Let's talk about skimmers

[Aquattro]

Ok, I need a skimmer. After trying to run three different BK minis, all now broken, I need to figure out what to add to my sump.
Currently running a borrowed BK mini 180, it's ok. Built like a truck, quiet, blah blah, doesn't pull what it's rep says it should. That's ok, I didn't really expect it to.
Anyway, what are you guys using that you feel is doing a great job? I have a height restriction of about 25 inches.
Total water volume, 107g. Medium load, but feed heavy.

Looked at the Vertex Omega 150, owners tell me it's a bit under powered and probably best for 90g or less. (They actually said 75g, I'm being generous)
The 180i looks good, and probably the top of my price range. Remember, lots of dollars just went out on BK Betta Bowls.

Things I'm trying to factor in are initial cost, performance, cost and availability of replacement parts (the big downfall for BK). Noise level, not a huge factor, but quieter is more betterer.
I don't care much about build quality, it will sit in my sump untouched for the next 5 years. Seriously, I don't want to touch it until I tear the tank down :)

Ok, whatcha got?

Oh, Peter, I WILL delete you -lol

[apexifd]

Skimz?

[Aquattro]

Skimz?

4 minutes, not as hung over as I thought you'd be :)

[Aquattro]

Skimz?

Not opposed to skimz, model in mind?

[MarkoD]

I have the csc 250 which is the skimz e series 201.

Works great but I'm not sure if it'll fit your height restriction

[Aquattro]

I have the csc 250 which is the skimz e series 201.

Works great but I'm not sure if it'll fit your height restriction

22 inches, looks like?

[MarkoD]

Actually yeah that looks right.

[Ron99]

I have an Omega 150 on my 120 with 40 breeder sump and it is puling dark green crap consistently. I have heard of people using them on much larger systems and being happy with them. If anything, it's overpowered and won't foam well on a smaller system or one with a low bioload in my experience.

[Aquattro]

How is the water height adjusted on those?

[xenon]

Have you considered Deltec?

I was a huge fan of Vertex until I bought a couple Deltec's. Now I use them exclusively in store and only have one Vertex Alpha 250 left to swap out with a Deltec.

The Deltec SC 1455 would be a good choice for you.

[Aquattro]

I have an Omega 150 on my 120 with 40 breeder sump and it is puling dark green crap consistently. I have heard of people using them on much larger systems and being happy with them. If anything, it's overpowered and won't foam well on a smaller system or one with a low bioload in my experience.

We run one on a well stocked 120 display at the LFS here, not pulling what it could. Not bad at all, but I think it could do more.

So hard to really tell though, so many variables. I do have one available to borrow, I could try it.

[Aquattro]

Have you considered Deltec?

I was a huge fan of Vertex until I bought a couple Deltec's. Now I use them exclusively in store and only have one Vertex Alpha 250 left to swap out with a Deltec.

The Deltec SC 1455 would be a good choice for you.

I had considered them very briefly, as I couldn't find a local supplier. Deltec have been around since I started reefing and would look at them.

[Ron99]

We run one on a well stocked 120 display at the LFS here, not pulling what it could. Not bad at all, but I think it could do more.

So hard to really tell though, so many variables. I do have one available to borrow, I could try it.

They can be sensitive to changes. My foam collapses sometimes when I'm doing something in the tank. I'm assuming from the oils from my skin. Goes back to normal shortly though. It did start to overflow once recently but I pulled the volute/venturi off the pump, gave it a vinegar soak and a scrub with an old toothbrush and it went back to normal again.

[Aquattro]

Have you considered Deltec?



Where do you get your's from?

[Trevor W]

Not to turn this into a vertex omega 150 thread......but I purchased this skimmer and I am just waiting on my build to finish before actually trying it. What I am wondering is if most people are also adjusting the volute as well as the wedge pipe or if most are just using the wedge pipe and not adjusting the volute and is that why they seem to have issues?

[Aquattro]

Not to turn this into a vertex omega 150 thread......but I purchased this skimmer and I am just waiting on my build to finish before actually trying it. What I am wondering is if most people are also adjusting the volute as well as the wedge pipe or if most are just using the wedge pipe and not adjusting the volute and is that why they seem to have issues?

That's also a question I have. Nobody I've talked to has brought this up. Might be the reason for the less than stellar reviews.

[Trevor W]

Maybe because it is such a new concept that people are not wanting to mess with it to much and just run it full open or closed or whatever and just adjust the stand pipe.

[Aquattro]

Maybe because it is such a new concept that people are not wanting to mess with it to much and just run it full open or closed or whatever and just adjust the stand pipe.

It's possible. Maybe I'll run one for a week and see what I think. Not opposed to going up to the 180i though.

[Aquattro]

Just watched a review on tht Deltec, guy broke it in 2 places before really using it. Again, German parts = big line of credit at bank :)

[Aquattro]

I have the csc 250 which is the skimz e series 201.

Works great but I'm not sure if it'll fit your height restriction

Also, what kind of volume you running now? Seems over powered for my tank. 2 pumps??

[Trevor W]

It's possible. Maybe I'll run one for a week and see what I think. Not opposed to going up to the 180i though.

The 180i would be my choice with your tank, mine is only 67-ish gallons so thats why I went with the 150. What about the cad lights cone skimmers? I know they are more on the lower end price wise but they seem like a well purposed no frills cone skimmer design....I could be wrong though. That was just my first impressions when I seen pictures.

[apexifd]

4 minutes, not as hung over as I thought you'd be :)

Sober or drunk, I will help you out.

[Aquattro]

Sober or drunk, I will help you out.

Just figured you and the boys would be in jail this morning -lol

[apexifd]

Also, what kind of volume you running now? Seems over powered for my tank. 2 pumps??

201 should be the single pump 8" body.

[apexifd]

Just figured you and the boys would be in jail this morning -lol

I dunno about rest of the crew.. But I manage to send one away on a boat.

[Aquattro]

201 should be the single pump 8" body.

Maybe got my pictures mixed up :)

[Aquattro]

I dunno about rest of the crew.. But I manage to send one away on a boat.

Already? Doesn't sound like much a party if nobody is in jail!

[Craigdillman]

I have a reef octopus nwb 200 and it's on my 125 with sump and it is awesome had a minor impeller priblem at the start but they sent out a new one and works like a charm

You probably would need he nwb 150 the. 200 might be a bit much

[Aquattro]

I hear good things about RO, but I owned one of the original ones and hated it. Not sure I'd chance it again. SRO gets good reviews too.

[Taipan]

As an alternative to Royal Exclusiv and Deltec (I'm still a fan - sorry) ; a few local hobbyists here seem to have had good success with the AVAST Marine Works skimmers from the U.S.. It's a pretty good concept of partly "building it your own" like a Lego kit. I'm not the most technically inclined person and was able to follow a build. However; some may not have the patience.

What I also find appealing is the darker acrylic that is used for the foam "column" part to inhibit algae growth. Not seen that often in skimmers on the current market.

Perhaps an AVAST Marine Works CS1 Skimmer? + a Head/Neck "Swabbie" cleaner?

P.S. - For "special nights out" and potential incarceration; I have my attorney on retainer. ;)

[Aquattro]

I would consider Deltec, although the review I just watched has me rethinking :)

I guess for RE, while the unit I'm currently running is doing a fine job, it's over priced. I mean sure, it's built well. But we don't need that built. It's quiet, but a lot of skimmers are quiet. Easy to clean, but I clean skimmers at build time and at sell time.
The kicker for me is this. They use a pump that probably costs them in the area of $50. They glue it to a plate. The plate and glue somehow now make this a $250 motor block. Oh, sorry, it has a shiny sticker. It's sad. I mean, sure, I get it, they have to recover R&D, setup for prod, etc, but there are some many threads on so many boards complaining of the same issue, it's just not acceptable. Especially for those that paid such huge dolllars for their units new. I'm only mildly upset, as I bought mine for quite cheap, but I cannot justify paying RE prices for parts. If you can get them. I currently need 3 pumps. That's sad.

[Taipan]

If you can get them. I currently need 3 pumps. That's sad.

Very sad. I'll work on this......

P.S. - I also agree on price points.

[Aquattro]

I'm checking with Hagen tomorrow to see if they have PT-344 blocks anywhere in the back room, if so, I'll rebuild the units I have here. 2 x160 and a 200. I wake up everyday expecting the 180 in my sump to be dead too -lol

If they don't have them, I'll try a single 1350 pump. Supposedly the same block. If that works, I might just get three of those. I Know a guy who knows a guy who owns a dog that once bit someone that knows a guy, but I'll get him to hold off on anything Until I sort this out. Even if I can get better pricing, I can't afford that x3.

[Taipan]

lol....understood

[Scythanith]

I have run Euro-Reef and RE BK's on anywhere from a 40g to 300g. A BK Mini 180 on 40g up to the 85g, a Euro-Reef on the 85g (before I got the BK Mini), and a BK DC 250 with RD3 Speedy on the 270g. The BK's were temperamental when it came to water height in the skimmer chamber, that needs to be set and forget. The BK's have a tough time really looking impressive until you have a high bio-load in the tank. The Euro-Reef always pulled out a constant nog but nothing as thick as what the BK's would do when they were running optimally.

Do I feel the RD3 Speedy is worth it? Not for the adjustability, but yes for the DC pump and it's efficiency. Like you said the build quality on the skimmer bodies is undeniable.

Would I buy a BK again... yes. It may just be the same as a cheaper skimmer but so far I haven't decided the Vertex is quite the same.

Just my 2 cents.

[Scythanith]

I'm checking with Hagen tomorrow to see if they have PT-344 blocks anywhere in the back room, if so, I'll rebuild the units I have here. 2 x160 and a 200. I wake up everyday expecting the 180 in my sump to be dead too -lol

If they don't have them, I'll try a single 1350 pump. Supposedly the same block. If that works, I might just get three of those. I Know a guy who knows a guy who owns a dog that once bit someone that knows a guy, but I'll get him to hold off on anything Until I sort this out. Even if I can get better pricing, I can't afford that x3.

My 180 seized up once and all I needed to do was clean the magnet, etc. I think keeping up on the yearly maintenance is pretty darn important with the BK motors. My version didn't have the bypass. That's not to say you weren't doing it, but maybe the person you bought them from wasn't?

[Aquattro]

My 180 seized up once and all I needed to do was clean the magnet, etc. I think keeping up on the yearly maintenance is pretty darn important with the BK motors. My version didn't have the bypass. That's not to say you weren't doing it, but maybe the person you bought them from wasn't?

Mine were all clean, even the one that just stopped. Impellers look new, no tightness in the bearing. It's a huge issue with the Gen 1 issues. Not saying they are bad skimmers, I think they do a decent job. But god, if they stop, you're screwed. They also don't need to be so pricey, they could be built less like trucks and still last 20 years.

Going to pick up an Omega 150 for a test run, I'll compare it to what I've seen with the BK. I'm sure it's less. :)

[Doug]

The SWC 160 I owned would outskim any of the other lower priced needle wheels. Then I tested some Skimz for AD. It worked very well once we got the pump and needle wheel figured out right. I would say it skimmed better than the SWC. I imagine they are even better now.

When I looked after Mikes tank while he was overseas or away, I got to see many of the high end skimmers he tried. The duel Eheim pump Deltec he had out skimmed any of the other fancy expensive skimmers.

[reefwars]

If its any worth at all.......I'd personally never buy an omega sjkimmer for my own home system , in fact I was just offered a pretty much brand new omega for $100 to use on my new build ( yes you heard right ) and turned it down

I've had impellers go on one twice , pump seize , body crack and the cups are tiny the tuning is horrible(was never a fan of twist pipe anyways)

I love vertex product I just don't think the omega series is all its cracked up to be , the new I series maybe diff but I'm not holding my breath , i havent played with one yet but if anything I figure now I woudl have to take the body apart to replace what Breaks lol

Love my csc 450 skimmer but it's discontinued so that's just great too , I'm hoping it lives forever lol I've had no issues with this skimmer , gate ale for control and you can adjust the airlines.....two things that are important to me for how a skimmer operates.


Somewhat did I buy for my new build?

Curve series from bubble magus , cheap Chinese skimmers that are cheap as hell and even though it should be a piece of junk I've never had to warranty one , they are easy to tune(numbers can be such an easy addition to the twist pipes no?) and have a few different sizes not just a 130 or 150/180

I know I won't be amazed with this skimmer but I also ow I won't pull my hair out from it either lol

So skimmer recommendation? I have none really , I played with the new bubble king dc skimmer , it's whisper quiet and easy to tune , love the dc pump but again it costs an arm and not something I could afford to buy.

Played with the new reef octopus , again love them like the bubble king but after my last dc buy I'm not sure I would buy a dc skimmer or not atleastnntill it's been out for a year with little warranty issues .

[The Guy]

I run an Omega 150 in approx.100 gal. with DT & sump pulls dark brown/ dark green gross smelling sludge out and has worked flawlessly now for the last year.

[ashr]

This has been some good info. I am building a new tank and have only ever had a RSM250 so I have never used a standard type of skimmer. I am looking around a 90-100g tank that will be a heavy load with fish and dominated by SPS. But I also don't want to break the bank and need something that isnt to crazy on my power bill. Any thoughts on that?

[Aquattro]

I am looking around a 90-100g tank that will be a heavy load with fish and dominated by SPS. But I also don't want to break the bank and need something that isnt to crazy on my power bill. Any thoughts on that?

My tank and requirements are pretty much the same, so hang out and see what progresses.
Denny posted some good info.

I have an Omega 150 in the back of my car right now, the guy that loaned it to me suggested I should spend my time watching cartoons rather than set it up. He's pretty experienced with skimmers, so, hmm :)

I do like BK, and I while I can't afford that, I might try if I knew it would last forever. But I am pretty sure it won't. And if I bought it, I wouldn't be able to afford the fix it. That's just life I guess.

The CSC look good, discontinued. Figures. Deltec, heard several people say quality is lacking, and parts are German/expensive.

Keep the chat going, let's see what others have to say

[Aquattro]

The duel Eheim pump Deltec he had out skimmed any of the other fancy expensive skimmers.

I bet it did great, I just can't do "fancy expensive" :)

[Trevor W]

If you do try out the Omega150 please let us know your thoughts... for obvious reason id like to know if I did infact make a bad purchase. If you try it how long do you plan on giving it as a test?

[Wheelman76]

Check out the SRO 2000int , it's a beast. Rated for 180 to 200 gallons IIRC. Has been out for years now and from all the reading I've done on reef central on skimmers it has to be one of the most popular skimmers out there.

[Aquattro]

If you do try out the Omega150 please let us know your thoughts... for obvious reason id like to know if I did infact make a bad purchase. If you try it how long do you plan on giving it as a test?

I would run it for a week. It's dirty and used, so I'd give it a surface clean, therefore I wouldn't expect it to require a break in period. The guy did use the volute adjustment for the air as well.

[Aquattro]

Check out the SRO 2000int , it's a beast. Rated for 180 to 200 gallons IIRC. Has been out for years now and from all the reading I've done on reef central on skimmers it has to be one of the most popular skimmers out there.

I've read that a bit, I'll look into it further.

[christyf5]

Love my ER. When upgrading to my 180 I looked at a lot of skimmers but wasn't willing to take the plunge on the big $$ without being able to try or see it in action. Lucky another used ER came up so it was a no brainer. The "newer" ones (pre-cost saving measures to compete with chinese knockoffs) have way thinner acrylic and are more "delicate" (I'm not the most gentle with them) than my old little tank of a skimmer. Broke the neck off 2 weeks after buying it but a quick fix with some crazy glue or whatever I had on hand and it has been running like a champ ever since even though it ain't pretty. Pump is great too, goes through impellers every 12-18 mo due to swelling of the magnet. One day I'll be unable to find the sedra 9000 impellers but until then I'm good to go :biggrin:

I'm also kicking it old school with metal halides :razz:

I thought you had an ER??? What happened to it?

[davej]

If you do try out the Omega150 please let us know your thoughts... for obvious reason id like to know if I did infact make a bad purchase. If you try it how long do you plan on giving it as a test?

I'm in exact same boat, just picked one up for build in progress.
Just finishing sump so have not got it wet yet. Would love to here others experience with one.

[Aquattro]

I thought you had an ER??? What happened to it?

Too tall. I had to take a hit with a lower stand and it had to go. Otherwise it would still be running.
I also have a RS180 here, but no pump. The Sedra 5000 won't run it well, so I would need something bigger.

I was able to buy 2 BK mini 160s, one with a shot pump, for $350. The good one was good for about 10 days before it died :) Now I'm just ****ed -lol

[christyf5]

Too tall. I had to take a hit with a lower stand and it had to go. Otherwise it would still be running.
I also have a RS180 here, but no pump. The Sedra 5000 won't run it well, so I would need something bigger.

I was able to buy 2 BK mini 160s, one with a shot pump, for $350. The good one was good for about 10 days before it died :) Now I'm just ****ed -lol

Yeah I'd be ****ed too. No pump replacements? I just can't keep up with all the skimmer talk these days. Seems you can drop 2K on a skimmer and then people are all "ooh you need to upgrade the pump to a flaming dragon". My money tree is dead so I'm effed if my ER ever croaks. Either that or I'll be hitting up your equipment graveyard for salvage :razz:

[Aquattro]

Yeah I'd be ****ed too. No pump replacements? I just can't keep up with all the skimmer talk these days. Seems you can drop 2K on a skimmer and then people are all "ooh you need to upgrade the pump to a flaming dragon". My money tree is dead so I'm effed if my ER ever croaks. Either that or I'll be hitting up your equipment graveyard for salvage :razz:


I have anything you need :)

The Flaming Dragon is actually a good name, and the cost is from the shiny sticker they put on a $100 Laguna pump.
If I can find a pump, at a price I don't need to give up eating for, I'll probably run the BK 160, it did an ok job. OR, if I can find better, within budget, I might go that way.
The official pump replacement is about $250 US, plus all the costs to get it here. If I can buy the $100 pumps, I can buy two and have a spare 160.

[Proteus]

Brad I had the Omega 130 and was not impressed. I tried the volume and wedge pipe for adjustment and couldn't find a setting to work properly the build was great the performance not so much.
Bought a reef Octopus NWB-SSS and it's a beast. Same body style as the bk you have without the price. Out performs the Omega hand down

[Aquattro]

Brad I had the Omega 130 and was not impressed. I tried the volume and wedge pipe for adjustment and couldn't find a setting to work properly the build was great the performance not so much.
Bought a reef Octopus NWB-SSS and it's a beast. Same body style as the bk you have without the price. Out performs the Omega hand down

The 150 is rated for 210g, I think that's pushing it with a 6" chamber at 21" height. But yes, probably comparable to the mini 160 at a much nicer price. Would be nice if there was a model a bit bigger, say 8" diameter. But yes, this is something I'd look at. Thanks

[Taipan]

Wait a minute...... Some of you have a MONEY Tree?!? What the..... It doesn't matter if it's dead. I'm amazed some of you had one to begin with. I want one. I'm doing something wrong here.

[Aquattro]

Wait a minute...... Some of you have a MONEY Tree?!? What the..... It doesn't matter if it's dead. I'm amazed some of you had one to begin with. I want one. I'm doing something wrong here.

Christy had a money tree. It died. I don't. Never did. I have, instead, a bill pit. All my money goes in it. Once in a while the dog digs some up and I get to spend it on my hobby. A tree would be nice :)

[Taipan]

Final thoughts on this (unrelated) topic:

Understood.

- I want a dog that can dig up some $ ....even if it's sporadic and on occasion.

- I'm open to the concept of....I believe the term is....."Sugar Momma"

- I may be being presumptuous but I believe Aquattro is open to the concept of a "Skimmer Benefactor".

:mrgreen:

[Aquattro]

- I may be being presumptuous but I believe Aquattro is open to the concept of a "Skimmer Benefactor".

:mrgreen:

That would be an accurate presumption :)

[brotherd]

I'm going to throw my 2 cents in. Lifereef. Give Jeff a call and tell him what you need.

[Aquattro]

I'm going to throw my 2 cents in. Lifereef. Give Jeff a call and tell him what you need.

They seem a little complex, thumbscrews, external and loud pumps. Might need more room than I have to dedicate to a skimmer, but I'll poke around his site.

[Ron99]

I run my Omega 150 in about 7 inches of water and with the adjustable venturi out two turns or so. Skims great for me. Lots of dark smelly crap. My daughter commented on the smell as I cleaned out the cup earlier tonight :)

While Vertex recommends that they can be run as deep as 9" my experience is that they do far better in shallower water. That seemed to be the problem with the Omega 130 as well which worked best at about a 6" depth. As I said, they are also quite sensitive to buildup in the volute and venturi too so those should be cleaned regularly. That's easy since the whole thing just twists off the front of the pump.

[Azzkr]

I own the CSC 450 and have owned the CSC 250. Great skimmers for a great price. You might be able to find a used 250 somewhere. If not I would buy a Skimz. Great skimmers. The thing I like about them is they seem to be a set and forget skimmer which is what I needed when I was skimmer shopping.The Avast marine skimmer that was mentioned earlier would be something to look at as well.

[daplatapus]

Brad, if you want to look at the SRO 2000 INT, my old one is here if you want to test it and it is for sale. I'm coming down on Tues night for another wife's Dr's appointment so I could drop it off

[Aquattro]

Sure Dom, bring it down!

[The Guy]

I run my Omega 150 in about 7 inches of water and with the adjustable venturi out two turns or so. Skims great for me. Lots of dark smelly crap. My daughter commented on the smell as I cleaned out the cup earlier tonight :)

While Vertex recommends that they can be run as deep as 9" my experience is that they do far better in shallower water. That seemed to be the problem with the Omega 130 as well which worked best at about a 6" depth. As I said, they are also quite sensitive to buildup in the volute and venturi too so those should be cleaned regularly. That's easy since the whole thing just twists off the front of the pump.
I also have an Omega 150, quick question by turning out the venturi, am I right in thinking it speeds up the water and air mixture going into the skimmer by increasing the flow length?

[spit.fire]

I also have an Omega 150, quick question by turning out the venturi, am I right in thinking it speeds up the water and air mixture going into the skimmer by increasing the flow length?


It allows more or less air to mix with the water, which in turn affects the height as the less air the more efficiently the pump will pump water

[MarkoD]

The csc and skimz have a screw that controls a gate valve. I set mine 6 months ago and haven't had to fiddle with it since

[Ron99]

It allows more or less air to mix with the water, which in turn affects the height as the less air the more efficiently the pump will pump water

Yes. And I believe screwing it out should draw more air if I remember correctly.

[jordsyke]

I have a 120G display with about 30G more in sump.
Run both an Omega 150 with a Vertex Vectra neck cleaner and a Skimz SK181

The Skimz has about 9" of water, Vertex is lifted to about 6.5"
Biopellets piped right into Skimz skimmer, it pulls out decent sludge/waste

Vertex is right next to my drain pipe, it pulls out the darkest, nastiest crudd :D venturi is turned in all the way. I found it was a bugger to get figured out but also found that small adjustments over long periods of time was best for getting it going good

[reefbyremote]

I have a Lifereef skimmer and it is great. Had euro reef and swc 160 before that was reasonably happy with them except euro reef was loud and the swc, regardless how adjusted, always gunned up the neck. The Life reef was a big improvement on both counts. And it really pulls the organics out. It has been great.

[Aquattro]

I have a Lifereef skimmer and it is great. Had euro reef and swc 160 before that was reasonably happy with them except euro reef was loud and the swc, regardless how adjusted, always gunned up the neck. The Life reef was a big improvement on both counts. And it really pulls the organics out. It has been great.

What model, what pump, how loud?

[Aquattro]

And truth be told, I look at Lifereef's site and visual OCD kicks in and makes me leave. Worst site ever.

[reefbyremote]

It's a vs2-24 in sump with a mag drive 9 pump. I don't find it noisy at all. My eheim 1262 return pump is louder.

Yes the site sucks. But how many companies in this hobby can you call and speak to the actual owner and at the same time the manufacturer?

[Aquattro]

It's a vs2-24 in sump with a mag drive 9 pump. I don't find it noisy at all. My eheim 1262 return pump is louder.

Yes the site sucks. But how many companies in this hobby can you call and speak to the actual owner and at the same time the manufacturer?

Mag pumps, as pumps go, are fairly loud. I have a mag 3 on my reactor and it's the loudest thing in the tank.

As for support, that's all great, but I hope to never have to speak to the owner :) But ya, good feature if you need it.

[Aquattro]

However, being all old school and stuff, I do think injected skimmers beat the various wheel designs.

[reefbyremote]

I always thought eheim was supposed to be quiet but it is way louder. As were the swc and the euro reef. If you want you can also buy it without the pump and use the pump of your choice as it is a Venturi skimmer. No pin wheel pump needed. Just something of the proper size to push the water.

[Aquattro]

I always thought eheim was supposed to be quiet but it is way louder. As were the swc and the euro reef. If you want you can also buy it without the pump and use the pump of your choice as it is a Venturi skimmer. No pin wheel pump needed. Just something of the proper size to push the water.

Something to think about for sure. Ya, I just moved a tank for someone, it has an eheim pump for return. Loudest pump I've heard in a while -lol
I have heard (or rather, not) eheims in setups that didn't sound like they were running.

[reefbyremote]

Man, now you have me thinking return pumps and more $$! Time to call it a night!

[daplatapus]

I'm now running a Lifereef VSV-48. Best skimmer yet. Running a Waveline DC12000 on it and... Woweeeeeee! lol
But at over 48" tall, didn't think your wife would appreciate it, hahaha. Thus I didn't mention it :)

[Aquattro]

I'm now running a Lifereef VSV-48. Best skimmer yet. Running a Waveline DC12000 on it and... Woweeeeeee! lol
But at over 48" tall, didn't think your wife would appreciate it, hahaha. Thus I didn't mention it :)

Dom, something that tall will outperform anything else around. If I had a sump room, I'd be using a 6' air driven skimmer.

[MarkoD]

The big bashsea skimmer I has was by far the best I've ever used. Maybe check them out. They make various sizes

[Aquattro]

The big bashsea skimmer I has was by far the best I've ever used. Maybe check them out. They make various sizes

Looks like there stuff is all thumb screws, not very convenient.

[xenon]

I would consider Deltec, although the review I just watched has me rethinking :)

Research every brand and you will find bad reviews.

I can only go by my own personal experience and their performance is shocking.

I use the bigger Deltec skimmers on our 600g coral beds but I am planning to order the smaller models for some demo systems for our showroom.

[Aquattro]

I think the Deltec performance is great, but the pieces were falling off and breaking :)

[mike31154]

Dom, something that tall will outperform anything else around. If I had a sump room, I'd be using a 6' air driven skimmer.

Ah yesss, old skool, non? Somezing like zees? My tank is sans sump, zee pleasures of sumpless has avantage, oui? Not tall like 6', mais tall enough mes amis.... and veree quiet... low power...

https://tsl4pa.blu.livefilestore.com/y2pDMkf17oyLi_oJNLHaIVR9v6zKct3mJz0V1x2B0UtLiX_C1D G0r4BpKqIBWUk98iFpIBYSdQCVgjuMusjnNwMVFFitRl-sv6EDi9T42GcAMI/P1010815d.jpg?psid=1

Pardon, mes amis, I have perhaps enjoyed too much vin blanc avec mon diner??? S'il vous plait, continuer la discussion. Ach du lieber...

[Dez]

Ever since I got rid of my Beckett skimmer due to change of return pump, I've been running a skimz skimmer. I am happy with it. I set it and forget. I would say that I have a decent enough bio load. I believe it's a 250 model running on over 300 gals water volume. I basically sold my Beckett and added $50 to buy my skimz skimmer used. I hate maintenance, so it was a decent choice for me. I love the twist off top with only about 1/2" clearance needed to take the cup off.

[TimT]

Hi Brad,

I have never been a fan of pin wheel impellers and cavitating a pump. Cavitating a pump is inherently destructive and I think this is what we are seeing by the amount of pump motor failures. By cavitating a pump I am referring to injecting air into the inlet.

I have used mazzei injectors in the past on several skimmers and they work way better than a beckett etc. I presently use an ETSS downdraft skimmer with an external pump. No moving parts in the skimmer.... yay. Been running flawlessly for 8 years with ozone.

My recommendation is to mod one of the existing bodies you have to accept a 3/4 barb or female adapter, get a mag 6 to 9 pump and I think I still have a used 3/4" mazzei I can set you up with. Put a ball valve in between the pump and mazzei and your good to go.

Cheers,
Tim

[Skim]

I know this post is a few months old but I thought I would put my 2 cents in as I am looking for a skimmer again. I went back and gave a quick read through Advanced Aquarist test on skimmers and found it to be quite eye opening when it comes to skimmers.
Feature Article: Further Studies on Protein Skimmer Performance

To put it a nut shell NO MATTER WHAT SKIMMERS TESTED only 25 to 30% of TOC was removed, From BK's to RO NBW 150 it came down to how fast the TOC where removed. So the myth on 1 size up I think just went out the window and no matter how big or how many recirculating pumps it will not remove more. So with that said I think we should reverse are thinking and look at getting a skimmer rating that the lite bio-load falls into the size of the tank volume and is reliable ( good quiet pump and good needle wheel if it has one ) and use GAC to remove more of the bio-load ( TOC ) as it removes 65% to 90% of the TOC in the system. This is because only certain Organics will stick to air bubbles.
It does make you wonder about the that question that keeps crawling up are we over skimming, in the sense that we are throwing money out the window for skimmers that look more like pieces of art. I believe the skimmer that removed the TOC was a Air driven PM skimmer.
Anyhow just wanted to post this to give people something to think about and next time you see a post that says " my skimmer will out skim any skimmer " you can say no it will skim what all the others will 25% to 30% it just may do it faster.
Something to think about.

All the best.

Mike

[Aquattro]

Mike, I think the "faster" part is important. If I'm doing large water changes every x days, and skimmer A is faster at removing than skimmer B, then by the time I change water on day x, I end up with less TOC in the water column. No?

I also agree that a tall airstone driven skimmer will outperform any other under tank model available.

[RDNanoGuy]

Skimmer sizing is a huge debate. Most skimmers are rated by how much water can be processed in a given amount of time similar to turnover rates for sumps. Most manufacturers use 3 times the system volume per hour for normal or medium bioload.

As the article referenced above shows, over skimming a tank is a myth. When the total TOC's in the water column fall below a certain amount the skimmer simply stops being able to produce a foam head that can reach the collection cup. When the TOC's rise again the foam head will build again and be able to reach the top of the cup and be removed.

In my opinion a skimmer is properly sized when it reliably skims but periodically stops. If it is constantly foaming it's not keeping up with the TOC production in tank and should be upsized.

[Fesso]

If you're at all handy the best bang for the buck I found was the Avast CS1.
Rated up to 200 Gallons. It comes as a kit that you assemble yourself. It took me half an afternoon to get mine put together and it was fun. It's a recirculating skimmer so water depth is not important. It's about $300 including the Sicce PSK1000 recirc pump.
And how sexy is the smoked acrylic?
http://www.avastmarine.com/ssc/images/store/cs1-blackpearl_lg2.png

Here's the product details:
http://www.avastmarine.com/ssc/do/product/youbuilt/CS1-Cone-Skimmer-Kit

[Skim]

Well its been a while since my post on the article that I read. Just to give a quick up date as to why I read that article. I purchased a Bubble Magus Curve 9 I guess in early spring this year and man what a Skimmer the stuff that it brought forth from the tank water was hard to believe. Up tell then I had a Eshopp 150 good skimmer simple easy to use and would get a nice dark almost black sludge. Well the BM 9 started to get noisy and is oversized for my 100gal+ sump, this skimmer is rated for 300 to 400 Gal and I believe it could do it, I think it starts from a 10" base and tappers to 6" neck. I was lucky it fit into my sump, I knew it would fit but to get into the sump was the trick. Anyhow started to get noisy and now am waiting for a replacement impeller so I thought I need a good back up and went to a local well semi local reef shop and wanted to get a Reef Octopus 150 INT well no stock and was asked why do you won't that piece of doo doo get the Omega 150 ( I did look at it and read a lot about it and was even considering the RO Prime ) its far better look hold the lid feel that look Titanium screws bla bla bla bling bling bling long story short I bought it because I needed the skimmer. He said he could get RO and sells them but said the Omega is a far better skimmer. So all the way home my gut is telling me NAY NAY ( John Pinette R.I.P ) and I get home, more bling bling the box what a beautiful box well if anything I have a $400.00+ box well open it, Flute has chip out of it, the air stem is snapped of and all I could think about was NAY NAY. So now I have to get a new Flute and I glued the stem back. So onto my review of my NAY NAY Omega Skimmer. I personally can not recommend the Omega 150 I would have to say save your money and get something else the pump is too big for the 150 the turbulence inside the cone is just nuts, does it skim yes, could it skim better yes. The reaction chamber is about 10" now I am talking the area where bubbles can be seen and about 6" is just swirling around and going nuts and that leaves 4" of true reaction area not much and its moving quite fast upwards. Anyhow enough of that so IMO NAY NAY on the Omega 150 for my fellow Reefers. Sorry I must say that it is the quietest Skimmer that I have ever heard.
I have just put an order in for a Reef Octopus 150 INT, I was considering the SRO 200 but I read a couple of reviews that said the Blaster pump was to much for the size and better off with the 150 so back to where I started from wanting the RO 150 INT and should have it next week.

Tell then all the best.

Mike

[reeferfulton]

so what your saying is

1. bubblemagus curve 9 is noisy then impeller broke , but otherwise great skimmer ?

2. Omega 150 is silent bling bling yet came broken ? ( which sounds like vertex to me..) and has a bad design .aka reaction chamber

3. Trying a 150 prime that is an omega knock off ?


Why did you not just get a new impeller and see how the curve 9 behaves before jumping ship 3 times ?

[kien]

The impeller on my Bubble Magus (Eheim 1260) just busted too! I'm about to pick up a Curve 9 and by the sounds of it I should pick up a spare impeller while I'm at it :lol: Actually that doesn't bother, so long as a have a working skimmer that skims awesome ! The impeller takes quote a beating. It is spinning 24/7 and i'm sure random junk gets sucked in there and mangled up.

[Skim]

Well I never said that the Impeller broke, it makes noise as in it rattles and I am waiting for a new one. The BM is a great skimmer but it is too much I believe for my tank as it will skim and then die off, I had it die off for three days one time and then it slowly comes back and will skim some nasty stuff. I would like a skimmer to be more consistent. The Omega well I think they just put too big of pump on it for its body size but that's just my opinion. The RO Prime was one I was looking at it because of the way the cup twists off I like that and you know what I bet it skims better then the Vertex just because of the pump and as for the Prime being a knock off I don't know, I read an article that the Prime was ready to go 1 year before the Omega was released but they did not have the new pumps for them and decided to wait, how much truth there is to that I don't know. So like I said I wanted to get the RO 150 INT as a back up or if I liked it use it full time and use the BM 9 as back up but they did not have it so I ended up with the Omega. I just wanted to post what I have observed so far and it just may help some decide on a skimmer.
So this is what I am saying.

1. BM 9 Great Skimmer ( have it for 8 months ) should have gone with 7.

2. Got the Omega and IMO does not live up to all the hype, and just posted what I noticed from having one.

3. I was think of the Prime but I got the RO 150 INT instead and I will post my opinion on it when I have used it and if I don't like it I may even try the New Coral Box Skimmer with the DC pump as it looks quite interesting. The one thing that I am starting to see is that the skimmer with the pump inside may be the way to go as it seems they do not have as much turbulence in them and act more like current and co-current skimmer no rotation.

That's what I am saying.

[reeferfulton]

cool , thanks for the info . Interesting on your theory on curve 9 being to big .
Whats your fish load like ?

im just wondering if that would be too big for me then too

[Skim]

My bio load I don't think is much, I have a Naso about 6" and 2 Perc's and File fish about 3", Scopas Tang 4 to 5", Sand sifting yellow head Goby about 5" a Sea Cucumber, Serpent star, little Goby mate for Shrimp and couple peppermint and Cleaner Shrimp.

The 9 is great skimmer but its big I was surprised when the box came. Like I said the cup neck is 6" and the cup is 8", I could put the Omega inside the Curve 9. I have heard and read that the 7 and 5 are vary quiet.

[reeferfulton]

ok. thanks.
sounds as if my tank would be better suited for the curve 7

[Skim]

Well got the RO Classic 150 INT on Monday the Nov,.10 and installed it after giving a quick Vinegar bath. So far I am impressed with this skimmer it as quite as the Omega and it skims quite well so far. Turbulent until about 3 inches from the top and settles then very fine bubbles to where the cup meets the body and then getting nice pea size bubbles up the neck to bottom of cup and starts to change to large soapy like bubbles that you can see are brown, then gets to top and starts to form a thick like dense foam that is blown over the edge and slowly slides down. It pulls about 300 to 400 lph according to my Aquamedic air meter. The Omega pulls about 500 to 600 Lph so both are not close to what they say but the one that does surprise me is the Curve 9 that say 800 to 900 and pulls well over 1000 Lph meter stops at 1000 and buy how much I have to turn the Valve closed on the Meter to get the ball back down I would say it pulls 1200 to 1500, sucks a massive amount of air. I wish I could figure out how to post pic`s as I took some of the 9 and what it produced in 4 days. I have a 1 Gal. drain bucket and in 4 days was almost half full of blackish green stinky matter and I use Socks and I also use Pellets so that may account for some.
That's it so far I will update if anything new comes up.

Mike

[StirCrazy]

However, being all old school and stuff, I do think injected skimmers beat the various wheel designs.

Have I got a skimmer for you :wink: might be a little tall for your stand but you could put this baby beside the stand, dual becket injection driven by two Mark 4's :mrgreen:

Steve

[Aquattro]

Have I got a skimmer for you :wink: might be a little tall for your stand but you could put this baby beside the stand, dual becket injection driven by two Mark 4's :mrgreen:

Steve

S'ok, I have a BK now, they're apparently the cadillacs of skimmers :)

[Skim]

Did you get a new BK?

[Aquattro]

Did you get a new BK?

No, they're ridiculously over priced. I got a really good deal on a used one. Very good skimmer, just not worth what they charge, IMO

[Skim]

Good stuff, I have heard the new ones are having problems with the pumps and range 250 to 800 for new ones once out side of warranty.

[Aquattro]

Good stuff, I have heard the new ones are having problems with the pumps and range 250 to 800 for new ones once out side of warranty.

Yup, always a problem I think. I replaced my pump with a Laguna block for cheap and away I go :)

[Myka]

Yup, always a problem I think. I replaced my pump with a Laguna block for cheap and away I go :)

That's the trick. Just find a pump that fits and matches flow rate and you're golden. I never buy the branded skimmer pump as a replacement. For example, the Vertex IN series use rebranded Resun pumps and them puppies are CHEAP to replace! :D I own about 8 or maybe 10 skimmers and I have a plethora of random pumps hanging out waiting to be used. I hate throwing things into the landfill, so I replace pumps when they die. I have some OLD skimmer bodies. Interestingly, I haven't had a Sicce pump die, and a couple of my Vertex IN skimmers still have original pumps. What I hate is when I drop a skimmer cup...

[Aquattro]

That's the trick. Just find a pump that fits and matches flow rate and you're golden. I never buy the branded skimmer pump as a replacement. For example, the Vertex IN series use rebranded Resun pumps and them puppies are CHEAP to replace! :D I own about 8 or maybe 10 skimmers and I have a plethora of random pumps hanging out waiting to be used. I hate throwing things into the landfill, so I replace pumps when they die. I have some OLD skimmer bodies. Interestingly, I haven't had a Sicce pump die, and a couple of my Vertex IN skimmers still have original pumps. What I hate is when I drop a skimmer cup...

Particularly when a manufacturer takes a regular pump and glues a shiny sticker to it then triples the price :) It's ridiculous!
As for old pumps, I still have my original ER Sedra pumps, running on 10 years.

[Skimmerking]

So fella what did ya get i know bringing up a old thread..

[Skimmerking]

DP

[WarDog]

Brad traded his skimmers for farm equipment.

[juanlien]

I have the csc 250 which is the skimz e series 201.

Works great but I'm not sure if it'll fit your height restriction

very nicehttps://babang.xyz/assets/10/o.png