Tunze Master DOC Any good?

[badgerlaw]

I saw the Tunze Master DOC skimmer at the Reefapalooza in California a few weeks ago. The construction looked very solid. It was using the TUnze Hydrofoamer pumps. They were pretty tiny in comparison to the size of the skimmer. Any one have one of these. How do they perform compared to other european skimmers like Schuran and ATI. I like that they have little power consumption but how is the performance?

 

[Emster]

I just got a 9020 and I'm not really impressed with the build quality of the body but this thing is really skimming good and it seems to be a very good plug and play. There seems to be very little fiddling.

 

[badgerlaw]

Thanks for the reply. The actual models I am looking at is the 9440 and 9460. These look like conventional in sump skimmers with the aqua foamers. They are brand new in the US.

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

I've never used one myself, but I'm thinking they'd almost have to be great or at least easily moddable into a tremendous skimmer. They are just huge! They are a great deal for their size and the fact that they are Tunzes. I would buy one if I had a large system and a big enough sump.

 

[hahnmeister]

I hate the pumps myself. FWIW, you could buy an AquaEuro 400 Classic for about $200, gut the pumps/plumbing (plug the holes), and then buy the Sicce PSK 2500 pump on its own for about $120 (make it a meshwheel in minutes). This would be an equal skimmer to the small Master DOC.

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

I see your point, but the AE classic 400 has a diameter of under 10" whereas the smaller Tunze Master DOCs have a diameter of over 18". Also, isn't the AE classic 400 fairly limited from its rather narrow neck? I'd have to think that the new Tunzes could handle a ton more air than the AE. Now, if I could get the same body made from say Orca for less then I would go for that instead. I'd just mod something like a Laguna pump to run it.

 

[hahnmeister]

Yeah... I saw that too... 18" diameter for the small one... lol. Thats not right. I dont know who was doing the cm-inch conversions that day... but thats waaaaay overkill for a skimmer using a single 800lph pump (the tunze version of the Sicce pump is a needlewheel with slightly lower intake), even if it had a bubble plate. Im guessing that the small units (9420/9440) are only 10" diameter from the manual's photos, maybe only 8". They also have relatively narrow necks for their air intake then... but from the proportions shown in the pics, and the dimensions of the pumps that I know because I have a couple... those are not 8" diameter bodies... I think someone added a '1' by accident.

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

They are listed as 480mm in diameter (which converts to 18.8"). There is a LFS nearby that holds them, I'm going to see if that is the actual diameter. If it is, I agree with you on the fact that it is overkill for 800lph. However, lets say for arguments sake that those are the actual dimensions for the skimmer. Would you consider that a good deal for them? It seems to me it would be, but I've never went about trying to custom make a large skimmer like that.

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

Now that I think about it, that measurement could be the footprint of the skimmer and not the actual diameter of the body... I'll find out and get back on that one.

 

[Alex Soo]

I had a 9480 for 7 months and still waiting for reply from Tunze. The hydrofoamer is very noisy for 2 weeks and the needle wheel is stuck to the magnet shaft on the 3 week. Now the skimmer is still skimming as long as i do not cut the power. Once loss power, will have to manually spin up the needlewheel. This will take almost 1 hour to start all the 4 pump. I will stay away from this range or any thing Tunze as I have 8 piece of 6200 stream waiting for warranty claim. (Also brougt down after 1 week of usage)

 

[badgerlaw]

There was something on the Tunze form where the early ship models had this problem. Maybe you should check it out. Somthing about the shaft not being corect.

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

Well, I determined that the small model is 8" in diameter and has a neck diameter of about 4". The 18" is the longest dimension of the skimmer (the distance from the outer point of the pump to the end of the outlet). So basically I think you'd do better buying an AE classic 400. So much cheaper and easy enough to buy a good pump for it and mod it.

 

[hahnmeister]

So its the same as a AE Classic 250 really... just have to do a little modding and you have the same thing. The Classic 400 must be about the same as the next size up.

 

[luke33]

Wow, thats sad. Just get the octo 200 and mod it. It sure is tough trying to convince someone there's a better deal out there for a 200g or less. That s if you meshmod and recirc at 40+scfh.

 

[hahnmeister]

Well, the AquaEuro Classic series is almost the same body as the Tunze... so it would be an awesome candidate as well. If the easy-lift off cup attracts you, as well as the 'anti-overfloam' feature... its worth it. The AquaEuros just didnt hook up the pump intakes through the overflow area under the cup... if you just drill the holes for the 1/4" air line into this area, you have the same thing as the tunze.