Skimmer off? ATi, ASM,EURO, H&S, Octopus - Page 6

MammothReefer · 01/15/2007, 04:33 PM

ok Dookie.. now for usage phase 1 review.

Went home @ Lunch today..

1. Installation... Big A+ had the whole thing put together and running in my tank in under 5 mins (it took me longer to wiggle the light bulb in the garage to get it to turn on hahaha)

2. Adjustments, mine came with Gate Valve mod (thanks ed). Had the water level set just where I think i want it within second.

3. Bubble Production Seems prreeety damn good. I'll check on skimate tonight. Only thing that is weird is it seems like the bubble level starts pretty high, while my ASM has solid bubbles threw out the entire body?!

4. Noise level.. not to shabby at all. I'm thinking about taking off the silencer since it's in the garage and everything else there is making a ton of noise anyways.

5. Construction in use. I really like the whole "footer pump holder" piece. Makes it very stable.

46bfinGA · 01/15/2007, 05:03 PM

Sweet im thinking about replacing my asmg3 with the same skimmer.post some pics when you get a chance.

well the only upside of having the zipties i guess would be you can easily change out the mesh if needed.Keep us informed of how you like it. Ive been wanting to buy one since they first came out but ive been so skeptical of how they actually perform.

UCanDoIt · 01/15/2007, 05:16 PM

Congrats Mammoth! Here's a photo of a BM250 when I saw it testing at Ed's place. This was on a 180g medium bioload FOWLR tank, so a little overkill for that tank. Just make sure that you start the bubble breaking level about 2" above the bottom of the collection cup as this skimmer will overflow as it breaks in. I've seen this skimmer overflow every other day when it was first installed... so hint, hint, hint, keep the bubble breaking level low to start with.

ridetheducati · 01/15/2007, 05:31 PM

Looks like horse manure.

ridetheducati · 01/15/2007, 05:33 PM

[IMG]http://i14.*******.com/2ufc6x3.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i14.*******.com/455utdz.jpg[/IMG]

MammothReefer · 01/15/2007, 05:37 PM

oh ok. i put it up to my "standard height" i'll drop it down tonight after work.

UCanDoIt · 01/15/2007, 07:52 PM

ridetheducati - great photo of your H&S A250!

This was my H&S A200-1260 before it went to clkwrk:

MammothReefer · 01/16/2007, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by UCanDoIt
Congrats Mammoth! Here's a photo of a BM250 when I saw it testing at Ed's place. This was on a 180g medium bioload FOWLR tank, so a little overkill for that tank. Just make sure that you start the bubble breaking level about 2" above the bottom of the collection cup as this skimmer will overflow as it breaks in. I've seen this skimmer overflow every other day when it was first installed... so hint, hint, hint, keep the bubble breaking level low to start with.

Oh ya got home tonight overflow..

nice and frothy in the sump.. Adjust it down, getting some skimate now. Still not pulling out what i was getting w/my g3.. but I had that skimmer dialed in been using it for 4+ years if not longer. but it seems to be doing a very good job air rating my sump. My ph has raised.

I'm not really gonna take any "skimate pics" as to be honest (no offense intended) I really don't think it's a good measure of how well the skimmer is going. My g3 on this system was pulling out a TON of nasty stuff.. = to that off any pic..it's all about volume..it all comes down to being able to pull out stuff like that in volume which is what I'm hoping this skimmer will do

UCanDoIt · 01/16/2007, 11:44 AM

You're looking at 2-3 weeks for the skimmer to break-in. Just be patient and keep the bubble breaking level about 2" above the bottom of the collection cup until it is fully broken in, then you can usually adjust up or down depending on your choice of wet or dry skimmate. Of course, in my opinion, it is more like wet or wetter skimmate.

MammothReefer · 01/16/2007, 11:57 AM

I posed this question in the other thread but what actually is happening in the "break in process" what changes that makes a skimmer break in.. You got a pump, and some tubes? I never could quite figure it out.

As far as wet, and wetter.. I prefer wettest :0 I like to use my skimmer as a water change device.

UCanDoIt · 01/16/2007, 12:12 PM

Then you will love this skimmer!

It seems that a good coat of slime needs to buildup inside the skimmer before it performs optimally. Not sure what other chemical reaction happens while the skimmer is breaking in. Also...

Quote:

Originally posted by UCanDoIt
Besides brand new pumps breaking in as some of them are noisy at the start and as they break in, they become quiet and efficient... there's the production oils that need to skim away as well as a good slime coat that builds up over time inside the entire skimmer. There's definitely an adjustment with the ATi skimmers, a little more than my experience with Deltec or H&S skimmers.

MammothReefer · 01/16/2007, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by UCanDoIt
Then you will love this skimmer! It seems that a good coat of slime needs to buildup inside the skimmer before it performs optimally. Not sure what other chemical reaction happens while the skimmer is breaking in. Also...

Skimming wet is the only way to go

I never quite understand why anybody would want to skim dry.

1. When you clean your skimmer it's like sticking you hand in poo.

2. As far as I can tell, skimming dry is basically just the left over deposits from the skimate evaporating.. Which leaves me to believe your really chocking off your skimmer when you skim dry.. Why not get your skimmer pulling out as much as it can or as much as you can handle when it comes to emptying your cup on a daily bi-daily schedule. I don't think the abundance of nutrients is anymore if say you take a cup of wet skimate and let it evap and compare that to "skimate skimmed dry"

UCanDoIt · 01/16/2007, 03:27 PM

I hear you, but I'm sure there's plenty that will dispute your opinion.

After seeing the BMs perform, I readjusted both my H&S and Deltec to skim even wetter than it use to. I always like to skim on the wet side to begin with... with just some gunk buildup on the upper edge of the riser within the collection cup, but the wet skimming of the BMs had some surprising results, like disappearing of hair algae and no algae blooms.

dkreef · 07/07/2007, 11:47 AM

UCanDoIt, i got ati BM250 also. do i need to plug in the airline into the sponge box? or can i leave it out in the air?

i just started mine. so break in is 2-3 weeks??? man thats long

Reef Sponger · 07/07/2007, 12:02 PM

Wow, there's some nice photos on this thread, both cars & skimmers. LoL

01/15/2007, 04:33 PM	#126
MammothReefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA Posts: 3,442	ok Dookie.. now for usage phase 1 review. Went home @ Lunch today.. 1. Installation... Big A+ had the whole thing put together and running in my tank in under 5 mins (it took me longer to wiggle the light bulb in the garage to get it to turn on hahaha) 2. Adjustments, mine came with Gate Valve mod (thanks ed). Had the water level set just where I think i want it within second. 3. Bubble Production Seems prreeety damn good. I'll check on skimate tonight. Only thing that is weird is it seems like the bubble level starts pretty high, while my ASM has solid bubbles threw out the entire body?! 4. Noise level.. not to shabby at all. I'm thinking about taking off the silencer since it's in the garage and everything else there is making a ton of noise anyways. 5. Construction in use. I really like the whole "footer pump holder" piece. Makes it very stable. __________________ Reefin @ 8298' Current Tank Info: 105 Peninsula

01/15/2007, 05:31 PM	#129
ridetheducati 20 and Over Club Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Bowie, MD Posts: 2,968	Looks like horse manure. __________________ "Send more paramedics" Current Tank Info: 300g DD, SPS dominated, Apex, Tunze 6125s, ATB 1050, 400w MH, and Geo 618 Ca Reactor

01/15/2007, 05:33 PM	#130
ridetheducati 20 and Over Club Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Bowie, MD Posts: 2,968	Bubble size jpg [IMG]http://i14.*****.com/2ufc6x3.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i14.*****.com/455utdz.jpg[/IMG] __________________ "Send more paramedics" Current Tank Info: 300g DD, SPS dominated, Apex, Tunze 6125s, ATB 1050, 400w MH, and Geo 618 Ca Reactor

01/15/2007, 05:37 PM	#131
MammothReefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA Posts: 3,442	oh ok. i put it up to my "standard height" i'll drop it down tonight after work. __________________ Reefin @ 8298' Current Tank Info: 105 Peninsula

01/16/2007, 11:57 AM	#135
MammothReefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA Posts: 3,442	I posed this question in the other thread but what actually is happening in the "break in process" what changes that makes a skimmer break in.. You got a pump, and some tubes? I never could quite figure it out. As far as wet, and wetter.. I prefer wettest :0 I like to use my skimmer as a water change device. __________________ Reefin @ 8298' Current Tank Info: 105 Peninsula

01/15/2007, 05:03 PM	#127
46bfinGA Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ball Ground, Ga. Posts: 1,333	Sweet im thinking about replacing my asmg3 with the same skimmer.post some pics when you get a chance. well the only upside of having the zipties i guess would be you can easily change out the mesh if needed.Keep us informed of how you like it. Ive been wanting to buy one since they first came out but ive been so skeptical of how they actually perform.

01/15/2007, 05:16 PM	#128
UCanDoIt Moved On Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bay Area CA Posts: 1,684	Congrats Mammoth! Here's a photo of a BM250 when I saw it testing at Ed's place. This was on a 180g medium bioload FOWLR tank, so a little overkill for that tank. Just make sure that you start the bubble breaking level about 2" above the bottom of the collection cup as this skimmer will overflow as it breaks in. I've seen this skimmer overflow every other day when it was first installed... so hint, hint, hint, keep the bubble breaking level low to start with.

01/15/2007, 07:52 PM	#132
UCanDoIt Moved On Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bay Area CA Posts: 1,684	ridetheducati - great photo of your H&S A250! This was my H&S A200-1260 before it went to clkwrk:

01/16/2007, 11:44 AM	#134
UCanDoIt Moved On Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bay Area CA Posts: 1,684	You're looking at 2-3 weeks for the skimmer to break-in. Just be patient and keep the bubble breaking level about 2" above the bottom of the collection cup until it is fully broken in, then you can usually adjust up or down depending on your choice of wet or dry skimmate. Of course, in my opinion, it is more like wet or wetter skimmate.

01/16/2007, 03:27 PM	#138
UCanDoIt Moved On Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bay Area CA Posts: 1,684	I hear you, but I'm sure there's plenty that will dispute your opinion. After seeing the BMs perform, I readjusted both my H&S and Deltec to skim even wetter than it use to. I always like to skim on the wet side to begin with... with just some gunk buildup on the upper edge of the riser within the collection cup, but the wet skimming of the BMs had some surprising results, like disappearing of hair algae and no algae blooms.

07/07/2007, 11:47 AM	#139
dkreef Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: La Mirada, CA Posts: 1,065	UCanDoIt, i got ati BM250 also. do i need to plug in the airline into the sponge box? or can i leave it out in the air? i just started mine. so break in is 2-3 weeks??? man thats long __________________ Life is a tank of Reef...You never know what ya gonna get~! Current Tank Info: 270gal reef, bubble master 250 skimmer, 3 x 250W Reefoptics MH, 3 x luminarcs, Ca reactor, Dart pump, 120gal sump/refugium, JBJ 1/3HP chiller, wavysea, 4 x koralia 4 pumps, 300 lbs figi LR, #400 LS, SPS, LPS, softies

07/07/2007, 12:02 PM	#140
Reef Sponger Moved On Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: TX/USA Posts: 696	Wow, there's some nice photos on this thread, both cars & skimmers. LoL