Skimmer Q&A Thread

[mojo~]

Thanks
how would you rank the SRO-1000 compared to the others you noted?

Also curious about over skimming. Is the issue that it will remove too much from the tank/ cunsume more power, or that it would not produce skimmate all of the time? If it cleans the crud and stops bubbling over for awhile why is that not a good thing?
Thanks
Nick

Well if the skimmer is too big. it wil stop skimming. even though there are still some organics in the water. With the larger neck it takes enough organics in the water to fill it. Now on a smaller system the amount organics left in the water % to gallons would be higher than on a say 200g tank. its kind of a misconception. A bigger skimmer doesnt always skim out more than a smaller skimmer. A larger skimmer will skim out a % of organics faster than a smaller one. but if you over size youcanactually skim more with a properly sized skimmer rather than a oversized one.

Mojo~

 

[celamb89]

HELP!!

I recently bought a NW150B protein skimmer and need some help. I cannot get the skimmer to produce dry foam, even when the adjusting pipe is completely open, I get wet foam and the collection cup fills in about 10 minutes. At first I had the skimmer working in 9 inches of water and later on lowered the tower to 8 inches with no luck and now i have it working in 6 inches of water but i still cant get dry skimmate! If the valve is completely open i get wet foam and it fills the collection cup quickly.

I noticed that if I restrict the water intake to the pump by putting the air intake device in the pump really close to the glass in the sump I can get the water level to a lower level where i can get better skimmate, but I dont think its a good idea, I want it to work as it should.

Heres a link to the super instructions that came with it :S
http://www.coralvue.com/pdfs/NW150B Instructions.pdf

So if u have any suggestions I would appreciate it.

Thanks

 

[celamb89]

I was just told by the person who sold me the skimmer that the water conditioner could be the problem.. Should I remove it with active carbon or how do u remove water conditioner?

 

[mojo~]

HELP!!

I recently bought a NW150B protein skimmer and need some help. I cannot get the skimmer to produce dry foam, even when the adjusting pipe is completely open, I get wet foam and the collection cup fills in about 10 minutes. At first I had the skimmer working in 9 inches of water and later on lowered the tower to 8 inches with no luck and now i have it working in 6 inches of water but i still cant get dry skimmate! If the valve is completely open i get wet foam and it fills the collection cup quickly.

I noticed that if I restrict the water intake to the pump by putting the air intake device in the pump really close to the glass in the sump I can get the water level to a lower level where i can get better skimmate, but I dont think its a good idea, I want it to work as it should.

Heres a link to the super instructions that came with it :S
http://www.coralvue.com/pdfs/NW150B Instructions.pdf

So if u have any suggestions I would appreciate it.

Thanks

Take a look to make sure you didnt put the little rubber seal on the venturi/ inlet of the pump. Have had a few put the gasket in there and it blocks the air and cause the pump to pull more water.

 

[mojo~]

I was just told by the person who sold me the skimmer that the water conditioner could be the problem.. Should I remove it with active carbon or how do u remove water conditioner?

yea that can do it as well. WAter changes and carbon. A lot of carbon will totally kill your foam head as well

 

[drparker]

Mojo,

A few quick questions, I'm tying a 56g and 75g together with a 40 breeder for a sump and 35g for a fuge. I currently have a 4 year old ASM G1x with mesh mode and recirculating mode. that won't cut right?

Is a ATB 840 big enough or will I need to go to a K2 or AS 200?

 

[Bolo Tran]

Hey Mojo. Im trying to research for a new skimmer but Im wondering if I even need a new skimmer. I have a ATI BM160 on my tank with the PPW on a 120. At first the skimmer skimmer skimmed great with nice thick frothy foam with the bubbles flowing over the neck and trailing down to the bottom of the collection cup. IT was very satisfying to sight to see. Like this:

But over the last few months, although it still removes stuff,it no longer has that thick satisfying frothy bubbles that trails down to the bottom of the cup even after a new pump and ppw upgrade and a thorough cleaning of the entire body. Is this something that just happens over time as a skimmer skims everything out of the water or is there something wrong with the skimmer? I have a heavily stocked 120 sps with about 18 fish sp I dont believe that my skimmer is oversized for my tank. Is there anything I can do to improve skimming or is it just time to get a new skimmer? Thanks

 

[TNTFISHY]

he 1260 is a quiet pump. but the design of the skimmer is noisy. the way the water sprays into the body and the air is sucked in will make for some noise.

Mojo, what about the ASM G-1, if price is out of the factor?

 

[grandp10]

Hi Mojo, I saw what you were saying about overskimming. On my 75 gal. heavily stocked bioload, I am right now using the MSX 200 and skims well, as you know I wanted a bit of an upgrade. When I put the CS 200 on will it be too much for my tank? Or will it skim even better than the MSX 200? Thank you very much.

 

[mojo~]

Mojo,

A few quick questions, I'm tying a 56g and 75g together with a 40 breeder for a sump and 35g for a fuge. I currently have a 4 year old ASM G1x with mesh mode and recirculating mode. that won't cut right?

Is a ATB 840 big enough or will I need to go to a K2 or AS 200?

The ATB 840 would work great!

 

[mojo~]

Hey Mojo. Im trying to research for a new skimmer but Im wondering if I even need a new skimmer. I have a ATI BM160 on my tank with the PPW on a 120. At first the skimmer skimmer skimmed great with nice thick frothy foam with the bubbles flowing over the neck and trailing down to the bottom of the collection cup. IT was very satisfying to sight to see. Like this:

But over the last few months, although it still removes stuff,it no longer has that thick satisfying frothy bubbles that trails down to the bottom of the cup even after a new pump and ppw upgrade and a thorough cleaning of the entire body. Is this something that just happens over time as a skimmer skims everything out of the water or is there something wrong with the skimmer? I have a heavily stocked 120 sps with about 18 fish sp I dont believe that my skimmer is oversized for my tank. Is there anything I can do to improve skimming or is it just time to get a new skimmer? Thanks

Sounds like your skimmer has just caught up to your load. I think you will be fine with what you have. Is that tank healthy? do you feed lightly or heavy? I think you are fine. No sense spending $$ if you ont need to. Good little skimmer.

 

[mojo~]

Mojo, what about the ASM G-1, if price is out of the factor?

I would go with the vertex or Bubble magus NAC6 over the asm g1

 

[mojo~]

Hi Mojo, I saw what you were saying about overskimming. On my 75 gal. heavily stocked bioload, I am right now using the MSX 200 and skims well, as you know I wanted a bit of an upgrade. When I put the CS 200 on will it be too much for my tank? Or will it skim even better than the MSX 200? Thank you very much.

I would save your money. If you bought anything to upgrade to I would wait and get a ATB 840. A heavy stock 75 is about the lower limit for the 840 but if you want a upgrade then just save your pennies for the 840. Just my two cents.

 

[celamb89]

yea that can do it as well. WAter changes and carbon. A lot of carbon will totally kill your foam head as well

Hello!

ok thanks for the reply! I will see what happens with the skimmer and will post later on!

 

[rtparty]

Mojo,

Do you have much experience with the Aquabee 2000/1 pump? I have my NAC6 and it is skimming like a champ but just wondering if an Aquabee pump would be a big improvement over the Atman 2500.

I also wonder if it is even possible to mod the skimmer with this pump. Even if I had to put the pump on the outside of the skimmer and then build a new bubble plate I think it would be fun to try out one day.

What do you think?

Thanks

Ryan

 

[Bolo Tran]

Mojo. I swear I'm going to leave you alone after this question. . I know that my ati BM 160 is a decent skimmer and with this tough economic times my pockets and I would like to not have to buy a new skimmer unless it's absolutely necessary so I want to do my due diligence in troubleshooting before I shell out the cash for a new skimmer.

I've read a few threads about the sicce pumps having problems with running backwards and I believe that I could possibly have this problem as I just don't feel like my performance is not to its potential. How can I tell if my Sicce is havin this problem? Can I use the direction of the water spinning inside the chamber as an indication? Again it's producing bubbles but just not thick frothy foam but it's still removing organics. Thanks again for all your help.

 

[mojo~]

Mojo,

Do you have much experience with the Aquabee 2000/1 pump? I have my NAC6 and it is skimming like a champ but just wondering if an Aquabee pump would be a big improvement over the Atman 2500.

I also wonder if it is even possible to mod the skimmer with this pump. Even if I had to put the pump on the outside of the skimmer and then build a new bubble plate I think it would be fun to try out one day.

What do you think?

Thanks

Ryan

The ATMAN 2500 and the aquabee2001 actually have really similar performance. THe atman and how its setup actually pulls more air than the aquabees I have used in past.

 

[mojo~]

Mojo. I swear I'm going to leave you alone after this question. . I know that my ati BM 160 is a decent skimmer and with this tough economic times my pockets and I would like to not have to buy a new skimmer unless it's absolutely necessary so I want to do my due diligence in troubleshooting before I shell out the cash for a new skimmer.

I've read a few threads about the sicce pumps having problems with running backwards and I believe that I could possibly have this problem as I just don't feel like my performance is not to its potential. How can I tell if my Sicce is havin this problem? Can I use the direction of the water spinning inside the chamber as an indication? Again it's producing bubbles but just not thick frothy foam but it's still removing organics. Thanks again for all your help.

Get yourself an air meter and that will help alot. Get a dwyer rma or rmb.

 

[TNTFISHY]

I would go with the vertex or Bubble magus NAC6 over the asm g1

Just to clarify Mojo, if I could get the ASM G1 for the price of the Vertex or NAC6, you'd still go with them over the G1? My decision is hinging on this. No pressure.

 

[Bolo Tran]

Anyone know where to acquire a dwyer rma-22 online? Just did a google search and nothing came up as far as retail goes. Do I need any accessories to test?