Need Advice, Any Suggestions?

[globaldesigns]

Hello Everyone,

I run 2 skimmers, both running great, but my euroreef rs180 skimmer is a little noisy, I want to replace the pump with a larger/quiter pump. This uses venturi, so I need a pump with venturi, needle/mesh wheel and the power.

Any suggestions? And where to buy, I can't seem to find anything anywhere.

Thanks all.

[fiorano]

i cant really help out with your question sorry but i have one for you ha ha. i was thinking about running my normal skimmer and my backup at the same time instead of buying new when i upgrade my display tank. then someone told me it was a terrible idea because 2 skimmers wont work together only the dominant one would pull anything out. but i figured if they are both getting water through them they should obviously both work correct? so basically how well does the 2 skimmer situation work for you? haha sorry for not being able to help you out

[globaldesigns]

i cant really help out with your question sorry but i have one for you ha ha. i was thinking about running my normal skimmer and my backup at the same time instead of buying new when i upgrade my display tank. then someone told me it was a terrible idea because 2 skimmers wont work together only the dominant one would pull anything out. but i figured if they are both getting water through them they should obviously both work correct? so basically how well does the 2 skimmer situation work for you? haha sorry for not being able to help you out

They are kinda correct, in Europe it is quite common to run 2 skimmers together. I am following there practice. The problem is that if you put a weaker skimmer in, then it may be over-dominated by the more powerful one. I had this problem: I had a EuroReef RS180 and put in a Tunze 9010 with it, well I couldn't get anything out of the Tunze, as the EuroReef disrupted the water too much.

So, I got rid of that and matched things up better, in my case I still have my EuroReef but also put in a Hydor 1000 Recirc... Welll it works great and also does the EuroReef. Both are Venturi systems and both work together and I pull out alot of crap, allowing me to have a heavy bioload.

So what I am saying is that you need to be careful, as you may have problems. If you can match the skimmers up and put 2 of the same, that would probably be the best.

I hope this helps.

Rick

[Delphinus]

What's the pump that you want to replace, Rick?

The most common pump I've seen that has needlewheel impellers is Sedra, which is probably what you already have.

Do you run mesh already? If you want I have a little PF4 mesh leftover from a roll I bought. It would make your current skimmer skim more, so it's like a size upgrade without the cost ... but it won't help with the noisiness issue though.

[globaldesigns]

What's the pump that you want to replace, Rick?

The most common pump I've seen that has needlewheel impellers is Sedra, which is probably what you already have.

Do you run mesh already? If you want I have a little PF4 mesh leftover from a roll I bought. It would make your current skimmer skim more, so it's like a size upgrade without the cost ... but it won't help with the noisiness issue though.

I would love to do the mesh mod, but don't want to destroy my impeller. Reason for looking at a new pump, the one I have works fine, but I find it a bit noisy compared to the Hydro skimmer or my return pump. Becuase I have alot of gear, just want to quite things down a bit.

If I don't change the pump, is the mesh mod easy to do? I have seen it on the web, but I just don't want to mess up my impeller trying to mod things.

That is why I thought maybe putting a bigger pump on, as EuroReef works great but I find the pumps a little under powered, and also getting a quieter one.

[Delphinus]

I'm guessing you have a Sedra pump. The nice thing about the mesh mod is you can get replacement needlewheel impellers for those pumps should you ever want to revert back.

It is a destructive modification though. When I ran an ASM (like a Euroreef only a bit more cheaply made - same pumps though), I did the mesh mod. It did make a significant improvement in performance (huge difference). Other than it didn't like to start after being turned off (I had to blow air into the airtube to get it going), I never looked back.

The Sedra pumps or rather their impellers however, are prone to swelling over time and eventually become unusable. So if it helps ease the mind process a little, odds are pretty good you'll have to replace that impeller sooner or later anyhow. :lol:

But .. IS your pump a Sedra? What pump is it now? (I'm just curious as it will help determine what other pumps we can look at, since you said noise is a consideration).

What about the pumps the Hydor uses? Can you get replacements of those? Because if so why not look at those (since you'll know what to expect from them..)

Whenever I look into pumps, the Eheim line of pumps comes up time and again as being one of the better ones in terms of quietness, reliability and performance.. at least people seem to think highly of them (I've never had one myself so can only parrot what I've read). Tend to be pricey though. Although AndyL (here in Cowtown) was selling I think a 1262 (bigger model) for a pretty good price a couple weeks ago (you'd be on your own for finding a needlewheel impeller though).

[Delphinus]

Wait .. Hydor? Isn't that the maker of Seltz pumps? Dollars to donuts those skimmers are using Seltz pumps. They come in different sizes so you can probably find one to match whatever you have now and yeah I've noticed they are quiet little performers (I had one as the return on my 20g setup I had running for a while).

[globaldesigns]

I'm guessing you have a Sedra pump. The nice thing about the mesh mod is you can get replacement needlewheel impellers for those pumps should you ever want to revert back.

It is a destructive modification though. When I ran an ASM (like a Euroreef only a bit more cheaply made - same pumps though), I did the mesh mod. It did make a significant improvement in performance (huge difference). Other than it didn't like to start after being turned off (I had to blow air into the airtube to get it going), I never looked back.

The Sedra pumps or rather their impellers however, are prone to swelling over time and eventually become unusable. So if it helps ease the mind process a little, odds are pretty good you'll have to replace that impeller sooner or later anyhow. :lol:

But .. IS your pump a Sedra? What pump is it now? (I'm just curious as it will help determine what other pumps we can look at, since you said noise is a consideration).

What about the pumps the Hydor uses? Can you get replacements of those? Because if so why not look at those (since you'll know what to expect from them..)

Whenever I look into pumps, the Eheim line of pumps comes up time and again as being one of the better ones in terms of quietness, reliability and performance.. at least people seem to think highly of them (I've never had one myself so can only parrot what I've read). Tend to be pricey though. Although AndyL (here in Cowtown) was selling I think a 1262 (bigger model) for a pretty good price a couple weeks ago (you'd be on your own for finding a needlewheel impeller though).

I do believe it is a Sedra, the sp3 or sp4 model number with EuroReef

My Hydor uses Hydor pumps, all three of them.

You have done the mod, would you want to help me with it, if I choose to try it?

[Delphinus]

Sure, although I did also do a thread about it:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=32196
.. in case you wanted to read about it first or something. :)

If memory serves though .. it may have made that "pump sound" a little louder. So you might want to see what other options are out there too.

[fiorano]

cool thanks for the tips

[globaldesigns]

Update on pump for skimmer:

Well, I took the EuroReef skimmer out of the refuge/sump yesterday to take off the pump and clean it. See if it quietens down some and to only find that I have fallen culprit to the common issue of swelling of the impeller magnet. It is actually cracked horizantally.

I went to Golds and bought a Sedra 5000. Others use this pump on EuroReef RS180's so I thought I would try it out. Cheaper than $300 plus shipping and customs from EuroReef in the US. The Sedra doesn't push as many GPH, but I can say that the air induction with the water is far superior to the GX-4100 pump that came with the skimmer.

Today, I am seeing things change as the pump breaks in and of course taking the skimmer out a couple times disrupts its stability. Where there was no real foam head happening yesterday, I am now seeing some good bubbling at the top with good brown foam production. So far so good. Not bad for $130 instead of over $300 plus plus plus

HMMMM... I saw where a guy modded his RS180 by drilling another hole and having 2 sedras hooked up. He stated it was even better. Something to think about.