Turboflotor T1000 ?????'s

demon16v · 04-06-2002, 01:48 AM

I wanted to know how anyone likes their Turboflotor T1000 skimmer? I need a new skimmer now for my 40g tank but I am moving up to a 120g the end of April. For the price it seems right. But, how well does it work and does it need any mods for it to be better? What size pump does everyone use? I know it said to use 1700 but is that enough? I want to try to stay out of $250.00+ range if I can help it. I know this hobby can cost a lot but a big DIYer I am.

DennisW · 04-06-2002, 01:59 AM

Well....Its like this......I use to have an Amiricle skimmer. It worked "ok" for almost three years. Then I got the TF1000. What a difference!!!! I run the skimmer with a rio800 feed pump and a Rio 2500 pump with the needle wheel in it. I also run an air pump on it. It worked GREAT for about 5 months. REALLY STINKY SKIMMATE compared to the amiracle!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean VERY stinky...so stinky that the cat keeps trying to bury it!!!! Anyways...just recently, it began to not work so well. It seems that the rio 2500 just stops making bubbles sometimes. I dont know if the needle wheel is freezing up or what. So what I have done is to put in the old impeller and take out the needle wheel. It seems to be working better. We will see how it goes. Its only been a couple days. Defintly is not "freezing up" anymore.

The skimmer is pretty good in my opinion. The rio pumps is where all the problems lie.

HTH
Dennis

tdwyatt · 04-06-2002, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DennisW
..I use to have an Amiricle ...(now I have the Turbofloater)... ...I run the skimmer with a rio800 feed pump and a Rio 2500 pump with the needle wheel in it ...just recently, it began to not work so well. It seems that the rio 2500 just stops making bubbles sometimes...

Dennis, it is not the impeller, but rather the pump itself. Do yourself a BIG FAVOR and get rid of this Rio pump before it fails. This pump acts just like this (check our forum archives and Reef central, etc, many horror stories) prior to complete failure of the windings. If this happens, this pump doesn't have thermal protection, and will literally melt down, resulting in a pcb release into your tank along with whatever other toxins the failing pump produces. I have documentation of many tank crashes directly related to the failure of the Rio 2500 in particular. Dump this inferior and hazardous pump while you can. The SEN 700 is a great replacement, you may need to throttle it back a bit even.

Hope this gets to you before something bad happens with the Rio. (The hard headed voice of experience here in Wellford...)

DennisW · 04-06-2002, 12:47 PM

TD.......you got me. The Rio is off now (as well as the skimmer

) and I will find a replacement. Premium Aquatics wont take it back since I have had it a while. They say I need to send it to Rio. I will be looking for a new pump. You say the Sen pumps will fit the Turbofloater????????????????? Thanks again TD!!!!! I owe ya!

Dennis

tdwyatt · 04-06-2002, 01:24 PM

The Sen pumps come with several diameter fittings that can be used with the pump, even one to add more air to the output (venturi fitting). Great pump, great price, very reliable. There are many pumps that will work for this skimmer, the SEN is my personal fave for several different apps, I have both the 700 and 900 pumps, those and the Mag pumps. I keep the foam filter part floating in the prop system sump as an emergency/isolation tank biofilter

naser · 04-06-2002, 07:52 PM

i would just replace the small feeder pump.. not the big rio 2100 or 2500... its allways the small pumps...

tdwyatt · 04-07-2002, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by naser
i would just replace the small feeder pump.. not the big rio 2100 or 2500... its allways the small pumps...

Sorry naser, but I heartily recommend the replacement ASAP of all Rio pumps. As they are not thermally protected and they are of cheap construction, they are all an accident waiting to happen. The following posts are just the tip of the iceburg:

Rio pump posts on TRT No 1

Rio pump post No 2

Rio pump post No 3

In addition, if you will check Reef Central or Reef.org for posts using "Rio" and "pump failure", you will find many documentations of disasterous failure. I generally stay off of equipment threads, but this is more than an equipment thread, this is a basic safety issue. It is hard to keep a successful reef when the house has burnt down...

Not to flame your response, but the Reef-keeping public would be best served if these products were totally removed from the market. If you must, use it for a freshwater fountain, no fish, outside where it cannot burn your shop/fishroom/garage/home down.

nickg · 04-07-2002, 11:13 PM

Geez, now I'm concerned. I've been using a rio 2100 for a return pump. Has been working great for a while now. But that response was a bit scary. What do you suggest for a replacement for this pump? The overflow and return seem quite balanced with this rio "disaster" pump.

DennisW · 04-07-2002, 11:59 PM

Well now I got an aquabee. It was used for $20. It already has a needle wheel in it. Let me tell you what.....I put it in a vat of saltwater at the LFS and plugged it in just to make sure it worked...MAN does this thing kick out the bubbles!!!!!!!!!! A TON more than my rio2500 with needlewheel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I just have to figure out how to hook it up to the turbofloater. My first attempt failed. Not to easy to find fittings that fit that pump or skimmer. Any suggestions?????

Dennis

tdwyatt · 04-08-2002, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by nickg
Geez, now I'm concerned. I've been using a rio 2100 for a return pump... ...The overflow and return seem quite balanced with this rio "disaster" pump.

Look at several MO sites (Marine depot and PA are really good for dry goods) and look for a pump that has the same or near the same output for the 2100 output you have. (you can test the output by running the pump to a bucket at the same height as your tank and see how long it takes to pump 5 gal. Divide 60 minutes (1 hour in minutes) by the elasped time it takes to fill the 5 gal bucket, then multiply the 5 gal by the resulting product. This will yeild your actual gallons per hour rate for your 2100. For example: if it takes 1 min 20 seconds to fill a 5 gal bucket, then 1 min 20 sec = 1.33 minutes. 60 minutes divided by 1.33 min = 45, and 45 times 5 gal = 225gal per hour. You then will be able to match the pump you wish to purchace to the actual current output of your pump. Any of the following are good safe reliable and inexpensive pumps: SEN, Maxijet, Mag pumps for submersibles, and Dolphins Iwasaki, Mak, Gen for External pumps. I am sure there are plenty of other pumps that have good reputations, but these are the ones that I have personally had good experiences, as well as many others in my circle of contacts.

Dennis, Not familiar with the aquabee, but it should be easy enough to get some of the barbed reducers and some pvc and clamps to get the pump to work for you. Marine Depot has some all plastic clamps that work nicely for SW apps.

Hope this helps.

Timur · 04-08-2002, 05:34 AM

I use my Turboflotor 1000 with an EHEIM pump and it works great for 2 years. Nothing happened