Troubles dialing in skimz 251

[spawn2]

The system is about 200 gal & has now running one month. So far I am vodka dosing(will be switching to pellets soon). As of today there are 9 fish & they are eating well. I have slight diatoms on a SS, but think this is due to new sand. Running GFO & carbon in Brs reactor. Tunze ato, levels are constant @ 8.25", sal is 1.026. The skimmer seems to be very inconsistent. Especially after feeding(food is rinsed & blotted. Even the stock skimmer in my old rsm pulled more disgusting crap out than this skimz? Does anyone have experience with the skimz 251 & getting it to actually perform. System turnover is @ about 5.5x @ a rate of about 1150 GpH. There is about 185lbs LR. Wondering if the skimmer is just too big for the setup? Any help here would be appreciated. If planning to over skim is it best to skim dry? Thx

 

[moondoggy4]

Are you getting a build-up on the neck but not in the cup?

 

[spawn2]

Not really. The thing is so spastic it does get some in the cup, some In The neck, but also when it really goes off, it knocks the stuff inside the neck off which then call back down into the body. Again while feeding tonight, rinsed & blotted frozen its been apeshit for the last three hours. Starting to think I made the wrong choice in skimmers. It's funny though, I think I mentioned my previous skimmer was the stock one that came with the rsm 250. Everyone said it was garbage, it pulls more than this skimz. (Not really funny, just humoring myself)

 

[moondoggy4]

Is this the 2 pump model?

 

[spawn2]

Not sure about the pump model being version 1 or 2 but it does have the newer impeller with the tapered needles. That being said one of the pumps is noisier than the other and periodically sounds pretty rough. So far after almost 3 weeks, not happy with this skimmer choice.

 

[spawn2]

Is this the 2 pump model?

What identifies the second pump model? Thx

 

[azjohnny]

Try slowing the flow down to about 500 gph. Your flow could be so fast a lot of the tank water goes right by the skimmer and not into the skimmer pump. I like to make the flow through the sump and water draw of the skimmer to be as close as possible


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[BrentH]

I think he meant does it have 2 pumps or 1built into it? How's things now I am considering same skimmer and have about the same size tank

 

[jscarlata]

make sure your water level in the sump is at the right height for the skimmer. I have a warner MF series and the water level is sensitive.
on the noisy pump, if you have one that is noisy, it may not have the new impeller. there was an issue with these pumps and the initial impeller was failing, one sign of that was the noise. it happened to mine, and when I called in to report it, it turned out it was one of the few that had been missed when they replaced the impellers...check the impellers to be sure they are the same...

 

[davidfrances]

I am running a Skimz 251 on each of my 250 gallon tanks. It took me a couple days to dial them in, i would agree that the correct water level is critical to getting them to work properly