Hang on Skimmers
- Thread starter happyface888
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glassbox-design
New member
comparing skimmate pics is probably the worst way to possibly judge and compare a skimmer. skimmate is based on the tank and input of food. it's water quality that matters, not skimmate.
comparing skimmate blindly does nothing. dont compare skimmate unless you are going to do a lab analysis on what is actually pulled out and how much....
comparing modified skimmers to un-modified skimmers is another issue. that same air pump you put on the typhoon could be put on any skimmer with a limewood airstone and probably get close to the performance of the mce.
just like an mj1200 is better than a tunze. or an octo is better than ER,deltec, H&S....while they may be able to perform as well, that's after how many floods, how much tinkering, and how much of my time?
i think you get my point....
eric
RichConley
New member
No floods.
Slight tinkering.
20 minutes.
No, I dont get your point.
eric,
For $80 you can not get a better HOB (new) than a D&D marine typhoon (no mods). Find one that works better for the same amount of money.
Find one that works better for $120. The typhoon is a very good skimmer for what it is, and it far surpasses the CPR backpack types. I have used both skimmers and not once has a CPR backpack type surpassed what the typhoon can pull out.
A very simple mod (adding a cheap air pump to the intake) improves the skimmer, many people have one lying around and it takes no effort so that is a useful mod for anyone. I would think the same mod could help other skimmers as well and I am surprised it is not used more. People that have huge skimmers (such as volcanoes) regulary inject air via an air pump, albeit a powerful one.
You wanted pics, I showed you were to find them. You then don't want pics.............O.K. I even mentioned skimmate pics are not really useful (which you quoted) but that is all we have to compare.
I have yet to read a post (besides yours) on how great a CPR backpack skimmer is.
For $80 you can not get a better HOB (new) than a D&D marine typhoon (no mods). Find one that works better for the same amount of money.
Find one that works better for $120. The typhoon is a very good skimmer for what it is, and it far surpasses the CPR backpack types. I have used both skimmers and not once has a CPR backpack type surpassed what the typhoon can pull out.
A very simple mod (adding a cheap air pump to the intake) improves the skimmer, many people have one lying around and it takes no effort so that is a useful mod for anyone. I would think the same mod could help other skimmers as well and I am surprised it is not used more. People that have huge skimmers (such as volcanoes) regulary inject air via an air pump, albeit a powerful one.
You wanted pics, I showed you were to find them. You then don't want pics.............O.K. I even mentioned skimmate pics are not really useful (which you quoted) but that is all we have to compare.
I have yet to read a post (besides yours) on how great a CPR backpack skimmer is.
glassbox-design
New member
kody, on large skimmer they inject air into a NW to then chop it up into fine bubbles to fight the head pressure of the tall reaction chamber. you are injecting air into a post pump venturi, makeing large bubbles. not the same thing at all.
i agree with the cheap air pump, but an octo bacpack knock off with a limewood airstone will outskim a typhoon ime. if you really wanted to improved the typhoon you'd just install a limewood airstone and then call it a day. that would be a pretty good hob.
one of the best intank skimmers i've used was a DIY. it was a clear tube with an aspirated mj1200. if you chopped off the bottom and HOB components of the typhoon and ran it inside the tank with a NW pump injecting directly into the chamber it would work quite well...it would just be ugly as could be
i saw the picture but they are thumbnails...not exactly a picture i was hoping for. the pic of the typhoon looks like there are not that many bubbles, is that before or after the air pump mod?
i never said a cpr is great, they are simple and reliable. i have also said in previous posts i would not buy one again, i had one laying around from years back. now i'd go with a knockoff, deltec or tunze....but with an air pump and NW you'd be surprised what they can do.
the floods i was referring to the typhoons needed anti-syphon kit. and yes it takes more than 20mins. not all of us have enkamat just laying around the house for mesh modding fun. not to mention to really meshmod you need an air meter and killawatt...add those on top of cost and time, it's not worth it for me...for others that have the time and equipment i can understand. we've had this discussion before no need to do it again.
oh and here is one....
http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=284&HS=1
with an added refugium. growing chaeto can really help in export and will do more than close to any HOB skimmer will. plus you could run an air pump or a recirc pump inside there.... all for cheap than a typhoon.
eric
i agree with the cheap air pump, but an octo bacpack knock off with a limewood airstone will outskim a typhoon ime. if you really wanted to improved the typhoon you'd just install a limewood airstone and then call it a day. that would be a pretty good hob.
one of the best intank skimmers i've used was a DIY. it was a clear tube with an aspirated mj1200. if you chopped off the bottom and HOB components of the typhoon and ran it inside the tank with a NW pump injecting directly into the chamber it would work quite well...it would just be ugly as could be
i saw the picture but they are thumbnails...not exactly a picture i was hoping for. the pic of the typhoon looks like there are not that many bubbles, is that before or after the air pump mod?
i never said a cpr is great, they are simple and reliable. i have also said in previous posts i would not buy one again, i had one laying around from years back. now i'd go with a knockoff, deltec or tunze....but with an air pump and NW you'd be surprised what they can do.
the floods i was referring to the typhoons needed anti-syphon kit. and yes it takes more than 20mins. not all of us have enkamat just laying around the house for mesh modding fun. not to mention to really meshmod you need an air meter and killawatt...add those on top of cost and time, it's not worth it for me...for others that have the time and equipment i can understand. we've had this discussion before no need to do it again.
oh and here is one....
http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=284&HS=1
with an added refugium. growing chaeto can really help in export and will do more than close to any HOB skimmer will. plus you could run an air pump or a recirc pump inside there.... all for cheap than a typhoon.
eric
skimmy
T3am Zissou
well, i can only speak for myself...
i have over 15 years of professional experience in this industry,
and when i talk about a skimmer or why i dont like it, it's because of my personal experience with that certain piece of equipment.
i dont consider myself a "loyalist", i simply like what works, and will tell others what that is IMO.
the problem is that the majority of gear that is available to noobs coming into the hobby is utter crap. and that many people with little experience have never even seen honest good working equipment that is imported, handmade or only available in specialty reef shops. not mom and pop pet stores with 18 year old hamster feeding idiots working there...
so because of this, you wind up with a whole army of people who dont really know any better when it comes to equipment, methodology, troubleshooting, etc..
the best advice i can give for choosing equipment for the reef is:
emulate the design of successful, stable reefs that you have seen first hand, and had a chance to talk to the owners of those systems about their equipment, and the progression of equipment they went through to ultimately find what would perform the best for their systems. and im not talking about "johnny's cool looking tank that has been up for 8 months" im talking about reefs that have been stable for years, with full grown coral colonies.
as for hang on skimmers...just pretend they all suck, and talk yourself into taking the leap into getting a sump and a real skimmer. there is no comparison between a tank with hang on gear and a sump that has a big skimmer, carbon/phos reactor, refugium.
that being said, if you just cant make the right choice and still must damn yourself to hang on gear, here is my list of skimmers i like;
stock, both of these skimmers are garbage, but if your handy...
cpr bakpak w/ mesh moded maxi jet 1200 good for up to 30g
aqua c remora w/ injector cut out and sedra 2500 nw pump added, up to 40g (kinda a spendy combo for the results, i got both used cheap though)
deltec mce 600 (straight out of the box) up to 75g
tunze 9010 in tank, get over it being in the aquarium and just buy the damn thing...up to 100g
i'd love to experiment with a mesh modded aquabee pump inside a deltec mce600, i think that might even kick the tunze 9010's butt.
i've also been meaning to post a thread on my remora mods, just fine tuning the design still
RichConley
New member
Theres no way in heck an MCE600 handles a 75 with any reasonable stocking. Its just too poorly designed.
glassbox-design
New member
koraltek-exactly what i was thinking. for the serious diy'er you could even mod the venturi and shroud...looks wouldnt matter as much as it wouldnt be inside the tank.
skimmy
T3am Zissou
Whatever dude, that skimmer rocks. my only gripe is that they can be loud sometimes, and i dont care for the collection cup, but it performs great, and pulls good skimmate on a daily basis. what more do you want it to do? granted, it could be cheaper...
and if your so smart than what hang on would you choose??
luke33
In Memoriam
The bottom line is you have to look at performance and cost and there are just a few mediocre hot skimmers out there. There are no great hot skimmers. The tunze in tank is your best option. In the near future hopefully we will see some substantial evidence that the bermuda rogue is a great hot skimmer. There are two users with them now I've been in contact with and hopefully soon we'll see something.
RichConley
New member
If a skimmer is working properly, there are NO microbubbles. Microbubbles mean that theres too much water moving through the skimmer and not enough air.
skimmy
T3am Zissou
after they were broken in, there were no micro bubble issues with the 9010 and 9005 i have mounted in customer tanks i worked on. (i ran my personal one in the sump) but i was weary as well, especially of the hole in the back, up by the top, but in a week or so all was good. they are finniky about having a constant water level though, had to install auto top off to the tanks.
flint,
again I have used CPR backpacks (and the various in fuge versions) and they have all performed worse than my typhoon. I know how adding air to a NW works, but adding it to the venturi on the typhoon creates more bubbles, not larger ones. (the pic is un-modded)
I really do not want to use airstones ever again, and while counter-current airstone skimmers can be very efficient, but no thanks.
I have not used the aquatraders (odyssea) fuge skimmer so I can not comment on it, but if it is a back-pack knock off I can not see how it would out-perform the typhoon. The typhoon is a good for its price, far more reliable than a back-pack type unit.
you could use the anti-siphon kit or drill a hole just below the water line, whatever works. The kit takes not time to install (it is just an elbow with a bent piece of rigid air tubing attached). This is the only gripe I have about the typhoon, it should simple come as part of the unit.
again I have used CPR backpacks (and the various in fuge versions) and they have all performed worse than my typhoon. I know how adding air to a NW works, but adding it to the venturi on the typhoon creates more bubbles, not larger ones. (the pic is un-modded)
I really do not want to use airstones ever again
, and while counter-current airstone skimmers can be very efficient, but no thanks. I have not used the aquatraders (odyssea) fuge skimmer so I can not comment on it, but if it is a back-pack knock off I can not see how it would out-perform the typhoon. The typhoon is a good for its price, far more reliable than a back-pack type unit.
you could use the anti-siphon kit or drill a hole just below the water line, whatever works. The kit takes not time to install (it is just an elbow with a bent piece of rigid air tubing attached). This is the only gripe I have about the typhoon, it should simple come as part of the unit.
jmkins
New member
Re-read my post. I was using a better than decent skimmer (PM bullet 2 on my tank for about 5 months) and really didn't get that much better results. My tank isn't overstocked (2 clowns and a dottyback) and my remora pulls around a few cups a week when I feed heavy.
If I were to re-do it I would look at an air driven skimmer like this one
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...roduct_Code=TURBO-MID&Category_Code=Aquamedic
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