SWC 1A Cone skimmer review
- Thread starter BlueStag
- Start date
redhanded77
New member
thanks to bluestag and some of my friends, i went ahead and placed my order for this skimmer. it should be here tomorrow and i cant wait to install it.
im pretty sure my 255g system with lots of fish (afraid to post the list, lol), my heavy feeding and sps corals was maxing out the swc200....or i atleast hope it was.
if bluestag doesnt mind, i will post my experiences and results on this page, rather than make a new thread about it.
im pretty sure my 255g system with lots of fish (afraid to post the list, lol), my heavy feeding and sps corals was maxing out the swc200....or i atleast hope it was.
if bluestag doesnt mind, i will post my experiences and results on this page, rather than make a new thread about it.
I finally have my 250A running smoothly, I had to raise it up to 5 3/4" water level. IE: Sump water level is just above the top of the pump and just under the outlet elbow. If I put it any deeper than that, I overflow the cup at least once a day. This thing is so quiet and draws a ton of air. VERY IMPRESSED!
Red the more real experiences the better for anyone shopping for a skimmer. Good or bad. Post away, this is a review thread, and your review of the skimmer is just as important.
JJFly sounds like the skimmer has a lot of catching up to do with extra nutrients in your tank. After it catches up, you'll be able to lower it. Do you have the outlet wide open? I found that the foam will climb, and I set it all the way down at where the body and the neck connect at the O ring. It always climbs through the day, and ends up a inch or two below the top of the neck. So prep it with the idea that the foam can climb 6 or so inches. Mine sits in 8 1/2" of sump water. Also my production has slowed, after the skimmer caught up to my bio-load. I feed more than ever, and still noticably less skimmate than the first month of owning the skimmer. I love it. It's definately catching up to my bio-load, which is where you eventually want to be. I have the pipe turned almost exactly half way closed. Skimmate is still as dark as the first day, just not as much of it.
JJFly sounds like the skimmer has a lot of catching up to do with extra nutrients in your tank. After it catches up, you'll be able to lower it. Do you have the outlet wide open? I found that the foam will climb, and I set it all the way down at where the body and the neck connect at the O ring. It always climbs through the day, and ends up a inch or two below the top of the neck. So prep it with the idea that the foam can climb 6 or so inches. Mine sits in 8 1/2" of sump water. Also my production has slowed, after the skimmer caught up to my bio-load. I feed more than ever, and still noticably less skimmate than the first month of owning the skimmer. I love it. It's definately catching up to my bio-load, which is where you eventually want to be. I have the pipe turned almost exactly half way closed. Skimmate is still as dark as the first day, just not as much of it.
redhanded77
New member
thanks to jeremy at premium aquatic, my skimmer should be here today. ill be sure to post pics and document. im still debating if i should give it a vinegar wash first....i might be too excited and just install it, lol. before i clean up and put away the swc200 i have on my system, i will take a picture of what kind of skimmate it collects in about 24-30 hours, so i can make comparisons. i tend to skim in the middle of wet and dry.
BlueStag, I figured that my dissolved organics are still high. I have even done two 30 gallon water changes (about 20% of total water volume). One of my Acropora is looking good again after losing some of its tissue, so I think things are getting better. TIME, nothing fast in this hobby!
redhanded77
New member
i got my swc250A 24 hours after i placed the order. as soon as the boxes came in, i started assembling and getting everything going. what did you guys do with the union that connected the pump to the body? it seemed a little loose, so i put a little bit of aquarium silicon on the union and slipped it on the pump.
here is 24hrs worth of skimmate on the swc200
what the swc200 looked like in my sump
i love goodies
the askoll pump, pretty big and looks well built
another pic of the pump
size comparison. it was alot bigger than i thought it would be
assembled
side by side comparison with the swc200 and swc250A
sump fitment
im going to set the bubble level even with the bottom of the skimmate cup as a baseline setting and see what happens. no vinegar bath or anything, im just going to let it run. i have a question though. there is a smaller nipple on the cover housing of the pump. what is that for? i already have the airline connected, but i was wondering what the skinny nipple is for?
here is 24hrs worth of skimmate on the swc200
what the swc200 looked like in my sump
i love goodies
the askoll pump, pretty big and looks well built
another pic of the pump
size comparison. it was alot bigger than i thought it would be
assembled
side by side comparison with the swc200 and swc250A
sump fitment
im going to set the bubble level even with the bottom of the skimmate cup as a baseline setting and see what happens. no vinegar bath or anything, im just going to let it run. i have a question though. there is a smaller nipple on the cover housing of the pump. what is that for? i already have the airline connected, but i was wondering what the skinny nipple is for?
Redhanded normal PVC glue can be used to bond the union and the pump outlet.
Also for the first setting, I recomend setting the foam water line lower than the bottom of the cup. Closer to the bottom of the neck where it connects to the body. You will find the skimmer pump is so powerful, that the foam line will climb 5 or so inches in three or four hours. Just leave the wedge pipe wide open for the first 24 hours and slowly adjust from there.
Also for the first setting, I recomend setting the foam water line lower than the bottom of the cup. Closer to the bottom of the neck where it connects to the body. You will find the skimmer pump is so powerful, that the foam line will climb 5 or so inches in three or four hours. Just leave the wedge pipe wide open for the first 24 hours and slowly adjust from there.
redhanded77
New member
thanks blue. i didnt have pvc glue, so i just used some silicone to make somewhat of an air tight seal. i was too excited to drive to the hardware store to buy glue, lol. also, i made my sump to the foot print dimensions, and boy was it a tight fit. i actually had to trim a little of the pump base plate to make it fit.
you are also correct about the wedge pipe setting. i set it to the bottom of the cup at first, and within half an hour, i was overflowing. i ended up just opening it 100% and still the bubbles rise all the way to the top. this pump is very powerful!!! i am very happy with this skimmer and it hasnt even been a day. again, i didnt expect the skimmer to be this big. when i first got the swc200, i thought that was a big skimmer and i thought the collection cup was huge.....especially being a previous tunze skimmer owner. when i saw the 250A collection cup, i was tripping out.
what depth of water do you have your skimmer in again??
you are also correct about the wedge pipe setting. i set it to the bottom of the cup at first, and within half an hour, i was overflowing. i ended up just opening it 100% and still the bubbles rise all the way to the top. this pump is very powerful!!! i am very happy with this skimmer and it hasnt even been a day. again, i didnt expect the skimmer to be this big. when i first got the swc200, i thought that was a big skimmer and i thought the collection cup was huge.....especially being a previous tunze skimmer owner. when i saw the 250A collection cup, i was tripping out.
what depth of water do you have your skimmer in again??
tangtang clown
New member
Red, is it going to fit with the pump on?
redhanded77
New member
tang - yes it fit in the sump.....barely. i had to actually trim a little bit off of the base plate for the askoll pump. i dont think i will be able to fit the recirc mode, but thats ok, cause i doubt i will use it.
i will post pics of 18 hours worth of skimmate. so far im really happy and it was money well spent.
i will post pics of 18 hours worth of skimmate. so far im really happy and it was money well spent.
redhanded77
New member
this is about 15-20 miunutes after setting up the skimmer and no cleaning it. water depth is about 8.25" and wedge pipe is around 75%.
when i woke up in the morning, this is what i found. about 18hrs worth
when i woke up in the morning, this is what i found. about 18hrs worth
redhanded77
New member
here is the 24 hour mark. pretty good if you ask me, especially compared to the swc200 24 hour mark. the skimmate is about the same darkness and quality. also note, the collection cup on the 250A is much larger than the one on the 200.
SWC250A skimmate 24 hours
SWC200 skimmate 24 hours
SWC250A skimmate 24 hours
SWC200 skimmate 24 hours
Similar threads
