The Life Reef Skimmer Club

[bayoupr]

You can here the hum from the 40HD but for me it's not a problem since my sump is located behind the wall of my DT in another room. The Fluval SP pumps are quiet.

 

[EvMiBo]

Question: I have been looking at this skimmer and am curious as to what model I should get.

I have a 66 x 30 x 20 tank and a 48 x 22 x 18 sump, total volume of about 180gal. Heavy bioload and mixed reef. Current skimmer is an Aquamaxx ConeS CO3
What LR skimmer should I get? Preferably, I want an in sump model.

If it were me I'd go with a 36" model. Not many people have that much vertical space in sump though. If you end up going external you should consider a 48".

 

[ksed]

That would be nice to see how the LR will perform against the AM.I know the AM works very well as i own the EM300 as well. Keep us posted.

Question: I have been looking at this skimmer and am curious as to what model I should get.

I have a 66 x 30 x 20 tank and a 48 x 22 x 18 sump, total volume of about 180gal. Heavy bioload and mixed reef. Current skimmer is an Aquamaxx ConeS CO3
What LR skimmer should I get? Preferably, I want an in sump model.

 

[LelandF.]

Well I just joined the club. I just ordered a 60" external skimmer from Life Reef for my 200gal reef, to replace my Euro Reef 12" skimmer. New skimmer should be here in a week or two.

Leland

 

[jcolley]

Well I just joined the club. I just ordered a 60" external skimmer from Life Reef for my 200gal reef, to replace my Euro Reef 12" skimmer. New skimmer should be here in a week or two.

Leland

Pics please!

I've been talking with Jeff a little this week about an upgrade for my 250gal reef, but looking at a VS3-30 external to replace my Orca 250 Pro. I would like to see some pics before jumping that large though...

 

[LelandF.]

I'll definitely post before & after pics as soon as I get it.

Leland

 

[JasonD]

Well I just joined the club. I just ordered a 60" external skimmer from Life Reef for my 200gal reef, to replace my Euro Reef 12" skimmer. New skimmer should be here in a week or two.

Leland

Nice!! What pump are you going to drive it with?

 

[LelandF.]

I'm going to use the Blueline 40 that is recommended for it.

Leland

 

[kris101]

Several pages back I posted that I paired my VS3-30 with a ReefOcto Bio-Churn INT-170. The Bio-churn has been running since August 15th.
I went from empting my cup once weekly of the typical dark chunky skim mate to 3 times a week! :bounce3:

This may be a little off topic and I am not trying to endorse the Bio-churn but It seems to be a good paring with my Lifereef that enhanced its production.

 

[ECFENCING]

I just picked up an older SVS 3-24 paired up with a rio 2100 pump for a good price locally. Looking forward to testing it against the vertex alpha omega 130 I have on my 50 gallon display and 25 gallon sump.

 

[EvMiBo]

I just picked up an older SVS 3-24 paired up with a rio 2100 pump for a good price locally. Looking forward to testing it against the vertex alpha omega 130 I have on my 50 gallon display and 25 gallon sump.

I'm assuming the Rio 2100 is 2100 lph. That's only about 555gph. The recommended pump for the 24" body is 900gph. I understand it's on a smaller system but getting it a pump that is at least 700gph would probably give better results. Good luck, let us know how it goes :thumbsup:

 

[ECFENCING]

I'm assuming the Rio 2100 is 2100 lph. That's only about 555gph. The recommended pump for the 24" body is 900gph. I understand it's on a smaller system but getting it a pump that is at least 700gph would probably give better results. Good luck, let us know how it goes :thumbsup:

Thanks for the input. I just checked the marine depot web site

http://www.marinedepot.com/Taam_Rio...ds-TAAM_Via_Aqua-TA3111-FIPHFF-TA3152-vi.html

and it indicated 692 gph still lower than the recommended 900gph. I do have an eheim compact 3000+ which gets me a little closer at 792 gph. Will try that.

 

[d2mini]

If I converted my svs3-30 to run external, I could get an extension to make it taller.
But what would this realistically do for me?

 

[rEeFnWrX]

If I converted my svs3-30 to run external, I could get an extension to make it taller.
But what would this realistically do for me?

The way I see it. you only need a bigger skimmer if your skimmer never goes dormant... my 24 goes dormant atleast once a day and this is not after feeding dormant. With a bigger skimmer it would go dormant even more..

 

[ken6217]

The way I see it. you only need a bigger skimmer if your skimmer never goes dormant... my 24 goes dormant atleast once a day and this is not after feeding dormant. With a bigger skimmer it would go dormant even more..

What's your definition of dormant? No skimmer should have skimmate coming out into the collection cup constantly. If it does, then it is running too wet.

 

[rEeFnWrX]

What's your definition of dormant? No skimmer should have skimmate coming out into the collection cup constantly. If it does, then it is running too wet.

I would disagree. Friend is running a 24 on his 300 and it is constantly foaming... dark gunk, coffee skimmate far from wet. But he refuses to get a larger skimmer. His is definitely undersized hence it never going dormant.

I have seen mine go dormant for hours before starting to foam again, so why would I ever go to a larger one?

 

[ken6217]

I would disagree. Friend is running a 24 on his 300 and it is constantly foaming... dark gunk, coffee skimmate far from wet. But he refuses to get a larger skimmer. His is definitely undersized hence it never going dormant.

I have seen mine go dormant for hours before starting to foam again, so why would I ever go to a larger one?

That's not what I'm referring to. That size on a 300 is too small. It should be pulling out a lot, and I'm sure it's not wet.

That's why I was asking you what your definition of dormant. For me, there should always be foam in the neck and then it builds up and goes into the cup. However there will still be foam in the neck afterwards. As more foam builds, it too will flow into the cup.

No skimmer should just have set foam pouring out like a runny nose. That would be wet skimming.

 

[mikeatjac]

I agree

 

[ct_vol]

Picked up a VS2-24 and VS3-24 today local off CL. Time to see what the hubbub is about before I drop coin on a big one. I committed to the VS2 before I found the VS3. Got a good price on both, so I'm not worried about it. I'll clean them up this weekend and decide which system to put each on thereafter. Pics and impressions to come.

 

[wildman926]

If I converted my svs3-30 to run external, I could get an extension to make it taller.
But what would this realistically do for me?

It would create more contact time, and "should" pull more crap out. Why would you? How clean are you trying to run your tank?