High Performance Skimmer for SPS

I was wondering how long it would take to get you in here Redwinger, remember I had a recerc needlewheel, used it's pump on a taller CC skimmer, built a 4 foot counter current airstone with a luft pump, and in the end this bekett blew me away with performance.

We will have to agree to disagree, because I am forever sold!!!
Whiskey
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7196976#post7196976 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jackson6745
I am a big fan of becketts because the inital cost is low, it produces a tower filled with tiny bubbles when powered right, and it is very easy to adjust foam types.
At the same time I don't like becketts because of the noise, maintence with keeping injectors clean, and the heat + noise associated with the large pumps to run it.

I do like NW like deltecs very much but they cost too much. I can't see spending $1700 on a Deltec ap702 when a beckett 1/3 the cost will do the same job.

Anyway, now that I discovered DAS skimmers, which are basically deltec skimmers at less than 1/2 the cost, my decision was easy to make. A few local guys have DAS skimmers and they rock! Looks just like a deltec when running.....tiny bubbles all the way up the neck.

Here is a pic of the 3 pump in sump DAS BX3. Each pump sucks 10L of air per min!
IMG_2431.JPG
Click to expand...

Do you have a good pic of that running, and it's collection cup? I saw it in that thread you posted, but not really a detail of the collection cup if I recall. I think it would be a good idea to post it here too.

Thanks,
Whiskey
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7197222#post7197222 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by redwinger02
"do it right the first time and you won't need to process thousands of gallons per hour"
Click to expand...

WORD!:D I completely agree. A beckett is a good brute force attacker that processes a lot of water with less bubble dwell time. But no matter how much water you throw at it, it is not going to be as efficient at getting those more stubborn proteins that need up to 2 minutes of bubble contact time. Becketts are great wet skimmers, but I can run my BK even wetter without having to worry about it overflowing like my MRC becketts would.
 
i think this skimmer debate between different brands of skimmers is crazy, guys lets think about it, really if i have deltec or bk skimmer from germany does not mean that my reef is going to be kick ***, i witness myself some nice reefs with the mighty red sea berlin skimmer. ( triple pass i might add) i feel that we have gotten away from art of keeping reef and have gotten into who can spend the most on protien skimmer which may or may not all the diff. in how our reef tanks look and over health of aquatic life, $250 to$2500 who cares reef on, baby
 
Crazd, we are trying to help this guy buy the right thing the first time. This is all first hand user experiance, and from reading it he can make an informed disision about what he values in a skimmer, and what is right for him, and what he feels will do the best job for his needs. That is what this fourm is about.

Peace,
Whiskey
 
yes thats true but becketts great, ap skimmers are great,rc great , there are so many choices out there its crazy, all i am saying is that one does not have $1000 on a skimmer to get excellent proformance on his or her reef and it is not fair to put that kind presure on new hobbiets to do so like this gentlemen here to do so.

thats my nickels worth
 
I don't think anyone here is pressuring anyone to do anything. In fact the guy who started this thread already stated that he was looking into an AP1003, which is $3,275.00 skimmer. From his original post, I got the impression that he is not out looking for something cheap that is going to get the job done, I think he is looking for a darn good skimmer that is going to get the job done and then some. Just my opinion and what I got from the original post anyays.:)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7197479#post7197479 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis
WORD!:D I completely agree. A beckett is a good brute force attacker that processes a lot of water with less bubble dwell time. But no matter how much water you throw at it, it is not going to be as efficient at getting those more stubborn proteins that need up to 2 minutes of bubble contact time. Becketts are great wet skimmers, but I can run my BK even wetter without having to worry about it overflowing like my MRC becketts would.
Click to expand...

This is not direct towards Travis but just a general question that I don't have the answer to. Obviously needle wheels work well but I don't understand why people say they are a better method of skimming than becketts or say air stones (energy issues aside). Maybe I don't understand this but when you speak of contact/dwell time I thought it should be a non-chaotic amount of time. Recirculating NW skimmers increase contact time by having the water repeatedly going thru a NW pump but wouldn't going thru the pump over and over be a hinderance on organic/bubble attachment?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7198476#post7198476 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by redwinger02
Not really once attached to a bubble it is attached to a bubble.
Click to expand...
Is there any evidence to back this up? If this were true then I would think that a well made needlewheel skimmer should outperform a beckett or airstone easily, but my experience has shown different.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7190631#post7190631 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis
And just for fun, I don't think you will find a higher performance skimmer than this one that Bill Wann is currently building. It will use 2 RK2 pumps (similar to Sequence Darts) modified with custom needlewheel impellers, along with a diffuser like the BK's use.
<img src=http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b308/spazz129/acrylic%20stuff/1b727999.jpg>
Click to expand...
a bit off-topic but where can i see more pictures of this tank? :eek:
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7197479#post7197479 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis
WORD!:D I completely agree. A beckett is a good brute force attacker that processes a lot of water with less bubble dwell time. But no matter how much water you throw at it, it is not going to be as efficient at getting those more stubborn proteins that need up to 2 minutes of bubble contact time. Becketts are great wet skimmers, but I can run my BK even wetter without having to worry about it overflowing like my MRC becketts would.
Click to expand...

Honestly, if you're running wet, contact time really isnt a consideration, because you're not trying to pull out "stubborn protiens" that need 2 minutes fo contact time. You're pulling it out as particulate, way before it even gets to that point.
 
I use to have an ETSS800 and I change it because I wasn't impressed with its performance. Bought an MR-2 with Iwaki 55 and once again I wasn't impressed with the results. Actually, even with the MR-2 the nitrates in my tank were really high.

Decided to invest on an AP702 Deltec skimmer and what a difference........ it is true that it is a very expensive skimmer, but the difference in production was "huge". I even stopped dosing ozone in my tank because with this skimmer, now my ORP is always a little bit above 400 (and it used to be 300....).

The other nice thing about recirculating skimmers is that you plug them, make them run and you can almost forget about them. If you want to skim wet.... just open the air valves or even take them out. You ant to skim dry an put the aire valces in the 2 o'clock position.

I would never go back to a beckett type skimmer.
 
an orp of 400 with no ozone is awesome. I have a 701. goint to get a bigger sump and treat myself to a 702 soon!!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7198262#post7198262 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kimoyo
This is not direct towards Travis but just a general question that I don't have the answer to. Obviously needle wheels work well but I don't understand why people say they are a better method of skimming than becketts or say air stones (energy issues aside). Maybe I don't understand this but when you speak of contact/dwell time I thought it should be a non-chaotic amount of time. Recirculating NW skimmers increase contact time by having the water repeatedly going thru a NW pump but wouldn't going thru the pump over and over be a hinderance on organic/bubble attachment?
Click to expand...

I can't say for sure but from the reading I have done, a recirculating NW does have the net effect of a longer dwell time. Not sure if it is becuase the bubble is in the water longer or if it is because the same water is being bombarded over and over before it exits the skimmer (maybe the RC becketts put the beckett skimmer in line with the RC NW's in this aspect). I like all NW skimmers better than becketts because they produce smaller bubbles than I have seen a beckett produce. I have seen becketts produce small bubbles, but there has always been inconsistnet larger bubbles thrown in the mix. But this is only personal observation from my own MRC becketts that I have played with. I have played with several different NW/pinwheel skimmers and they all produced much smaller and more consistent bubbles. These include a Turboflotor, ER w/ sp rc pump, reefmania, ASM, and BK.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7198547#post7198547 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RichConley
Honestly, if you're running wet, contact time really isnt a consideration, because you're not trying to pull out "stubborn protiens" that need 2 minutes fo contact time. You're pulling it out as particulate, way before it even gets to that point.
Click to expand...

That would be great if that is how skimmers worked in the real world. The truth is, skimmers are not designed to pull out particulates and do not do a very good job at it. A properly tuned wet skimming skimmer will pull some particulates but will also send a lot back out the return where they will settle out in the bottom of the skimmer, in the sump, or in other places in the tank. Then they will start to break down. So with a decent NW with good contact time and tuned wet you are getting the benefit of wet skimming and removing some particulates and you are also getting the benefit of removing some of the more stubborn organics in the water that a shorter contact time cannot get.
 
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