Skimmer Q&A Thread

[lordraptor1]

what pump to replace a diablo dc-3500S? from my research a varios 2s would be the choice which is backed up by a call to brs and the "pros" research, while coralvue says a varios 4s or bubbleblaster 3000 is the replacement and well the marine depot "pro" needs to find another day job was of no help just said "if coralvue recommended the 4s go with the 4s" he didnt even do any research while i was on the phone ( note: i personally will not be using marine depot for stuff at this point if i can help it). so would you say a varios-2s is the pump i need to replace the old diablo dc 3500s pump?

 

[DarkReefer]

Hi All,

I'm a little unsure of my skimmer and whether I'm skimming in efficiently or not.
I have an octo 110 SSS for my waterbox 70.2 and I've had an issue where my nutrients have spiked a bit as I noticed a couple of corals (one in particular receeding and my LFS told me to check everything)

Last tests were
Salinity - 1.027 (I know a little high but nothing crazy).
Alk - 8.3
Phosphate - 0.25 (high)
Ammonia - 0.25 ( high? )
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 40 (high)
pH - 8.0
Magnesium - ~1290
Calcium - 440

At this time I noticed my skimmer hasn't pulled a cup of skimmate in a while (probably a couple weeks maybe), last time I pulled the cup it was quite dark and wasnt a full cup worth, but the neck of the cup was very dark also. I think the bubbles were sitting mostly half way up in the neck and only very little overflowing.
I turned it up a bit so now I'm getting a bit more into the cup, but after 1 and a bit days I've already had to empty it.

I've checked BRS website for the water depth of the skimmer in the sump and it's sitting about 8" (website says 7-8" ideal for this skimmer).

My question is, is it drawing more out due to the higher nutrients and it'll calm/slow down once it fixes the issue? Or have I turned it up too much now? The skimmate I just emptied was darkish but could still see through a little (kind of a mix of brown and a yellowish brown).
I feel like doing it almost daily/2nd day is a little bit excessive as it'll chew through the RO in the top off also, but if its only going to do it whilst it sorts the levels it's not so bad.

 

[reeftivo]

Hi All,

I'm a little unsure of my skimmer and whether I'm skimming in efficiently or not.
I have an octo 110 SSS for my waterbox 70.2 and I've had an issue where my nutrients have spiked a bit as I noticed a couple of corals (one in particular receeding and my LFS told me to check everything)

Last tests were
Salinity - 1.027 (I know a little high but nothing crazy).
Alk - 8.3
Phosphate - 0.25 (high)
Ammonia - 0.25 ( high? )
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 40 (high)
pH - 8.0
Magnesium - ~1290
Calcium - 440

At this time I noticed my skimmer hasn't pulled a cup of skimmate in a while (probably a couple weeks maybe), last time I pulled the cup it was quite dark and wasnt a full cup worth, but the neck of the cup was very dark also. I think the bubbles were sitting mostly half way up in the neck and only very little overflowing.
I turned it up a bit so now I'm getting a bit more into the cup, but after 1 and a bit days I've already had to empty it.

I've checked BRS website for the water depth of the skimmer in the sump and it's sitting about 8" (website says 7-8" ideal for this skimmer).

My question is, is it drawing more out due to the higher nutrients and it'll calm/slow down once it fixes the issue? Or have I turned it up too much now? The skimmate I just emptied was darkish but could still see through a little (kind of a mix of brown and a yellowish brown).
I feel like doing it almost daily/2nd day is a little bit excessive as it'll chew through the RO in the top off also, but if its only going to do it whilst it sorts the levels it's not so bad.

you shouldn't have any readable ammonia if your system is established and you have enough Bio Surface area with LR and substrate. Ammonia would be my first concern. what test kits/meters are you using for PO4 and NH3? A skimmer will pull a decent amount of suspended solids (evident by the junk in the skimmer neck) and help get stuff out before it breaks down in the water column. It is not a sole method for export though. Just one of the beneficial tools we can use. How long has the system been up and running? How much live rock and substrate do you have?

Sounds like you adjusted the skimmer pretty close to where you need it. I would back it off just a bit and monitor for a day. You don't want to be emptying the cup every day. remember, very small tweaks on a skimmer with a good amount of time between adjustments is key to avoid frustration.

 

[DarkReefer]

you shouldn't have any readable ammonia if your system is established and you have enough Bio Surface area with LR and substrate. Ammonia would be my first concern. what test kits/meters are you using for PO4 and NH3? A skimmer will pull a decent amount of suspended solids (evident by the junk in the skimmer neck) and help get stuff out before it breaks down in the water column. It is not a sole method for export though. Just one of the beneficial tools we can use. How long has the system been up and running? How much live rock and substrate do you have?

Sounds like you adjusted the skimmer pretty close to where you need it. I would back it off just a bit and monitor for a day. You don't want to be emptying the cup every day. remember, very small tweaks on a skimmer with a good amount of time between adjustments is key to avoid frustration.

The ammonia (if a legitimate result) was measured with API & Salifert kit (though the testing/viewing tube thing on Salifert was a bit foggy with dried residue). The Salifert I find difficult to read as the colours aren't easy to differentiate imo, and the API is supposedly notoriously average as a test kit. The colour of these 2 kits to me hasn't changed since the tank cycled and I started adding fish etc.

PO4 I'm using Salifert test kit. Which again matching colours so could be hit or miss.

System has been up for just over 3 months. It's pretty well stocked/full though.
7 fish, 4 trochus snail, 3 zombie snail and 22 different corals. There's probably about 15kg or so of rock in there (real reef rock, but arrived dry not damp).

The Skimmer filled up maybe a half inch in the last 24hrs so might have found the sweet spot.
Will continue to monitor it though to make sure it stays good.

After discussion with my LFS on the weekend I've been dosing Nitraphos to help work on the Nitrate/Phosphate levels. Have been told to monitor closely daily. Did a half recommended dose on first dose as is recommended by the product and LFS, but no change in test results in the first day. Last night I dosed normal recommended dosage, will test when I get home later today to see if there's been any further change.

 

[reeftivo]

The ammonia (if a legitimate result) was measured with API & Salifert kit (though the testing/viewing tube thing on Salifert was a bit foggy with dried residue). The Salifert I find difficult to read as the colours aren't easy to differentiate imo, and the API is supposedly notoriously average as a test kit. The colour of these 2 kits to me hasn't changed since the tank cycled and I started adding fish etc.

PO4 I'm using Salifert test kit. Which again matching colours so could be hit or miss.

System has been up for just over 3 months. It's pretty well stocked/full though.
7 fish, 4 trochus snail, 3 zombie snail and 22 different corals. There's probably about 15kg or so of rock in there (real reef rock, but arrived dry not damp).

The Skimmer filled up maybe a half inch in the last 24hrs so might have found the sweet spot.
Will continue to monitor it though to make sure it stays good.

After discussion with my LFS on the weekend I've been dosing Nitraphos to help work on the Nitrate/Phosphate levels. Have been told to monitor closely daily. Did a half recommended dose on first dose as is recommended by the product and LFS, but no change in test results in the first day. Last night I dosed normal recommended dosage, will test when I get home later today to see if there's been any further change.

your tank is still maturing. takes a while for enough bacteria, micro and macro fauna to populate to significant levels to keep things in check (up to a year in some systems). Nitrophos is basically food for the bacteria (aerobic/anaerobic) which consume PO4 and NO3. You wont see results right away until the populations grow. Once your levels come down back off that stuff or you may drop the NO3/PO4 levels too low (need a little measurable PO4 and NO3). You don't want dinos!

 

[GGonzo]

If running your DT FALLOW due to Ich, should you continue running your Skimmer throughout the FALLOW period?
If so, should you remove and clean it a few weeks before your FALLOW period ends and keep it offline until you add your fish back to DT?
My thinking is that there might be a risk of Ich parasites living in the Skimmer.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[DarkReefer]

your tank is still maturing. takes a while for enough bacteria, micro and macro fauna to populate to significant levels to keep things in check (up to a year in some systems). Nitrophos is basically food for the bacteria (aerobic/anaerobic) which consume PO4 and NO3. You wont see results right away until the populations grow. Once your levels come down back off that stuff or you may drop the NO3/PO4 levels too low (need a little measurable PO4 and NO3). You don't want dinos!

Thanks for the heads up.
After last night's test I saw that my PO4 seemed to be at approx 0.1 and NO3 at approx 20ppm so it appears the Nitrophos has kicked in. Dosed it again last night.
If I see another drop similar to the first I'll either leave it for tonight or half the dose pending test result tonight.

 

[reeftivo]

Thanks for the heads up.
After last night's test I saw that my PO4 seemed to be at approx 0.1 and NO3 at approx 20ppm so it appears the Nitrophos has kicked in. Dosed it again last night.
If I see another drop similar to the first I'll either leave it for tonight or half the dose pending test result tonight.

good plan

 

[reeftivo]

If running your DT FALLOW due to Ich, should you continue running your Skimmer throughout the FALLOW period?
If so, should you remove and clean it a few weeks before your FALLOW period ends and keep it offline until you add your fish back to DT?
My thinking is that there might be a risk of Ich parasites living in the Skimmer.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

Continue running skimmer. Ich reduces the fishes ability to absorb O2 since they also attach to gills. the added O2 from a skimmer is beneficial. Just lower the foam head so it barely produces any skim. This is so you don't remove too much of the cupramine, malachite green or copper from whichever treatment you use.

 

[bnord]

Hey
i have a new octopus elite which was running fine for 6-8 days and was skimming fine
today the pump started pulsing every 2-3 seconds which eliminates the foam build up
any one had a similar problem ?
thanks

 

[Mr. Charlie]

Leaning towards a Reef Octopus Regal skimmer for my new Waterbox set up. 145 total gallons. Do you suggest the 150 or the 200 int? The model with the pump outside of the skimmer.
Mixed reef set-up.

any other suggestions? I prefer a skimmer with a DC pump

 

[PinkReef]

Newbie here ;Dummy1

Even from when I was doing my research before i got the tank, the Skimmer seemed the most intimidating piece of equipment. Now that I have it all set up, I'm having some trouble finetuning it.


I'm running a Deltec 400i in a Waterbox 60.2 sump.
I have followed the instructions in setting it up and running it in, but it seems to get out of tune all the time. Hoping someone can shed some light on this.

Water level 20cm (manual says between 15-25cm) and Pump set to 70% (as per manual). The water level in the overflow pipe is very close to maximum to achieve what I feel is a decent bubble.

Now every time something with regards to water level changes (e.g. after feed mode, or when doing some cleaning or changing the filter) the "emergency overflow" (which is unique to Deltec skimmers) triggers, which basically means it’s not skimming anymore. To resolve this, i tune the wheel 3x and 3x right again (go figure).

I have tried raising the skimmer, but that seems to make no difference (after re-tuning).

What I have not tried:
Raise water level in the sump (as it seems to be where it should be, although i have seen others where it's a bit higher.
Change flow rate of the pump.

Can anyone (with the same skimmer) give some suggestions on what to do to make it more stable, and see if my skimmate/bubble size is actually any good.

video:

 

[reeftivo]

Newbie here ;Dummy1

Even from when I was doing my research before i got the tank, the Skimmer seemed the most intimidating piece of equipment. Now that I have it all set up, I'm having some trouble finetuning it.


I'm running a Deltec 400i in a Waterbox 60.2 sump.
I have followed the instructions in setting it up and running it in, but it seems to get out of tune all the time. Hoping someone can shed some light on this.

Water level 20cm (manual says between 15-25cm) and Pump set to 70% (as per manual). The water level in the overflow pipe is very close to maximum to achieve what I feel is a decent bubble.

Now every time something with regards to water level changes (e.g. after feed mode, or when doing some cleaning or changing the filter) the "emergency overflow" (which is unique to Deltec skimmers) triggers, which basically means it’s not skimming anymore. To resolve this, i tune the wheel 3x and 3x right again (go figure).

I have tried raising the skimmer, but that seems to make no difference (after re-tuning).

What I have not tried:
Raise water level in the sump (as it seems to be where it should be, although i have seen others where it's a bit higher.
Change flow rate of the pump.

Can anyone (with the same skimmer) give some suggestions on what to do to make it more stable, and see if my skimmate/bubble size is actually any good.

video:

the skimmer head is what i like to call "boiling" so my feeling is it's still breaking in. How long has it been running?

i would suggest leaving it alone for a few days and let it bed in. when skimmers are breaking in, they are developing a fine slime coat inside the body and that process is disrupted each time and adjustment is made. that's why fiddling with a skimmer can drive people nuts. After you make a tweak, you need to let it just sit and run. if it doesn't have the result you are looking for right away, don't worry. Fight the urge LOL! I tweak and let my adjustments stand for at least a couple hours before i go back and evaluate and that is with a skimmer that is already broken in. A new skimmer will make you bonkers if you are constantly tweaking it while it's trying to bed in and develop it's coating.

 

[reeftivo]

Leaning towards a Reef Octopus Regal skimmer for my new Waterbox set up. 145 total gallons. Do you suggest the 150 or the 200 int? The model with the pump outside of the skimmer.
Mixed reef set-up.

any other suggestions? I prefer a skimmer with a DC pump

either will work but the 200 will give you more flexibility if you stock heavy. nice 8" body and bigger top to bb plate mixing chamber.

what's the display size? you mention 145 total

 

[PinkReef]

the skimmer head is what i like to call "boiling" so my feeling is it's still breaking in. How long has it been running?

Probably around 3 weeks now... Not days or hours ;)

 

[reeftivo]

Probably around 3 weeks now... Not days or hours ;)

10-4

just let it sit and run and that foam head boiling should settle down and become a more straight layered foam head instead of that rolling boil. when that settles in, then i would suggest making small adjustments if necessary.

just remember to try and wait at least an hour between adjustments.

 

[Mr. Charlie]

either will work but the 200 will give you more flexibility if you stock heavy. nice 8" body and bigger top to bb plate mixing chamber.

what's the display size? you mention 145 total

I’m sorry it’s actually about 135 total gallons. 98 gallon display 60” x 25” x 16” H and 37 gallon sump.

skimmer chamber is 15.6 x 10”. The 200 should just barely fit

 

[reeftivo]

i would lean towards the 150 then, unless you are thinking of upgrading in the future.

if the 200 would barely fit you would also need to take into account the effluent (water exiting the skimmer) in the chamber. if the skimmer is tight that effluent pipe might be right up against a side wall or too close to it. that would affect the skimmers performance and the ability to tune it easily.

 

[Mr. Charlie]

i would lean towards the 150 then, unless you are thinking of upgrading in the future.

if the 200 would barely fit you would also need to take into account the effluent (water exiting the skimmer) in the chamber. if the skimmer is tight that effluent pipe might be right up against a side wall or too close to it. that would affect the skimmers performance and the ability to tune it easily.

BRS rates the 150 for up to 100 gallons and the 200 for 100-175 gallons. Are you suggesting the 150 because the 200 is a tight fit ? There’s always the SSS model

 

[reeftivo]

BRS rates the 150 for up to 100 gallons and the 200 for 100-175 gallons. Are you suggesting the 150 because the 200 is a tight fit ? There’s always the SSS model

yes,

150 will work since it's rated 100 for heavy stocking, 150 medium stocking etc.. I just may not idle much if you are at heavy stocking levels.

The 200sss would give you more room, it just doesn't have the larger mixing chamber as the int has, and is a little more work to get the pump clean since you'll have to break it down a bit to get to the pump. $60 more bucks for the 200sss isn't that much more so look at the reviews.