Red Sea DC 300 Skimmer or Red Sea DC 600

[itachi86]

I have a Red Sea REEFER 350 V3 Tank and was wondering what skimmer will be best the RedSea DC 300 or the RedSea DC 600
In the redseafish website in the compatibility tab they have the DC-600 with a green check mark and the DC-300 with a yellow check mark
Now in the BRS website they have the specs in gallons and they say that with heavy bioload of 80 gallons

My doubt comes after watching a BRS video that suggest that skimmers with higher capacity are worst and don't actually skim anything. Since as you know my tank is rated for 91 gallons but after Sand and Rocks I am pretty sure there are less or close to the 80 Gallons suggested for the DC-300

 

[blaxsun]

If you're planning to run a ReefMat and low bio load I'd go with the DC 300. If you're planning to have a lot of fish (even with the ReefMat) go with the DC 600.

 

[itachi86]

If you're planning to run a ReefMat and low bio load I'd go with the DC 300. If you're planning to have a lot of fish (even with the ReefMat) go with the DC 600.

it sounds like the DC 600 then. I would like adding fish. How many fish is a lot of fish in this case though

 

[blaxsun]

it sounds like the DC 600 then. I would like adding fish. How many fish is a lot of fish in this case though

A lot of fish would be like 30 fish.

 

[itachi86]

A lot of fish would be like 30 fish.

Wow ok 30 is a lot I don't think I will do 30 but also don't think I will be getting a reefMat any time soon

 

[Simon_M]

The sump is height adjustable for the water level in the Skimmer Chamber for 17 - 23 cm and the suggested height of the water level for the DC Skimmers is 16 - 20cm and 18 - 20cm. They are both based upon the SICCE 1200 DC pump and the way this is operated can be controlled by the App e.g. initially they are setup with an intensity of 70% and 80% - which you can change. They are more similar than you might think.

The advantage of the 600 is a bigger collection cup which might reduce the frequency of emptying especially as there is a paddle on the inside of the collection cup that manually rotates to keep the sides clean. Everything is proportionally scaled up on the 600. If you eventually upgrade to a bigger tank then the 600 is more useful to have available.

 

[itachi86]

The sump is height adjustable for the water level in the Skimmer Chamber for 17 - 23 cm and the suggested height of the water level for the DC Skimmers is 16 - 20cm and 18 - 20cm. They are both based upon the SICCE 1200 DC pump and the way this is operated can be controlled by the App e.g. initially they are setup with an intensity of 70% and 80% - which you can change. They are more similar than you might think.

The advantage of the 600 is a bigger collection cup which might reduce the frequency of emptying especially as there is a paddle on the inside of the collection cup that manually rotates to keep the sides clean. Everything is proportionally scaled up on the 600. If you eventually upgrade to a bigger tank then the 600 is more useful to have available.

I can't seem to lower the level from 21.59 cm (8.5 inches). I have lowered all the way the adjustable gate (the one between the return pump compartment and the skimmer compartment) The ATO sensor is all the way down, so don't really know what to do to lower it more.

 

[Simon_M]

I had my Reefer 625 G2 setup wrong for a year and a half. That's because I assumed that water had to pass between the Refugium Chamber through the slots in the three plastic weir gates (above the level of the glass) and into the Skimmer Chamber. I now have it set so that the water goes through the weir gate and there is a small drop so the water show a ripple effect but there is no additional noise. I'm now lowering the baffle between the Skimmer Chamber and the Return Chamber so that the water uses the weir to maintain two levels and not just to prevent Chaetomorpha passing into the Skimmer Chamber.

When I replaced my ATO with the Red Sea ATO+ I noticed the two height settings. With my setup, I have a high water level in the Sump so I used the higher of the two setups. But my LFS said that they always pushed it down to the lower setting. I switched to this setting. FWIW, I needed to raise the height of the RSK 600 Skimmer to get the water level to between the Red Sticker that is 7-8". Red Sea (any manufacturer) knows the correct height to mix air/water - best to set this right.

I ordered an RSK 900 DC Skimmer. I could have "upgraded" the RSK 600 to the DC version but I would still have had the issue of the height and the bigger one allows for an additional inch of water height. As it is, I had a Skimmer Stand - the biggest on offer but still slightly too small so that the rubber feet of the Skimmer only sit 1/2 on the edge - I simply don't like Stands. I'm setting up the Sump whilst waiting for the Skimmer to be replaced - first one wasn't the DC version.

I setup the baffle between the Skimmer Chamber and the Return Chamber. I also couldn't lower the height sufficiently for the 600 Skimmer. RS do recommend the 900 Skimmer for this size of tank. The lowest I could get it to set the water level at was exactly the length of a chopstick e..g just under 9". That's OK for the new 900 Skimmer but still too high for the 600.

Things I would try are: turn off the ATO temporarily and remove the baffle completely. Remove the Sponge Filter and remove sufficient water in the Return Chamber. You should see water pass through the Refugium Slots and drop slightly into the Skimmer Chamber, then flow over the divider, down through the sponge area and to a lower level in the Return Chamber. Lower levels will mean that some water needs to be removed with a jug. The ATO can then be switched back on and the level increased. I would monitor the level with the ATO and replace some of the removed mixed water until the sensor says it is in the OK region.

If all goes well, you can then add back the baffle and adjust the height between the Skimmer and Return Chambers so that the water level is half way between the marker on the Skimmer. You should have three levels, Refugium, Skimmer and Return Chambers. The issue might be the sponge that can get clogged. It can be cleaned in a bucket of water and I have known folks to cut it in half so that the depth is reduced. Too much resistance might interfere with the flow of water passing through it. The entrance to the Return Chamber is under a glass dividing wall and I concluded the purpose of the Sponge is to limit the noise as the water drops through this area - so almost any depth will do. The Skimmer doesn't introduce any bubbles so the Sponge isn't need for this purpose.

If you are setting up a Skimmer then the levels are critical and where the water level is marked with a red tag, I would aim for either the mid point or slightly lower for correct operation. If this means not having the sponge, cutting the depth down or reducing the Return Pump flow - I would do any/all of the above.

The new DC versions can adjust using the sensors but the basic operation is as before e.g. only by setting the water level in the Skimmer Chamber and dialling the adjustment so that the level is at the base of the neck can it work well before letting the DC part correct smaller changes.

 

[Simon_M]

FWIW, I setup my RSK 900 DC Skimmer and adjusted the baffle so that the Skimmer water level is below the top of the red marker on the Skimmer. The exact height of the water level here is 22.5cm. The baffle is 0.5cm above the fixed height that is behind it and net result with the Skimmer is adjustment from completely negative results in a nice height to about 12 = 15 cm below the Skimmer neck. Rotating the control to positive I get up to the start of the neck - I use the base of the cup as a guide. Turned up then it can rise up and overflow the cup - so a good range of easily adjusted settings and it runs quietly. Being new, it takes a while but the froth is now rising up but not yet overflowing. I also have the sponge put back and there are the three levels: Refugium Chamber flowing through the weir and down into the Skimmer area. This then flows over the baffle and down through the sponge to the lower level in the Return Chamber. Since the level is easily adjusted - seems about right and there is no noise then all is OK. If I had tried to set the RSK 600 in the same way, then to get a low enough Skimmer depth would have required a Skimmer Stand - otherwise the negative adjustment of the Skimmer mechanism (knob) would not be able to lower the height - a common problem when the water height is too high e.g. don't ignore the manufacturer's height instruction and ideally aim for something in the middle e.g. not too high or low.

 

[itachi86]

FWIW, I setup my RSK 900 DC Skimmer and adjusted the baffle so that the Skimmer water level is below the top of the red marker on the Skimmer. The exact height of the water level here is 22.5cm. The baffle is 0.5cm above the fixed height that is behind it and net result with the Skimmer is adjustment from completely negative results in a nice height to about 12 = 15 cm below the Skimmer neck. Rotating the control to positive I get up to the start of the neck - I use the base of the cup as a guide. Turned up then it can rise up and overflow the cup - so a good range of easily adjusted settings and it runs quietly. Being new, it takes a while but the froth is now rising up but not yet overflowing. I also have the sponge put back and there are the three levels: Refugium Chamber flowing through the weir and down into the Skimmer area. This then flows over the baffle and down through the sponge to the lower level in the Return Chamber. Since the level is easily adjusted - seems about right and there is no noise then all is OK. If I had tried to set the RSK 600 in the same way, then to get a low enough Skimmer depth would have required a Skimmer Stand - otherwise the negative adjustment of the Skimmer mechanism (knob) would not be able to lower the height - a common problem when the water height is too high e.g. don't ignore the manufacturer's height instruction and ideally aim for something in the middle e.g. not too high or low.

Hi Simon thanks for the tips. I was able to lower the level by cutting and 1 inch and half off of the filter sponge. Now I have it at half the red sticker that comes in the skimmer to signal the water level. So I am guessing that should be good.

I have another problem now, I can't seem to get the overflow to function properly it is constantly bursting water down like if the overflow was too open but the water level in the display tank is only like an inch or less bellow the security overflow pipe.
I can see that in the "regular pipe" (to call it in a way since I don't know the specific name) The one with the thick piece of plastic there is always like a vortex of water, like water is going down really fast.
My tank is the read sea v3 350 and the return pump I have is the 7000. I have it currently at 80%

Does this means I have to slow down the pump a bit?

 

[Simon_M]

With the sponge cut and the height of the baffle adjusted to get the correct water height for the Skimmer - midway on the red sticker and three distinct levels in Refugium Chamber, Skimmer Chamber and Return Chamber (each lower than the last) the the Skimmer should be good for later adjustment.

The flow from the Aquarium to the Sump and back is a balancing act between the fixed rate of of water coming down to the Sump through the main Down Pipe - adjustable with the Valve and the variable rate from the Pump. In normal (balanced) operation a DC Pump is used with only a single DC rate. The Valve on a RS requires cleaning every 6 months but when I looked it was free of any deposits and isn't normally an issue on a new Tank.

To balance my setup, I turn off the ATO+ top up, adjust the Valve to balance the down flow to the water coming back so the top is overflow is about 1cm out of the water. The System stabilises after a few minutes and only small (one notch on the red Valve) is all it takes to get it rebalanced.

To make the adjustment without waiting, I sometimes pull way one the three Weir slots to let it quickly fill the Weir Box at the back of the Tank. If the Return Pump has been switched off then it is tempting to adjust the Gate Valve to fill the Weir and then restore the Setting. With DC Pumps - mine operates at 12 of 20 settings, I just turn it up and the Weir quickly fills before returning to the normal 12th setting.

The Weir is either operating at the correct level, or the flow into the Weir has too big a drop and it is no longer silent. If the Weir Slots don't need cleaning then the level needs to be raised by closing the Valve. Alternatively, if the water level is too high then the height needs to be lowered by opening the valve slightly.

Providing the height of water in the Return Chamber is sufficient, then it doesn't affect setting the levels but before switching the ATO+ Auto Top Up back on, I add/remove water from the Sump so that the Water Level is indicating as normal with the manual Check in the App.

On my 625 G2 there are two Outlets, one Overflow and one main Down Pipe. When I assembled the Tank I managed to reverse the Overflow and the Down Pipe. I had to swap them around to match the drawings with the Down Pipe on the RHS. One of the drawings shows the four pipes from the back of the Cabinet - my mistake.

I found that the System could be balanced at any DC Pump setting but I don't find it necessary to operate my Pump at the maximum setting. If the flow rate is too high then it affects the water height in the ReefMat - I switched to the ReefMat 1200 because of the increased surface area.