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4K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  Tpeck 
#1 ·
Does anyone know what size Rio pump comes with the Remora Pro hang-on skimmer? I have one that is getting flakey and needs replacing, but, I can't tell which modle it is- there is no lable or number on the pump itself and none of my paperwork on the skimmer states which pump it is.

Also, if I were to upgrade to a mag pump instead, which size would I need and what connectors (if any) would I need?

Thanks in advance for any replies.:beer:
 
#3 ·
Thanks, I'll check 'em out.:) :)
 
#4 ·
I would not replace it with a RIO or a Maxijet which comes with the base model. Make sure your Remora is the Pro and if it is go with a MAG 3. I have a Remora Pro with a Mag 3 and it rocks.

The reason a suggest you make sure that your Remora is the Pro Model is that the Remora is smaller than the Pro and will not handle a MAG 3 pump pressure nor the weight. I would check out ebay for a MAG 3. If you catch it right I have seen them as low as $20. Good luck.

Earl
 
#5 ·
Thanks Earl! That helps! I do have the pro model. In fact, when I was shopping for the skimmer, the company offered this model with the Mag pump, but alas, my pocketbook was suffering anorexia and I opted for the cheaper combo. I'm glad you had the info 'cause I was guessing they probably used the Mag 5! Wouldn't that have been a blast!
 
#6 ·
I have to say I have seen a lot of things advertised to do something and fall very, very short. But the the Remora line from AquaC lives up to and exceeds the hype. I have been impressed with the efficiency of this skimmer and I bought mine used. I am also impressed with AquaC's customer service. When I got my Remora Pro the adjustable nylon screw was split all the way through and I called up AquaC and they sent me two replacement screws at no charge. If you are looking for a great HOT skimmer you won't regret the Remora series. Just my 2 cents worth. :)

Earl
 
#7 ·
Same here as I have the Remora Pro skimmer on my 80 gallon but would not advise any larger tank! I plan to get the Mag 3 pump to replace my Rio which has been running the skimmer for over 2 years now!:)
 
#8 ·
Montana,

I am running mine on a 90 gallon tank and the total water volume with my sump is 120 allons and it works like a champ.

Although I need to get the prefilter skimmer cup that goes over the pump which will increase the efficency of the skimmer by 20%.

The Remora Pro will handle a tank from 40 to 120 Gallons and it is taking a lot of crap out of my tank on a daily basis.

The Remora is rated from 20 to 75 gallons with the MaxiJet 1200.

I haven't seen any issues with it running on my tank and the max water volume. I don't think I would try it out on anything bigger than a 90 Gallon tank though.

Earl
 
#10 ·
I don't have any regrets on my purchase, other than not having the $$ to get the Mag pump instead. Even so, I was well aware of the bad rep the Rios were getting at the time and chose to try it anyway. This pump has run well for me for about 2yrs now, but, it doesn't seem to be putting out the volume it used to-even after cleaning. If I replace it now, I figured I could keep this one as a backup.
 
#11 ·
OK, I've got a question. I run a Remora with the MJ1200 and preskimmer box, not quite the same, but I'm sure it's the same basic design.

I to bought mine used from a guy that hadn't run it very long. I've had it on my tank, 20H, for a couple of weeks and although it is pulling some nice dry foam, it isn't pulling a whole lot. so, 2 questions for all of you Remora users.
1. Do you think my lack of skimmate could be due to the short time I've had this thing on my tank?

2. Where do you have your collection cup adjusted to? High/ low?

Actually, question #3. Have any of you heard or thought about doing an airstone mod that is common among BackPak users?
 
#12 ·
Chad,

I would not recommend making any modifications. I know of the airstone mod for the BackPak and the way it is designed will improve the efficency of that brand.

Two things that factor with the amount of skimmate:

1. The Remora usually takes a couple of weeks to "break in" meaning that it takes two to four weeks of constant use before you really see some good skimmate. It took mine three and half weeks before it looked like it was working.

Another factor in the amount of skimmate is how old is your tank, how, much do you feed it, what is your bioload. If you have a light bioload and are not a heavy feeder you will not get a lot of skimmate. On the other hand if you have a somewhat established tank and medium to high bioload with medium to heavy feeding you will see tons of skimmate.

2. The height of th the collection cup. I have mine on just past the middle of the collection on the low side but, every tank is different and you will need to play with it until you get it dialed in. Start low where you are getting a more wet skimmate and then move it up gradually until you are getting less water and drier foam.

You have the perfect size model for your 20Gallon High you will have to play with it until you dial it in for your tank. It is good that you got the prefilter skimmer box it is a new addon that helps the skimmer to be more effective by getting the crap on the surface which a Remora without it can only pull from the water column.

Didn't mean to prattle hope this answered your question.

Earl
 
#13 ·
Thanks for the info. I do have a realitivly light bio load. I only feed heavy, homemade mush, once a week, other wise it's a pinch of flakes when the clowns and gramma look ready to turn to canabalism, which is about every 2-3 days.

The tank is almost 8 months old, so I guess that could factor in to.

Thanks again.
 
#15 ·
This is my experience with the Remora's. I have the Remora (urchin) on a 55 gallon tank. I have the Remora (HOT) on a 30 gallon tank. Both have the MJ 1200 attached. Neither one pulls out much at all. These are on established tanks. I have the cups set on the lowest setting but get very little skimmate. I often wonder if they are working at all. The 30 gallon has two fish (fed heavily) and the 55 has 4 fish (fed normally). These skimmers came highly recommended but I can honestly say I'm not that happy with them. Just my experience.
 
#16 ·
Sally,

Two fish in a 30 Gallon and 4 in a 55 I would not think is a very heavy bioload but, that is just my opinion.

What else is in the tank and what are your parameters. How much live rock is in your 30 gallon? Do you have an Deep Sand Bed or do you have a Plennum System? Do you have aragonite sand or crushed coral for you tank bottom? How much current do you have in your tank? Alot of this things have an effect on how much skimmate you will get. For instance Crushed Coral bottoms tend to trap detritus and keep them from being in the water column which will not get pulled into your skimmer.

I find that heavy water flow or current helps with the skimming as it draws a lot of what you want to skim into your water column.

Do this for a test. Take a turkey baster and blow off the detritus off of your rocks in the 30 Gallon to test the Remora so that we are comparing apples to apples and measure the level of skimmate that it produces. If you don't get a lot after blowing off your rock then something might be wrong with your Remora or it you may be correct on that model of the Remora not having really good skimming power. Also in your 30 Gallon is it fish only or do you have it as a reef tank. Also how much live rock is in your tank and do you have a DSB. One other factor as well that you might want to check is your salinity.

As stated on the the AquaC website:

Protein skimmers generally work better in "saltier" water. The higher your tank water's specific gravity, the more foam you can expect to collect. Most aquarists run their systems between 1.017 and 1.026, and in truth, there is very little noticeable change in a skimmer's function within this range. If you are running an exceptionally low salinity to combat diseases such as ich, or a brackish water system, keep in mind that a side effect might be decreased foam production.

The salinity of seawater can vary tremendously in nature, depending on a variety of factors. Rainfall and freshwater run-off are often responsible, as is the upwelling of colder, dense water from the very depths of the ocean.

So salinty might be a factor as well. You might want to take the nylon screw out if you have the model with it and use the cleaning brush to clean out the injector. It may have crude built up in it and diminishing the amout of spray that it is producing lowing the amout of foam it can create.

Sally try a few of these things and document it on this thread so we can see if you get any better performance. Also document your tanks parameters so we have a base tank to judge it by. This way we can see if the Remora is working in its full capacity when calibrated right.

Earl
 
#17 ·
For you small tank (sumpless) users, you can place your heater in the return water column of the remora hot skimmers, the cord just exits through the return spout. Kinda of a nice way to get the heater out of the tank. worked for me. :)
 
#18 ·
Digital: Sure, I am willing to give that a try and post the results. Thank you for your suggestion. For more info on the 30. I have a pair of bangaii cardinals in the tank. Minimal water flow (1-MJ600) because IMO bangaii's don't like high flow. I have about 30 pds. of LR. A lot of growing sargassum (hiding spot for baby bangaiis). There is no substrate at all. There are several soft corals mostly xenia. Maybe I don't have a high bio load but I do feed the tank about 3x a day to keep the male bangaii well fed for when he holds his brood. This is a young pair that has just recently become mature enough to spawn but the male has not carried eggs till term. The salinity is 1.023. On hindsight, the sargassum grows rapidly so maybe that is taking out a lot of excess nutrients. I have two other types of caluerpa in the tank but they do not grow as fast as the sargassum. The tank has very little nuisance algae.
 
#20 ·
I have a remora pro with a Mag 3 and a pre filter box. The way I see mine work is like this:

Mine pulls out a great amount, but when it changes, I have noticed these things<

1. My auto topoff has filled my tank to high (like on the week ends) when AC is running in house all the time. The collection cup will fill up every hour. This is when I have to adjust the cup higher and wait for evaporation on my tank to go lower. (I also have to turn down my dosing pump)

2. With the Mag 3 in the pre filter box, you cant cover the intake of the pump, I have snails and other crap that gets in it. I then take the whole unit out and clean.

3. when you buy the remora pro new it comes with a pipe cleaner. You have to remove the teflon screw and use this cleaner to clean the injector. Mine has got restricted b4.

Final thought,

If your tank level is at the right height, and you put the collection cup to the lowest point, and it does not fill up with water within an hour, I would guess your pump is not pumping as it should.

just my input, I hope it helps....also on the www.proteinskimmer.com home page you can email sales, the person who answers is Jason Kim
President of the company. He has answered at least 3 to 4 emails I have sent and been very helpful
 
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