MSX skimmer club

I plan on upgrading to a 180gal in the future. I bought a MSX250 for my mother-in-law who has a 180 gallon tank and a 70 gallon refugium and the 250 is a little overkill for her system. I decided to pick up a used MSX200 for a song and dance and plan on using the Red Demon pinwheel when I step up to my own 180 gallon system. I didn't want an overpowered skimmer and I certainly didn't want to have to deal with TWO finicky Sicce's. I thought about running the 250a, but it was a little more than I wanted to spend. I'll break even selling my I-tech 100 when I get the MSX200, so if I want to upgrade in the future, it won't be a tough sell.
 
SHOmuchFUN said:
I plan on upgrading to a 180gal in the future. I bought a MSX250 for my mother-in-law who has a 180 gallon tank and a 70 gallon refugium and the 250 is a little overkill for her system. I decided to pick up a used MSX200 for a song and dance and plan on using the Red Demon pinwheel when I step up to my own 180 gallon system. I didn't want an overpowered skimmer and I certainly didn't want to have to deal with TWO finicky Sicce's. I thought about running the 250a, but it was a little more than I wanted to spend. I'll break even selling my I-tech 100 when I get the MSX200, so if I want to upgrade in the future, it won't be a tough sell.
Click to expand...

I run the 250 with stock PW and new reducer on my 180g and could not be happier. I don't have any issues with the sicce's either. I run undetectable N03 and don't consider it overkill for this size system. My tank is BB, minimal rock on pillars and no refugium. this skimmer truly is the heart of filtration for my tank. I would be hesitant to go with the 200 on my tank, but maybe the red dragon PW would make up for the size ... and a refugium if you are planning on running one.
 
platax88 said:
I run the 250 with stock PW and new reducer on my 180g and could not be happier. I don't have any issues with the sicce's either. I run undetectable N03 and don't consider it overkill for this size system. My tank is BB, minimal rock on pillars and no refugium. this skimmer truly is the heart of filtration for my tank. I would be hesitant to go with the 200 on my tank, but maybe the red dragon PW would make up for the size ... and a refugium if you are planning on running one.
Click to expand...
I'm tired of running overkill skimmers on my system and constantly wondering if it's working properly when the foam head collapses due to lack of nutrients. I don't doubt you have undetectable N03. I personally would like to have a skimmer that produces a steady head of foam and from first-hand experience, the 250 has not pulled consistently. It will shut down on occasion and the wedge pipe needs to be adjusted.
 
SHOmuchFUN said:
I'm tired of running overkill skimmers on my system and constantly wondering if it's working properly when the foam head collapses due to lack of nutrients. I don't doubt you have undetectable N03. I personally would like to have a skimmer that produces a steady head of foam and from first-hand experience, the 250 has not pulled consistently. It will shut down on occasion and the wedge pipe needs to be adjusted.
Click to expand...

I hear ya ... that would be annoying.

I don't adjust the wedge on mine but i do skim wet. Maybe i overfeed or maybe the fact that i dont have any other means of nutrient export, well, except a 5% weekly wc.
 
question for all you skimmer gurus. I was at my friends house helping him to a cleaning, we turned off his MSX 250a and cleaned the cup, then turned the pump back on. When we did we got a larger amount of micro bubbles coming out of the drain pipe and got larger bubbles then usual in the body. Took the pump off and look inside if anything was caught but nothing. The microbubbles are still flowing out like crazy from the drain and there are larger bubbles in the body. Bubbles in the body are no were near as small as they were before cleaning.

Any ideas?
 
Well after much debate of upgrading my MSX250 I took the safe route and just bought the new MSX250A, just got it delivered, FedEx kicked butt and delivered on Saturday when it was scheduled for next Tuesday :)

got it all assembled but the union piece that attaches to the pump did not come attached, do I need to glue that to the pump, its pretty loose so I am sure the back pressure will just push it out of the socket
 
I bought a 300A last week. It's been overflowing all week. I have it sitting in 8 inches of water. Do I need to raise it up so that the water level within it is lower, to therefore skim less wet, and hopefully stop overflowing?
 
Yesterday I cleaned our MSX200 and it was skimming fine, this morning there was foam coming out of the holes in the lid. It did not overflow, but foam was coming out of the side and the holes. Couple of questions.
Does anyone place any weight on the lid to keep it from raising?
Are there times were it skims so strong that the foam does not fall before escaping the holes?
Is 8" of water the ideal water level?
Considering a heavy bio load, what would everyone say would be consider a good amount of skimmate per day in the cup? Less than 1", 2", etc.
 
dwhanc00 said:
Yesterday I cleaned our MSX200 and it was skimming fine, this morning there was foam coming out of the holes in the lid. It did not overflow, but foam was coming out of the side and the holes. Couple of questions.
Does anyone place any weight on the lid to keep it from raising?
Are there times were it skims so strong that the foam does not fall before escaping the holes?
Is 8" of water the ideal water level?
Considering a heavy bio load, what would everyone say would be consider a good amount of skimmate per day in the cup? Less than 1", 2", etc.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you have the bubble column too high in the body. Turn down the air a bit and see if that helps.
As to the amount of skimmate it is a personal choice---if you want lots of watery skimmate then crank up the air, it you want less put thick skimmate then turn down the air a bit.
 
Hal said:
I bought a 300A last week. It's been overflowing all week. I have it sitting in 8 inches of water. Do I need to raise it up so that the water level within it is lower, to therefore skim less wet, and hopefully stop overflowing?
Click to expand...
Anybody? Bueller. . . Bueller. . . Bueller?
 
stevek480 said:
How do you have the wedge pipe adjusted? Is it fully open and still overflowing?
Click to expand...
Yep. Full open.

FWIW, the water level is at the top of the tapered portion of the cone. Right at the bottom of where the cone becomes vertical.
 
Last edited:
Hal said:
Yep. Full open.

FWIW, the water level is at the top of the tapered portion of the cone. Right at the bottom of where the cone becomes vertical.
Click to expand...
Um. . . It probably helps to have the skimmer in 8 inches of water rather than 11 inches. :rolleyes: It seems I fail "Measuring 101". (I did measure it. Doh!)
 
Do you guys think my MSX200 will be good enough for a 180 gallon tank? I currently have a 125gallon and empty the cup only once a week if that...
 
gooyferret said:
Do you guys think my MSX200 will be good enough for a 180 gallon tank? I currently have a 125gallon and empty the cup only once a week if that...
Click to expand...

I would say yes, comparing how my 200 handles a 125 DT medium stocked. I also have the bb3000 pump setup on the skimmer and I truely believe it could handle way more than what I have. After I do a water change, it will skim balls for about 30 minutes, and then it goes back to it's normal/caught up skimming.
 
gooyferret said:
Do you guys think my MSX200 will be good enough for a 180 gallon tank? I currently have a 125gallon and empty the cup only once a week if that...
Click to expand...

I think it's worth a shot if you already have it. I run the 250 on my 180 gallon and I'm not sure that i would downgrade.
 
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