How can I check out a new skimmer without an aquarium?

dpeckham · 03/21/2007, 10:39 PM

A guy in my neighborhood wants to sell me a 'new' but never used skimmer for real cheap. I don't have a aquarium set up yet, so I can't really check it out properly. Is there some way I can set it in like a rubbermaid container and run it to see if it works ok? Before I pay him for it?

I could mix up a batch of saltwater ok but what could I put in there to make it actually skim something? Somebody told me that vinegar would work.

sjm817 · 03/21/2007, 10:44 PM

What is it, how much and what are you going to use it on?

drummereef · 03/21/2007, 10:51 PM

Like sjm817 said, what brand and model skimmer is it?

dpeckham · 03/21/2007, 11:00 PM

He doesn't know and there is no markings on it. It looks about 4" wide and about 23" tall with a small motor on the side of it. How can I check it out? What can I add to some water to make it skim something?

bertoni · 03/21/2007, 11:43 PM

There's not much testing you can do other than confirm that the pump works. I wouldn't buy it without knowing the brand and model, personally.

dpeckham · 03/22/2007, 12:51 AM

Well I guess I could just check out the pump. But I just don't see how a brand name on it makes any difference. It looks just like a dozen other skimmers out there on the market.

It looks and 'smells' new. It's not built out of cheap thin acrylic. It looks like someone custom built it maybe. It's pretty heavy duty if you know what I mean.

I just thought there would be some type of stuff I could put in the water to make it skim. Since it's a 'protein skimmer' can't I just put some sort of liquid protein in the water to make it skim. I really want to check it out before I give him any money.

PVChick12 · 03/22/2007, 12:59 AM

a lot of times it takes at least a few days for a skimmer to start pulling out skimmate at all, i have no idea how you would get noticeable skimmate from anything other than a reef system...
and personally, i wouldnt buy something just because its cheap.
you will probably end up regretting it and wanting to upgrade it and spending more money in the end if you are really thinking about setting up a tank. take it from someone whose on their 3rd skimmer in 4 years...

sjm817 · 03/22/2007, 05:41 AM

Take a pic of it and post it.

Frick-n-Frags · 03/22/2007, 06:39 AM

Yeah, you have to actually run it in a system

you need the "thickness" of saltwater for any skimmer to work at all, for starters to watch the bubble pattern, but as far a pulling stuff, clean saltwater is pretty low on things to pull

dpeckham · 03/22/2007, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sjm817
Take a pic of it and post it.

I don't have a working camera right now but mechanically,
it looks just like this ASM skimmer, except it's skinnier and the collector is not as big.

Surely there is something I can put in the saltwater to make it skim.
What about a mashed up shrimp or some tuna juice from a can of tuna?
Would that hurt the skimmer's surfaces and make it not work right?

Frick-n-Frags · 03/22/2007, 12:27 PM

heh, oh yeah: 2-part kneadable epoxy

although the world's suckiest piece of doodoo skimmer would probably skim like a champ too

03/21/2007, 10:39 PM	#1
dpeckham Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 7	How can I check out a new skimmer without an aquarium? A guy in my neighborhood wants to sell me a 'new' but never used skimmer for real cheap. I don't have a aquarium set up yet, so I can't really check it out properly. Is there some way I can set it in like a rubbermaid container and run it to see if it works ok? Before I pay him for it? I could mix up a batch of saltwater ok but what could I put in there to make it actually skim something? Somebody told me that vinegar would work.

03/21/2007, 10:44 PM	#2
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	What is it, how much and what are you going to use it on? __________________ - Scott

03/21/2007, 10:51 PM	#3
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	Like sjm817 said, what brand and model skimmer is it? __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

03/21/2007, 11:43 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	There's not much testing you can do other than confirm that the pump works. I wouldn't buy it without knowing the brand and model, personally. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/22/2007, 12:59 AM	#7
PVChick12 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: rancho palos verdes, ca and la jolla, ca when I'm in school.... Posts: 562	a lot of times it takes at least a few days for a skimmer to start pulling out skimmate at all, i have no idea how you would get noticeable skimmate from anything other than a reef system... and personally, i wouldnt buy something just because its cheap. you will probably end up regretting it and wanting to upgrade it and spending more money in the end if you are really thinking about setting up a tank. take it from someone whose on their 3rd skimmer in 4 years... __________________ &hearts; Laura &hearts; Current Tank Info: 60 gal w/ 30 gal sump. Coralife SS 65, 2 150w MH. 2 clarkii clowns, coral beauty, purple firesfish, sand sifting star, cleaner shrimp. mostly LPS and softies with a few SPS frags that im not all that interested with....

03/21/2007, 11:00 PM	#4
dpeckham Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 7	He doesn't know and there is no markings on it. It looks about 4" wide and about 23" tall with a small motor on the side of it. How can I check it out? What can I add to some water to make it skim something?

03/22/2007, 12:51 AM	#6
dpeckham Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 7	Well I guess I could just check out the pump. But I just don't see how a brand name on it makes any difference. It looks just like a dozen other skimmers out there on the market. It looks and 'smells' new. It's not built out of cheap thin acrylic. It looks like someone custom built it maybe. It's pretty heavy duty if you know what I mean. I just thought there would be some type of stuff I could put in the water to make it skim. Since it's a 'protein skimmer' can't I just put some sort of liquid protein in the water to make it skim. I really want to check it out before I give him any money.

03/22/2007, 05:41 AM	#8
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	Take a pic of it and post it. __________________ - Scott

03/22/2007, 06:39 AM	#9
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	Yeah, you have to actually run it in a system you need the "thickness" of saltwater for any skimmer to work at all, for starters to watch the bubble pattern, but as far a pulling stuff, clean saltwater is pretty low on things to pull __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB

03/22/2007, 12:27 PM	#11
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	heh, oh yeah: 2-part kneadable epoxy although the world's suckiest piece of doodoo skimmer would probably skim like a champ too __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB