Lightsluvr's 340G Upgrade
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
Orca Pro Kit 250 Skimmer
Orca Pro Kit 250 Skimmer
Thanks for the comments.
The Reef Specialty upgrade is no longer available, so I had to shop around to find one. I purchased mine from a local reefer who had decided to upgrade to the MRC Orca Pro 2. http://www.aquacave.com/reeflo-orca-pro-2-br-recirculating-protein-br-skimmer-2633.html
I took down my Orca 250 right away and am getting it cleaned and prepped to go to another club member.
Here is the new (to me) Pro 250 after just being fired up and adjusted:
The Pro 250 skimmer stands 39.5" tall, an inch and a half taller than the MRC Oca Pro 2.
A view of the collection cup, which is 12" in diameter:
A head of foam after just a few minutes of operation:
And a parting view of the old workhorse with its heavy duty Baldor Reeflo pump... getting cleaned for its new home...
I'll report in a few days to advise how it's doing...
LL
Orca Pro Kit 250 Skimmer
Thanks for the comments.
The Reef Specialty upgrade is no longer available, so I had to shop around to find one. I purchased mine from a local reefer who had decided to upgrade to the MRC Orca Pro 2. http://www.aquacave.com/reeflo-orca-pro-2-br-recirculating-protein-br-skimmer-2633.html
I took down my Orca 250 right away and am getting it cleaned and prepped to go to another club member.
Here is the new (to me) Pro 250 after just being fired up and adjusted:
The Pro 250 skimmer stands 39.5" tall, an inch and a half taller than the MRC Oca Pro 2.
A view of the collection cup, which is 12" in diameter:
A head of foam after just a few minutes of operation:
And a parting view of the old workhorse with its heavy duty Baldor Reeflo pump... getting cleaned for its new home...
I'll report in a few days to advise how it's doing...
LL
Bye bye frag tank...
Bye bye frag tank...
I am pleased to say that I decided to sell my frag tank and light system to my good friend Lytehouse. Lynn is a frag genius and will make much better use of the system than I ever did... Lynn is also the chairman of the frag donor program for our local club, COMAS. (Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society)
Gone but not far away... :wavehand:
I'll miss the convenience, but have plenty of space in the sumps and DT to place many frags for grow-out...
LL
Bye bye frag tank...
I am pleased to say that I decided to sell my frag tank and light system to my good friend Lytehouse. Lynn is a frag genius and will make much better use of the system than I ever did... Lynn is also the chairman of the frag donor program for our local club, COMAS. (Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society)
Gone but not far away... :wavehand:
I'll miss the convenience, but have plenty of space in the sumps and DT to place many frags for grow-out...
LL
What a huge difference, both in skim and in size--just comparing in the picture to the plug plate to the right of the skimmer.
Frag tank is all assembled in the stand in it's new home :spin3: , but has yet to see saltwater or frags
. Have been waiting on couple things to get here to complete the job-- should be tuesday and get started on the project this weekend !!!!!
Did pick up something in anticipation of having a new tank:
Congrats on the skimmer. Will have to get by and see it soon.
Frag tank is all assembled in the stand in it's new home :spin3: , but has yet to see saltwater or frags
. Have been waiting on couple things to get here to complete the job-- should be tuesday and get started on the project this weekend !!!!!Did pick up something in anticipation of having a new tank:
Congrats on the skimmer. Will have to get by and see it soon.
Pacific Reefs
New member
I always loved those skimmers.
Did pick up something in anticipation of having a new tank:
Congrats on the skimmer. Will have to get by and see it soon.
That's a beautiful piece! What exactly is that?
LL
Me too...I didn't have the budget to buy the upgrade back when Reef Specialty was selling them. I was fortunate that a local reefer is also a nationally reknowned speaker and writer who upgraded his system to the MRC Pro 2 in order to write a review. My new skimmer should "loaf" in my 500G system, because it had performed in a stellar fashion in this 700+ gallon system... So in turn, I bought both the Orca 250 AND the Orca Pro 250 from him! http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=665314
I stand in awe of how the Dart Gold pump really fills that tall column with fine, milky bubbles all the way to the collection cup.
LL
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Reef Happy
New member
Thanks George, for the Orca 250. It was nice to grab this beast of a skimmer. Wish the pro kits were still available but regardless I have a great skimmer. Now the work begins, to make room for this big guy.
Thanks for the comments.
The Reef Specialty upgrade is no longer available, so I had to shop around to find one. I purchased mine from a local reefer who had decided to upgrade to the MRC Orca Pro 2. http://www.aquacave.com/reeflo-orca-pro-2-br-recirculating-protein-br-skimmer-2633.html
I took down my Orca 250 right away and am getting it cleaned and prepped to go to another club member.
Here is the new (to me) Pro 250 after just being fired up and adjusted:
The Pro 250 skimmer stands 39.5" tall, an inch and a half taller than the MRC Oca Pro 2.
A view of the collection cup, which is 12" in diameter:
A head of foam after just a few minutes of operation:
And a parting view of the old workhorse with its heavy duty Baldor Reeflo pump... getting cleaned for its new home...
I'll report in a few days to advise how it's doing...
LL
Reef Happy
New member
Thanks Lynn. It is a beast, can't wait to have it up and running.
I apologize for not getting with you to get you some stock frags for the donor program. We do need to meet up sometime soon.
I apologize for not getting with you to get you some stock frags for the donor program. We do need to meet up sometime soon.
Sounds like something you would dab under your ears before going out on a Saturday night... :lol:
(Cheesh, am I showing my age???)
LL
Excellent tank and thread, just finished working my way through all 74 Pages!
Giving me lots of ideas for my next tank, and answering some question that I had
Thanks, Andy. Come back often and say hello...
LL
RO/DI had creeped up to 2-3ppm TDS, so I replaced the Membrane several weeks ago. No change. So this morning I refilled the two DI canisters (the vertical ones on the left of the photo):
The vertical canisters replaced the horizontal ones on the original filter. They last much longer as they do not "channel" like the horizontal.
The RO/DI feeds into the water management tanks (below), as well as the 27G ATO reservoir under the tank stand.
TDS reads zero again...
LL
The vertical canisters replaced the horizontal ones on the original filter. They last much longer as they do not "channel" like the horizontal.
The RO/DI feeds into the water management tanks (below), as well as the 27G ATO reservoir under the tank stand.
TDS reads zero again...
LL
Skimmer update
Skimmer update
As you may have noticed from the thread, I have always been a fan of my Reeflo Orca 250 skimmer. I was able to swap it out for a Reeflo Orca 250 Pro, a modified 250 from Reef Specialty. I have to report I am amazed at the improvements in the Pro 250. The collection cup is awesome, and the modified needlewheel really chops the water.
Here are views of the skimmer after a week of wet skimming:
It is incredible how the Dart Gold pump with the modified needlewheel pushes fine foam 16.5" up the cylinder into the collection cup. That's a lot of additional contact time for the foam to pick up organic compounds.
The cup is 12" diameter x 7.5" tall.
View of the foam quality at the collection cup:
I skim very wet and have already emptied nearly four gallons of nasty, dark wet skimmate from the collection bucket since installing the skimmer a week ago!
With all the Orca 250 skimmers out there, it's too bad this upgrade kit is no longer available from Reef Specialty.
LL
Here is a link to my favorite article on Protein Skimmers: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-08/rhf/index.php
Skimmer update
As you may have noticed from the thread, I have always been a fan of my Reeflo Orca 250 skimmer. I was able to swap it out for a Reeflo Orca 250 Pro, a modified 250 from Reef Specialty. I have to report I am amazed at the improvements in the Pro 250. The collection cup is awesome, and the modified needlewheel really chops the water.
Here are views of the skimmer after a week of wet skimming:
It is incredible how the Dart Gold pump with the modified needlewheel pushes fine foam 16.5" up the cylinder into the collection cup. That's a lot of additional contact time for the foam to pick up organic compounds.
The cup is 12" diameter x 7.5" tall.
View of the foam quality at the collection cup:
I skim very wet and have already emptied nearly four gallons of nasty, dark wet skimmate from the collection bucket since installing the skimmer a week ago!
With all the Orca 250 skimmers out there, it's too bad this upgrade kit is no longer available from Reef Specialty.
LL
Here is a link to my favorite article on Protein Skimmers: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-08/rhf/index.php
Congrats on the upgrade,
Looks like some serious nasty, but 4 gallons in a week.
Oh yeah, I've seen Charlie poop in person.
As you know, I skim wet... but the skimmate is still dark coffee colored and nasty....so I know it's working! :thumbsup:
LL
TV clip picked up on syndication
TV clip picked up on syndication
The short TV feature on our tank and club was picked on on clip syndicate.
http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/playlist/2859/1308376?title=pets_and_animals
Ignore the short commercial before the story... :jester:
LL
TV clip picked up on syndication
The short TV feature on our tank and club was picked on on clip syndicate.
http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/playlist/2859/1308376?title=pets_and_animals
Ignore the short commercial before the story... :jester:
LL
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