Tunze DOC skimmers 9010 anbd 9015
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alrha
Premium Member
I made the plunge. After making this whole stink, I have decided to smell the stink first hand.
I just ordered the skimmer from Premium Aquatics. Jay assured me that I can return it within 30 days (even used) if I am not happy with it. It was not in their retrun policy on the website, but i asked him clearly and he answered me clearly, I trust them and would rely on his word. But i dont expect to return it anyway, it just makes it easier to be the ginea pig.
Thanks for all your help Roger!
I just ordered the skimmer from Premium Aquatics. Jay assured me that I can return it within 30 days (even used) if I am not happy with it. It was not in their retrun policy on the website, but i asked him clearly and he answered me clearly, I trust them and would rely on his word. But i dont expect to return it anyway, it just makes it easier to be the ginea pig.
Thanks for all your help Roger!
Skimmer 9015
Skimmer 9015
This is how the skimmer is out of the box- ready for in tank use. Note the water line (blue squigly line) and the intake grate which can be closed to make the skimmer a plankton safe recirculating unit, anything between 90% and 20% recirculation can be set. This is also used to control microbubbles.
This is the first step in converting it to an in sump model- remove the front grate
We knock out the cap where the stand pipe will be inserted and install the sealing piece between the pump intake and the grating. The sealing piece gives us a 100% exchange of water within the skimmer- no recirculating.
Here is the result with the stand pipe installed
The last step is to change the base piece from the flat in tank unit to the one with suction cup feet. I want to note that the suction cups should not be adhered to the bottom of the sump, their only purpose is to give a sure footing that puts an upward pressure on the plate to help seal the skimmer.
Finally, here is a FAQ- what is this hole
In the skimmer the cup is a mm or so above the plate of the reaction chamber. Water serves as a gasket to force the air up and out carrying the waste. The water has to drain, this drain becomes an appendix or tonsils when used in sump- it isn't necessary but it is their. If the water draining out bothers you you can plug it, in tank though it is absolutely necessary.
Skimmer 9015
This is how the skimmer is out of the box- ready for in tank use. Note the water line (blue squigly line) and the intake grate which can be closed to make the skimmer a plankton safe recirculating unit, anything between 90% and 20% recirculation can be set. This is also used to control microbubbles.
This is the first step in converting it to an in sump model- remove the front grate
We knock out the cap where the stand pipe will be inserted and install the sealing piece between the pump intake and the grating. The sealing piece gives us a 100% exchange of water within the skimmer- no recirculating.
Here is the result with the stand pipe installed
The last step is to change the base piece from the flat in tank unit to the one with suction cup feet. I want to note that the suction cups should not be adhered to the bottom of the sump, their only purpose is to give a sure footing that puts an upward pressure on the plate to help seal the skimmer.
Finally, here is a FAQ- what is this hole
In the skimmer the cup is a mm or so above the plate of the reaction chamber. Water serves as a gasket to force the air up and out carrying the waste. The water has to drain, this drain becomes an appendix or tonsils when used in sump- it isn't necessary but it is their. If the water draining out bothers you you can plug it, in tank though it is absolutely necessary.
alrha
Premium Member
actually, a few questions:
1) Why is the skimmer set up differently for in-sump (my intended use) compared to in-tank? how does the skimmer know where it is?
2) You suggested not sticking the suction cups to the bottom - what difference would it make? and why are the suction cups there if it is better not to use them? are they removable? or do i just have to be careful not to press down?
3) The gate can be adjusted to me more/less plankton friendly. can you elaborate on how or what this means?
4) Is the sponge required on the elbow there? (I wouldnt want it to become a nitrate trap) is that the intake or the output?
5) Is there a preffered direction in which to place the skimmer in the sump? (i.e. if the flow in my sump is from the left to the right, is it better for the gate to face left (into the current) or right (away from the current)? or would it not make a difference?)
1) Why is the skimmer set up differently for in-sump (my intended use) compared to in-tank? how does the skimmer know where it is?
2) You suggested not sticking the suction cups to the bottom - what difference would it make? and why are the suction cups there if it is better not to use them? are they removable? or do i just have to be careful not to press down?
3) The gate can be adjusted to me more/less plankton friendly. can you elaborate on how or what this means?
4) Is the sponge required on the elbow there? (I wouldnt want it to become a nitrate trap) is that the intake or the output?
5) Is there a preffered direction in which to place the skimmer in the sump? (i.e. if the flow in my sump is from the left to the right, is it better for the gate to face left (into the current) or right (away from the current)? or would it not make a difference?)
1) The in tank application has a partial recirc to avoid micro bubbles and the water exits below.
In sump we want to allow some variability for water level and the standpipe provides that and we can skim a bit more aggressively because a few microbubbles aren't a big issue in a sump. In tank it would generally be used with other COmline components incorporating an Osmolator so the level would be constant.
2) No reason you can't it just isn't necessary and it can make a problem for maintanence as every time you move the skimmer the plate stays behind and could slide out of socket or the suction cups stick to the bottom and the plate pulls free- it just adds hassle to suction it down.
3) Tunze skimmers from day one have had an exclusive principle of plankton safe operation. To do this we recirculate the water in the skimmer and the waste enters by osmotic diffusion. An osmotic gradient exists between the water in the aquarium and the water in the skimmer since the recirculated water is pure. It is a great idea and was vastly superior for the older reefs with soft corals and gorgonians which are more food dependent. An SPS reef however produces more toxins and more mucus and these contaminants are removed more reapidly by open circuit non plankton safe skimming- this skimmer gives the customer the choice. We also still make our classic design as models 9205 and 9210 which is completely plankton safe.
4) The sponge removes micro bubbles and slows the water fall to the sump eliminating noise, in theory very little debris should escape the skimmer.
5) Ideally the skimmer would be in an area of low current and I think the rest doesn't matter, if it is ina higher current I think away from the current would be better.
In sump we want to allow some variability for water level and the standpipe provides that and we can skim a bit more aggressively because a few microbubbles aren't a big issue in a sump. In tank it would generally be used with other COmline components incorporating an Osmolator so the level would be constant.
2) No reason you can't it just isn't necessary and it can make a problem for maintanence as every time you move the skimmer the plate stays behind and could slide out of socket or the suction cups stick to the bottom and the plate pulls free- it just adds hassle to suction it down.
3) Tunze skimmers from day one have had an exclusive principle of plankton safe operation. To do this we recirculate the water in the skimmer and the waste enters by osmotic diffusion. An osmotic gradient exists between the water in the aquarium and the water in the skimmer since the recirculated water is pure. It is a great idea and was vastly superior for the older reefs with soft corals and gorgonians which are more food dependent. An SPS reef however produces more toxins and more mucus and these contaminants are removed more reapidly by open circuit non plankton safe skimming- this skimmer gives the customer the choice. We also still make our classic design as models 9205 and 9210 which is completely plankton safe.
4) The sponge removes micro bubbles and slows the water fall to the sump eliminating noise, in theory very little debris should escape the skimmer.
5) Ideally the skimmer would be in an area of low current and I think the rest doesn't matter, if it is ina higher current I think away from the current would be better.
Yes, it is easy to do, I don't get much call for new pumps as they usually can be rebuilt but you can get them. In most cases you would just need a motor block though and not a complete pump, off the top of my head a complete pump is about $160 and the motor block alone is about $90.
Marc Grover
New member
We are currently running a 9020 on an 800-gallon fish only tank. Were are using ozone. we are having some difficulties producing consistant, thick dark foam. Does anyone have a picture of their 9020 running properly so we can compare the foam consistancy?
Any help would be appreciated.
Any help would be appreciated.
Hey Marc,
Here is one guy- he may even be nearby, I know he lives in the LA area-
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=726594
Here is a guy in Australia who was one of the first to get one
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=718928
Here are his pics once we got it all sorted out
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=720842
With ozone consistent skimming can be difficult because the ozone oxidizes the organics into non skimmable components. My best advise is to run a very low dose for only the clarifying effect. I would probably try just 20 mg/hr split off to both reactors fed into the smaller of the two nipples on each using a small air pump like a Rena 50. I would run without ozone to just get it set up and be sure it is working and then introduce the ozone later. In Europe now most people using ozone are using just really small amounts like this only to add that extra clarity to the water but without regard to redox or use as a sterilant.
Here is one guy- he may even be nearby, I know he lives in the LA area-
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=726594
Here is a guy in Australia who was one of the first to get one
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=718928
Here are his pics once we got it all sorted out
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=720842
With ozone consistent skimming can be difficult because the ozone oxidizes the organics into non skimmable components. My best advise is to run a very low dose for only the clarifying effect. I would probably try just 20 mg/hr split off to both reactors fed into the smaller of the two nipples on each using a small air pump like a Rena 50. I would run without ozone to just get it set up and be sure it is working and then introduce the ozone later. In Europe now most people using ozone are using just really small amounts like this only to add that extra clarity to the water but without regard to redox or use as a sterilant.
Marc Grover
New member
Thanks for the links.
We did run the unit without ozone at first but found it actually started performing better (initially) after adding the ozone. We are splitting about 20-25 mg/hr between the chambers but we are driving it with a Rena 200. We are not using ozone for any other purpose than water clarity, which has improved dramatically, no more yellowing at all. We are NOT monitoring nor controlling the ozone with an ORP controller.
We did run the unit without ozone at first but found it actually started performing better (initially) after adding the ozone. We are splitting about 20-25 mg/hr between the chambers but we are driving it with a Rena 200. We are not using ozone for any other purpose than water clarity, which has improved dramatically, no more yellowing at all. We are NOT monitoring nor controlling the ozone with an ORP controller.
scarletknight06
New member
Roger,
how does the water level adjust (i.e. how do you set the foam level in the neck) on the 9010? you dont have to mess with pushing the standpipe up or down do you?
how does the water level adjust (i.e. how do you set the foam level in the neck) on the 9010? you dont have to mess with pushing the standpipe up or down do you?
scarletknight06
New member
and that adjusts the bubble level in the skimmer correct?
man i cant wait to get mine.
man i cant wait to get mine.
catastrofe
New member
Bump
Hey Marc Grover, did you ever get your 9020 running to your satisfaction?
Any pics?
Hey Marc Grover, did you ever get your 9020 running to your satisfaction?
Any pics?
