londonloco December 4, 2013 Author Share December 4, 2013 So, the skimmer was in perfect shape, good thing, I was worried. It's now foaming away like a volcano in a big "beer vat". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonloco December 4, 2013 Author Share December 4, 2013 Oh and I'm sorry you're sick! Feel better soon Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk missed this, thanks! man I really need to open my box....on the list to do today...sigh Did ya find the time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattiejay6 December 5, 2013 Share December 5, 2013 4 days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonloco December 7, 2013 Author Share December 7, 2013 Thanks Mattejay...... After running the Omega 130 in a tub for 24 hours full throttle with collection cup off, then 24 hours more with collection cup on I put the ps in my sump. The water level was at 8.5", no matter what adjustments I made to the riser tube or the air valve on the pump, I couldn't get it to stop overflowing into my sump. I didn't have the correct size eggcrate left to make a box to raise it, but did have enough to lay 4 difference sized pieces of eggcrate flat zip tied together, which raised it 1.5". This worked perfectly, this is the collection cup 12 hours after having the waterlevel at 7": As expected, the Omega 130 is well built, and extremely quiet. BIG difference from my chinese knockoff ps. I'm very happy with it, def worth the 200$ I paid for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef January 28, 2014 Share January 28, 2014 What does everybody think about this skimmer now that it's been a couple of months?? Lol mine is still bnib and wondering if I should unpack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Ford January 28, 2014 Share January 28, 2014 I've seen so many reviews I really wish I bought the 150 on Black Friday. I'm curious as well here and am counting the months for next BF... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattiejay6 January 28, 2014 Share January 28, 2014 Hmm... Well I'm torn with this skimmer.... First off The build quality is amazing.. With that said how ever I feel that I am left wanting more with this skimmer. The "fine" tuning of their design I feel is really wishy washy making me want to modify it to what I really feel like they should have done to it. I am not a fan of the riser tube slanted pipe design for fine tuning and would have preferred a nice gate valve. The adjustable Venturi to allow more air intake seems more like a hoax to me than anything and never really see a difference in the bubbles.. The skimmer does perform like it is supposed to and I pull out grossness, but I feel like for a 400$ Price tag there is not enough luxury to this skimmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonloco January 28, 2014 Author Share January 28, 2014 This is my second Vertex product, I also own a zeovit reactor made by them. I am becoming a big fan of their products. After running this skimmer for almost 2 months, I'd def recommend it to a friend for purchase: 1 - The build quality is excellent, even compared to my life reef skimmer, I'd set this one as high if not higher. 2 - Big advantage is the screwing on and off of the ps collection cup. So nice not having to fight with an O ring. Since I don't have room for a bigger collection cup, this easy on, easy off is a BIG plus for me. 3 - I like the riser tube design, easy to adjust, I can see how much gap I'm leaving making it easier to adjust if need be. Def prefer the rise tube over a gate valve. 4 - Once I had the ps set up and "fine tuned", which took about 3 days, I haven't had to touch it, set it and forget it. I do have the venturi knobby thingy adjusted about ½ a turn. 5 - I haven't had to clean it yet, but having the ability to take this ps apart for cleaning is a big plus. 6 - If you take the top off of the silencer, it's very loud, but once back on, it's quiet, dead quiet, I can't hear it running at all. 7 - I get about ¼" to ½" of nasty gunk in the cup a day. I clean the cup about twice a week. I can't smell the "chit" at all until I lift the cover from the collection cup. Then it stinks up my den, and I get "where is that smell coming from" from who ever is in the room. I have the Omega 130 on a 60g tank, 80g total water volume accounting for sump water, it's rated up to 100g. I've read the controversy on "right sizing" protein skimmers vs "over sizing" protein skimmers. Decided to go with the "right size" opinion base, mostly because the Omega 150, even with the advertised same footprint, looked huge compared to the Omega 130 on the Macna youtube video. It was the right decision, it fits fine in my sump, pulls great gunk, is easy to adjust and hopefully easy to clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef January 28, 2014 Share January 28, 2014 i know...odd question....but the skimmate it pulls out...is it dark or tea colored ? do you feel that the gallon recommendation is sized well for the skimmer? Do your tanks have large/med/small bioloads? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime January 28, 2014 Share January 28, 2014 3 - I like the riser tube design, easy to adjust, I can see how much gap I'm leaving making it easier to adjust if need be. Def prefer the rise tube over a gate valve. It all sounds good to me, except for this, I had an old Aqua Euro with that design, and that was the one thing I hated! Interested to hear the answers to Jenn's questions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonloco January 28, 2014 Author Share January 28, 2014 (edited) i know...odd question....but the skimmate it pulls out...is it dark or tea colored ? I'm able to "adjust" the skimmate color with the riser tube, the more "open" the tube position is, the lighter the color. My tank is a zeovit tank, I aim for medium tea color (see my pic above - it's darker than that but not much). I have pulled skimmate that was dark and thick (super yuk) once, I adjusted the tube to be a tad more open and it started to produce lighter, wetter skim mate. I like the tube because if I lay down on the floor I can peek into the tube and see how far open the tube is. Makes adjustments easier than if I had a bunch of marks on a gate valve. do you feel that the gallon recommendation is sized well for the skimmer? This is a hard question to answer. My tank is just shy of 60 gallons (36"x24"x18"), with sump I estimate it at 80 gallons. I think the skimmer is doing it's job on my tank. Would I put this on a bigger tank, say a 75g tank, prob not, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy the Omega 150 for a 75g tank. Do your tanks have large/med/small bioloads? Right now I have 6 fish: 2 clowns, meh, one med sized, one small pearl spot tang, maybe ½ grown mystery wrasse also maybe ½ grown bangaii cardinal, small to small medium, def grown a lot since I've gotten it, so cute! algae blenny, I'd say almost fully grown I have 19 corals, all frags but the Lobo: 7 - paly/zoa's, most 2x the size of a frag plug 5 - rics, bout the size of frag plug 2 - small favite brains, both covering frag plugs 1 - Torch, neon green, 3 heads 1 - Hammer, smaller but fits well in my tank 1 - Acan, three heads, smaller 1 - Yuma, way bigger than frag plug 1 - Aussie Lobo, biggest coral in my tank, 3 heads, def med sized I have a bunch of snails (just ordered from John at reef cleaners, guy is nuts with his counts), prob way more than I need. I feed the fish 1x - 2x a day, frozen mostly with flake maybe once a week. I feed corals a home made mash on Weds and Sundays, enough that I don't feed the fish those days, they can eat what is in the water column from coral feeding. I usually go thru 1 to 1.5 full "Julians thing" syringes when spot feeding the corals. I also add a square of Nori those days, so far the tang and wrasse are tearing it up. The clowns are getting closer, but don't really eat it yet. The day after I feed corals the collection cup does collect darker scum, probably my ½" days. I'm thinking my bio load is medium now. Yes? I haven't tested in months so I'm not sure where my Phos or Nitrates are. Everything looks good now, fish are for the most part fat and happy, my corals have good color..... Hope above answers your questions.....did my best... Edited January 28, 2014 by londonloco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonloco February 20, 2014 Author Share February 20, 2014 First bad experience with this ps. I was vacuuming the sump the other day, grabbed the ps to move it an inch and broke off the red tubing that goes from the pump to the riser connection. Not a big deal, I can replace the small piece of hard tubing it attaches to, but I was disappointed it broke off. I didn't treat it roughly, and even tho I've been working out, I'm not that strong...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef February 20, 2014 Share February 20, 2014 Wow..bummer..hopefully its easily fixed... For anyone that knows me it will hardly shock then to hear mine still is bnib lol I just haven't seen solid enough reviews to unpack and may just sell.... Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Ford February 20, 2014 Share February 20, 2014 Wow..bummer..hopefully its easily fixed... For anyone that knows me it will hardly shock then to hear mine still is bnib lol I just haven't seen solid enough reviews to unpack and may just sell.... Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk I could never do it. If I buy I'm opening the box and reading the directions on my way home. Heck half the installation would be done sitting at a red light. Good for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2nhle February 20, 2014 Share February 20, 2014 Wow..bummer..hopefully its easily fixed... For anyone that knows me it will hardly shock then to hear mine still is bnib lol I just haven't seen solid enough reviews to unpack and may just sell.... Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk let me know if you decide to sell it. i will get it off your hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef February 20, 2014 Share February 20, 2014 I could never do it. If I buy I'm opening the box and reading the directions on my way home. Heck half the installation would be done sitting at a red light. Good for you ironically I am kinda the same way with reading the directions...I had already done that online before the box came though LOL...I did actually open it to make sure it was in one piece though ha ha ha.... I just figured before I committed to install since there were others here that use them I would see how it went. ok, that and I am lazy and since it was a skimmer that I didn't "need" I haven't been pressed to do it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef February 20, 2014 Share February 20, 2014 let me know if you decide to sell it. i will get it off your hand. will do!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattiejay6 February 20, 2014 Share February 20, 2014 Jenn, Mine is pulling out really dark stinky grossness... It's running like a champ now.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef May 2, 2014 Share May 2, 2014 Ok i might just really pull this out of the box this weekend....ha ha ha no seriously! Everyone still happy with performance? Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2nhle May 5, 2014 Share May 5, 2014 Wow, it is still in the box? You may not need it then. Let me know if you decided to sell it. Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCReefer1964 May 5, 2014 Share May 5, 2014 Wow..bummer..hopefully its easily fixed... For anyone that knows me it will hardly shock then to hear mine still is bnib lol I just haven't seen solid enough reviews to unpack and may just sell.... Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk Well let the selling start !!!!! Interested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef May 5, 2014 Share May 5, 2014 Well let the selling start !!!!! Interested I actually do want to set it up...I don't know why I have such a weird mental block....in fact not only is it still BNIB but I haven't even brought it down to the basement where the tanks are...it is still in the garage where it was delivered in November....lol... I think my issue is that it is an in sump skimmer and I have always used external....so trying to figure out depth etc is what is stopping me from just doing it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime May 5, 2014 Share May 5, 2014 Still in box in garage? What happened to setting up this weekend? This beats the apex setup by a million! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef May 5, 2014 Share May 5, 2014 Still in box in garage? What happened to setting up this weekend? This beats the apex setup by a million! LOL...see I a better holder outer than you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2nhle May 6, 2014 Share May 6, 2014 I actually do want to set it up...I don't know why I have such a weird mental block....in fact not only is it still BNIB but I haven't even brought it down to the basement where the tanks are...it is still in the garage where it was delivered in November....lol... I think my issue is that it is an in sump skimmer and I have always used external....so trying to figure out depth etc is what is stopping me from just doing it.... I think the external skimmer is better than the in sump skimmer when compare brand by brand. since it does not have to depend on the water level and save the sump space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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