Royal-Exclusiv / Vertex Cone Skimmer Club

[Gbear]

So is this skimmer pretty consistant? I just ordered one on Friday and after reading people are saying the neck is to large for the pump? It will on a 90g Sps tank and wondering if it will be to large.

You didn't mention which you ordered. Anyway you might be refering to the comment regarding the Alpha 300 possibly being able to run on one pump.
(Which I say it actually can, as mentioned a few posts up).
Hopefully you ordered the 170.
You may find it a bit too much skimmer for a 90 but I don't actually know as I have never had the pleasure.
I can say I have never once thought that the neck was too big on my Alpha and it is massive. As a poop reactor it is the best I have used but I'm still hoping for a comment or two form some others with expierence in reference to my earlier post. Come on guys don't make me bump my own post.

 

[Jeremy B.]

So is this skimmer pretty consistant? I just ordered one on Friday and after reading people are saying the neck is to large for the pump? It will on a 90g Sps tank and wondering if it will be to large.

I'm assuming you're talking about the 170 as well? If so, I ran it on my 75g with about a 30g sump for quite a while and it worked wonderfully. Note that I didn't constantly tweak it either, I just set the water height and let the skimmer do it's job. If it didn't pull much for a day or two I wasn't too concerned, because it would always kick back in and work wonderfully.

Most newer skimmers on the market will perform as advertised given that you don't constantly tweak the wedge pipe every other day and end up chasing your tail with it, obviously given the skimmer is sized appropriately for your system.

 

[karsseboom]

Yeah I was talking about the 170. That's great news I was worried about the skimmer not skimming and being to large for my system.

 

[kalaika33]

I'm assuming you're talking about the 170 as well? If so, I ran it on my 75g with about a 30g sump for quite a while and it worked wonderfully. Note that I didn't constantly tweak it either, I just set the water height and let the skimmer do it's job. If it didn't pull much for a day or two I wasn't too concerned, because it would always kick back in and work wonderfully.

Most newer skimmers on the market will perform as advertised given that you don't constantly tweak the wedge pipe every other day and end up chasing your tail with it, obviously given the skimmer is sized appropriately for your system.

Hey Jeremy,
Do you know the correct water level in the skimmer? I know the correct water outside the skimmer is suppose to be 9-10inches. Also what about how many turns for the white nozzle on the front of the pump? This is for the Alpha 170. Is the water level in the skimmer suppose to be higher then the level outside the skimmer?
Thanks

 

[kalaika33]

Alpha 170 Initial Setup Specs Help

Alpha 170 Initial Setup Specs Help

Ok going through the whole thread I think I figured out my initial settings. Please correct me or add info please.

Alpha 170
external water level: 8.5-10 inches of water
internal water level: 2-2.5 inches above the bubble plate (so bubbles are seen 2-2.5 inches above plate.)
white nozzle: 2-4 full turns (example 12:00 to 12:00 is one full turn) (start at completely closed nozzle)

In order to get dry or wet skim, I only adjust the white nozzle on the pump?

Wet skim: white nozzle further out.
Dry skim: white nozzle in towards the pump.

Has anyone seen the whole skimmer sorta rock back and forth while skimming? (slight rocking movement) Is this due to pulsing?

What else an I missing? Any one please at your .02
Thanks again to everyone on the thread.

 

[Jeremy B.]

Hey Jeremy,
Do you know the correct water level in the skimmer? I know the correct water outside the skimmer is suppose to be 9-10inches. Also what about how many turns for the white nozzle on the front of the pump? This is for the Alpha 170. Is the water level in the skimmer suppose to be higher then the level outside the skimmer?
Thanks

Put the water inside the skimmer inbetween the neck and the bottom of the collection cup. The venturi will be turned in all the way to the right (closed), then back it out 2 turns, but no further than 4 turns. HTH!

 

[karsseboom]

Okay jeramey I have some problems setting up the skimmer. First is the skimmer seems to be pulsing? There is water coming out from the red pipe where the clear hose enters? I have the skimmer setting in 8.75 inches of water and about 2 turns on the white nozzle. Is there something I'm missing here?

 

[karsseboom]

It seems to be skimming quiet well but the water splashing out from the wedge pipe kinda sucks.

 

[karsseboom]

Okay figured it out...it dosent seem to difficult to adjust.

 

[clowndude]

Has anyone had issues with their vertex alpha not wanting to stay in tune? I've been try to get mine dialed in for quite some time. Thought I finally had it last night and came in to see it lower than set yesterday. I have the nozzle on the pump about 2.5 turns out.

 

[karsseboom]

Still can't figure out why the water is flowing out of the wedge pipe.

 

[Jeremy B.]

Has anyone had issues with their vertex alpha not wanting to stay in tune? I've been try to get mine dialed in for quite some time. Thought I finally had it last night and came in to see it lower than set yesterday. I have the nozzle on the pump about 2.5 turns out.

Does your sump level fluctuate at all, even a half inch or so?

 

[Jeremy B.]

Still can't figure out why the water is flowing out of the wedge pipe.

Can you post some photos of your setup as well as where the water is flowing out of?

 

[karsseboom]

It's coming out of the hole where the clear silicone hose enters into the red wedge pipe right above the T.

 

[Jeremy B.]

This is an older model then that doesn't have the connection on the outside of the tube. Just grab the hose and bend it a little bit and it will help to seal it up some. How is the skimmer running?

 

[karsseboom]

That skimmer pictured is not the one I have but looks pretty close and the hole where the silicone hose exits is the same on both models.


This is the one I have

 

[karsseboom]

The skimmer is running great, very happy with the performance.

 

[karsseboom]

Here is the problem I'm talking about

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbIVcHF4X8U

 

[OffDaHook]

Jeremy, I would like to order an Alpha Skimmer. You guys got any in stock?

 

[AcroporAddict]

It's coming out of the hole where the clear silicone hose enters into the red wedge pipe right above the T.

You have the output from the skimmer restricted by the wedge pipe so the water level inside the pipe is rising to where the air hose enters it. It is not a defect and does not detract from the performance of the skimmer. Nothing to be concerned about, really.