Skimmer for a 120gal..

[ds4x4]

i'm thinking of going a different route with my skimmer. I have a MSX250 with the 2 Sicce 2500's and i cant get it to work properly anymore. Maybe because i dont have the volume 300+ gals i used to have and the bioload. anyways i'm going to run a airline outside to draw in fresh air and see if thats my problem especially with a woodstove running in the basement half the time.

anyone have a reccomendation on a simmer around or less than 500 for a 120 display and probably 40gal in the sumps

 

[Nickjr000]

I had an etss evo 500 on my 120 and it was pretty stocked. Only complaint i have is it needed a mag 9.5 to run it. Newer style skimmers are a bit more effecient. But with the pump it should be well under 500

 

[SWITCH420]

SET up a algae scrubber and get rid of the skimmer all together heres a link http://www.reeferscafe.com/reef-dis...ver-replaces-skimmer-refugium-everything.html

 

[Hawkeye]

SET up a algae scrubber and get rid of the skimmer all together heres a link

Switch420 - do you have an ATS? Can you post your experience? From everything I have read - it makes zero sense to replace your skimmer for an ATS. Advocating such makes me wonder why you feel this way?

I will summarize my analysis like this: Have you ever seen the gunk in a skimmer cup? Have you ever seen a photo of an SPS tank without a skimmer?

every claim that is made by your thread can easily be countered with the answer: Cheatomorphia.

Dr. Adey created the ATS - and in fact it's patented by him. I bet the person claiming the ATS as the fifth wonder of the world doesn't give credit where it's due.

I think proposing an ATS as a model or alternative method in combination with skimming or carbon reactors/ etc makes sense - but claiming that it will eliminate the need for all others is not something that should be recommended lightly (unless of course my option with the skimmer was a seaclone, then you could sell me on the ATS). ;D

 

[Nickjr000]

I would never run any saltwater tank with no skimmer reef, fish only whetever it may be. Not only do they remove a ton of gunk but they really oxygenate the water good too.

 

[ds4x4]

I run this tank as a mixed reef like the big one was.. pretty much anything reef safe gets put in the tank. Plenty of shrimp starfish crabs and numerous fish including two small Hippos. We feed heavy so noone goes hungry and the corals get food . For some reason my MSX just isnt producing like it was so i'm gunna try the airline outside the basement or find a out of sump skimmer..

I'd even like to get rid of the other rubbermaid i have and just use the oceanic sump instead..

 

[Hawkeye]

brandon - try calling the company and asking them to help debug the issue:

Our customer service number is 877-422-3242
We are available from 9:00 am - 6:00 PM Monday -Saturday EST.

If you have a question about a product, product availability, or need some assistance, please feel free to give us a call.

Rob
Marine Solutions
www.marinesolutionsinc.com

 

[ds4x4]

y ea they've been pretty good about answering questions i just dont know what changed besides the bioload and everything is closed up now (the house)

 

[Baxreefs]

Brandon

Remeber, your bioload will increase over time as gunk builds up in the system, so don't cut yourself short on a good skimmer.

Try running just one scicci, enjoy the watt savings, and see what happens. Also these are meshed or pin wheels? If meshed, re-mesh them. They also need a good vingar soak about evry 6 month IME.

 

[ds4x4]

I might toss the skimmer in a vinager bath to clean the gunk out and order the purple pinwheels and new reducers for the sicces.. I dont know that it will work with one pump but i'll try. I was actually thinking of trying that C-Skim from Red sea, Of course i shlould have bought that Hydor from Adesimone1

 

[JRWOHLER]

That pump is a great one ...low watts...is it possible you are not getting any flow through the skimmer? Assume you are geting a lot of air bubbles right? If so then really it is a mechanical(well some sort of fluid dynamics I guess) process that if you have gunk in the water you should get skimmate. Thus if you are not then you don't have gunk going into the skimmer.
The mesh mod is tempermental but should produce more volume then any other pump per watt.

 

[ds4x4]

it seems like i'm getting bubbles but not spilling over the lip of the cup. i think i may be having problems with that one sicce pump. i'll post up some pics when i get home tonight.

 

[JRWOHLER]

I don't have your skimmer but do have the sicce pump, see what you get when you unplug the "good one". I find that mine is not consistant in that at times it runs low then when it gets good flow of waste it flows higher. Assuming you have a valve on the skimmer try to adjust the hight of the water...if it doesn't easily go higher then your flow into the skimmer is maybe clogged?
Even when the water is low in my sump/skimmer I still get a thick covering of crud on the inside of the skimmer top. I had more problems with the cheap feed pump as I have a recirculating skimmer that behaved like yours when that feed pump died.

 

[Baxreefs]

You've got a good skimmer there with good low wattage pumps, Stick with it, it may come down to low bioload of your new system.

I have had re-mesh impellers go 8 months and I 've had them go 8 weeks, as JR said, pretty tempermental. But, IMO, worth it! Best skimmer for the watt I've ever seen to this day is My ASM G-4x body with the pump you are using and a mesh mod. I still LOVE my MRC 4R, but at 360 watts, it ain't no bargain!!!