Skimmer Q&A Thread

[Edgar Melton]

Mojo I see you have a PHD in skimmers unbelievable thank god i found you i just wanted your thought on the SWC 180 cone skimmer? I have it on a 125 g dual in take with a 30 g sump and i want to start to Carbon dose can this skimmer Handel it is it a good skimmer is it a great skimmer or is it a junkie skimmer ? it has a SIcce PSK 2500 modded pump i have around 30 pieces of coral mainly SPS and I'm getting descent growth good color but when i see these other tanks that are being carbon dosed it blows my mined so if you think my skimmer can Handel it i will do it . oh 1 more thing is it better to run my skimmer with More air or less air? right now im running it in the middle. i want to max this thing out let me know how you would run this SWC 180 cone skimmer if you would

thanx a bunch MOJO~

Edgar Melton

 

[skng2011]

Mojo~~

I have a 300G Fowlr, I have my sump underneath and I was able to get the Red Sea C-Skimm 1800 for a great deal, I though I could put it right next to the sump since I do not have enough room to get into the sump.

Anyways I can put it next to but I guess the return has to be perfectly horizontal or slanted down for it to work, the problem is I can not raise the skimmer that much higher to accomplish this, i thought the return was like a pump and would shoot the water back . . . . any suggestions would be amazing!!!

thanks in advance

 

[worm5406]

Can you put up a picture, that way we can "visualize" it...

 

[Dustin1300]

Mojo, long time reader, first time poster....

Below I've listed the current system specs but in the future would not mind having more frag tanks so I can get a small frag business going and see where it goes with time. I don't consider frag tanks that much of a bioload addition but want it to be considered for scalability in the future.

System Specs:

- 525 actual gallons on DT (96X48X30), 140 gallon Frag Tank, 125 gallon sump, 90 gallon fuge, a couple 40Bs for macroalgae growth = ~900+ gallons
- Currently using 2 part dosing pumps, litermeter III for auto water changes, geo 420 GFO, geo 420 GAC, and SRO 3000 Internal in sump.
- Plans for mixed reef and medium/heavy bioload

*I currently have tank in garage awaiting some other basement work before I move it down and start plumbing it in so just running the 140 gallon grow out tank and supplementary filtration sumps/tanks currently on the SRO 3000.

Do you have some recommendations on skimmers that consider the above and also are power efficient, good price/performance ratio (Not a BK), scalable for future, and can be fed by one of the overflows from the DT (External)?

Some skimmers I've considered are ATB Deluxe 12.5, SRO XP5000E, SRO XP8000E, ETSS 1500/2000, Custom Bill Wann Skimmer, Custom GEO skimmer (Similar to bioload of HSA1000), MTC HSA 1000/3000, and I'm sure I've not outlined some others! I just feel like I have too many options and don't want to regret the decision later. You know far more about skimmers and commend you on giving back to community on this thread!

 

[azjohnny]

I really like the SRO 8000, also there are some really nice SRO external models

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[Merlin3100]

WEll Grim has done such a good job on the T5 forum and I see so many skimmer questions. Why not start this forum. I get pms and emails quite often so why not put it all in one place for everyone. We will see how it works. There are a lot of people here that have had a good amount of knowledge on skimmers. So if I dont know the answer, someone else might know. So post you questions here and we will see how it goes.
Mojo~

Let me hear your thoughts on the SWC skimmers, particularly the 180 cone with the Sicce pump. I have read some say the love the pump and others not so much. But I find that to be true with all products.

 

[Dustin1300]

I really like the SRO 8000, also there are some really nice SRO external models

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

Do you have the 8000 on your 180? I'd think you'd have a tough time keeping a good foam head. And 8000, are you talking about the XP (Cone)?

 

[hobbzz]

I'll try to make this as short as possible lol. I'm setting up an 80 gallon deep blue rimless (as soon as it arrives). I picked up the skimmer for the 80 so transferring tanks will be as painless as possible and have it running on our 40 breeder right now. It's a used sro xp2000int, so there should be no break-in period. Well it's not doing much at all. Has no trouble making a foam head, but hardly anything is making it into the cup. I have it sitting in about 6.5 inches of water and can adjust it where ever I want between wet and dry. If I run it too wet, it doesn't collect anything on the neck or in the cup. If I run it too dry, the top of the neck cakes up with skimmate sludge and barely anything makes it into the cup. I also dose vinegar.

Jeremy from coralvue says that the tank is too small, regardless of how many fish I have. There are currently 11 fish. One, 3" and the rest between 1" and 1.5", so they're small, but I feed twice daily and there's 11 of them, so there should be plenty to skim out. Don't worry, the fish list has been very well thought out, no one competing for space, Lot's of porous rock, plenty of sleeping space, no stress, no pacing, no agression, no confused movements etc. Some of these fish, which were on the list for the larger tank anyway, were also recently added to bump up the nutrients for the larger skimmer while I'm working on the plumbing etc, for the new tank.

So Jeremy was saying that the skimmer, putting out about 250gph is processing more water than the tank is running past it. He was assumming my return was aroung 200pgh. When I told him it's around 450gph, he didn't have much in the way of an explanation. The only thing he said is that the smallest tank he's seen this skimmer running on is a "slammed" 75 gallon with about 550gph through the sump.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the skimmer. Pump is operating fine and everything else is working on it. Any ideas what to do? Slow down my return? Raise it another .75"? Factory recommends sump lever to be about 5.75", but that's only to give you more flexibility with adjusting, which I have no problems with at the current level.

 

[caribfan]

Hello All,

So I first posted this as a new thread in the equipment section of the forum, but didn't get any replies. Then I stumbled across this thread and thought I'd move it to hear to see if I could get some help. Any knowledge from ETSS owner is much appreciated.

This was my first post on reef central, I'm really looking forward to this forum.

I have a ETSS 1000 skimmer on my 120 gallon FOWLR tank. The tank has a 75 gallon sump in my basement, and a 5 gallon RDSB. I would guess that the total water volume with the piping and sump is close to 170 gallons. I know the skimmer is rated for much more than that.

I've had the skimmer up and running for several months now, and just haven't been able to dial it in. I am running a blueline 100 to power the skimmer and have the recommended number of bio balls on the mixing chamber.

I find that I can produce a dry foam, but very little skimmate volume. I have a gate valve on both the outlet of the skimmer and on the outlet of the pump. I have the valve on the pump completely open and use the valve on the skimmer to control skimmate production / level in the skimmer.

I've noticed a couple things with the skimmer adjustments and operation:

1. Foam production seems to cycle. What I mean by this is that the foam in the uppper part of the mixing chamber will build, purge and then drop back down. I am assuming this has something to do with the surface tension of the water being altered as the foam builds over time.

2. Secondly, once I am able to make dry foam consistently, if I close the gate valve (even 1/16th of a turn), the foam goes from extremely dry to very wet.

I know a lot of people swear by these skimmers and I'd really like to make this thing work. If any of you have experience with these or know of any tricks, i'd really appreciate it.

I have spent time going over the ETSS website and guides that they have put out, but haven't been able to dial this piece of equipment in as of yet. I have a list of tank inhabitants below.

Tank inhabitants:

2 purple tilefish
1 Juvinile Queen Angel - 3.5"
1 Blue Throat Trigger- 4.5"
5 Green Chromis
1 Eibli Angel - 3"
1 Moorish Idol - 3.5"
1 Diamond Goby - 3.5"

Soon to be added - Golden Butterfly, in its third week of quarantine, 3 more to go.

The tank is fed two to three times a day with a combination of Sea Veggies, ON Forumla 2, ON Angel Formula, and PE Mysis.

Appreciate the help in advance, for the money I spend on electricity, I'd really like to see this thing work.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[kv69]

sro 1000 int or seaside cs5.5

sro 1000 int or seaside cs5.5

Hi, i have a 90 gallon + 20 gallon sump with 100lbs live rock, I want to add sps only when cycle is finished, which do you think is best? SRO 1000 int or SSA cs5.5?
Thanks in advance...

 

[topjimmy]

Hi MoJo

I am setting up a 65g with an 18g sump. I'm in need of a skimmer since all I have is a remora HOB. I was looking at a used reefdevil, or maybe a Bubble Magnus, or other type of needle wheel skimmer. What do you suggest I look for?

 

[Jlaw]

Hey RC!

You guys have helped so many people with their skimmers its nuts. Hopefully you can help me, short and sweet.

250G system very heavily stocked -

SRO 5000sss ( or 3000sss )
NAC9 with the SP4000 pump not the Atman
Avast CS1
CAT 1-2 int

Or ????

keeping it under $600. Thank you everyone who dedicates their time to assisting others!

 

[Jlaw]

Went with the AS21.

Looks frikin sweeet, can't find a single comment on the net so I'll post a full review.

 

[RebelReef]

ATB 840 or Elegance 200 PRO?

ATB 840 or Elegance 200 PRO?

Hey Mojo, thanks for keeping this thread going for all who need help in this area.

New tank is going to be a 110g display with about 30g in the sump. Heavy bio load with small weekly water changes. Feeding twice daily and keeping a ULNS. I currently have an 840, but have an opportunity to pick up an elegance 200 pro... Im worried about it being too much for the ULNS system. If I let nutrients creep up a little bit to around 3ppm, do you think it would work or should I stay with the 840? Could you give me your top 5 choices for my tank? Thank you!!

 

[topjimmy]

I just bought the SeaSide CS 5.5. can't wait to try it.

 

[mojo~]

Hey Mojo, thanks for keeping this thread going for all who need help in this area.

New tank is going to be a 110g display with about 30g in the sump. Heavy bio load with small weekly water changes. Feeding twice daily and keeping a ULNS. I currently have an 840, but have an opportunity to pick up an elegance 200 pro... Im worried about it being too much for the ULNS system. If I let nutrients creep up a little bit to around 3ppm, do you think it would work or should I stay with the 840? Could you give me your top 5 choices for my tank? Thank you!!

Keep the 840. If nothing else upgrade to the b2b pump if you haven't for it already. The elegance pro will not ruin consistent on that size tank. It would be better on a 180

 

[RebelReef]

Keep the 840. If nothing else upgrade to the b2b pump if you haven't for it already. The elegance pro will not ruin consistent on that size tank. It would be better on a 180

THanks Mojo, what is the b2b pump?

 

[superdragon]

SWC Extreme 200 or SRO XP2000SSS/BM NAC9

SWC Extreme 200 or SRO XP2000SSS/BM NAC9

Hi Mojo~
I have a 60g SPS tank with 20g sump running a SWC Extreme 200... Sicce pump impellar shaft goes bad every 6-9 mo. I was thinking of upgrading to a SRO XP2000SSS or Bubble Magus NAC9. Are cones that much better or should I keep the Extreme 200?

thanks

 

[Brando457]

i need an external skimmer for a 180g tank w/ a 75g sump. It will be a fish only with live rock and pretty heavily stocked (15 fish or so of small to large size).

Thanks!

Any tips on running an external skimmer? I have the avast skimmate locker for auto cut off if it overflows already.

 

[JasonKlink]

I'm in the process of building out a 300DD. I currently have a 180 with a 75 gal converted into a sump. I've been running SRO 5000 INT skimmer. I'm going to use same sump. I was thinking about changing skimmers during the process. I've been considering a Vertex, Bubble King or MRC Orca I. Please let me know what you would recommend.