GraffitiSpotCorals February 15, 2015 February 15, 2015 Who has experience with some really good big skimmers? I am kind of disappointed with the way my modded lifereef skimmer is performing at the moment. I still would like to have mazzie injectors on the new skimmer but if you have used or know of one that's different let me know. I have just started my research and never thought I would have to upgrade. Here are the issues I have been having... -Skimmate bubbles stay bubbles and don't pop which go into the skimmer air intake on the side of the cup clogging it in about a weeks time. -It will skim dryer at night and wet during the day which makes it hard to have a consistent skim. -I don't like having to take the plastic nuts off to clean the second chamber every few days. -the cup fills all the way in one or two days. Things I do like... -The recirculating option -mazzie injectors -using one large pump instead of multiple smaller ones -I like not using the needle wheel pumps but the last one i used, a bubble blaster, seemed to work pretty well but definatly didn't have a lot of force behind it I defiantly like the rk2 skimmers, Jon at brk just got one for his fish system and it defiantly looked 10 times better than I saw it two years ago. They use the mazzie and have the cup cleaning options on them and everything. Not sure what their smallest model is but it may be too big for what I have now. But keep in mind we are moving this year and this purchase will be running our next tank which will be BIG.
GraffitiSpotCorals February 15, 2015 Author February 15, 2015 Here is a pic of the one I am using now. And this is only 4 hours of skim during the day!
Octoman February 15, 2015 February 15, 2015 I have worked with a few RK2 skimmers in the past and been pleased by their performance over the long term. Very little maintenance to keep going and performed well with the self-cleaning spray down option.
Octoman February 15, 2015 February 15, 2015 Looks like the smallest they have is an RK10, they don't give much sizing info but I'm sure someone in their support dept could point you in the right direction... http://www.rk2.com/protein-fractionators-saltwater.php The units that I worked with were in the RK300 and up range, so I can't speak to how they perform on a smaller scale. But the big guys were well built and reliable and we never had micro-bubble issues with them - they discharged directly into biotowers to allow for dissipation of the gases. We did have the cups plumbed directly into the drain, which is necessary for the spray down cleaning on a timer schedule.
GraffitiSpotCorals February 15, 2015 Author February 15, 2015 Is there any equivilant to the rk2 skimmers or anything somewhat smaller? There are a few Becketts I have seen but I don't like them as much especially because of how small snails always got in the injectors when I was running them.
zygote2k February 15, 2015 February 15, 2015 Why not use an ETS skimmer? They're still using them at Marine Scene 20 years later....
Fazio92 February 15, 2015 February 15, 2015 I love my Reeflo Orca. Never had an issue and It's very consistent. Even at a time when the 550gal system had ~55+ fish, fully stocked SPS, etc., never ran into issues. I'm also able to run the air-intake outside to pull in fresh air. Though its "big" its relatively compact in size. There's plenty of mods you can do just like any other skimmer, but I personally have not found I need to make them, as it runs great as it is. Great choice IMHO. -Anthony
GraffitiSpotCorals February 15, 2015 Author February 15, 2015 Why not use an ETS skimmer? They're still using them at Marine Scene 20 years later.... I have seen a lot of tanks using them but didn't they stop making them?
GraffitiSpotCorals February 15, 2015 Author February 15, 2015 I love my Reeflo Orca. Never had an issue and It's very consistent. Even at a time when the 550gal system had ~55+ fish, fully stocked SPS, etc., never ran into issues. I'm also able to run the air-intake outside to pull in fresh air. Though its "big" its relatively compact in size. There's plenty of mods you can do just like any other skimmer, but I personally have not found I need to make them, as it runs great as it is. Great choice IMHO. -Anthony If I had to go needle wheel I would probably love one
johnnybv February 15, 2015 February 15, 2015 (edited) Then be done with it...and they have one that is wee bit smaller, but not much! Edited February 15, 2015 by johnnybv
GraffitiSpotCorals February 15, 2015 Author February 15, 2015 Yea that's what I am leaning towards, I may just fight my skimmer for the next few months and get one when we move. Maybe my mazzei is dirty with slime or something. I am not sure why it would be wet and dry at such weird times, let alone fluctuate at all. Its just to many parts to keep clean, air tubing, collection cup, neck, and if one is dirty it doesn't run right. I am sure if I had a smaller system it would be fine because it has been great for me in the past.
Coral Hind February 15, 2015 February 15, 2015 I love my ASM-G6X. Would the use of a skimmate locker help? I think the design of your current cup should have been wider to allow the bubbles to pop better.
GraffitiSpotCorals February 15, 2015 Author February 15, 2015 Yea the design sucks, it should have had the top of the cups inside ring where it pushes the bubbles down be longer. It just let's the bubbles go everywhere, maybe I can find some PVC coupling that will slip over itthat I can cut. I would buy the bigger collection cup but you have to send him your current cup so he can route out the neck to the exact dimensions... Also the new one won't fit because my stairs would hit it. Also I JUST hooked up an avast skimmate locker so I can run it wet and hopefully skim well enough to have it even out, maybe its just skimming hard because the old pump I had wasn't adiquate enough. I DO like the MRC Becket skimmers though. They have one with 4 Beckets that has a big twist off neck that is really long, this would be ideal for me but I am still worried about cleaning the Beckets so often it scares me out of getting one again. But it does have a plumbing system where you can turn one side off to clean it while the other three Becketts are still running.
GraffitiSpotCorals February 15, 2015 Author February 15, 2015 I really like how the top on this one is designed. http://www.myreefcreations.com/product-lines/protein-skimmers/commercial-skimmers/mr-c4860.html
gmerek2 February 15, 2015 February 15, 2015 Here is mine but it's in sump reef octopus 5000 if anyone wants to know more I can post up. I like it but it's only my 2nd skimmer Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
GraffitiSpotCorals February 15, 2015 Author February 15, 2015 I was running a sro xp5000 before I set up the lifereef again. The lifereef skims about 10 times the amount the reef octopus did. And it was darker. I defiantly want something that's much bigger than the SRO 5000's. I did like it, but it was weird how the bubbles went uniformly straight to the top and it seemed like there wasn't much power behind it.
gmerek2 February 15, 2015 February 15, 2015 That's a lot of fish poops for 4 hours. Looks like it's spraying some solids also wow
GraffitiSpotCorals February 15, 2015 Author February 15, 2015 Yea its not keeping up with the system right now. If anyone has an insump skimmer I can borrow until I find what I am looking for in a new skimmer it would be appreciated. My old reef octopus 200's pump is failing and I could use a second skimmer in the sump for sure. Something a decent size that can fit in a 40 breeder sump would be great.
zygote2k February 15, 2015 February 15, 2015 Paul, why not have Justin build you a custom skimmer? He'll make any size you need and has some very large skimmers available.
GraffitiSpotCorals February 16, 2015 Author February 16, 2015 I was just thinking about that actually, I am going to send him a message.
monkiboy February 16, 2015 February 16, 2015 paul, let me know what you come up with. I have a "Standard 12" from old school avast, gray sea aquatics. about 40" tall with a 12" cup that holds about 4 gallons of nasty skimmate. with two dc5500 skimmer needle wheel pumps it does it job proper and much better than a few OTS alternatives I've tried before. I'd like to find something equally as impressive in a less high of a footprint even if I had to go wider. curious to hear what you come up with.
GraffitiSpotCorals February 16, 2015 Author February 16, 2015 I am really not sure what to do for a new skimmer. Justin sent me a link to his old greenhouse skimmers that are way to big. Its kind of a bad situation because I want something large for when I move but won't have room for what I REALLY want. I may have to get a tall Becket skimmer and set it up next to a tank while we are here. If you have been here its obvious we aren't about the looks of the tank area... I am still reading everyday. The only needle wheel I like is the large reeflo orca, anyone else know of comparable skimmers? I broke down my skimmer again and cleaned the mazzei again. It was nasty from the skim getting sucked back into it... I cleaned it and will continue to fill buckets with avasts ato with the pressure switch. Hopefully it runs better not recirculating the air in the skimmer. Its defiantly going to keep the mazzei clean.
GraffitiSpotCorals February 21, 2015 Author February 21, 2015 Here is 4 or 5 days worth of skim in my new locker. Its working better how I have it set up now. But I have to turn off the feed pump and flush down the mazzei once a day so salt creep doesn't clogg it :( but over all things are better, still think its under sized...
wangspeed February 21, 2015 February 21, 2015 Did you talk to Jeff@Reef Dynamics? I i visibly don't have his skimmer but the BP reactor is awesome. Id consider his skimmers if I was in the market. Needle wheel though. Not that I really care. -- Warren
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