The Life Reef Skimmer Club

[hobbzz]

I'm not a fan of DC pumps yet, too many problems and added points of failure. Personally I'd go with a laguna max flo 1350, it's the same motor block as your red dragon. Lagunas are comparable to mags in terms of flow and head pressure but more efficient. They are also silent. My return is a laguna 2400 and it doesn't make a sound.

 

[Piper27]

Any pics?

Here is a pic... I also agree with you on the dc pumps.

 

[Piper27]

It definatly helps keep the bubbles seperated, and also the skimmer exits on the underside of the skimmer are great.

 

[Piper27]

Here is what my bubbles look like. They are violently tumbking in the chamber until about halfway up the skimz body. They stay in the chamber for a very long time rolling around until they get to the top.

 

[Adam G]

Well after chatting with a few folks and doing some looking around I am going to order a SVS30-30 with Mazzei Venturi and fed by a Laguna Max Flo 2000 which is has similar flow to the Mag 18. Should skim my heavily stocked 150g well from all I have seen and heard. I will let you guys know how it goes.

 

[hobbzz]

Good choice. If you have a use for it you can get a 2400 for the same price and use the extra flow to run a manifold for reactors. I got my 2400 on ebay from Webbs water gardens, I did the "make an offer" thing for $150 shipped.

 

[bawalitt]

Hi all, I have a 120 gallon system, moderate to heavy bio load, running a life reef sv-30 with a mag12 pump.
wanted to know where you guys keep the water level. If i keep it just below the flange then it skime very dry, like 100 ml or so every 3-4 days. If i raise it even slightely it skims very wet, approx 2-3 gallons over night.
plumbing is straight forward, no bends or elbows, water drains just above the water surface, so there is no back pressure issue.
thanks

 

[wildman926]

Hi all, I have a 120 gallon system, moderate to heavy bio load, running a life reef sv-30 with a mag12 pump.
wanted to know where you guys keep the water level. If i keep it just below the flange then it skime very dry, like 100 ml or so every 3-4 days. If i raise it even slightely it skims very wet, approx 2-3 gallons over night.
plumbing is straight forward, no bends or elbows, water drains just above the water surface, so there is no back pressure issue.
thanks

What you are seeing, is that the neck of the skimmer is too small in relation to the body. Due to this, these skimmers are meant to run dry, where the water level can go no further than the top of the main body.

 

[ken6217]

Even at that point there's a delicate balance to adjust from wet to dry. I found the same issues as Bawalitt when I was using my Lifereef. It either pulled out a lot of lighter skimmate or not a lot of quality darker skimmate.

I think on large systems that narrow neck is a limiting factor.

 

[rEeFnWrX]

A taller collection cup would probably help the issue.

 

[EvMiBo]

I'm not a fan of DC pumps yet, too many problems and added points of failure. Personally I'd go with a laguna max flo 1350, it's the same motor block as your red dragon. Lagunas are comparable to mags in terms of flow and head pressure but more efficient. They are also silent. My return is a laguna 2400 and it doesn't make a sound.

I'm sorry, but max flos don't have comparable head pressure ratings as mags.

Submersible pumps for for a 30" LR:
disclaimer: LR30" will work fine with recommended mag12, but mag18 (and pumps with similar flow) seem to have better performance.

- Mag18: max head is 16.85 feet (150 Watts)
- Laguna Maxflo2000: max head is 11 feet 5in. (80 Watts)
that's a pretty big difference in max head capabilities.

All other submersible pumps in question (that I can remember) for a 30" body are comparible to the maxflo2000 specs as far as max head.

- Fluval SP4: max head is 10ft 8in. (88 Watts)
- Jebao DC9000: max head is 14.1 feet (at 2377 gph/setting 6/6), their head loss graphs give straight lines (which I doubt is accurate), so it's hard to give an exact number for me, but I think running at setting 4/6 you'd have a max head rating similar to the fluval SP4. Setting 4/6 = 60 Watts. Would like to see what setting 5/6 (63 Watts) could produce.
- Waterblaster7000: max head is 12 feet (88 Watts). I have read in this thread that people don't like the wasterblasters, seems like it could be a good match though, on paper.

 

[hobbzz]

Look at the flow at certain head levels and you will see where they are similar. For example:
Mag 18 @ 7 feet = 1050
Max flo 2000 @ 7 feet = 1220
Mag 18@10 feet = 850
Max flo 2000@10 feet= 775

I don't see it going from 775gph at 10 feet to zero at 11 feet.

I've tried both the 18 and 2000 on my lr and they were very similar. Barely had to open the gate valve with the 2000. They both ended up being too small for me though.

 

[EvMiBo]

Why are we discussing head levels of 7 and 10 feet? That's irrelevant, no? We should be discussing max head if anything. Mag drives blow away any other submersible pump (to my knowledge) in max head pressure, but you also consume almost double the wattage.

I still don't understand why (for example) a maxflo 2000 would be "better" than a DC pump set at 2000gph if they both have very similar max heads. Am I missing something?

If the manufacturer Laguna says the max head on the maxflo2000 is 11'5" then I'm guessing the max head is 11'5" :lol: Are you dismissing their specs?

What LR skimmer did you try them both on?

 

[hobbzz]

It's a custom 8" diameter, 42" height. My thinking was that the venturi doesn't create the same kind of pressure as 18' of head, so that would be just as irrelevant. You are simply guessing based on paper ratings, I'm speaking from real world experience with these two particular pumps in question, running on the same skimmer, through the same venturi. I never said the lagunas are better than mags, just close. Are you getting so offended because of my choice of the word "comparable"? If so I apologize for offending you. In the grand scheme of things, when pressure rated pumps can push water 50', the difference between a mag and laguna is relatively small. Hence my use of the word comparable, not "exact".

No one in this thread ever said a mag or laguna would be better than a dc. Myself and someone else simply stated that, personally, we don't like dc pumps yet from a reliability standpoint. A controller is just another added point of failure.

 

[hobbzz]

On a lighter note, it's finally started producing. I've read comments from a lot of people saying their skimmer took a little longer than normal to start producing, but I never would have guessed. This is about 1.5-2 days worth. Despite having it set pretty wet, the skimmate is still really dark, and this is with much less flow than recommended. Can't wait until the new pump gets here.

 

[clekchau]

About to pull the trigger on a VS3-72, going to use a Laguna Max Flo 2400, feedback?

 

[hobbzz]

I wouldn't. My skimmer has about the same volume as yours and it definitely requires a pressure rated pump. I've tried mag 18, 24, laguna 2000, and laguna 2400 and none of them even came close to my pressure rated panworld 100px at only 800gph.

I'm guessing that the smaller skimmers can get away with non pressure rated pumps because of all the people in this thread that go that route, but not the larger ones.

I'd go with whatever external pressure rated pump Jeff recommends, or a panworld/blue line similar to an iwaki 55rlt or 70rlt. That would be a 55hd, 70hd, 150ps, or 200ps.

 

[clekchau]

Jeff recommended mag24

 

[clekchau]

What about a dart?

 

[hobbzz]

The pressure rating is what really matters. Not sure about the darts specs. Out of the 4 submersible pumps I tried, the mag 24 worked the best, but when I put the 800gph 100px back on the water level rose eight inches. That's a huge difference. I wouldn't use a submersible on anything over the 36, maybe even the 30. Remember my life reef is custom, but has the volume of the 72". Maybe someone with a standard 72" can chime in.