Help deciding on skimmer with water level 8.5"

Chrisjbarry · 06/29/2013, 09:22 AM

I need help on which skimmer to go with. Right now im using a SRO-2000 and have been thinking its time for an upgrade just dosent seem to pull out as much as I like to see. Below is what My maxes are.

Max height is 23" length max is 12.5 with is 9.5 max. Water level in my sump is 8.5". Is there an easy way to raise water level to say 9.5"? Only reason I ask is I have been looking at bubble magus hero 180 and the minimum water level says 9.5".

Would like to hear what everyone thinks about it.

DiscusHeckel · 06/29/2013, 09:54 AM

The water level in your sump is dictated by the height of your sump's baffles. Have you got a picture of your sump?

I use a Bubble magus NAC 6a skimmer. I designed the sump so that I could get a water depth of 10.5". Having said that I know that a lot of people run their BM skimmer in 8" deep water with no problems.

TimeConsumer · 06/29/2013, 10:00 AM

What is the tank volume and bioload that this will be skimming?

downbeach · 06/29/2013, 10:03 AM

I'm running the same skimmer at 8 1/2".

Chrisjbarry · 06/29/2013, 11:05 AM

Tank is 110 gallon tall with 2 foxfaces 1 blue tang 9 chromis, 9 cardinals 2 clowns. 100-150lbs live rock no sand. Zoa floor bed with a lot of sps on rocks.

Sump is a 20 long with two baffles both at 8.5". First area water comes down to skimmer section then to macro section, then to return pump.

Chrisjbarry · 06/29/2013, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by downbeach

I'm running the same skimmer at 8 1/2".

How are you liking it any videos of it running at that level?

downbeach · 06/29/2013, 11:16 AM

I run a 180 mixed reef, 40 gal. sump, and fairly heavy bio load, i.e. Tangs, run bio-pellets, etc. I've had it about 6 month's now, and am well pleased with its performance, it's very quiet too. I don't have any video's, but will share a still I took a while back.

I run it a little on the wet side. The tube you see going into the intake is the effluent from my bio-pellet reactor.

TimeConsumer · 06/29/2013, 11:17 AM

I'd rather see what we can do to get your SRO working better before we try to find a replacement. Do you have your SRO running in 8.5" of water? If so, put it on a platform to lift it up to 6" - 6.5", it performs much better at that height. Can you shoot us a video of the SRO in action?

But if you really want to replace it, I think a Sea Side Aquatics CS7 will work well on your bioload and in the space available. The RLSS R6-I should be a nice fit as well.

Chrisjbarry · 06/29/2013, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimeConsumer

I'd rather see what we can do to get your SRO working better before we try to find a replacement. Do you have your SRO running in 8.5" of water? If so, put it on a platform to lift it up to 6" - 6.5", it performs much better at that height. Can you shoot us a video of the SRO in action?

But if you really want to replace it, I think a Sea Side Aquatics CS7 will work well on your bioload and in the space available. The RLSS R6-I should be a nice fit as well.

Its running in 8.5" of water. Having trouble posting a video from my phone. I will have to try and lift it up a little as it runs wet or foam never makes it to the top. There seems to be no happy middle ground.

Chrisjbarry · 06/30/2013, 03:14 PM

I'd rather see what we can do to get your SRO working better before we try to find a replacement. Do you have your SRO running in 8.5" of water? If so, put it on a platform to lift it up to 6" - 6.5", it performs much better at that height. Can you shoot us a video of the SRO in action?

This helped alot now its a lot more dry skim like I would like to see. Although I raised it a little to much its sitting in 5.25" of water need to build a new stand and get closer to 6"-6.5". Thanks for your help on this as I was told from the guy I bought it from run it at 8.5"

TimeConsumer · 06/30/2013, 03:32 PM

Happy to help. Your current water level may be better than 6.5", you might have to move it around to find the best spot.

sandwi54 · 06/30/2013, 04:30 PM

The sro 2000 needs to be run at 6-6.5", not 8.5". It may work at 8.5" but won't work well.

The bubble blaster pumps pull a lot of air which dictates the shallow skimmer water depth, otherwise it would either overflow easily or skim very little.

06/29/2013, 09:22 AM	#1
Chrisjbarry Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 292	Help deciding on skimmer with water level 8.5" I need help on which skimmer to go with. Right now im using a SRO-2000 and have been thinking its time for an upgrade just dosent seem to pull out as much as I like to see. Below is what My maxes are. Max height is 23" length max is 12.5 with is 9.5 max. Water level in my sump is 8.5". Is there an easy way to raise water level to say 9.5"? Only reason I ask is I have been looking at bubble magus hero 180 and the minimum water level says 9.5". Would like to hear what everyone thinks about it.

06/29/2013, 10:00 AM	#3
TimeConsumer Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: New Orleans, La Posts: 1,919	What is the tank volume and bioload that this will be skimming? __________________ Steve - Retired from reefing, for now.

06/29/2013, 11:17 AM	#8
TimeConsumer Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: New Orleans, La Posts: 1,919	I'd rather see what we can do to get your SRO working better before we try to find a replacement. Do you have your SRO running in 8.5" of water? If so, put it on a platform to lift it up to 6" - 6.5", it performs much better at that height. Can you shoot us a video of the SRO in action? But if you really want to replace it, I think a Sea Side Aquatics CS7 will work well on your bioload and in the space available. The RLSS R6-I should be a nice fit as well. __________________ Steve - Retired from reefing, for now.

06/30/2013, 03:32 PM	#11
TimeConsumer Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: New Orleans, La Posts: 1,919	Happy to help. Your current water level may be better than 6.5", you might have to move it around to find the best spot. __________________ Steve - Retired from reefing, for now. Last edited by TimeConsumer; 06/30/2013 at 03:43 PM.

06/30/2013, 04:30 PM	#12
sandwi54 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 2,332	The sro 2000 needs to be run at 6-6.5", not 8.5". It may work at 8.5" but won't work well. The bubble blaster pumps pull a lot of air which dictates the shallow skimmer water depth, otherwise it would either overflow easily or skim very little. __________________ 375g Envision FOWLR + 125g sump 40g Reef Current Tank Info: 375g FOWLR, 40g Reef

06/29/2013, 09:54 AM	#2
DiscusHeckel Acropora Gardener Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sheffield, UK Posts: 2,780	The water level in your sump is dictated by the height of your sump's baffles. Have you got a picture of your sump? I use a Bubble magus NAC 6a skimmer. I designed the sump so that I could get a water depth of 10.5". Having said that I know that a lot of people run their BM skimmer in 8" deep water with no problems.

06/29/2013, 10:03 AM	#4
downbeach Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Smyrna, Delaware Posts: 3,767	I'm running the same skimmer at 8 1/2".

06/29/2013, 11:05 AM	#5
Chrisjbarry Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 292	Tank is 110 gallon tall with 2 foxfaces 1 blue tang 9 chromis, 9 cardinals 2 clowns. 100-150lbs live rock no sand. Zoa floor bed with a lot of sps on rocks. Sump is a 20 long with two baffles both at 8.5". First area water comes down to skimmer section then to macro section, then to return pump.

06/29/2013, 11:16 AM	#7
downbeach Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Smyrna, Delaware Posts: 3,767	I run a 180 mixed reef, 40 gal. sump, and fairly heavy bio load, i.e. Tangs, run bio-pellets, etc. I've had it about 6 month's now, and am well pleased with its performance, it's very quiet too. I don't have any video's, but will share a still I took a while back. I run it a little on the wet side. The tube you see going into the intake is the effluent from my bio-pellet reactor.

06/30/2013, 03:14 PM	#10
Chrisjbarry Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 292	I'd rather see what we can do to get your SRO working better before we try to find a replacement. Do you have your SRO running in 8.5" of water? If so, put it on a platform to lift it up to 6" - 6.5", it performs much better at that height. Can you shoot us a video of the SRO in action? This helped alot now its a lot more dry skim like I would like to see. Although I raised it a little to much its sitting in 5.25" of water need to build a new stand and get closer to 6"-6.5". Thanks for your help on this as I was told from the guy I bought it from run it at 8.5"