Skimmer Q&A Thread
- Thread starter mojo
- Start date
- Tagged users None
mcarroll
10K Club member
Having a pump generating an insane amount of bubbles in a box isn't very quiet affair to begin with, so I'd consider an in-tank skimmer like Tunze's Comline 9004. There are some others. The water will do a lot to dampen the sound from the bubbles.
Possibly, but any good skimmer is going to be pretty well tuned for the pump it came with (if it came with one). From the website it looks like it came with an Ocean Runner (or equivalent) which wasn't a bad pump and are (if I'm not mistaken) still available for sale. Is yours busted or your are just unhappy with current performance for some reason? Just wondering. FWIW, it appears the RL line was a Euro-Reef/Reef Dynamics clone, so you might be able to search and find what substitute pumps others have used on a similarly sized skimmers of theirs. If you just want to experiment, get a similarly sized DC/adjustable pump so you have some room to dial the pump into your skimmer.
Oddly, it doesn't look like Precision Marine supplies any spare/replcaement parts for their equipment. Have you contacted them by any chance?
mcarroll
10K Club member
It won't take a lot to skim that size tank, so even with a small space you have some great options!
Check out a new or used AquaC Urchin. I think I've seen one copycat design, but other than that I haven't seen a skimmer with a smaller footprint - you should have space left over!
I've used these skimmers and the company's EV-line and like em a lot. Very easy to clean, which may be the most important feature of a skimmer after bubble-generation. ;) Zero worries about availability of pump parts or replacement since you can use any regular pump/powerhead to drive the skimmer. With the standard MaxiJet 1200 pump it'll skim up to a 75 gallon tank, so your 40B will be covered easily!
Some others to consider are the ASM MiniG (w or w/out Sicce pump) and Tunze 9004 (it'd be just as happy in-sump as in the tank).
deepseasurfer
Community Member
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2014
- Messages
- 95
- Reaction score
- 6
anyone have anything good to say about a ATB 8.5 deluxe on a 150 gallon sps dominant?
SerpentSlick
Active Member
Hey Mojo,
I saw you mentioned earlier that Beckett skimmers are not very efficient in smaller systems. Would you consider a Precision Marine PM1 external with a Pan World pump too much skimmer for 100 gallon mixed reef?
Thanks!
I saw you mentioned earlier that Beckett skimmers are not very efficient in smaller systems. Would you consider a Precision Marine PM1 external with a Pan World pump too much skimmer for 100 gallon mixed reef?
Thanks!
SerpentSlick
Active Member
I already have it and it's never been used/can't return so I hope it's way too much in a good way!
mcarroll
10K Club member
If it's way too big it'll have a hard time forming a head of foam stable enough to exit the skimmer.
Also, the pump will draw a ton of power vs any sensible alternative.
That said, running it may still be better for the tank than not. And you can find someone to buy it at your own pace and/or find a used skimmer that is sized for your tank.
Compare what you have with these as an example of skimmers I'd recommend:
Tunze 9410 - sensibly oversized for your system (and what I use on my 100g system).
Or an AquaC EV-120 or even an AquaC Urchin with an upgraded pump.
There are lots of other options in that size-category too...just giving an idea of the range.
Also, the pump will draw a ton of power vs any sensible alternative.
That said, running it may still be better for the tank than not. And you can find someone to buy it at your own pace and/or find a used skimmer that is sized for your tank.
Compare what you have with these as an example of skimmers I'd recommend:
Tunze 9410 - sensibly oversized for your system (and what I use on my 100g system).
Or an AquaC EV-120 or even an AquaC Urchin with an upgraded pump.
There are lots of other options in that size-category too...just giving an idea of the range.
mcarroll
10K Club member
You know, I may have been thinking of the bullet 2. Worst case scenario is what I described-try it it may work out just fine. It will still take up a lot more power than any sensible alternative.
SerpentSlick
Active Member
I have an AquaC EV-120 and its not a whole lot smaller than my PM1. I lucked out with these two skimmers so I don't know a ton about them.
Attachments
SerpentSlick
Active Member
I looked at some old emails I have from Precision Marine and I think I just have the first version of what is now the Bullet 2, not the "PM1" like I was thinking. If that's the case it's rated for up to 250gallons and the Tunze 9410 was rated for 265gallons so I'm not sure if it'll be that much difference in skimmate. Also, I do know that Beckett style skimmers do require a lot of flow.
I'll post separately and see the if I can get some more feedback. I'd like to hear some stories of experience with the Bullet 2's.
Thanks!
mcarroll
10K Club member
FWIW, I've used lots of MRC's (bullet is a clone) and they're the most difficult to live with of all skimmers I've tried. Power hungry, space hungry, noisy, finicky, too many parts to clean, too hard to get to all the parts, etc.
I also have an Ev90...smaller predecessor of the EV120 and way more than enough skimmer for my 100g. Only took a ~40-70 watts to make it scream.
Your bullet may be more comparable to an EV180 or EV240 based on the pump you're using.
Good luck!
I also have an Ev90...smaller predecessor of the EV120 and way more than enough skimmer for my 100g. Only took a ~40-70 watts to make it scream.
Your bullet may be more comparable to an EV180 or EV240 based on the pump you're using.
Good luck!
SerpentSlick
Active Member
Thanks for all the input! It sounds like you have used a LOT of skimmers!
Ease of use is something I'm looking for and I figured something like this Bullet would be easier than harder. I was hoping that I could really stock this puppy(tank) to the gills(pun intended)! I don't want to drill my sump and turn my New skimmer into a Used one just to find out what you're saying is true.
Is there anything else you can tell me about this one before I dive in?
mcarroll
10K Club member
Well, just to clarify, MRC's are similar, but I doubt identical....
You'd have to tell me how easy the PM is to disassemble/reassemble as I haven't specifically used one and can't tell much (aside from the similar presence of thumbscrews) from the photos I've seen online. You'll have to clean the becket (air intake) and its enclosure as well as the skimmer cup and reaction chamber/neck (waste products) "as often as possible". If you find out that is cumbersome at all to accomplish on the PM (or any skimmer, really) and if you are human (!!), you will end up not doing it as frequently as you should and that kills the efficiency of any skimmer. You want it easy.
Just for comparison, I can tell you that the epitome of easy to me are my AquaC that I mentioned and Oceanic "Plus Series" Model 6 (ancient, from the early 1990's).
Waste Product
Both have a simple lift-off cup* and everything that needs cleaning is either part of the cup or completely exposed by removing the cup. My Tunze 9410 is only slightly less-easy since it has a pressure-fit cup - you need two hands to remove it, but it's a pretty slick maneuver after the skimmer breaks in. On the other hand, the 9410's entire reaction chamber is connected to the skimmer cup, so there's literally only one thing to clean regularly and it all goes to the sink with you. Kinda makes up for needing two hands! ;) :D
Air Mixing
The air-intake of the Tunze is self-cleaning while the cup is removed and I think AquaC's are essentially non-clogging since they aren't in direct proximity to the water, but depending on the particulates in your sump water, the water injector may need occasional cleaning, which involves a single screw-in fitting. Some tanks I've seen get a lot of shell pieces/misc junk into their sumps, so if there's any way this can make it to the skimmer pump intake...larger pieces can actually block the intake. (Obviously YMMV on this. I run no mechanical filtration and only had to clean my water injector a couple of times over the entire period of time I rank that skimmer.) A beckett's hole is much smaller, so it doesn't take much natural slime buildup (let alone actual debris) to reduce performance, so it should get cleaned on every cleaning IMO.
-Matt
* I think modern AquaC EV-series skimmers have a twist-off skimmer cup, so take two hands. (Try that one out too!) And I haven't used any of these newer ones personally. They come with air-control though, so it's probably a very worthy trade-off!! Mine is maximum air, all the time. (It works!!)
You'd have to tell me how easy the PM is to disassemble/reassemble as I haven't specifically used one and can't tell much (aside from the similar presence of thumbscrews) from the photos I've seen online. You'll have to clean the becket (air intake) and its enclosure as well as the skimmer cup and reaction chamber/neck (waste products) "as often as possible". If you find out that is cumbersome at all to accomplish on the PM (or any skimmer, really) and if you are human (!!), you will end up not doing it as frequently as you should and that kills the efficiency of any skimmer. You want it easy.
Just for comparison, I can tell you that the epitome of easy to me are my AquaC that I mentioned and Oceanic "Plus Series" Model 6 (ancient, from the early 1990's).
Waste Product
Both have a simple lift-off cup* and everything that needs cleaning is either part of the cup or completely exposed by removing the cup. My Tunze 9410 is only slightly less-easy since it has a pressure-fit cup - you need two hands to remove it, but it's a pretty slick maneuver after the skimmer breaks in. On the other hand, the 9410's entire reaction chamber is connected to the skimmer cup, so there's literally only one thing to clean regularly and it all goes to the sink with you. Kinda makes up for needing two hands! ;) :D
Air Mixing
The air-intake of the Tunze is self-cleaning while the cup is removed and I think AquaC's are essentially non-clogging since they aren't in direct proximity to the water, but depending on the particulates in your sump water, the water injector may need occasional cleaning, which involves a single screw-in fitting. Some tanks I've seen get a lot of shell pieces/misc junk into their sumps, so if there's any way this can make it to the skimmer pump intake...larger pieces can actually block the intake. (Obviously YMMV on this. I run no mechanical filtration and only had to clean my water injector a couple of times over the entire period of time I rank that skimmer.) A beckett's hole is much smaller, so it doesn't take much natural slime buildup (let alone actual debris) to reduce performance, so it should get cleaned on every cleaning IMO.
-Matt
* I think modern AquaC EV-series skimmers have a twist-off skimmer cup, so take two hands. (Try that one out too!) And I haven't used any of these newer ones personally. They come with air-control though, so it's probably a very worthy trade-off!! Mine is maximum air, all the time. (It works!!)
Last edited:
SerpentSlick
Active Member
Well, I'd have to agree with you on the human nature thing. I'll have to pull that bad boy off the shelf and see how easy it will disassemble.
To be announced
Similar threads
