Skimz skimmer club
- Thread starter NyReefNoob
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scottsdale454ss
New member
i just got a SM201 and it leaks under the collection cup, ill have to contact the company after work
I've had a SKIMZ SM253 Monzter for 5 months and so far (knock on wood) it's been the best skimmer I've owned. Adjusting for skimmate quality is great. I can get a nice thick black sludge without getting too thick, or too thin. The massive 2 gallon collection cup is necessary. I'm not using as much bio-pellet as I though I would with the amount of nutrients I have in the tank, so I know the skimmer is killing it big time. The DC pump is nice on the Apex, slowing it down during feed times, then ramping it back up 30 minutes later.
Eric,
How do you have it hooked to the apex?
Thanks,
Chris
davidfrances
New member
Just wait until the impeller magnet swells up and cracks. The pump will seize up and stop. I have had 3 fail in the last 20 months.
scottsdale454ss
New member
Fantastic. Its pretty annoying that this company is in another country. Why dont we have some nice American made skimmers?
Did you get replacement pumps under warranty?? Who did you contact? The skimz.sg site? Did you email or call?
Last edited:
davidfrances
New member
I purchased two (2) Skimz SM 251's a little over two years ago when I first set up my DT's. I spent a fair bit of time researching the product, and finally purchased them on the advice from Aqua Cave. I subsequently acquired a SM 121 for my frag system.
Overall, I have been very disappointed with the pumps on the Skimz. The cords on two of the pumps started to leak electrical current into the water, resulting in some electrifying moments. Impellers last about 6 months, I have replaced four, and now just noticed that I have two more that have failed.
Basically, the plastic cover on the impeller magnet will swell and crack, and the pump then binds and stops. I do not run ozone in my tanks, and cannot understand why this failure occurs.
The skimmer body and construction is top notch, but my experience with the pumps is less than satisfactory. Customer service from the manufacturer is non-existent, and customer service from the retailer is poor. I have replaced a few of the pumps through the extended warranty offered by my credit card, but now even that has expired.
The cost of the replacement pumps on my SM 251's is almost $200, and replacement impellers are $100. I am just tired of dealing with these POS's.
I am replacing the Skimz on my DT's with another product, but I cannot caution people enough against the Skimz pumps.
Overall, I have been very disappointed with the pumps on the Skimz. The cords on two of the pumps started to leak electrical current into the water, resulting in some electrifying moments. Impellers last about 6 months, I have replaced four, and now just noticed that I have two more that have failed.
Basically, the plastic cover on the impeller magnet will swell and crack, and the pump then binds and stops. I do not run ozone in my tanks, and cannot understand why this failure occurs.
The skimmer body and construction is top notch, but my experience with the pumps is less than satisfactory. Customer service from the manufacturer is non-existent, and customer service from the retailer is poor. I have replaced a few of the pumps through the extended warranty offered by my credit card, but now even that has expired.
The cost of the replacement pumps on my SM 251's is almost $200, and replacement impellers are $100. I am just tired of dealing with these POS's.
I am replacing the Skimz on my DT's with another product, but I cannot caution people enough against the Skimz pumps.
myram
#347, 19 years
I just had to replace the pump on my Skimz SM-161. During a routine cleaning, the electrical cord fell off the pump. I'm guessing this is what was putting voltage into my system that I couldn't find. I was lucky that the pump was under a year old, and Aquacave replaced it under warranty. But I also went ahead and bought a replacement pump for the skimmer, but it was $180 for it.
I love the skimmer, but I keep hearing from others online about the pump and impeller problems.
I love the skimmer, but I keep hearing from others online about the pump and impeller problems.
davidfrances
New member
I am contemplating filing a written complaint with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. You should consider it.
myram
#347, 19 years
Does any other pump fit the Skimz line of skimmers?
Has anyone every used a Sicce pump in them? They look very similar to the Eden pumps that come with them.
I was surprised when I got the skimmer that it wasn't a grounded 3 wire plug on the pump, just a thin 2 wire plug. I love the skimmer.....great build quality and performance..........but the pump seems to be a weakness.
Has anyone every used a Sicce pump in them? They look very similar to the Eden pumps that come with them.
I was surprised when I got the skimmer that it wasn't a grounded 3 wire plug on the pump, just a thin 2 wire plug. I love the skimmer.....great build quality and performance..........but the pump seems to be a weakness.
davidfrances
New member
It might have been a little unfair to post criticism of the Skimz product, without proof, so here you go.
This impeller failed catastrophically:
I had to dig the pieces out of the pump.
This is what it looks like without the plastic sleeve:
You can see how the metal cover on the magnet is beginning to corrode.
Here are a couple of other impellers, this is how they look after 90-120 days of operation. The plastic sleeve has just begun to crack and swell, and at this point the impeller will bind up in the pump and stop working.
I wondered if the pumps would work if I removed the plastic cover? Yeah, the pump sounds like a concrete drill for a couple hours and then stops working.
The Skimz product is terrible. Caveat emptor.
This impeller failed catastrophically:
I had to dig the pieces out of the pump.
This is what it looks like without the plastic sleeve:
You can see how the metal cover on the magnet is beginning to corrode.
Here are a couple of other impellers, this is how they look after 90-120 days of operation. The plastic sleeve has just begun to crack and swell, and at this point the impeller will bind up in the pump and stop working.
I wondered if the pumps would work if I removed the plastic cover? Yeah, the pump sounds like a concrete drill for a couple hours and then stops working.
The Skimz product is terrible. Caveat emptor.
joeyjoe35
Member
This just happened to me as well. I was at a year and 3 months so I had to purchase a replacement.
Never again. DC pump changed twice during first year of operation.
bluecoyote79
New member
I have the SM-163 and it's been problem free after 6 months, but I don't want to jinx it. If I had to replace the pump, I'd replace it with the newest version of the Reef Octopus DC-3500 pump. They appear to have a nearly identical external shape.
myram
#347, 19 years
I would pick Aquamaxx.
I was going to go with an Aquamaxx CO-1, but it needed 9.5" of water and I only have 8". The Skimz SM-161 fit my sump perfect and does perform very very well, but the pump is the obvious weakness.
The DC pump on my SL253 quit at about 11 months. Aqua Cave took care of it under warranty. They indicated that they've had a few issues with them. I seem to recall other manufacturers having similiar problems with DC pumps. If mine dines again I will probably replace it with a bubble blaster or another standard pump. That is one advantage and part of the reason that I went with a skimmer with an external pump.
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