Reef Octopus DC controllable pumps, why?

[Stickboy97]

So I'm looking at a new skimmer for my 180g I am building and was looking at the Reef Octopus Skimmers with the DC pumps. Why do you need a controllable pump? Why do you need feeding time, for a skimmer that is in your sump?

I have had other skimmers and once you get them dialed in, you don't have to adjust them. The skimmer in my sump in my 75g has nothing to do with feeding time.

Help me here.

 

[MrSandman]

A few reasons:

People use gate valve/ball valves to throttle down the output of their pumps. Electronically controlling it is just easier although not as precise, but more repeatable (e.g. when you turn on/off your pump the setting is always the same).

When you feed and your return pump is running there is a chance that food will go down into your sump and sucked into your skimmer. A feed mode prevents that food from being wasted (or filtered) and ensures it gets eaten by the fish/inhabitants. You pay good money for that food....why let it go to waste?

Also, DC pumps are more efficient.

 

[sirreal63]

He is asking about skimmer pumps, not return pumps.

For the skimmer it does give the ability to tune the air/water mix, but only slightly as a reduction in speed of the pump reduces the air/water equally. I tried one of the DC skimmer pumps but once it was tuned there was no need in changing it, same as with a traditional skimmer. I would agree the better efficiency and quietness of the DC pumps was a plus but had no impact on performance.

 

[Stickboy97]

Yes, I'm talking about the skimmer pump. Once my skimmer is tuned, it doesn't need to be adjusted & feed time is up in the display not in my sump.

 

[vpaul79]

I asked that same question as I own a Diablo DCS-200. Supposedly, by lowering the speed, you get a thicker skimmate, while running 100% is wetter. I do run mine at 100% and it is a tea colored wet skim. I may try running it one speed lower, make the adjustments and see if I get a thicker skim.

Here is the thread with the question and an answer: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2327174

 

[jda]

I have one and I run it at 100% too. It is a little better with the electricity.

They soft start, but this is not a huge deal unless you are turning them off/on all of the time.

I basically bought it for the skimmer and lower wattage - the soft start and speeds are all mostly useless to me (although I reserve the right to change my mind as I mess around with it).

 

[MrSandman]

feed time is up in the display not in my sump.

If you DO turn off your return pumps when you feed, you will also probably want to turn off your skimmer if the water height in your sump rises. Otherwise, your skimmer will continue to run and might end up overflowing and dumping its contents into your sump.

If you DON'T turn off your return pumps when you feed, then you will probably want to turn off your skimmer to prevent the food from going into your skimmer. Sometimes food in the skimmer could cause the skimmer to go a little crazy too.

 

[nikon187]

i havnt turned my skimmer off in over a year, feeding doesnt do anything really. sometimes PE mysis if its extra oily but other than that i would NEVER use feed mode on a skimmer. come to think of it, never used it on any of my vortechs as well

 

[jda]

I turned my pump down to the middle setting yesterday to see how it would skim. I had to adjust the gate valve for the lower water volume, so it will need a few days to tell. I could not tell much difference in the chamber with my eyes, but that doesn't really mean anything.

Anecdotally, I have a DCS300 (12") skimmer right beside a really old ER 12-2 with the dual sedra 5000 pumps in the same sump - the EuroReef pulls out more junk than the octo does. You cannot underestimate two pumps and the increase in air, I guess.

 

[jda]

FWIW - I think that feed mode is about as useless as thunderstorms, cloudy days, dusk/dawn and most of the new gadgetry in the hobby... more about the reefer than the tank and inhabitants. The only time that I use it is when I want to stop my wavebox to have a top-down look with a calm surface.

 

[sirreal63]

Anecdotally, I have a DCS300 (12") skimmer right beside a really old ER 12-2 with the dual sedra 5000 pumps in the same sump - the EuroReef pulls out more junk than the octo does. You cannot underestimate two pumps and the increase in air, I guess.

I think it is probably more of a case of the ER being a better balanced air/water/neck size than the Octo. The Octo's have not been very balanced in many years IMO, way too much air and not enough water.