The Life Reef Skimmer Club

I had the opposite experience to most here. I setup a VS3-24" and had to mess about with the tuning daily. Either it would not skim at all, or it would overflow... Tank is a well stocked 120g, skimmer paired with a Sicce syncra silent (since no Mag pumps available here).

Swapped in a Vertex omega and that has been pretty much set-and-forget ever since.

-droog
 
I'd like to give the lifereef another go again since so many have had good experiences with it, and my skimmate does not look like the dark sludge many are posting here.

Question: is the skimmate you get still the same dark colour when carbon dosing. I read somewhere to expect a lighter color skimmate when carbon dosing - I've only ever gotten a light tea color with any skimmer + carbon dosing

-droog
 
Tip... when adjusting... make very small adjustments and let it go for a day and see. Most say to adjust gate valve until water is 1-2 inches below the neck or just starting up into the neck depending on how tall your skimmer is... i just run a V3 24 inch and run water 1 inch below the neck and it rocks the skim out of my 200DD. Love this skimmer... It really is set it and forget other than cleaning out the cup and my overflow container...
 
Officially in the club got VS3 30"

View attachment 305321

Can't wait to see this bad boy in action.

What pump are you going to use on it?

I'm looking at getting the vs3 30" as it would fit the height in my sump with the 8" collection cup. I was thinking of going with a mag 18 drive as the site mentions the mag12 but also mentions they can handle more powerful pumps. Using the mag 18 would allow me to use it as a backup for my return pump which is a mag 18 because I have about 12-14' of head height I have to over come to get back up to my DT.
 
What pump are you going to use on it?



I'm looking at getting the vs3 30" as it would fit the height in my sump with the 8" collection cup. I was thinking of going with a mag 18 drive as the site mentions the mag12 but also mentions they can handle more powerful pumps. Using the mag 18 would allow me to use it as a backup for my return pump which is a mag 18 because I have about 12-14' of head height I have to over come to get back up to my DT.


I am still in the build process so my tank is about a month away from water I plan on using the mag12 for starts then see if I need to upgrade.
 
I'd like to give the lifereef another go again since so many have had good experiences with it, and my skimmate does not look like the dark sludge many are posting here.

Question: is the skimmate you get still the same dark colour when carbon dosing. I read somewhere to expect a lighter color skimmate when carbon dosing - I've only ever gotten a light tea color with any skimmer + carbon dosing

-droog

What pump were you using on what body, what is the sump water level, what was the water level in the skimmer body?

Carbon dosing will make the skimmer want to skim more wet, so you might need to dial is down slightly. You expect a lighter skimmate color because even though you'll be pulling more crud out, you'll also be pulling out more salt water, if you dial down slightly you should get a good balance.

I do not carbon dose currently, but have before, and regardless I shoot for 4-8oz. of skimmate per day.
 
What pump are you going to use on it?

I'm looking at getting the vs3 30" as it would fit the height in my sump with the 8" collection cup. I was thinking of going with a mag 18 drive as the site mentions the mag12 but also mentions they can handle more powerful pumps. Using the mag 18 would allow me to use it as a backup for my return pump which is a mag 18 because I have about 12-14' of head height I have to over come to get back up to my DT.

If you're going to use a mag on the 30" go for the mag18. Everyone I've seen that went from 12 to 18 says it's a big improvement in skim quality.

It's the same thing for the 24" too. Recommended is the mag9, which seems to skim well, but people love the 12.
 
Last edited:
7.5 days of skim. 40 oz. Very consistent! :)
 

Attachments

  • photo 1 (2).jpg
    photo 1 (2).jpg
    44.3 KB · Views: 3
  • photo 2 (2).jpg
    photo 2 (2).jpg
    34.7 KB · Views: 3
Hey Folks,
I am pretty excited to be joining this club. After 8 years of admiring these skimmers from afar, I am now an owner if a Life Reef SVS2-24 using the stock mag 9.

I have not installed it yet, but will do so in a few days or so. Since I still have my old skimmer I figure I may as well document the comparison for myself.

I currently run the SRO 2000INT which I do like but I have no particular emotional/values based attachment to.

I have already read 75% of this thread and look forward to completing it and adding to the wealth of experiences.

Have a great night/day.
Tuni
 
Keep us informed on how you like it.


Hey Folks,
I am pretty excited to be joining this club. After 8 years of admiring these skimmers from afar, I am now an owner if a Life Reef SVS2-24 using the stock mag 9.

I have not installed it yet, but will do so in a few days or so. Since I still have my old skimmer I figure I may as well document the comparison for myself.

I currently run the SRO 2000INT which I do like but I have no particular emotional/values based attachment to.

I have already read 75% of this thread and look forward to completing it and adding to the wealth of experiences.

Have a great night/day.
Tuni
 
I just upgraded my recirculation pump on my skimmer to a blue line 70hd and its about 1750 gph. Muuuuch better, the cylinder is completely stock full of milky white bubbles and I had to lower the water level some. I am still using a mag 7 for the supply.
I contacted Jeff about finding a way to keep skim out of my airline tubing but a waiting for a response. My collection cup is filling up every day or two.
 
I just got my VS3-30 last week and finally is breaking in and making some impressive dark skim production. I run mine on a stock venturi, but upped the pump to a Mag 18. After owning a Octopus Diablo DC 200 and a BK Double Cone 150, this is the loudest skimmer of them all, BUT has clearly performed better. The noise does not bother me too much as my Reeflo Super Dart is much noisier. I have only one complaint so far and its minor. Its that o-ring that holds the cup in place, its out of place for an otherwise well designed and crafted product. I cant get that thing to roll on straight no matter many times I try. Anyone find any alternative way of holding the cup in place?

hi vpaul79, you could try to turn the cup while pushing it down. i have found that this works for me.
 
My experience with the o-ring is that it doesn't need to be straight, but you should make sure that the o-ring isn't bunched up at the top of the skimmer neck. I missed this once after cleaning the cup, and the skimmer leaked from the neck and put a fair amount of water in my stand.

I find it easiest to get the cup back on with the o-ring where I want it if both the inside of the neck on the body and the outside of the neck on the cup are dry.
 
after 3 months of the svs3-24, my tank is just amazing. I think I tinker with it at most 2-3x.

I'm currently waiting for jeff to build my LF-150 sump with refugium. If anyone has the sump set up, can you guys take better pictures. Jeff is a cool guy but his website just doesn't have enough pictures. Thank you.
 
after 3 months of the svs3-24, my tank is just amazing. I think I tinker with it at most 2-3x.

I'm currently waiting for jeff to build my LF-150 sump with refugium. If anyone has the sump set up, can you guys take better pictures. Jeff is a cool guy but his website just doesn't have enough pictures. Thank you.

Mine is a bigger, custom size but basically the same thing.

i-8v8JHrg.jpg


And if you want to see more, you can go back in my build thread and check out posts from the last month or two.
The sump arrived the week before Xmas.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=23352241#post23352241
 
Back
Top