Vertex Skimmer club

[EvMiBo]

So I've been following this thread from the very beginning with mojo doing the first review. Well after reading through about 25 pages or so i could not read anymore!! I am in the market for a new skimmer and have been doing a lot of research on the vertex in-100. I plan on setting this up for my 40G with a fuge. I plan to upgrade to a 60G later that's why im considering the in-100 over the in-80. I know some of you have been having problems with the stock pump. Did you guys just replace the stock pump? How is the skimmer performing for some of you guys that has had it running for a year or so now? I'm very interested in this skimmer as my aqua-c remora is just a piece of junk and not skimming bleeping bleep now.

I started having trouble with my pump 11 months in. I have the Gen1. Luckily the pump is under warranty for a 1 year and premium aquatics has great customer service (I'd recommend you buy from them). I try to clean out the collection cup once every 2 weeks or so and take a toothbrush to clean inside of the body when I do that.. The performance has been good, though I must say I started the hobby with this skimmer (over a year ago now) so I can't compare to other skimmers. The acrylic work is great, definitely durable. For the price it's tough to beat, plus people are starting to mod this body with higher end pumps - something to always keep in consideration if you want to bring your skimming to the next level!

 

[maddog2002]

After 3-4 month, My IN180 G2 finally because very quite. Feels good!

 

[mike810]

I started having trouble with my pump 11 months in. I have the Gen1. Luckily the pump is under warranty for a 1 year and premium aquatics has great customer service (I'd recommend you buy from them). I try to clean out the collection cup once every 2 weeks or so and take a toothbrush to clean inside of the body when I do that.. The performance has been good, though I must say I started the hobby with this skimmer (over a year ago now) so I can't compare to other skimmers. The acrylic work is great, definitely durable. For the price it's tough to beat, plus people are starting to mod this body with higher end pumps - something to always keep in consideration if you want to bring your skimming to the next level!

i know u have the gen1 but what is the difference between the gen 1 and gen2 that is currently on the market?

 

[EvMiBo]

i know u have the gen1 but what is the difference between the gen 1 and gen2 that is currently on the market?

Gen2 has a shorter bubble plate and the pump is directly fed into the body of the skimmer (instead of a 90 degree angle in the pipe on the Gen1). Therefore, you'll probably get slightly better perforance out of gen2's.

The IN80 is still a gen1 really. They never changed it for whatever reason.

 

[philosophish]

What is the prevailing thought on using a tunze 9420 (larger of the new hydrofoamers) on an in-100 body?

The pump itself is under $190 delivered and is spec's at 850lph/1300lph air/water intake. Just a tad higher than the smaller hydro which is at 600/900. Those numbers best the pump vertex uses on the in-180, and is in line with some of the best skimmer pumps, all at just 16w.

@jef4y, Since you have hands on with the smaller of the two hydro's, how do you think the extra air and water intake will be handled by a bigger in-100 body?

 

[poolkeeper1]

Pump

Pump

Not sure what type of pump you have on the IN 250, but the ones on the 80/100 are notoriously noisy. Granted, different people have different tolerance levels for noise, but a lot of people find that particular motor noisy.

Overall, I like the vertex. I find it a good build and a good skimmer for the money. With the added $160 of a good pump, that puts it at the price I would have paid for an i-Tech or whatever other high-end skimmer that is on the market.

The replacement pump they sent me Is a Resun 55W looks the same as the origanal only the first one said 155W so big Improvement over Version 1 and I mean It's dead silent with the airline mod I did, Which Is just a copy of stock version 2. It's almost broke In and I'm very happy with It so far. It produces a real fine amount of bubbles In the body that matches a buddy of mines Super Octo XP 2000 and his cost way more than I paid for the Vertex. Just my 2 cents as far as how this skimmer performs!
Bill:wave:

 

[JeF4y]

@jef4y, Since you have hands on with the smaller of the two hydro's, how do you think the extra air and water intake will be handled by a bigger in-100 body?

It largely depends on how flexible your installation is. I have VERY tight height restrictions and ran into difficulty with the skimmer overflowing because I was running it at 11" deep. I made a small mod which has be at about 7 1/2" deep and that made a WORLD of difference. I'm still dialing it in, trying to get it to skim right but believe that I'm very close.

I think that the 100 should be able to handle the extra water/air, *IF* you have the ability to run the skimmer shallow if necessary. Like down to ~6" deep if need be. If you can run it shallow and build up a ton of foam, you're going to be far better than running it deep and trying to restrict the intake to the pump or adding to the bubble-plate or whatever.

 

[mike810]

If you guys had to do it all over again. Would u still get the vertex or would u opt for another skimmer. If so which skimmer and why?

 

[EvMiBo]

If you guys had to do it all over again. Would u still get the vertex or would u opt for another skimmer. If so which skimmer and why?

I'd stick with the vertex. Got a 20% off price on (paid $160) the IN100 and I needed bang for the buck. Mojo said it right, best skim for under $200.

 

[poolkeeper1]

I've had the High dollar Reeflo Pro 200 and currently am running a Super Octo XP 5000 and I would still get this IN 250 again If I needed another skimmer for the same situation that I used this one for. I'm running a 250 on a 100gal total system that will be heavily stocked with fish and SPS. It's got the correct size body /neck size with plenty of good thick foam at a decent wattage and skims well so far and will get even better when fully broke In. Go for It I say you won't be dissapointed IMO
Bill

 

[philosophish]

Has anyone put the resun pumps through a killawatt to get definitive draw numbers?

 

[JeF4y]

If you guys had to do it all over again. Would u still get the vertex or would u opt for another skimmer. If so which skimmer and why?

I don't know. The vertex is fantastic "bang for the buck", but after seeing the I-Tech skimmers in action, if I were to replace, I'd really look into them. Especially since I shelled out for the Tunze pump to quiet down my vertex.

The build & body on the vertex are great. I'm just not a fan of the 80/100 motor.

 

[prodman]

I have just set up my vertex 180 its on a new tank with cooked live rock and clean sand. How long should I expect the break in to be? Its not producing and it seems very turbulent in the body with quite a few larger bubbles.
Thanks

 

[mike810]

I think I will be getting the in-100 when I get my new rimless tank. I don't have another 500 or so to shell out for those other skimmers. I'm probably going to pay an arm and a leg for the rimless already:blown:

 

[poolkeeper1]

Break In

Break In

I have just set up my vertex 180 its on a new tank with cooked live rock and clean sand. How long should I expect the break in to be? Its not producing and it seems very turbulent in the body with quite a few larger bubbles.
Thanks

Mine was doing the same thing and I was told to expect 2 weeks, But mine has settled down and Is not as turbulant after only 1 week Plus It Is pulling some nasty gunk. Watch out where you set the water level as It will overflow when It starts to produce. I learned this the hard way! Each day It will get a more straight up flow of bubbles In the neck and quit that spinning all over the place, It will go away.
Bill:beer:

 

[carolina reefer]

I ran my IN 180 for 15 minutes in a vinegar bath, then for a day set wide open. The next day I closed it about 1/2 and I was getting nasty gunk. I', running it without the 90 on the output in about 10" of water.

 

[geno7]

I just joined the club. My IN100 will be in tomorrow. The pump issue is a little scary for me. Hopefully it will work great with no issues. It seems that from what I've read some folks have problems some don't. We will see....

 

[prodman]

Mine was doing the same thing and I was told to expect 2 weeks, But mine has settled down and Is not as turbulant after only 1 week Plus It Is pulling some nasty gunk. Watch out where you set the water level as It will overflow when It starts to produce. I learned this the hard way! Each day It will get a more straight up flow of bubbles In the neck and quit that spinning all over the place, It will go away.
Bill:beer:

thanks for the feedback. i will continue to wait.

 

[rkb]

I had a little issue with the stock pump on my IN80, apparently it was not sealed properly and I noticed it was leaking rust. Proline Aquatics is shipping me a replacement but in the meantime I purchased a shiny new Vertex IN100 for my 40B system. When the new pump arrives I'll set up the IN80 on my 30g frag system.

The IN100 has been running for only three hours and it is already producing some nice shaving cream-like foam. These Vertex skimmers rock!

 

[geno7]

You know rkb, I don't understand all the pump problems. The support seems to be great on these skimmers as I've read. I hear a rumor that they are going to offer an upgrade pump for the Vertex skimmers.....

I received my IN100 today. Let me first say this is not my first skimmer, I've used Euro-Reef, Burmuda, ETSS, ASM, just to name a few.

My impressions are,,,,,

1. Very well packaged, I didn't like all the tiny styrofoam balls that were stuck to the skimmer. I washed the whole skimmer including breaking down the pump in hot water. I took Mojo's advise on the vinegar bath.
2. Very well built and designed extremely well. I don't like the fact you cant remove the bubble plate to clean it.
3. The pump isn't that noisy, from all that I've read I was expecting to plug it up and rattle the windows. Maybe I got one of the good ones or it is yet to come.
4. I'm yet to see it skim so we will see how it does. For now I'll give it an A+++.

I did recently purchase one of the Vertex Zeo reactors and have nothing but good things to say about it. I do feel vertex will be one of the top aquarium equipment providers soon.

More on my skimmer experience later.......