I use 2 pumps since it has 2 down tubes?
Click to expand...

Pressure rated pumps have higher head height, look for at least 25 ft of head. I don't see why 2 pumps wouldn't work. (2) Blueline 70HD
 
Yeah I had come across a post online with the formula of converting head pressure to psi and I think I came up with around 23' so i was looking at the Hayward pool pumps and they as re half the price of the lifegard seahorse or the reeflo manta ray but run at like 10 amps.. between the lifegard and the manta ray the manta ray puts out more gph at less amps so that's the route I'm going. Maybe i can use the extra gph to feed something or just ball valve back.... BRS has if for 400 so I'm going to order today
 
Hi guys,
I picked up a Sump Buddy 40 for my 65 gallon SPS tank and man I love it!!! Its sizes correctly for my tank too. Small enough neck to stay busy 24-7 on my system. I am running it with a Waveline DC 6000 pump at half throttle! What a beast this little skimmer is! Its got that shaving cream looking foam the bounces up to the top.
I have a like new ETSS Evolution that is way to big for my tank if anyone is interested. Brand new spears gate valve too. Excellent condition......
Anyone have a sump buddy 40 with the clear box and down draft tube???
 
Hi guys,...I have a 1400xl which has been in non stop use for 20+ years :thumbsup:...question has anyone added a neck cleaner ie. Avast or some sort of wash down system? Mine gets pretty messy doing its job,... I want to try to keep the neck cleaner and in top performance without taking it apart every few days.
Anyone add something to theirs to help clean it? Thanks in advance.---Rick
 
I found an ETSS reef devil 2 or it might be a reef devil 40. How do I tell the difference? It's base is 7.5Lx4.5Wx9H. Can anyone point me in the direction for all the specs on this bad boy? Size, pump, rating, etc? Also, what is it worth sold used?
 
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Jade5051 said:
I found an ETSS reef devil 2 or it might be a reef devil 40. How do I tell the difference? It's base is 7.5Lx4.5Wx9H. Can anyone point me in the direction for all the specs on this bad boy? Size, pump, rating, etc? Also, what is it worth sold used?
Click to expand...

Honestly, I would probably skip it and look for a different skimmer. I owned a Reef Devil and Sump Buddy. These skimmers were a complete PITA but i didn't realize it until I had a decent skimmer. Temperamental. My I-Tech 100 is what I replaced the ETSS models with and it is an amazing skimmer.
 
jmsalt1 said:
Honestly, I would probably skip it and look for a different skimmer. I owned a Reef Devil and Sump Buddy. These skimmers were a complete PITA but i didn't realize it until I had a decent skimmer. Temperamental. My I-Tech 100 is what I replaced the ETSS models with and it is an amazing skimmer.
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Could not disagree more. I used many heedlewheel/meshwheel skimmers including a custom made beast. Nothing competes with a properly running downdraft.

Make sure you pair with the correct pump (CA1800 or equivalent) and bioballs in the tower and you will be happy.
 
ostrow said:
Could not disagree more. I used many heedlewheel/meshwheel skimmers including a custom made beast. Nothing competes with a properly running downdraft.

Make sure you pair with the correct pump (CA1800 or equivalent) and bioballs in the tower and you will be happy.
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Durr this doesn't make the decision any easier...honestly the skimmer doesn't really fit in my sump area very well. I'm stuck between an AquaC EV120 and Aquamaxx CO1.
 
ostrow said:
Could not disagree more. I used many heedlewheel/meshwheel skimmers including a custom made beast. Nothing competes with a properly running downdraft.

Make sure you pair with the correct pump (CA1800 or equivalent) and bioballs in the tower and you will be happy.
Click to expand...

Back when I was using the Reef Devil and Sump Buddy, I was convinced they were the right choice because I didn't have anything to compare to them. Once I bought the iTech100 w the Tunze pump, I think I gave away the Reef Devil to a local reefer and sold the Sump Buddy at a very fair price because I knew I'd never go back. Anyone who tells you these smaller ETSS skimmers aren't a PITA is in the minority. I think you will find fewer old school downdraft enthusiasts than ever these days and while I haven't checked lately, am pretty sure ETSS is no longer making skimmers, same for iTech, but different reasons. If you get an ETSS for free or dirt cheap, give it a try, maybe you will be one of the few that find it to be all that and a bag of chips!
 
jmsalt1 said:
Back when I was using the Reef Devil and Sump Buddy, I was convinced they were the right choice because I didn't have anything to compare to them. Once I bought the iTech100 w the Tunze pump, I think I gave away the Reef Devil to a local reefer and sold the Sump Buddy at a very fair price because I knew I'd never go back. Anyone who tells you these smaller ETSS skimmers aren't a PITA is in the minority. I think you will find fewer old school downdraft enthusiasts than ever these days and while I haven't checked lately, am pretty sure ETSS is no longer making skimmers, same for iTech, but different reasons. If you get an ETSS for free or dirt cheap, give it a try, maybe you will be one of the few that find it to be all that and a bag of chips!
Click to expand...


It's only $30. I was thinking its a great deal and can I make it work? You can mount the externally right?
 
Yes they are great externally. Again make sure you use the right pump. I bet a small Panworld would rock it!
 
Jade5051 said:
It's only $30. I was thinking its a great deal and can I make it work? You can mount the externally right?
Click to expand...

Probably worth a try if you are still considering it. In general, it seems that they do better in tanks that are pretty heavily stocked and fed regularly. The same applies to all skimmers to a degree :)

Make sure you get bioballs. Some folks say replacing them can help the performance as well. I didn't notice a dramatic difference. Like Ostrow said, mating the right pump is a good start. I ran mine internal on Mag 9.5 pumps which was the pump recommended by AE-tech (owners name escapes me right now).
 
Gary. And true he went out of business.

Replace the bioballs every 6 months....it makes a huge difference. And clean the neck weekly too.
 
Hello, I am looking at purchasing the JNS co-2 skimmer and wanted to double check here first to make sure it was the right size. I have a 120g w/40b sump and I will end up making it a Lps/sps tank with some fish. I have done a lot of reading and some people say go with the co-3? Some also say go with the largest skimmer you can fit?? I am new to the hobby and just want to make sure I purchase the right skimmer only once. I just finished reading about 200 pages of skimmer info!!! my head is going in circles! LOL.. It may become a fully stocked tank one day but just want to make sure I make the right decision. Thanks very much for all your help.
 
For sale: ETSS 600 XR Downdraft Protein Skimmer with Blue Line 75 HD pressure rated pump. Skimmer was used for 1 month total, before it was removed from the tank. It is basically brand new. Recommended tank size up to 300 gallons. Inlet is ¾ barb or ¾ FPT. Dimensions are 7" x 10" x 24" Tall. PM me if your interested.
 
For Sale :ETSS XR800 Downdraft Protein Skimmer. Twin tower skimmer with Blue Line 100HD pump. Pump is pressure rated with flow rate of 2000 GPH which you need for this skimmer. Used for about 2 months on tank before it was removed. It is basically brand new. Inlet is 1” male barb or 1” FPT. Includes bio balls in towers. Includes all thumb screws, and both gaskets. Gate valve outlet is 1.5” FPT. PM me if you are interested. Thanks.
 
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