This is why I have a BK skimmer

[glxtrix]

Mmmmmm...tasty!

 

[glxtrix]

Hey guys, how deep do you have the pump intake below the water line in your sump?

 

[snowmansnow]

The pump intake isn't adjustable, but I THINK I'm sitting at about 8 inches of water in that compartment. I'll check for sure later. It isn't going to matter... Its going to work great

 

[snowmansnow]

Acroholic;809280 wrote: Yea, I know they are the same company, which makes it strange. What would happen with the 160 was it would work well until the skimmer neck got coated with goo, then it would quit until I cleaned the neck again. If I tried to raise the skimmer body water level after it quit, it would just overfoam. I would actually have to clean the neck every other day to maintain a decent level of skimming. I had it on my 100 gallon mixed reef in about 8 inches of water with a very stable skimmer section water level.

There is a small chance that it just didn't have enough crud to pull out, and I mistook that for lack of operation. I did a lot of water changes on this tank.

Snow loves his 200 and everyone raves about them, but I just never experienced the consistency of operation and skimming with the 160 that I was reading about from 180 and 200 owners, or that I have gotten out of my Vertex Alpha 250/300.

I don't own the SRO any more, as the 100 gallon is now on the 300's old sump, serviced now by the Alpha 250.

Edit:

Been 8 months ago that I sold it.

Hate to hear it didn't work good for you. I called the guy at royal exclusive when I was considering purchasing mine and he actually said that if your skimmer is doing its job it SHOULD idle... In other words there SHOULD be a point when your skim mate decreases, showing the skimmer is progressively cleaning your water and not just "holding it's own" at a particular "clean level".

I have yet to experience this, but I suppose it makes sense...

Maybe the 160 was just doing a great job? But it the neck was just getting coated and nothing else was happening... That's a bit odd;$

 

[acroholic]

SnowManSnow;809664 wrote: Hate to hear it didn't work good for you. I called the guy at royal exclusive when I was considering purchasing mine and he actually said that if your skimmer is doing its job it SHOULD idle... In other words there SHOULD be a point when your skim mate decreases, showing the skimmer is progressively cleaning your water and not just "holding it's own" at a particular "clean level".

I have yet to experience this, but I suppose it makes sense...

Maybe the 160 was just doing a great job? But it the neck was just getting coated and nothing else was happening... That's a bit odd;$

Yea, don't know what the issue was, or if there really even was an issue. I'm always hesitant to say "a caused b" in a reef, when there are so many variables or other explanations.

My Vertex skimmers basically operate at a certain bubble/water level, and there are times they produce more foam more than others, which is probably that "idling" you mention. This is not including feeding, which kills foaming altogether.

I have noticed a big reduction in skimmate production from my 250 since I replaced the 300 reef with the 100 gallon reef, which makes sense. Net volume before the switch about 280 gallons. After the switch about 110 gallons. 34 gallon frag tank + about 20 gallons in the sump + volume of the 300 or 100.

 

[glxtrix]

Have to get a pic, but not even on the tank for a full day and it's already brewin up a batch of some wicked nog! The build quality, reliability and power of the RD pump and how silent this thing is, really does make these skimmers worth the extra bit.......well, plus it helps I found it used for a great price :shades:

 

[glxtrix]

Been on for a week now...Haven't adjusted it since putting it in the tank I have emptied it...but this is the nastiest it's been so far. Oh yeah, and I managed to get photo bombed by a maxijet, lol.
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[ichthyoid]

Skimmers are highly dependent on the presence of chemicals known as 'surfactants' in the water being skimmed. These are chemicals that are active on surfaces, at interfaces and/or between different types of fluids. They change the surface tension (or energy), which can actually be measured (dynes/cm^2, in case anyone cares).

Once the surfactant concentration drops below a certain 'critical' level, the structure which allows for foaming cannot be maintained.

So, what you guys are seeing with those uber efficient skimmers, agrees with the chemistry that's going on.

The salt in seawater helps to create a greater difference between the surface energy of surfaces, particles, etc. (usually oily substances, with low surface energy), and the seawater itself (very high energy). The greater that difference, the easier it is to create a foam. This is why it is almost impossible to skim fresh water, without adding extra surfactants and/or salts.

Hope this helps.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfactant">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfactant</a>

PS- I love hanging around fish nerds! We get stoked by the strangest things! :puke:

 

[glxtrix]