Skimmer Q&A Thread

[mojo~]

is it a new skimmer? might have to break in but this is a problem with CSS.

 

[ECFENCING]

Jesse:

What do you think would be the best skimmer for a 20 gallon tank with a 40gallon sump?

Thinking of downgrading to an elos 20 and am going to plumb the sump behind the wall..

Thanks Again.

 

[Drewbaby]

Mojo
The CSS is about a month old total, but Im the second owner and have had it setup about 2 weeks. I've cleaned it every week since I've owned it, but now that it's set and skimming great Im not sure I'd the way I'm cleaning is good. I rinsed out the cup with ro water and wiped off the gunk that built up on the inside of the center tube. If that's not it and I just need to let it settle in how long does it take to do so?

 

[mojo~]

Jesse:

What do you think would be the best skimmer for a 20 gallon tank with a 40gallon sump?

Thinking of downgrading to an elos 20 and am going to plumb the sump behind the wall..

Thanks Again.

Either the Tunze 9002 or the swc 120 cone.

 

[ws6kid]

Putting together a new setup atm. The sump will have plenty of space for an internal and my room for the filtration has plenty of room for an external. Total water is about 400gallons. Looking at all of the brands has me confused a bit. What is the best skimmer for the money? I would rather not be over $1000 for it.

 

[waldomas]

Gentlemen,

It appears to me that the mini airstar (sicce psk2500) that comes w/ the ATB840v1.5 (w/ the stock pinwheel) is rated for approx. 650 gph?

If so, I should choose a return pump for close to that gph rating?

What do you recommend?

Oh yea... she's goin' online tomorrow on the 92 corner!


Joel...has yours quieted down yet?

 

[GSMguy]

the PSK is rated for 650GPH But thats with the stock paddle wheel, with the pinwheel it uses less energy and pushes less water. I would shoot for 450 GPH thru the sump, eheim 1260 or something similar.

 

[mojo~]

the PSK is rated for 650GPH But thats with the stock paddle wheel, with the pinwheel it uses less energy and pushes less water. I would shoot for 450 GPH thru the sump, eheim 1260 or something similar.

Exactly. I agree with Nick as well. I use a 1260 on my 90

 

[mojo~]

Putting together a new setup atm. The sump will have plenty of space for an internal and my room for the filtration has plenty of room for an external. Total water is about 400gallons. Looking at all of the brands has me confused a bit. What is the best skimmer for the money? I would rather not be over $1000 for it.

With that water volume and budget I would look at the super reef octo 5000 series or a Warner Marine AS 300. The MSX 300A would aslo be on my to look at list.

Mojo~

 

[waldomas]

Thanks for the return pumpadvice guys!

I now realize that the pinwhell in my skimmer pump is the large one.
I just built the stand for the small pinwheel (7" in sump) and am unsure how deep
to place the skimmer for the large pinwheel.

If I recall correctly, the large pinwheel requires less depth? Maybe 6"-6.5"?
Any help is appreciated.

 

[waldomas]

Ok...I forgot Joel said his lg. pinwheel is in 7"

I'll try that and see how it works.

 

[lukinrats]

Mojo~,

I got a SRO XP2000 Ext cone for my 120, but now I am losing the 120 and going with 180. I figure I need to move up, but for a while I am probably not going to need the 3000.
Should I just go ahead and upgrade, or should I go ahead and see what the 2000 will do?

Conflicted!

Nathan

 

[mojo~]

The 2000 will do fine until you get a pretty good load in it. if you go with the 3000 now it probably wont skim a lot until you get a pretty good size load in it.

 

[lukinrats]

The 2000 will do fine until you get a pretty good load in it. if you go with the 3000 now it probably wont skim a lot until you get a pretty good size load in it.

Thanks! That is what I am thinking too, but if I am going to do better with the 3000 in the long run, then I should be able to find a way to make it work in the meantime. Right? Since it will be an external, then I should be able to run the water through it very slowly in the beginning, correct?

Nathan

 

[daniel89]

Any helpful thoughts with my vertex in-180 skimmer. For some reason the skimmate builds up on the walls and hardly ever makes it to the collection cup. It sits in 9 inches of water (which might be the problem). The air bubbles dont seem to work right either in the chamber. They seem to not make foam and rise just sit a inch above the water line and combind with other bubbles and make bigger ones then pop i guess...

 

[mojo~]

Any helpful thoughts with my vertex in-180 skimmer. For some reason the skimmate builds up on the walls and hardly ever makes it to the collection cup. It sits in 9 inches of water (which might be the problem). The air bubbles dont seem to work right either in the chamber. They seem to not make foam and rise just sit a inch above the water line and combind with other bubbles and make bigger ones then pop i guess...

can u take a pic and show me? how long you had it. Sounds like you need to move the water level up inside the skimmer.

 

[daniel89]

Yeah i can post a picture, and ive had it for roughly feburary 20th this year running in the sump. and the water level in the skimmer is higher than the water level outside the skimmer :/

 

[daniel89]

as you can see it builds up on the chamber walls and hardly makes it into the collection cup, i cleaned it two days ago and i pulled more sludge off the chamber walls than what was emptyed from the cup.

And ive cleaned it twice now and each time has been the case where it all collects to the chamber wall instead of going into the collection cup.

 

[rdlisby]

Hello,

I have a basic custom built skimmer, its 22 inches tall, and 8 inch diameter, with a 3 inch neck at the top. The input pvc line comes in about mid way up on the body, and the output tube is located at the bottom. It had a Gen-X 2400 needle wheel pump on it that just died. It has always done a really good job, but when the pump died I thought maybe getting a bigger better pump might improve its effectives. I have it on a 180 Gallon reef with SPS, LPS, Zoas and softies.

I asked in a separate thread and somebody recommended Aqua Medics 2500 pump, I read in previous pages of this thread a Bubble Blaster 3000 is a good pump. Some people seem to like the Octopus 3000 pumps. I read the Sicce can be loud and some people don’t like the Sedras.

What do you think would be a good replacement pump; the skimmer sits in about 9 inches of water in my sump.

Thanks for the help.

 

[coraljunky]

Hey mojo,

My actual volume is 70g including my sump. Mostly sps with a couple clams, 1 shrimp, and 3 fish. SWC 120 or 160 cone?

Thanks in advance