Is lifereef really the best skimmer?

[Wrasse-cal]

I guess all I can tell you is hurry up and get some life in your tank!

I’m working on it!

 

[Water Dog]

I’m working on it!

I just looked at your pictures and realized you bought my old skimmer. Treat her well. Don’t worry, she’ll take care of you!

 

[Wrasse-cal]

I just looked at your pictures and realized you bought my old skimmer. Treat her well. Don’t worry, she’ll take care of you!

Yup! It’s in great condition, just gotta figure out this pump issue!

 

[Wrasse-cal]

So I let the skimmer keep running over the weekend, just to see what would happen. Worst case scenario, the cup would just overflow into the sump. No big deal. Maybe everyone was right...just give it time.

Monday morning:

Not bad! Once I emptied the cup, the skimmer is now doing what it should.

Oh yeah, and no micro-bubbles.

Gotta love Lifereef!

PS- I'm still not a fan of the Sicce. Not quiet.

 

[shred5]

I can accept the micro bubbles will dissipate with use for the reasons you state. That makes sense to me. What still doesn’t is that somehow, the skimmmer cup will start not overflowing.

did you use epoxy? That is what causes this, If not it is something else in the water. I will let the skimmer run wide open when this happens emptying the cup and adding new water to the tank. I also add carbon and polyfilters to help remove what ever is in the water causing this.

Also make sure there is no back pressure on the output right now, if it has a valve open it.

edit:
Should have read farther looks like it is working good.. The top would still apply to anyone having this issue.

 

[Wrasse-cal]

did you use epoxy? That is what causes this, If not it is something else in the water. I will let the skimmer run wide open when this happens emptying the cup and adding new water to the tank. I also add carbon and polyfilters to help remove what ever is in the water causing this.

Also make sure there is no back pressure on the output right now, if it has a valve open it.

Thanks. I did use epoxy, but it was before curing the live rock in a separate container for 2 months. I then did a 100% water change.

I then did exactly what you suggest: I ran the skimmer wide open, dumped the skimmate, and now it seems to be working great.

 

[Whipples]

Soon it will look like this!

 

[Trickman2]

Following along, interested to hear how the Varios pump is handling matters.

 

[Wrasse-cal]

Following along, interested to hear how the Varios pump is handling matters.

Like a champ. Very happy with the performance.

 

[boozeman27]

Just joined the LifeReef club with a third hand SVS2-24. Running it with a COR-15. Just got it plumbed and fired up! Thanks @Arrowkrab great seller!


FTS just because!

 

[JoshH]

Just joined the LifeReef club with a third hand SVS2-24. Running it with a COR-15. Just got it plumbed and fired up! Thanks @Arrowkrab great seller!


FTS just because!

Welcome to the club, you won't be disappointed!

 

[Wrasse-cal]

So I’m still very happy with my SVS2-24 skimmer. It has been working well with the Varios-6.

My one issue is noise! It’s not pump noise, but noise from inside the skimmer body. It’s also not vibration.

I have a C02 scrubber that helped somewhat quiet the noise, but the skimmer is BY FAR the loudest piece of equipment.

 

[RobertP]

You have the skimmer plugged into a CO2 scrubber. I did this a while as well but put the scrubber behind the tank stand but did not run the hose back to the skimmer cup. It masked the sucking sound because it was behind the tank. The problem I had with this was the bubbles lifted the cup lid sometimes. Once I started dosing 2 part on a 24 hour basis the CO2 scrubber made less difference and removed it.

If you are really talking about the bubble noise inside the skimmer maybe turning down the pump would help...though I hate that idea. For me it was just a little white noise and never noticed it. Perhaps I have been listening to loud music too long!

 

[Wrasse-cal]

You have the skimmer plugged into a CO2 scrubber. I did this a while as well but put the scrubber behind the tank stand but did not run the hose back to the skimmer cup. It masked the sucking sound because it was behind the tank. The problem I had with this was the bubbles lifted the cup lid sometimes. Once I started dosing 2 part on a 24 hour basis the CO2 scrubber made less difference and removed it.

If you are really talking about the bubble noise inside the skimmer maybe turning down the pump would help...though I hate that idea. For me it was just a little white noise and never noticed it. Perhaps I have been listening to loud music too long!

Yeah, it's not the sucking sound. It really is the cavitation (is that the right word?) of the bubbles in the skimmer body. It does make a white noise sound--but I'd rather it didn't. It's about a 6 dB difference per my iPhone decibel meter app.

I agree I don't want to turn down the pump. I think this may just be a design issue. :-(

 

[RobertP]

All skimmers make bubbles and make noise. My LR skimmer is no louder than any other I have heard. LFS runs vertex skimmers and I can plainly hear them running.
Perhaps run the skimmer at night and when you aren't home...you dont have to run 24/7. Some people dont run one at all.

 

[legionofdoon]

I can't hear my skimmer at all but that's probably because of my overflow. I'm running a Jebao DCP 8000 full blast with a synergy reef 16 on a 40B. To be honest my SCA 302 was much more loud. FYI for those new to the lifereef skimmers, I've found that skimming "dryer" seems to work better.

 

[ChrisQ0904]

Is there a neck cleaner that we can buy for the lifereef?

 

[jason2459]

Is there a neck cleaner that we can buy for the lifereef?

There's at least one person over on the life reef club thread on RC that got one. You could contact Avast on a recommendation.

 

[Water Dog]

I recall that the person on that RC thread used the smallest wiper blade that Avast offers because of the relatively small riser tube (when compared to needlewheel skimmers) in the collection cup

 

[nbd13]

I just got a svs3-30 and I’m trying to figure out a pump for it. Thinking of going Neptune Core 20, 2000 gph. Using an Apex controller on my system.

What do you think? Going on a 150 gallon heavily stocked SPS display and 30 gallon sump.

Too much pump power? Should I go with the core 15, 1500 gph instead?

Anyone have experience with the core pumps and these skimmers?

Thanks,

Nick