Comparing filter rollers- **your reviews wanted!**
- Thread starter TheHarold
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Ellery
Active Member
I helped test a bunch of stuff for these guys 3 years ago on my Theiling rollermat and specs out what I wanted and it has been working out well. I only use 100 microns else it would be clogging up too quickly and you don't want to a sanitary environment either. Bad for corals and filter feeders.Ordered from this seller
So far haven't found anyone making alternatives for the Klir DI4 I have.
rushbattle
Valuable Member
I have plans to run some water to mesh filter socks and some water to my Clarisea. Figuring the mesh socks just keep snails out of the sump. So I can control N and P containing detritus removal with flow rate ratios. I didn't even think of using different filter paper to control removal rates as well. Thanks for the information!
vangvace
Well-Known Member
So far I really like my Clarisea 5000. My complaints would be that I am on my third roll and still have a learning curve on removing and replacing the roll. My girlfriend calls the tank my herd now because the Clarisea sounds like a sheep when the motor spins.
tqpolo
Active Member
Staple the new roll to the old roll and run the motor.
jelee01
Community Member
+1 much easier for me
Butuz
Valuable Member
i do the same with Klir DI-4, that way, I dont have to remove the bottom assembly.
anonomous09
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I just got caught up on this thread. I have noticed my skimmer is not very active myself. I recently switched to the Clarisea XL roll.Has anyone noticed a difference with these? I have a Geos Sump with the roller built in and it has some port holes that I can open up. I may experiment with slightly opening them.
jlts21
Well-Known Member
I had the Clarisea SK5000 on my 120. I ended up getting rid of it for multiple reasons. Also, got a brand new Avast Marine Spyglass Reactor (large) as a trade for it. The reasons are:After doing some research on filter rollers, I thought I would share what I came up with regarding the difference brands of filter rollers and how the pricing would work out for a nice sized tank.
The tank ratings are confusing, given some that the units have almost identical fleece, and theoretically should clog at the same rate. I guess it shows how arbitrary the ratings are between manufacturers. I chose the most similar models, usually the largest, to compare the units.
1. Teilung Roller Matt. $395
- Holds 135 ft of 50 micron 6" wide fleece. Roll cost: $30 $.22/FT
- Rated 200-600gph
- 17" long X 10" wide X 19" tall
2. KLIR DI-7. $299 + $150 for bracket if not used in sock tray.
- 150 feet of 50 micron 6" wide fleece. Roll cost: Unknown
- Rated 1800 GPH
- 7" Long x 7" Wide x 19.5 tall (**Without filter bracket)
3. CLARISEA SK-5000 Gen 2 $399
4. Bubble Magnus FIlter Roller $199
- 82 Ft of 20 Micron 6" wide fleece. Roll cost: $30 $.36/FT
- Rated 1320 GPH
- SMART ALARM: Out of floss, jam, etc. <-- Awesome feature IMO!
- 82 Ft of Unknown Micron 6" wide fleece. Roll cost: $19, $.24/FT
- 12" long x 15.5 wide by 14" tall
From what I see online, the Clarisea SK-5000 Gen 2 is the most feature laden, with the alarms at a low fleece condition. Its fleece is much shorter than the Theiling or KLIR units, but is also 20 micron versus the 50 micron filter of its competitors. Will definitely need changing more often.
The bubble Magnus looks like the most budget friendly, "Only what you need and nothing more" option.
Fleece cost is generally consistent at around $.25 per foot, but the Clarisea has slightly more expensive fleece at $.36/FT - which is much finer than the other brands at 20 micron. This will improve tank clarity, at the expense of using more fleece. It seems to
Fleece cost is not non-significant. If the advertised ratings (~2 months) are accurate, you are paying ~$180 a year. This assumes that your tank has the same waste as the manufacturer tested it with...... In my experience, I generally get 2/3 to a half of what manufacturers advertise: so ~$300 year in fleece.
What are your thoughts? Is a filter roller something you are interested in adding to your tank, at ~$300 initial cost and $200-$300 a year in fleece? Or will you stick with changing floss once a week, and put that $$$ towards something else?
TheHarold
1.) Filter roll seemed to get out of whack causing the motor to bind (no advancing and have to reset alarm for it to advance)
2.) While not advancing, water would obviously overflow and not get filtered (defeats the purpose of what it is supposed to do)
3.) Rolls are quite a bit more expensive than filter pad (Pinkyfilters)
4.) It was a PITA to swap rolls out
Now I'm sure a portion of the issues was due to operator error, but I tried everything to get the roll to stay centered and straight so that it did not bind up and was unsuccessful.
I just felt that it was cheaper and easier to go back to filter pad. Buy a 10ft roll for $13, cut a piece off, and swap the pad out every 4-5 days.
jelee01
Community Member
My skimmate production slowed, too. I do allow some bypass for a little dirty water to keep a few trace nitrates/phosphates subject to whatever skimmer now pulls out. I find the combination is working very well in my system. I’m really enjoying the Clarisea in my case. Cheers!
bryanfuel
Active Member
Could one of these roller mats potentially replace a skimmer? Or at least reduce the size of one?
gobble
Well-Known Member
Wider is probably better. We’re having a problem with the eBay rolls right now where they stretch when being pulled up into the collector roll and become narrower than the holes, causing water to flow through and the roll to not advance. We’re working with the eBay seller to come up with a solution which may be cutting the roll a little wider than the Clarissa version. DO NOT get the larger micron version it’s even worse.
I think jelee01 was referring to a problem with the Clarisea filter mat I addressed above. It has some substance on it that kills skimmer foam from forming (like an oil on it). It's not that it does such an amazing job the skimmer isn't needed. Just sticking a piece of the Clarisea filter in the sump does it also. I would say no on skipping the skimmer, downsize maybe, but the risk of under sizing is likely going to cost more in the long run if wrong.
They fit OK, but as Gobble mentioned, they stretch and become narrow at the motor. So mine it feeds in 6" but at the motor its 5" and water gets past it at the top (the white plates with oval holes are not completely covered). He's working with the ebay supplier on a wider roll, I'm looking at another option. I'd hold off buying any for a little bit, I'm sure we'll share any updates we have.
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