Skimmer Q&A Thread

Which 'value' skimmer for a 120G?

Looking at the Octopus 150 classic & 152 Classic. I've also looked at the Simplicity 240 DC, but I like a 2 year warranty on a pump.
 
indyjaco said:
Which 'value' skimmer for a 120G?

Looking at the Octopus 150 classic & 152 Classic. I've also looked at the Simplicity 240 DC, but I like a 2 year warranty on a pump.
Click to expand...


I think they might all be a little too small to borderline with anything other than a light load unless you are running some other means of nutrient export.. Most skimmer are rated for way more than they can handle.
 
I cleaned my RO Classic 150INT last weekend and it has been unstable since then. I vinegar bathed the body and let the pump sit in it for a night then ran it in vinegar for half an hour and rinsed it with fresh water. But it has been either overflowing or not reaching to the neck at all since the cleaning. I have only had if for about 7 months.
I read on some forums saying it could be the air intake was blocked or has debris but I checked mine and it is fine. Am I going to go through another cycle or is my skimmer broken permanently? Any advice is appreciated.
 
roberthu526 said:
I cleaned my RO Classic 150INT last weekend and it has been unstable since then. I vinegar bathed the body and let the pump sit in it for a night then ran it in vinegar for half an hour and rinsed it with fresh water. But it has been either overflowing or not reaching to the neck at all since the cleaning. I have only had if for about 7 months.
I read on some forums saying it could be the air intake was blocked or has debris but I checked mine and it is fine. Am I going to go through another cycle or is my skimmer broken permanently? Any advice is appreciated.
Click to expand...


Sometimes when you completely clean a skimmer it may take a day or two to break in...
 
I have a moderately stocked 180 and running a etss tower with a pump taking lots of juice to run it.

Looking to go to a more efficient system

Any thoughts?
 
If you can get your hands on an EM300 by Aquamaxx it was my favorite needlewheel skimmer.

Otherwise how much space and budget do you have?
 
Hello All, we have a 220 gallon total volume DT. Have a chance to buy a used ATB 840 skimmer but it must be an older model ATB because it has a PSK 2500 pump. Is there a better pump that I can install, or stick with the original design?
 
wrimda said:
Hello All, we have a 220 gallon total volume DT. Have a chance to buy a used ATB 840 skimmer but it must be an older model ATB because it has a PSK 2500 pump. Is there a better pump that I can install, or stick with the original design?
Click to expand...

They now come with a AirStar 1200 DCT pump which is a dc Jebao pump..
They also can be bought with the Sicce Syncra pump but the two should be pretty equal in performance.
The DC pump will add a measure of control ability.
 
shred5 said:
They now come with a AirStar 1200 DCT pump which is a dc Jebao pump..
They also can be bought with the Sicce Syncra pump but the two should be pretty equal in performance.
The DC pump will add a measure of control ability.
Click to expand...

I have both a PSK 2500, and a PSK1000 pump will they all fit? Also trying to use the pump with the least amount of wattage use which I guess would be the PSK2500 @ 33W.
Seeing how the Skimmer has a smaller neck, would one pump work better than the others?

Thank you
Mike
 
wrimda said:
Hello All, we have a 220 gallon total volume DT. Have a chance to buy a used ATB 840 skimmer but it must be an older model ATB because it has a PSK 2500 pump. Is there a better pump that I can install, or stick with the original design?
Click to expand...

The current pumps for that skimmer are:
AC = Sicce 1000
DC = Jeaod DCT 1200

ATB stocks both. Both perform well. DCT is a little quieter and has 10 speeds for fine tuning.
 
wrimda said:
I have both a PSK 2500, and a PSK1000 pump will they all fit? Also trying to use the pump with the least amount of wattage use which I guess would be the PSK2500 @ 33W.
Seeing how the Skimmer has a smaller neck, would one pump work better than the others?

Thank you
Mike
Click to expand...

Both will fit. 1000 may perform better.
 
wrimda said:
I have both a PSK 2500, and a PSK1000 pump will they all fit? Also trying to use the pump with the least amount of wattage use which I guess would be the PSK2500 @ 33W.
Seeing how the Skimmer has a smaller neck, would one pump work better than the others?

Thank you
Mike
Click to expand...

At one time it came with the psk250 and I have seen it run with the psk1000.

Paul kind of said that above too..

Great skimmer with any of those pumps. Can not do much better performance wise at that size and for the price that skimmer sells at.
 
What happens when you have an under-sized skimmer? Does that mean you will have a collection cup full of skim all the time, or does that mean it won't skim at all?
 
125mph said:
What happens when you have an under-sized skimmer? Does that mean you will have a collection cup full of skim all the time, or does that mean it won't skim at all?
Click to expand...

A oversized skimmer is easier to notice because they usually just shut down for a while or are inconsistent.

Undersized it is harder to tell.. But yea the skimmer will usually keep producing skimmate but less than a properly sized skimmer but a properly sized skimmer will keep producing skimmate too..
The difference is usually your nutrients will rise with undersized and you will start to see slime algae like cyano first. . This not only happens with undersized skimmer or skimmers hooked up wrong or junk skimmers. Junk skimmers usually do not produce much...

A skimmer can only do so much too... Sometimes people just way overfeed or overstock or you need some additional filtration.
 
Last edited:
shred5 said:
A oversized skimmer is easier to notice because they usually just shut down for a while or are inconsistent.

Undersized it is harder to tell.. But yea the skimmer will usually keep producing skimmate but less than a properly sized skimmer but a properly sized skimmer will keep producing skimmate too..
The difference is usually your nutrients will rise with undersized and you will start to see slime algae like cyano first. . This not only happens with undersized skimmer or skimmers hooked up wrong or junk skimmers. Junk skimmers usually do not produce much...

A skimmer can only do so much too... Sometimes people just way overfeed or overstock or you need some additional filtration.
Click to expand...

+1 - What he said
 
Need some one to point me in the right direction. I am upgrading to 93 cube that will be sps/lps and heavily stocked with fish. My skimmer compartment is 12"x13" with 7" to 9" of adjustments.

Thoughts on a good skimmer between $300-400 retail?

I was thinking Nyos 120 but may be too small. I am now leaning toward the RLSS R6i from what I have been reading.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!
 
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