Royal-Exclusiv / Vertex Cone Skimmer Club
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
Jeremy I disagree on your thoughts about the 170 on a 185 gal. I had one on my 150 gal with a 35 gal sump and it couldnt keep up with the tank load in my tank. the people who sold it to me told me that it would skim no problems it was tested on SPS tank with loads of clams on a 200 gal and when I wanted the 200 in the first place...
IMho and IMHE that skimmer isnt going to keep up...
Snafu-2112
In Memoriam
Just joined the club yesterday. Bought one used from a local reef club member. My question is, with this 200, is the recommended water level about 8" How many turns out should I have the skimmer's nozzle turn (once screwed in all the way, how many turns should I back it out?) and how far should I have the wedge pipe open. Sorry if the questions have been asked before, but, this thread is 41 pages long. No time to read it all.
Jeremy / I have tryed several different setting on the adjuster. At this time I have skimmer in 9 inches of water 4 turns out on adjuster. Seems to be settling in now .
I will try to keep you posted .Tank has 15 total fish , one big gigantea,one large hadoni, 1/2 dozen bubble tips. No carbon,filter socks ,gfo .
Thanks
I will try to keep you posted .Tank has 15 total fish , one big gigantea,one large hadoni, 1/2 dozen bubble tips. No carbon,filter socks ,gfo .
Thanks
dflad
New member
Hi,
I have an Alpha 300 running at the moment, I have tried to find this info but cant seem to locate it. What is the ID/OD of the tubing for the waste collection cup? Love my skimmer btw, this is my second, I upgraded from a 200 that was awesome but somewhat underpowered on my system.
Thanks
I have an Alpha 300 running at the moment, I have tried to find this info but cant seem to locate it. What is the ID/OD of the tubing for the waste collection cup? Love my skimmer btw, this is my second, I upgraded from a 200 that was awesome but somewhat underpowered on my system.
Thanks
Snafu-2112
In Memoriam
Jeremy,
I emptied the skimmer cup yesterday and cleaned out the neck on my 200, which was skimming beautifully the first week I had it (last week), and since then, over 24 hours later, it has not been able to build up a foam head to skim. I have adjusted the air intake to 1, 2, 4, 6 turns, raised and lowered the water level in the sump, adjusted the air, adjusted the wedge pipe, but, all that happens is that the skimmer now overflows, even with the wedge pipe wide open. I have it 9" of water now, I have dropped it to 8", and have gone to 10" (9-10 is the recommended range in the manual). The water level in the sump is very stable due to baffles. I can see there is tons of turbulence in the body and in the neck -- it looks like bubbles are being pulled DOWN rather than rising up. I haven't added anything to the tank. What's wrong here?
I emptied the skimmer cup yesterday and cleaned out the neck on my 200, which was skimming beautifully the first week I had it (last week), and since then, over 24 hours later, it has not been able to build up a foam head to skim. I have adjusted the air intake to 1, 2, 4, 6 turns, raised and lowered the water level in the sump, adjusted the air, adjusted the wedge pipe, but, all that happens is that the skimmer now overflows, even with the wedge pipe wide open. I have it 9" of water now, I have dropped it to 8", and have gone to 10" (9-10 is the recommended range in the manual). The water level in the sump is very stable due to baffles. I can see there is tons of turbulence in the body and in the neck -- it looks like bubbles are being pulled DOWN rather than rising up. I haven't added anything to the tank. What's wrong here?
The skimmers work wonderfully and are not hit and miss. Too often we are guilty of making way too many adjustments in a short amount of time - a day or two, because the cup isn't full of black nog.
Snafu- Set the skimmer in 8" sump depth, turn the nozzle to 3 turns out, and set the water level inside the skimmer to approximately 1" below the bottom of the collection cup, or at the highest at the bottom of the collection cup and walk away from it. Come back to the skimmer in 1 day and let me know what it's doing. Do not make any adjustments what so ever to the skimmer in a week and let me know what happens if it has a nice foam head built in that first day or two.
Greg45- You have an Alpha 250? How many gallons is this system on? How old is this system? Stock load? Give me more details on all of that. For your setup, put the skimmer in the sump of 9.5" sump depth. Turn the nozzle 3 turns out, and set the water level right at the bottom of the collection cup inside the skimmer. Walk away from it for a full day or two, and do not make any adjustments within 3-4 days or so, let me know what happens.
Guys, I can't stress enough to stop making adjustments on your skimmer multiple times a day. Just set it and walk away for a while.
Thanks,
Jeremy
Snafu- Set the skimmer in 8" sump depth, turn the nozzle to 3 turns out, and set the water level inside the skimmer to approximately 1" below the bottom of the collection cup, or at the highest at the bottom of the collection cup and walk away from it. Come back to the skimmer in 1 day and let me know what it's doing. Do not make any adjustments what so ever to the skimmer in a week and let me know what happens if it has a nice foam head built in that first day or two.
Greg45- You have an Alpha 250? How many gallons is this system on? How old is this system? Stock load? Give me more details on all of that. For your setup, put the skimmer in the sump of 9.5" sump depth. Turn the nozzle 3 turns out, and set the water level right at the bottom of the collection cup inside the skimmer. Walk away from it for a full day or two, and do not make any adjustments within 3-4 days or so, let me know what happens.
Guys, I can't stress enough to stop making adjustments on your skimmer multiple times a day. Just set it and walk away for a while.
Thanks,
Jeremy
Snafu-2112
In Memoriam
Jeremy,
The only reason I keep adjusting it is that every time that I do walk away from it for an hour or so, it overflows...not because I am trying to get black nog the first day. I am just a little frustrated because the first week I ran it, it did GREAT. All I did was empty the cup and wipe out the top part of the neck where "mud" had accumulated (with a plain paper towel), and now it doesn't do anything but malfunction
Snafu-2112
In Memoriam
So, 1" from the BOTTOM of the collection cup itself, or, 1 inch from the bottom of the riser that is part of the cup? Also, should this water level be set WITH the venturi hose open, or, blocked off (no air coming in by placing my finger over the tubing)?
Snafu-2112
In Memoriam
After a day of running it as you described, things are improved. I don't have very much in the collection cup (maybe about 2mm of skimmate), but it is black. I am surprised by how much I had to close the wedge pipe, though (I'd say 70% closed) to get that water level set.
Completely normal to run the wedge pipe at that position. The wedge pipe position doesn't really make any difference on skimmer performance generally speaking, it just has to do with the amount of water the skimmer is moving through it in regards to the diameter of the pipe itself. Glad to hear it's working better for you now!
Eel-byte
Premium Member
I'm working with Albert, we've already changed out the pinwheel as he thought it may have been the culprit. It was to some extent. But now we're thinking it may be a pump issue.I have to have the wedge pipe almost a 100% closed to get the water level we're it needs to be. This is the device i'm using to measure the pump, http://www.reliancecontrols.com/ProductDetail.aspx?THP103 . I see per the instruction book the pump should be drawing 18w, yet this meter says its drawing 139w at 1.1 amps.
Hi Jeremy my 250 is acting funky
It skims ok then drops greatly. Out of no where. Also I notice if I try to adjust it to raise the level the air intake will start pulling water from pipe.
I opened the air top and noticed there is no tube connection from the elbow with the air line to the muffler
Is that suppose to be that way???
Larry
It skims ok then drops greatly. Out of no where. Also I notice if I try to adjust it to raise the level the air intake will start pulling water from pipe.
I opened the air top and noticed there is no tube connection from the elbow with the air line to the muffler
Is that suppose to be that way???
Larry
Jeremy further to my prior post...
whenever i bring the level of the skimmer up so that i get bubbles in the cup... it looks like the water level in the standpipe goes to the same level and then reaches the tubing elbow and water goes down to the pump...
i have to think it is missing a connection from the elbow to the silencer...
this along with missing adjustable intake...makes things difficult...
Larry
whenever i bring the level of the skimmer up so that i get bubbles in the cup... it looks like the water level in the standpipe goes to the same level and then reaches the tubing elbow and water goes down to the pump...
i have to think it is missing a connection from the elbow to the silencer...
this along with missing adjustable intake...makes things difficult...
Larry
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