Boret May 26, 2009 Author Share May 26, 2009 Very happy with the skimmer. It is working great!! And I haven't even tried the mesh impellers. I will do that in about a year, that way is like getting a new Skimmer!! My only complaint is that one of the sicce 2500 pumps gets stuck when I power cycle it. A little tap on the side gets it working again... but what happens if I lose power for a few mins and I am not there to tap it on the side to get it rolling again? Researching that atm. My corals are doing great, and I am getting very good growth... I am sure it is not solely due to the skimmer, but I am sure it helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dell2go May 26, 2009 Share May 26, 2009 I am having the same problem. Hoping someone can help out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boret May 26, 2009 Author Share May 26, 2009 I have found this impeller. The website advertises that it fixes the restart issue.... LINK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dell2go May 26, 2009 Share May 26, 2009 Are you going to order it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boret May 26, 2009 Author Share May 26, 2009 Not yet. $60 seems too much for a tiny piece of plastic and I only get the restart problem in one pump and not all the time. I will keep checking online to see if someone comes with a better solution. I am also going to try moving the pump so the intake faces upwards... maybe that helps the balance of the magnet in the impeller. I just need to get a longer piece of silicone tubing. I will let you know if I come up with something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami May 26, 2009 Share May 26, 2009 I have found this impeller. The website advertises that it fixes the restart issue....LINK It claims that it fixes startup issues with the meshwheel. You're using the pinwheel, aren't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boret May 26, 2009 Author Share May 26, 2009 Yeah, I am using the pin wheel thats why I think that my issue might be related to the actual sideways positioning of the pump more than anything else. I need to get the silicon tubing and turn it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dell2go May 27, 2009 Share May 27, 2009 I am running Bubble Master w/ 2 mesh wheel sicce pumps. I have the same problem like Rob. Please keep me posted with whatever you find out. TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kengar May 27, 2009 Share May 27, 2009 I used one of the recirculating Octopus skimmers on my Mom's tank, and it worked pretty well for the price. Only reason I sold it was because I got a crazy deal on a Deltec ap600. Yeah, right! I look at the list of skimmers you've got experience with -- is there a brand you haven't used? -- and the only reason you sell is because there was a deal on another? Baloney! The answer, my friend, is that you're just plain simple nutso addicted to this stuff! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami May 27, 2009 Share May 27, 2009 Boret, I was having similar startup issues with one of the two Sicce 2500's on my skimmer. Normally a quick tap on the side got it started. I took both apart this morning to compare the two and found that the (red) rubber bushing at the bottom of the troublesome pump no longer supported the shaft securely. I called and talked to Jeff over at Marine Solutions and he speculated that the impeller might be slightly out of balance thereby rounding out the bushing, and he asked me to ship the pump back to him for service or replacement. I'm doing so this morning. Since this skimmer has two pumps, I'm running on one now. While it's performing well, I'm looking forward to getting my second pump back. You may want to take your pump apart and see if you're seeing the same thing that I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boret May 27, 2009 Author Share May 27, 2009 I will try that. One more reason to believe that the sicce pumps don't do well when working sideways. I need to put it with the intake upside. I might do the cleaning today, check the shaft and will let you know. I will also contact the place where I got it from to see if they have anything to say about it. I just want to say that the pump restart issue is a rare occurrence in my skimmer, it only happens to one of the 2 pumps and that, otherwise the skimmer is working like a champ. All the skimmers that use these pumps will have the same issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dell2go May 28, 2009 Share May 28, 2009 Boret, I was having similar startup issues with one of the two Sicce 2500's on my skimmer. Normally a quick tap on the side got it started. I took both apart this morning to compare the two and found that the (red) rubber bushing at the bottom of the troublesome pump no longer supported the shaft securely. I called and talked to Jeff over at Marine Solutions and he speculated that the impeller might be slightly out of balance thereby rounding out the bushing, and he asked me to ship the pump back to him for service or replacement. I'm doing so this morning. Since this skimmer has two pumps, I'm running on one now. While it's performing well, I'm looking forward to getting my second pump back. You may want to take your pump apart and see if you're seeing the same thing that I did. Can I have the number to call Jeff? TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dell2go May 28, 2009 Share May 28, 2009 NM found it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami May 28, 2009 Share May 28, 2009 BTW, Jeff and Rob at Marine Solutions participate in their vendor forum over at RC: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdis...amp;forumid=582 You can always hook up with them there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boret May 29, 2009 Author Share May 29, 2009 I asked the vendor I purchased it from and this is his replay: Sometimes the pump's don't startup if not set up perfect. If you are using the stock tubing it could be kinking up when trying to startup. I would pick up some better tubing from lowe's. This way you don't ever get the kinking up. That would cause startup probs. As far as the ppw goes, it will pull a couple more scfh but it always gives me startup probs because its to heavy. Only other thing you could do is open up the pump, give it a good cleaning and make sure everything is on there perfect. The shaft needs to be attached to the red nipple inside the pump motorblock (bottom). If its not in there perfect it won't start up every time. I would also suggest 10" as the skimmer always does best in 10" water. That will probably help with startup as well. But honestly i wouldn't waste $60 on new pw's that will give you 2-3scfh more per pump. So he agrees with your take Origami about the red nipple at the base. It seems that the proper placement of the pump goes a long way. The other interesting thing he mentioned over the phone was to have the intake facing down not up. I guess you want the weight of the impeller magnet away from the pump body.... I am going to try all of the recommendations and will keep you all posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami May 29, 2009 Share May 29, 2009 Good stuff, Boret. Thanks. Coincidentally, I picked up some new black vinyl tubing at Lowe's a few days ago. The stock stuff was just too flexible and you had to take pains to keep it from kinking. I figured this would work better and, in black, would resist cyano and algae growth. The 2S cone can't run the pumps upside down, though. The pumps are set so low that the housing would be scraping whatever surface it was sitting on if it were oriented that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dell2go May 29, 2009 Share May 29, 2009 Thanks for helpful info, Boret. Tom, will you be trying out the new vinyl tubing you got from Lowe? If so, please let me know the result. TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami May 29, 2009 Share May 29, 2009 Thanks for helpful info, Boret. Tom, will you be trying out the new vinyl tubing you got from Lowe? If so, please let me know the result. TIA I would have done it last night but had a different plumbing project in the works on the system. It'll just take a moment to try it but it will most certainly offer a more rigid wall than the stock tubing. I don't expect any trouble at all from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boret May 30, 2009 Author Share May 30, 2009 I think John has some at BRK I might get some at the Social! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boret June 4, 2009 Author Share June 4, 2009 I bought some of the black silicone tubing from Home Despotism and replaced the original air tubing that had a tendency to kink. I don't have restart issues anymore and my skimmer is performing better. (I also lowered the water level inside the chamber to produce drier foam.) There is a heated discussion going on in RC about the advantages and disadvantages of running these pumps horizontally vs vertically. The guy from MSX posted there saying that it makes no difference. But there is a guy who has a strong opinion about the pump suffering excessive wear and tear went ran vertically. I am running mine horizontally and it seems to work ok. I will keep reporting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami June 4, 2009 Share June 4, 2009 I bought some of the black silicone tubing from Home Despotism and replaced the original air tubing that had a tendency to kink. I don't have restart issues anymore and my skimmer is performing better. (I also lowered the water level inside the chamber to produce drier foam.) There is a heated discussion going on in RC about the advantages and disadvantages of running these pumps horizontally vs vertically. The guy from MSX posted there saying that it makes no difference. But there is a guy who has a strong opinion about the pump suffering excessive wear and tear went ran vertically. I am running mine horizontally and it seems to work ok. I will keep reporting. Great news, Boret. Keep us posted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dell2go June 4, 2009 Share June 4, 2009 (edited) What size did you buy? Edited June 4, 2009 by Dell2go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boret June 4, 2009 Author Share June 4, 2009 I bought the 300. Talk about overskimming!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dell2go June 4, 2009 Share June 4, 2009 Could you direct me to Home Despotism website? I can't seem to lacate it. TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami June 4, 2009 Share June 4, 2009 (edited) Could you direct me to Home Despotism website? I can't seem to lacate it.TIA OK, I'll bite. Go to Home Depot or Lowe's and pick up a length of their black vinyl tubing. (Boret, you said "silicone" but meant vinyl, didn't you? I don't recall there being silicone tubing in any form at either store.) I'll be installing the same tubing once I get my pump back from Marine Solutions. They think they'll have it out to me today.... Edited June 4, 2009 by Origami2547 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now