Giving a Vertex Alpha a new lease of life

[robs.mark]

Hey all,

I’m looking for those that have upgraded their old RE Vertex Alpha (250 in my case) AC skimmer with a DC pump? I note that the newish Red Dragon X pumps would be a suitable candidate for this (as I was recently advised by RE themselves), but just looking to find anyone that’s actually done it… I’ve looked online but can’t find any information.

Thanks in advance.

 

[bakbay]

Hey all,

I’m looking for those that have upgraded their old RE Vertex Alpha (250 in my case) AC skimmer with a DC pump? I note that the newish Red Dragon X pumps would be a suitable candidate for this (as I was recently advised by RE themselves), but just looking to find anyone that’s actually done it… I’ve looked online but can’t find any information.

Thanks in advance.

Check this out: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/vertex-200i-upgrade-the-pump-and-run-it-or-just-buy-new.991261/

I'm running the Vertex Alpha 200i AC skimmer and it's working like a champ! Per my Apex, it's drawing 69W so does it make sense for me to spend $300+ to go from AC -> DC? I don't think the ROI is there. Also, as for skimmers, I just run them in one mode -- max speed!

 

[robs.mark]

Check this out: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/vertex-200i-upgrade-the-pump-and-run-it-or-just-buy-new.991261/

I'm running the Vertex Alpha 200i AC skimmer and it's working like a champ! Per my Apex, it's drawing 69W so does it make sense for me to spend $300+ to go from AC -> DC? I don't think the ROI is there. Also, as for skimmers, I just run them in one mode -- max speed!

Awesome, appreciate the prompt response. Great to hear the skimmer is working well for you. They are super well made, and certainly pull some filth out of the water column.

The skimmer I have hasn’t been run for a couple of years, but my main concern for wanting to upgrade is to make it as silent as possible, and have a degree of control over it.

 

[bakbay]

Awesome, appreciate the prompt response. Great to hear the skimmer is working well for you. They are super well made, and certainly pull some filth out of the water column.

The skimmer I have hasn’t been run for a couple of years, but my main concern for wanting to upgrade is to make it as silent as possible, and have a degree of control over it.

The skimmer is a little noisy compared to modern ones but yes, it's built like a tank and almost indestructible! I'm ok with the noise since the tank is located in the kitchen. With respect to "control" though, I don't find that appealing - just run things full blast!

Good luck & do tell us what you've decided...

 

[disaster999]

I got my hands on a Alpha Vertex 170 skimmer body for next to nothing and bought a Reef Octopus Varios skimmer pump as I didn't have royal exclusive skimmer pump money to spend. I just used a section of silicone tubing to join the pump to the skimmer body and it worked like a charm. By far the best skimmer I've ever owned.

 

[bakbay]

Cool, welcome to the Vertex club! At the end of the day, I think that all skimmers are the same -- glorified bubble makers! I just want something that is very reliable, easy to maintain, and efficient. Enjoy your new skimmer!

 

[jda]

Sicce PSK work well in these, and pretty much any old skimmer body. They made a few different sizes, so choose well and you should have a good skimmer.

 

[disaster999]

Sicce PSK work well in these, and pretty much any old skimmer body. They made a few different sizes, so choose well and you should have a good skimmer.

I had a Avast skimmer with a PSK1200 pump years ago, that thing was the loudest pump Ive every owned. It vibrated so much it made everything in my sump hum.

Also with controllable DC pumps being the trend now, hard press to go back to a non controllable AC pump.

 

[jda]

I never understood a need for a controllable pump on a skimmer - I have never seen a skimmer with a controllable pump that outperformed one without. Maybe just small sample size.

I guess that noise can be an issue. I don't notice my PSK pumps. I know that they made new models a few years back, so maybe that is why.

 

[bakbay]

I never understood a need for a controllable pump on a skimmer - I have never seen a skimmer with a controllable pump that outperformed one without. Maybe just small sample size.

What? You don't like the reef crest or lagoon mode inside your skimmer? That's the new trend now -- bubbles are happier from what I've been told...

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

What? You don't like the reef crest or lagoon mode inside your skimmer? That's the new trend now -- bubbles are happier from what I've been told...

You forgot the Little Umbrellas.

 

[disaster999]

I never understood a need for a controllable pump on a skimmer - I have never seen a skimmer with a controllable pump that outperformed one without. Maybe just small sample size.

I guess that noise can be an issue. I don't notice my PSK pumps. I know that they made new models a few years back, so maybe that is why.

I thought its a gimmick at first. people should just run the skimmer pump full all the time to strip the water clean, but after using one with a controllable pump speed, I get it.

The ability to have a feed timer on the skimmer so super useful esp when doing water changes or maintenance on your tank. When dosing your tank with vitamins and fatty acids, your skimmer either becomes useless during that time and explodes uncontrollably. I was able to turn down my skimmer and oxygenate the water without having it overflowing the cup and making a mess everywhere. the Reef Octopus pumps comes with a level sensor so you will detect if your collection cup is full and turn the skimmer way down to prevent it from overflowing your cup. You can even hook up the the pump to a reef controller and have more control options to control from feeding timers, finer pump speed adjustments, leakage detector etc etc. I'm sure a single speed AC pump would work just fine and much cheaper, but just better quality of life stuff with a DC controllable pump.

 

[BZOFIQ]

I thought its a gimmick at first. people should just run the skimmer pump full all the time to strip the water clean, but after using one with a controllable pump speed, I get it.

The ability to have a feed timer on the skimmer so super useful esp when doing water changes or maintenance on your tank. When dosing your tank with vitamins and fatty acids, your skimmer either becomes useless during that time and explodes uncontrollably. I was able to turn down my skimmer and oxygenate the water without having it overflowing the cup and making a mess everywhere. the Reef Octopus pumps comes with a level sensor so you will detect if your collection cup is full and turn the skimmer way down to prevent it from overflowing your cup. You can even hook up the the pump to a reef controller and have more control options to control from feeding timers, finer pump speed adjustments, leakage detector etc etc. I'm sure a single speed AC pump would work just fine and much cheaper, but just better quality of life stuff with a DC controllable pump.

So the controllable aspect is probably not as important as simply switching from AC to DC for noise elimination.

DC pumps just run so much quieter.