Reeflo Orca 250

It is in the best interest of the hobby for manufactures to advertise true and accurate specifications on all there products. With that in mind, the air flow numbers for the Reeflo Orca 200 should also be corrected. The actual air flow for users in the home are in the mid 40's not the mid 60's as measured in SCFH. This again is overstating air flow by 50% and should not be tolerated. Please give honest specs. Falsifiing specs to beat the competition will only hurt all of us in the long run. Thanks.
 
It looks like you do have to raise your water level. Have you tried it for an extended period at all? It should be okay... I hear what you are saying, but I dont really see why not.
 
I can raise the water level so the bubbles transition about 4 inches up the riser. Above this turbulence starts and instead of the bubbles rising up the riser straight and slow, they will start to waver, rise faster and the foam becomes more dense and compact. The optimum setting is like the photo or just and inch or two higher. I attribute this to the skimmer only drawing in 60-65 SCFH, it just does not need to be set any higher.
 
cweder

Where is the water level with the air valve closed? With the old cup I had it right at the bottom of the screws and I got a nice dark and wet skimmate.

IMG_0617.jpg
 
With the air flow cut off, the water level inside the skimmer should be running right at the flange where hte cup sits onto the skimmer body. This will give by far the best mix of dry and wet skimmate.
 
Tried it, it will overflow continuously at that level. I think I could run at the level before with the A.O. Smith. My bubbles rise fast, I noticed the change when I added the other skimmers to my system. My tank is probably running cleaner than yours to be honest. My max water level with air shut off is about an inch lower. When I opened back up the air valve even at my lower level it causes an overflow. I think if they lowered the T where the wedge valve is by 5 inches or take it off completely and just use a gate valve it could help the overflow problems. I still think a very easy fix to getting more air would be some flat mesh to the needle wheel. It seems like the perfect candidate. I just dont want to be the first to try it, but I have some on order.
 
The only problem I see with doing the mesh is gaining access to it. Its not going to be nearly as simple as redoing a Sicce pump and working with mesh would probably turn off alot of customers. So the best solution would be to create a more efficient needle wheel and simply replace the old one.

Picture below is my moderate setting, foam is still light and airy.

IMG_1731.jpg


Pictured below, here it is set so water is right were the riser neck starts. I eyeballed the water level with air completely open. Any higher and small turbulent bubbles enter the neck. This will be my wet setting. Foam is compressing, which is probably from the back pressure the cup lid is causing. Foam does not look as dirty, maybe just because it is wetter.


IMG_1741.jpg
 
Last edited:
Just a quick update, since I run 3 skimmers at the same time I thought I should post how they are doing together skimming the same tank.

Reeflo Orca 250 vs MSX 300 vs ASM G1X. I have had them all set to run on the wet side this past week. The Reeflo's pump is just now getting fully broken in over 2 weeks and the MSX is still breaking in and far from optimal with only about 45 SCFH air flow.

The Reeflo Orca 250 won easily, skimming 4 times as much wet skim as the ASM and twice the wet skim of the MSX and alot more mud produced than the other 2 skimmers although the ASM skimmate was still the stinkiest.

So, way to go Reeflo! The ASM is fully broken in and a very consistant performer. I just remeshed the MSX and it is now pulling around 95 SCFH! The MSX needs further breaking in, but should give the Reeflo a run for the most productive skimming now. This is alot of air and should be fun to see if it makes a difference. The MSX runs completely different now. This maybe too much air for such a short neck. One thing I did notice is how much more turbulent the MSX is than the Reeflo, this is a surprise and a plus for the Reeflo. The same turbulence in the skimmer body was noted before as well with the MSX 300 pulling only 45 SCFH. I will update this again in about a week.
 
I would say the MSX 300 is breaking today. It has wet skimmed almost 3/4 of an inch in its cup, the ASM almost 1 oz or 30 ml and the Orca 250 almost nothing, just the dry stuff so far today.

The MSX 300 proved today that the air does matter, it can be set to wet skim very nicely as it did today or set lower and skim dry.
The MSX 300 is nearly identical in size as the Orca 250, except the Orca has a taller neck. The MSX 300 is now set at about 90-95 SCFH and is showing me how much better the Orca 250 could be if it could pull more air.
 
Found out where my nitrates are coming from yesterday. I have been lazy about changing out the DI part of the RO/DI top off water. The water I have been using the last 6 months has been at 0.2 nitrate. Time for new stuff.

On the plus side for the Reeflo 250, I have noticed its foam is much more stable as compared to the new MSX 300 I am trying out. I think this is because the MSX 300's body is much more turbulent in mixing the bubbles. Score one for the Reeflo.
 
I just swapped out the A.O Smith pump for the Orca GOLD. Still running the stock neck. I'll report how it goes after it's running normally again.
 
klasiksb, if you still have the AO Smith can you tell me what RPM is listed on the motor? I am using the Gold and it is 1650 rpm. Its a better motor, but I dont believe it pulls much more air if any over the AO Smith. I had tried a refurbished Baldor motor back a few months ago and I swear it pulled alot more air than either of these two motors.
 
My Orca 250 is for sale, if anyone is interested. Either the MSX 300 or Orca 250 seems to be adequate for my tank. I am keeping the MSX for now because it is almost completely silent and uses half the electric. My electric bill is redilculous.
 
Now I may keep the Orca 250, things that I like the most compared to MSX are:
1) Its recirculating
2) I control the flow that goes thru it with separate pump, so I can control the turbulence and needs of my tank as well as fine tuning for best production of skiim.
3) It has a wider and taller neck so should be able to handle more air and give better control.
4) I never have to worry about the pump not restarting
5) Its external so I dont have to worrry about the sump water level. A proper sump for MSX would solve this, but would require alot of work for me to redo it.

The only thing I dont like is the air draw. Its seems perfectly designed to handle more air. Then it should be perfect. Mesh on the way.
 
Thru on some mesh tonight. I was hopeful, but I think to much ended up towards the center and not enough towards the outside. Only used 2 layers of flat back... just for starters. Air draw is now 60-65, so disapointing there. Took almost no time to start skimming though. Another positive is the Orca Gold is even quieter, so its probably using even less electric. The air draw is also much smoother and steady now, even with the water level set high.
 
Sold my MSX 300 today, thank you Carlos! It was a pleasure meeting you.

Since I am keeping the Orca 250 thought I would try to remesh it better this time. Must have got it right, it is pulling over 100 SCFM!! I hope this is right, it seems like it is because the water line is now a 1/4 inch below, thats right below the taper, not the neck, and the bubbles go all the way to the top of the riser now. I will now have to restrict the air or get that riser extension. Huge, huge difference. All is well in la la land. Mesh is incredible stuff. I stacked about 3 layers of one inch wide strips around the perimeter of the needle wheel and used fishing line to strap it down a bit. I left the center of the needle wheel open.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12467938#post12467938 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cweder
Tried it, it will overflow continuously at that level. I think I could run at the level before with the A.O. Smith. My bubbles rise fast, I noticed the change when I added the other skimmers to my system. My tank is probably running cleaner than yours to be honest. My max water level with air shut off is about an inch lower. When I opened back up the air valve even at my lower level it causes an overflow. I think if they lowered the T where the wedge valve is by 5 inches or take it off completely and just use a gate valve it could help the overflow problems. I still think a very easy fix to getting more air would be some flat mesh to the needle wheel. It seems like the perfect candidate. I just dont want to be the first to try it, but I have some on order.
Click to expand...

The other option might be to get a neck extension... make the neck a good 6" taller or so... should be cheap and easy enough to do. Getting the waterline up in the neck area would be a great help.

Otherwise, the only other major improvement, as we have talked about via PM would be to keep the needlewheel as it is (or make one with finer, denser pins), and then try to get a slightly larger volute from ReefFlo... dont know if they make one like that though for the dart. Even if it was just 1/2" more in diameter or something, that would greatly increase the airflow. But like its been mentioned before, then you have the neck to deal with.

edit: read the rest of your posts, seems like you are already set with the pump, and just need maybe a neck extension. Glad it worked out.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

OG Reefs
My current build
7 8 9
Replies
178
Views
5K
JohnL
JohnL
R
Auto water changes
Replies
9
Views
349
Vinny Kreyling
Vinny Kreyling
S
AI Blade Grow and Glow help
Replies
5
Views
220
Sermanley
S
N
Is this a design flaw from Red Sea? Please help me with this sump upgrade Max e170 (Sump and tank connection)
Replies
1
Views
388
wvned
wvned
mixedreeflife
Reefer 250 GEN1 leak proofing...
Replies
3
Views
120
griss
griss
Back
Top