Vertex Skimmer club

Ward, also note that I put a bb3000 with 3 layers of mesh on my OCTOX 200. It now pulls way more air than they "SAY" it can handle, and it is the best I have ever seen it skim. I just added the new aggressive mesh on Sunday and it is rocking. I still need to give it another week for the mesh to break in though.

What is your skimmer rated for? You have a IN280, which I guess is fairly large, and Charlie Davidson had a bb3000 on his IN180. How much bigger is the 280 than the 180?
 
So, just thought I'd post up some findings today...

My skimmer pump was making "way" too much noise. It was still going strong, but the noise was unbearable. It's starting doing this sporadic humming thing... I dunno... enough for my brother to notice and look to see if there was a problem before I did.

So, I took the Resun out. Broke the volute while trying get to the impeller, to see what was the matter. @#%@ Well, I noticed that the magnet on the Resun was the exact same size as my Laguna/Askoll pump, so I removed all of it (pinwheel assembly) and put it in the Laguna. I didn't think that the skimmer could handle my mesh mod, but at least I have it to try later on. I had to do a little mod to the intake pipe on the skimmer, just so the pump would attach securely, but voila! Skimming quieter than ever, and I've "never" had a problem with a Laguna! I used it on a heavily stocked 225g and it never flinched.

Here's some pictures. Pardon the bubbles in the last pic. I have a "seal" problem with the DIY volute.

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Heck, I don't know. lol

I just bought it the other day from Scott and Kelly at Aquarium Specialty. All I know, the thing's skimming like a "champ" now! I had to fully open it up just to keep it from skimming way too wet. Foam is insane now! Way better than the pics above.
 
Pump size

Pump size

Ok, sounds simple enough..thanks. Now I need to figure which of the BB pumps is going to give me the correct rates..I know the largest one has double the air ratings of my factory pump so I will have to be careful. I also considered just buying a skimmer that comes with the BB pump.

I would take a look at the BB 2000 as I think the three will be too much, It Is plenty on my 250 so I say BB 2000 or Askoll/Sicce of some size. Any of these pumps will be an Improvement. Oh and there Is always Red Dragons If you got deep pockets LOL:hammer:
Bill:dance:
 
I would take a look at the BB 2000 as I think the three will be too much, It Is plenty on my 250 so I say BB 2000 or Askoll/Sicce of some size. Any of these pumps will be an Improvement. Oh and there Is always Red Dragons If you got deep pockets LOL:hammer:
Bill:dance:

Red Dragon is what I have. It's just a Laguna/Askoll/Hagen 1500 MaxFlo pump. It's cheaper than the BB3000 online, but you have to get a volute for it, or make one. That's how mine is. Once the volute is done, you really don't have much else to do. The only reasons I did what I did is A) already had the pump and B) reputation. Bubbleblasters seem good, but they haven't been around that long... not saying anything bad about them "at all" though. They look nice.

I'm cheap, too. I spend where I feel I need to (with future goals in mind) but I'm cheap. :jester:
 
thanks to you both, I should have the new needle wheel in a week so we'll see how it goes from there.,,still think there's a change coming in the near future.
 
Hey! Thanks, tangtang clown! I really scored with the pinwheel magnet being able to fit in the Laguna 1500, that's for sure. :)

I started with a 3" stand (acrylic one... I think there's a picture of it, in this thread somewhere a few pages back). I took it out because that would only have left me with 2" of clearance to the intake of the Laguna's volute. That creates that little "sucking cyclone" above it, and, well... no bueno. :)

To answer your question, my baffle is at 12". The skimmer was running wide open when I left the house last night, and I'm interested to see what it looks like when I get home this morning. I know that if I had my Dwyer, I'd be hitting some serious air numbers... I'm almost afraid to check. LOL
 
Sweet! I think getting around 50scfh checking with my lil RMA dwyer, but I have to check again. You are pry getting close to double that?!

Easily! The volute I have on the Laguna (thanks 2dawghouse, if you reading this!) has a 1" thin wall intake. I have to use a 1" to 3/4" reducer on it just to keep the skimmer from blowing the top off. I'd say, the way it's running now, I'm probably pulling around 75scfh.

It's quite wicked! :)

I just checked the skimmer this morning and it's calmed down a lot. There are still some big bubbles in there, but not as bad. The top is nice a frothy.

Celebratory "woohoo" may be premature, but it happened any way. :dance:
 
I just bought an IN250 used for a great price. I was expecting it to be made or look cheap at the price I paid but it looks as good or better than the skimmers I've owned in the past. I'm currently cycling the tank but should be done in about a week.
 
update shot from my in-80. going strong for about 9 months or so now

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i've got it skimming a little wet, but its in a zone where it's kicking out this amount of gross liquid every 2 days or so.
 
sorry guess i'm not subscribed to this one anymore.

yeah i go a bit wet on purpose. that's about the consistency i like to pull out as any lower and the neck gets so mucky that i think it stops or slows the production. i have the transition a little above the bottom of the collection cup or right around there.
 
If anyone needs a bubble blaster 3000 let me know, I'm taking down my IN-250 to go external and won't have use for the bb3000. It will work on a IN-180, 250, or 280 and already has a thin wall pipe fitting that I made.
 
Bb 3000

Bb 3000

If anyone needs a bubble blaster 3000 let me know, I'm taking down my IN-250 to go external and won't have use for the bb3000. It will work on a IN-180, 250, or 280 and already has a thin wall pipe fitting that I made.

How Much are you asking for It ? And how old Is It ?:rollface:
Bill:dance:
 
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