Skimming in a Barebottom tank. - Page 2

Wiskey · 02-13-2006, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanT

For your size tank (a 50 gallon if I remember correctly) there are several skimmers to choose from.
First, are you wanting to run a Beckett or Needlewheel.
Also how much room do you have?
And, of course, the budget you have for the skimmer.
Sean

That is correct, my tank is a 50 gallon HOWEVER; I plan to upgrade to a 90 gallon tank before the end of the year, so lets size the skimmer to that. If I end up going with a smaller tank (also thinking about the 58 gallon) it should still be fine.

I want to run a Needlewheel skimmer due to power cost.

I don't have much room right now, but I can build the stand to the skimmer when I upgrade, and right now the skimmer can sit outside the stand temporaraly (I am not married). External skimmer would be best, but not a requirement.

Buget is always a concern, I don't have much money, but I can save, I refuse to pay more than $500 for a skimmer, so let's set that as a cost limit, (less would be far better unless it is really worth it).

Thanks,
Whiskey

REEF-DADDY · 02-13-2006, 03:11 PM

Would a skimmer like an MR-1 really cost that much more to run than a small becket? I've been running an ASM G6 on my tank. It a giant skimmer 4' tall and have 3 900 gph pumps. I was skimming wet, but the **** thing would always over flow on me. I lowered the water level. I now get a coffee color skim, and about 1/4 of what I had before. My water is not as clear and I have alot more particles floating around. I think Becketts are better suited for BB tanks than most needlewheels in their price range. A MR-1 for example, could run on a pcx 40 or something similar, and only uses about 80 watts. A euro reef in that ball park would use about 50 watts plus a feed pump if you for recirc. Really not a big cost savings if you ask me.

three90s&125sump · 02-13-2006, 03:34 PM

reef-daddy,

Is your sump level always constant? Small fluctuations in the sump will cause the ASMs to either run dry or run wet. Mine is sitting in the sump with about 18 inches of water in it. The level never changes due to my auto top off. The consistancy of the skimmate is always where I set it (or at least it has been so far). I have yet to clean the skimmer chamber out, I'm sure I will have to reset the skimmer after this. I keep the water level in my sump high to help reduce head pressure to the pumps. If I could get a sump that would alow me to keep the level at 24 inches I would have it that high. The needle wheel pumps are very touchy when it comes to head pressure.

REEF-DADDY · 02-13-2006, 04:13 PM

Yeah, the sump is baffled and I have an auto top off. When you first turn on your skimmer, how high does the water come into your neck?

three90s&125sump · 02-13-2006, 04:38 PM

Its is totally dependant upon where my flow collar is set. I can go wetter or dryer with the collar but if I were to go wetter than that it would be skimming water. I may need to go dryer than that depending upon the needs of the system. The one marked normal is where I have been running it. Don't pay any attention to the skimmate in the cup I have no idea where it was set at in this picture. And, just so you know I have been cureing (cooking) my LR at this point. So it is hard to tell where I will end up setting it.

elephen · 02-13-2006, 05:02 PM

6-400w MH
6-110w atinich VHO

I would hate to see your electric bill

And thats without knowing what pumps you have running too!

three90s&125sump · 02-13-2006, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elephen

6-400w MH
6-110w atinich VHO

I would hate to see your electric bill

And thats without knowing what pumps you have running too!

I would hate to see it too!!!!

REEF-DADDY · 02-13-2006, 07:32 PM

See where you are calling it super wet is where I am calling super dry. When I was running it wet I had the bubbles popping right at the top of the cup. I cranked it down to halfway down the neck and the skimmate is what I consider dry.

three90s&125sump · 02-13-2006, 07:42 PM

When I first fired it up I ran the column half way down the reaction chamber and was still getting dry skimmate out of it. I would bet that your water is just very free of DOCs.

REEF-DADDY · 02-13-2006, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by three90s&125sump

When I first fired it up I ran the column half way down the reaction chamber and was still getting dry skimmate out of it. I would bet that your water is just very free of DOCs.

Never thought I would hear that! I am going to lower it a bit and see what happens!

three90s&125sump · 02-13-2006, 07:56 PM

Well you are running a skimmer rated at 1200 gallons on a 280 gallon tank.

Wiskey · 02-14-2006, 12:16 AM

As an add-on to my previous questions, there is an LFS that sells a nearly exact knock-off of the deltec ap600 skimmer and AP851, it is made in china, and is perty cheap. What do you think of these skimmers? The first uses an Ocean Runner 2500 (2700) needle wheel pump, and the second uses the Ocean Runner 3500 needle wheel pump (3700) for recerc only. They are fed by a seperate pump, and all the dementions are identical. The only diffrences is that the knockoff uses a ball valve to set water level so it can be run external, the cup is attached with a ball valve, plus odvious fit and finish issues, and when you take the cup off the union to remove it hits the drain in the cup (just anoying no big issue)

There may be more diffrences, but I am working off a picture of the deltec and memory of the skimmer I was checking out

but I did take a really close look.

Thanks,
Whiskey

SeanT · 02-14-2006, 10:13 AM

Wiskey,
Since you have a budget that is good.
Be sure to check out the equipment selling forum on that other site.
Good deals can be found.

As for the knockoff Deltec's, I have no experience with them but hopefully someone does.
Sean

Wiskey · 02-14-2006, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanT

Wiskey,
Since you have a budget that is good.
Be sure to check out the equipment selling forum on that other site.
Good deals can be found.

As for the knockoff Deltec's, I have no experience with them but hopefully someone does.
Sean

Is there anything specific you would reccomend looking for used?

I didn't think you would have any experiance with the knockoffs, but I ment are the Deltec ap600 and ap851 good? If the knockoff is a good repleca then it should work just as well.

Thanks,
Whiskey