Skimmer Q&A Thread

The SRO 3000 int you have listed would be my top choice then the MSX 250A would be my second and keep you in your price range. There was a bk mini 200 gen 2 for sale in the used forum that would be perfect as well.

Good luck
Mojo~
 
mojo,

thanks.

saw that...i've heard that the mini's don't have contact time that i'd want. i'd like to get something that can transition to a 300 if i choose to upgrade.

i assume the swc 250 = the msx 250a?

which is quieter?
 
The swc 25a and msx 250a are same. The askol pump is more quiet than the Bubble blaster. However mine has gotten more quiet the longer it runs.
 
Hi Mojo,

I have an Octopus 200 recirc plumbed into a manifold with a gate valve to control the inlet water. My display is 120G, and I have a 40G sump and a 60G fuge in the basement.

I am wondering how I tell how much water should be flowing through the skimmer? What are the signs of too much flow? What are the signs of too little flow? I used to have it hooked up to a maxi-jet 1200, and am hopin to be able to skim more water / time now, if possible.

Thanks,

Adam
 
Hi Mojo,

I have a n00b question but its really plaguing me and I have to get it out there. Let me start by saying this is my first saltwater tank. It is a 33long with a 20gal sump. I have a SWC 120 skimmer. Great skimmer right!? Well.. skimmers are only as good as they are tuned. I can never seem to get things right. Days of nothing getting into the cup.. I 'tune' what I think would be proper and the next day its overflowing. Is there a thread / video on how to methodically tune a skimmer? Hard fast rules as to when and how to and not to tune? Nothing within x minutes of feeding? not in the morning? check it every 20mins after you make a change? I'm just very frustrated.. The dino outbreak doesn't help :/ The tank has been up a few months now and I have an outbreak of what is believed to be dino.. I think a lot of the problem is the nutrient waste is not properly getting exported out of the tank via the skimmer.

I redid quite a bit of my sump into a more simple setup today and plan to setup a remote collection cup from the simmer to handle the job with a float valve to notify me and possibly shut off the skimmer when this container is full (via Neptune Apex lite).


Many thanks!

-Justin
 
ataller said:
Hi Mojo,

I have an Octopus 200 recirc plumbed into a manifold with a gate valve to control the inlet water. My display is 120G, and I have a 40G sump and a 60G fuge in the basement.

I am wondering how I tell how much water should be flowing through the skimmer? What are the signs of too much flow? What are the signs of too little flow? I used to have it hooked up to a maxi-jet 1200, and am hopin to be able to skim more water / time now, if possible.

Thanks,

Adam
Click to expand...
no easy way to tell other than measure the output into a bucket over time.

I would just use a small MJ pump.
 
ohclereef01 said:
Hi Mojo,

I have a n00b question but its really plaguing me and I have to get it out there. Let me start by saying this is my first saltwater tank. It is a 33long with a 20gal sump. I have a SWC 120 skimmer. Great skimmer right!? Well.. skimmers are only as good as they are tuned. I can never seem to get things right. Days of nothing getting into the cup.. I 'tune' what I think would be proper and the next day its overflowing. Is there a thread / video on how to methodically tune a skimmer? Hard fast rules as to when and how to and not to tune? Nothing within x minutes of feeding? not in the morning? check it every 20mins after you make a change? I'm just very frustrated.. The dino outbreak doesn't help :/ The tank has been up a few months now and I have an outbreak of what is believed to be dino.. I think a lot of the problem is the nutrient waste is not properly getting exported out of the tank via the skimmer.

I redid quite a bit of my sump into a more simple setup today and plan to setup a remote collection cup from the simmer to handle the job with a float valve to notify me and possibly shut off the skimmer when this container is full (via Neptune Apex lite).


Many thanks!

-Justin
Click to expand...


Thats no a bad idea. I should do a little video on tuning a skimmer. Everyone is different. Ok the swc 120 is pretty finiky as a little adjust goes a long way. Get the skimmer running and have the bubbles break about 2 inches from the top of the neck to start. give it a couple hours and you should start to get a nice thick collection of foam starting to gather at that point in the neck. Now you can leave it here and run it from there. Most likely it will skim a little dry. You can bump it it just slightly to make it skim a little more wet. Again a very tiny adjustment on it will go along way. It uses a wedgepipe with a handle on it. so a little adjustment makes a big impact.

Mojo~
 
What makes the coralife SS skimmers such **** poor skimmers in relation to other $150 to $250 skimmers? I have a SS65 and it does an okay job after adding a recirc pump, but I'm at the point where I either need to upgrade it or replace it. If I can make use of the body/collection cup and save a good deal of cash then I"d like to do that, otherwise I'll be looking into a new skimmer. I only have about $60 invested in the skimmer (bought it used) so I don't mind dropping a few more bucks into it

It's running off a Rio something or another for the main pump. It's the one that came with it. Would a larger pump help out at all? Does the problem lie in the skimmer's plumbing (internal or external)?
 
Hi, I currently run a Remora Pro with Rio 2500+ pump on my 75 gallon with 20 gallon sump. There is an opportunity to get a Euro Reef RS 80. Is this change worthwhile? My stocking is moderate.
 
Hey Mojo I have a I-Tech 200 with the Sicce pump and I am trying to remove the purple pinwheel but I cannot figure out how, any thoughts or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
 
I had a hard time getting it to start, right now I have the skimmer in a large container getting a vinegar bath, so hopefully it gets a really good cleaning.
 
I've been waiting to ask this until I hooked up my ATO and ran it for a week w/ constant levels in the sump, and its been a week so here ir goes.

The new ATB 840 is one good looking skimmer!
It came w/ an extra pinwheel, apparently the large one came in the pump and the extra was the small. so I left the large in. I built a stand for it and have the water level 6.5" from the bottom of the skimmer.

My 92 corner is modestly stocked w/ 5 fish, the largest being a six-line.
I feed spectra pellets at least twice / day, usually three.
My sump has about 20 gal. in it. The drain goes thru a sock.

Anyway, I can't seem to get anything darker than light tea colored skimmate.
When I open it a touch to run it dryer, It doesn't produce any!
So I leave it a couple days and decide to close it back (just a touch), and it overflows!

Do you think my bio-load is enough for the skimmer?
Should I switch the pinwheels?
Should I change the water level?

I'm getting frustrated and slightly dissapointed.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

Oh yeah... anyone elses valve on the cup drain leak?
I don't have a remote collector yet and just keep the valve closed but it has a slow drip.

Thanks again!
 
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