SWC 1A Cone skimmer review
- Thread starter BlueStag
- Start date
Here we are at approximately the first 30 hours. The bubbles still have no turbulence inside of the body. One noticeable difference from standard style skimmers is the bubbles seem to rise much faster towards the top of the neck. I believe this to be a benefit from the cone body. It's probably been talked about already, but I'm just learning it now, since it's my first cone skimmer. There is still foam still climbing over the sides. A little over an inch of skim mate. Very dark in color and with particles inside the foam. If this skim production maintains, I'll have to start using the drain to a jug. I had heard that cone skimmers produce more skim mate and am nowing seeing similar results. I decided to clean the cup. The cup was super easy to remove. A quick rinse and just as easy to put back on. Because the skim mate is so dark, I'm going to try and run it a little wetter this time around
I've got a Dwyer air meter coming in the mail, I'd really like to measure the air draw on this pump.
One thing that could use improvement is the pump comes separate from the union fitting. I think that the union fitting should come glued to the pump. The directions don't say what to do with the connection. It doesn't tell what type of glue works with the two plastics. I am assuming PVC glue, but will have to call SWC on that. The pump fits into the union fitting, but not tight, there is a very slight air leak, since I have not glued it yet. I'll be gluing it next week.
Agoodloe you can do a google search and you'll find a small number of online vendors that sell it. Mine was shipped straight from SWC in Canada. But I think it might be cheaper shipping wise from a dealer here in the US. They are all priced the same at around $899. Which is starting to seem like a bargain, after seeing the initial results. It's a little early, and I'd still like to see how reliable and durable this pump is. I did turn it off and on three times in a row to see if it would start with out problems. It started each time. Each time I still could not hear the pump. It's whisper quite.
Here are pictures after 30 hrs.
I've got a Dwyer air meter coming in the mail, I'd really like to measure the air draw on this pump.
One thing that could use improvement is the pump comes separate from the union fitting. I think that the union fitting should come glued to the pump. The directions don't say what to do with the connection. It doesn't tell what type of glue works with the two plastics. I am assuming PVC glue, but will have to call SWC on that. The pump fits into the union fitting, but not tight, there is a very slight air leak, since I have not glued it yet. I'll be gluing it next week.
Agoodloe you can do a google search and you'll find a small number of online vendors that sell it. Mine was shipped straight from SWC in Canada. But I think it might be cheaper shipping wise from a dealer here in the US. They are all priced the same at around $899. Which is starting to seem like a bargain, after seeing the initial results. It's a little early, and I'd still like to see how reliable and durable this pump is. I did turn it off and on three times in a row to see if it would start with out problems. It started each time. Each time I still could not hear the pump. It's whisper quite.
Here are pictures after 30 hrs.
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This skimmer uses a wedge pipe to control the foam level. It's really simple, just turn the pipe left or right and it controls the neck water line up or down. Having used gate valves in the past, I am partial to how well they control water levels in skimmers. Having also used a wedge pipe on a smaller skimmer, I thought that the wedge pipes didn't have quite as much control over controlling the neck water line. It was suprising to find how well the SWC cone wedge pipe works on larger necked skimmers. It was very simple to raise the and lower the water level with enough precision to raise it or lower it in small amounts. The wedge pipe works much better on large neck skimmers.
I decided to raise the water level so that the foam leveled at about 1 inch below the top of the neck. It's been running this way for two days. The skimmer is completly broken in... I think. There is so much foam coming out of this skimmer. I can't imagine that it could produce more, if it's not completly broken in.
The pump is still whisper quite and the water level stays constant. I notice that after feeding, it takes only about two to four minutes for the skimmer this skimmer to have a full head of foam again. Usually after feeding with my old skimmers, the foam head would take around 15 to 20 minutes before it would form again. I wonder if this is because of the cone shape or this wonderful pump.
SJM here are some specs on the cup. I'm not sure if this is the same cup or a new cup. Maybe you can figure it out off of the specs. 10" diameter. 5.5" Neck O.D. diameter(looks actually metric but close to 5.5"). Cup total is 9" tall, maybe 9 1/4" with the cover on. If the other cup has an 5.5 I.D., it may be totally new cup.
I decided to raise the water level so that the foam leveled at about 1 inch below the top of the neck. It's been running this way for two days. The skimmer is completly broken in... I think. There is so much foam coming out of this skimmer. I can't imagine that it could produce more, if it's not completly broken in.
The pump is still whisper quite and the water level stays constant. I notice that after feeding, it takes only about two to four minutes for the skimmer this skimmer to have a full head of foam again. Usually after feeding with my old skimmers, the foam head would take around 15 to 20 minutes before it would form again. I wonder if this is because of the cone shape or this wonderful pump.
SJM here are some specs on the cup. I'm not sure if this is the same cup or a new cup. Maybe you can figure it out off of the specs. 10" diameter. 5.5" Neck O.D. diameter(looks actually metric but close to 5.5"). Cup total is 9" tall, maybe 9 1/4" with the cover on. If the other cup has an 5.5 I.D., it may be totally new cup.
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luther1200
Premium Member
In the picture of the cup on the towel with the skimmate in the cup. Did you clean the bottom or was it that clean when you took it off? If it was that is nice that it keeps it that clean.
stony_corals
New member
Do you have a Kill-a-watt? The Askolls on the 250 were running at something like 85w.
fernandokng
New member
Exactly. I think a big difference is the optional recirculating, which is really cool.
Oh my! After running the first 30 hrs, I cleaned the cup and set the water level a little higher. It ran straight for three days. Foam was just climbing out of the sides. I am gathering more skim mate than the first two days. Possibly from raising the water level and the skimmer breaking in. This pump is something special. I still haven't recieved my air meter in the mail yet, and am itching to measure the air pull on this pump. SWC has done an amazing job on this pump. I did turn it off and on again three times. Fired right up each time. I am starting to get comfortable with the durability of this pump. I don't expect any change with the reliability issues of a new pump. I expect it to fire up everytime that I start it or if there was a power failure. I wont be starting and stopping it anymore, except to clean it. That's alot of nog!
SJM I'll measure the ID next cleaning for you.
Luther on the picture your refering to, it was only running for 30 hrs and was brand new. Most skimmers would stay clean down there after that short of a run.
Stoney don't have a kill-a-watt. If anyone is local and wants to loan it out for a week end. I'd love to post the results.
Jay and Fernando. The Alpha did make my short list. It's a good skimmer that didn't have the features I was looking for. The best thing about a review is you can gather the information and make the best decision for you and your tank set up. I'm just putting the information out there, to help other reefers make their own decisions on whether this skimmer fits or not.
So far it's been an amazing skimmer. Exceeding my expectations.
SJM I'll measure the ID next cleaning for you.
Luther on the picture your refering to, it was only running for 30 hrs and was brand new. Most skimmers would stay clean down there after that short of a run.
Stoney don't have a kill-a-watt. If anyone is local and wants to loan it out for a week end. I'd love to post the results.
Jay and Fernando. The Alpha did make my short list. It's a good skimmer that didn't have the features I was looking for. The best thing about a review is you can gather the information and make the best decision for you and your tank set up. I'm just putting the information out there, to help other reefers make their own decisions on whether this skimmer fits or not.
So far it's been an amazing skimmer. Exceeding my expectations.
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Robyn I feed my tank 2 cubes of Mysis every day along with about 2" x 2" square of dried nori. I also feed the three Rose Anemones 3 medium sized frozen shrimp( the kind for cooking ). One each. Once a week I might mix it up with pellet or flake fish food. Since I'm running a LPS mostly tank, the water is a little bit dirtier than a SPS only tank would run. But at this rate, the tank will be as clean as most well run SPS tanks, and I'll have to feed some Cyclopseeze or other supplemental foods.
In this photo, I think I'm only feeding two cubes of mysis. I haven't fed nori, since I've been out of it for about 2 weeks. If you look close you can see where the foam line ended up. A little bit high for how I prefer to run it. What is very exciting to me is how dark the skim mate is, even though it's being run wet in the photos. Next I'll drop it back down, running it alot drier. I'm still pinching myself that it only took 3 days to get all that skim mate.
Greg I think my pops might have one. I'll be seeing him on Sunday. But if not, I'll check out Harbor freights. It can't hurt to have one laying around. Just another toy to play with.
In this photo, I think I'm only feeding two cubes of mysis. I haven't fed nori, since I've been out of it for about 2 weeks. If you look close you can see where the foam line ended up. A little bit high for how I prefer to run it. What is very exciting to me is how dark the skim mate is, even though it's being run wet in the photos. Next I'll drop it back down, running it alot drier. I'm still pinching myself that it only took 3 days to get all that skim mate.
Greg I think my pops might have one. I'll be seeing him on Sunday. But if not, I'll check out Harbor freights. It can't hurt to have one laying around. Just another toy to play with.
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MikeFisher1972
Member
thank you
thank you
Thank you for doing this.
I have been looking for a new BIG skimmer and this is one of them i have looked at.
thank you
Thank you for doing this.
I have been looking for a new BIG skimmer and this is one of them i have looked at.
Mike in a case like this, when the skimmer works so well, it is my pleasure. I was a little hesitant to do it cause I wasn't sure I'd have enough time to keep current information posted and what not. But this skimmer really has me excited and has relit my interest in alot of things about my tank, so it's been fun.
I remeasured the ID of the neck from the bottom with a ruler. It falls just between 5 1/8" and 5 1/4" with it leaning closer to 5 1/8". So just a tad more than 5 1/8".
So I decided to run it very dry. Opened the outlet all the way. Running it wide open, put the foam level right exactly at the neck where the cup and the body meet. The foam will have to climb completely up the cup neck. I am expecting this to run extremely dry. I expect this to be difficult for the skimmer, the foam must climb approximately 7 1/2 to 8 inches. This pump is so strong, I want to see what it really can do.
I remeasured the ID of the neck from the bottom with a ruler. It falls just between 5 1/8" and 5 1/4" with it leaning closer to 5 1/8". So just a tad more than 5 1/8".
So I decided to run it very dry. Opened the outlet all the way. Running it wide open, put the foam level right exactly at the neck where the cup and the body meet. The foam will have to climb completely up the cup neck. I am expecting this to run extremely dry. I expect this to be difficult for the skimmer, the foam must climb approximately 7 1/2 to 8 inches. This pump is so strong, I want to see what it really can do.
solitude127
Proud user of IO Salt!
Does anyone know where I can get one? I've checked Marinesolutionsinc, but they don't seem to have the one with the askol pump.
Thanks so much BlueStag for sharing your findings and review of the SWC skimmer. I to have been trying to decide on a skimmer for my new tank. Talk to Jayson this morning and He gave me the confidence to join the SWC club and order an A1 Cone. Thanks again for your great review. JR
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