ETSS Skimmer Club!

[geno7]

Originally posted by rigleautomotive
you have an entry level skimmer there,the bigger pro models are much more impressive imo,an external pump would solve your heat issues

What ETSS skimmer would you recommend and what pump for a 75 gal total system volume?

[jjk_reef00]

It depends on what your trying to keep and what your bio load will be.
The 600 XR with an Iwaki 55 RLT-Max would be real nice on your tank. Although the 800 would be even better (2 downdraft tubes). Look on RC selling forums you can get a good deal on a used one when they show up.

I would buy one that is rated more than what your tank is. I have an ETSS 1500 on a very heavily stocked 400 gallon system and it pulls out a lot of dark stuff but I want to upgrade because I'm keeping SPS.
The ETSS says tank capacity of 500 gallons but with heavy bio load I'm guessing 300. I'm also using an Iwaki 100 wich is the smallest pump they recommend.

Don't be afraid to add a bigger pump because it will really improve the performance.

[jjk_reef00]

Here is a used one for sale or search the for sale forum for ETSS:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...highlight=ETSS

[rigleautomotive]

Originally posted by geno7
What ETSS skimmer would you recommend and what pump for a 75 gal total system volume?

I would go with the 600 pro driven by a blue line HD40 or an iwalki 40

More then enough to overskim your tank

[jdieck]

Originally posted by jjk_reef00
I'm getting an ETSS 5000 and need to know what kind of pump to put on it.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1697014

The Dolphin SP Series Aqua Sea 6000SP is a possibility

[JagerEinheit]

I have a evo 750 on a md55 pump that is giving me a bit of trouble. It is plumbed external to the sump on a raised platform that drains down to the sump itself using 45 degree elbows and a tee for air removal so it is quieter entering the sump chamber. outflow is not submerged or blocked.

It came originally with a set of 1/2 inch barb to 1/2 inch mip threaded air intake and collector connections, but also there was a set of 3/4 inch barb to 1/2 inch mip connectors in the box(much smoother flow with no restriction in the elbows). I am running into the issue that I do not know which barbs to use.

on the 1/2 inch set i get a weaker foam head that ends up about at the rim of the cup, but rarely goes over, and its pushed up by very large bubbles (can see though the middle of the skimmer) if i leave this for several days i get quite a bit o collected gunk in the neck at times, but the overall foam head dies down and i have to take the skimmer apart and clean it so it wont keep backing the foam head down.

the 3/4 inch set work to create much smaller bubbles in the skimmer overall, but after about 20 minutes to an hour start overflowing the cup until the external cut off fills and kicks on.
the skimmate is light tea but does stink so it is working. just not very reliably.

I believe the pump is too powerful and needs a ball valve to lessen the turbulence inside, but I have also read here that i should limit the air out of the waste collector, (which the 1/2 inch barbs are doing possibly too much?)

I am using 13 bio balls (manual says somewhere between 12 and 15) and the gatevalve for the water is almost open (about 3 full turns til its stuck open) that means the water level is barely an inch above turn off levels and i am getting the entire rest of the skimmer full of bubbles. which according to the manual is very very low. i need to be about 4-6 inches higher they say. (again what is leading me to think the pump is too powerful)

Any suggestions or which way to go would be much appreciated.
Ive email etss several times but have not received a reply.

[jjk_reef00]

It could be the pump is to powerful, try a ball valve to reduce flow then go from there. They recommend the iwaki 40 for that skimmer.

[railroader46]

I wish I would have seen this thread earlier. I just bought a new Etss SB40 from aquacave on thursday. It shipped today form AE tech.

[menace78]

Got me a used Evolution 750 today for $50! and I already have it up and running with a mag18 in sump with the water level in a stable chamber and gate valve knob about 1" above the waterline.
I think it's heads and tails better than any skimmer I have used before already (and it isn't even set right yet) but I was wondering after reading all these posts.

Any idea how many bioballs I should be useing with a mag18?

I still have alot of adjusting to do but after 11 hours it's already skimming all be it a bit wet. (still wirking with the gate valve every hour or so)

and my other questions is that the collection cup that I can get for this has the auto shutoff ball thing in it but how does that stop the exhaust when the inlet for air and water just sits in the top of the skimmer?
I plugged the drainline and altho the bubble colem did collaps a bit. it didn't stop forming like others I have seen.

If I hook this thing up external laiter is there any chance of an overflow due to this?

I'm running it on a 110g flatback RR hex tank with a 40g sump.
medium bioload ATM but will increase.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanx

[JagerEinheit]

when the ping pong ball rises in teh chamber it will cut off so much air that the foam head itself collapses in the skimmer. it is safe to be outside the sump (i have mine installed that way) just keep an eye on when the container fills and cut the skimmer off when you empty the cup or its liable to spray you in the face with the skimmate in the cup when you take the tubing off.

[C-21 USAF]

I got my Evo 750 with a Blue line 40 for $225 and thougt it was a good deal...you just blew me away.

I think the max flow ETSS recommends for this skimmerin a little over 1000gph...curious to know how the mag 18 continues to work out

[menace78]

Ty for the clarification JagerEinheit.

And as for the mag 18. AETech sugests the mag 18 or 24 for this skimmer from the danner line.

Once I get it dialed in I'll have to see how it does.

Actualy seems like it could take more presure.
With the gate valve all the way open the foam head was almost 1.5" under the bubble plate at the top of the main body.
Time will tell

I love this thing!

[C-21 USAF]

When I spoke to Gary at AE Tech he told me that my Blue Line 40 was almost too much for this skimmer...

[jjk_reef00]

I think the blue line is pressure rated where the mags are not so much. That may be why menace78 can run the Mag18 which I think is rated at 1800gph. After head loss from the skimmer it is likely running at much less. I would try out the blue line 40 and just put a ball valve on the output that way you can dial it back if needed.

[llebcire]

Originally posted by rigleautomotive
The pump you are driving it with is not consistent or strong enough to keep it stable.that skimmer runs great with a pressure rated pump like a iwalki 20rlt or a blue line HD20.I know the manual says they can be ran with a mag pump but they never reach full potential until you put a pressure rated pump on them

I don't have room for an external pump, and with advice have gone to a Mag7...passed up a deal on a Mag9 as I thought it may be too much.

Suffice to say, with the Mag7 I'm now getting the production in 12 hours that used to take a week with a Rio 2500+!

-Eric

[C-21 USAF]

I called AE Tech today and he confirmed the Blueline 40 is at the top end of pumps for this skimmer.

He also said that if you went with an Mag drive 18 it would be a bottom end pump and the Mag 24 would be much better for the job.

Apparently the externals can drive more "head pressure" on these skimmers and the GPH rating on all pumps is relative or is not that important at all.

[jjk_reef00]

The GPH rating is important, but you have to consider the head loss to what you are pumping the water too. Look at flow curves for different types of pumps (pressure rated vs non-pressure rated) and you will know what I mean. The gph of non pressure rated pumps (mags) drop off quite a lot if you try to use them in an application with a lot of head loss. Pressure rated pumps are designed so the gph doesn't drop nearly as much when pumping water in a setup with high head loss. I don't know what your skimmer's head loss is but I know the etss 5000 head recommends a pump that pushes 5000gph at 12 psi (12psi is about 27 feet). I'm guessing your skimmer's head is equivalent to 7 or 8 + feet. You can probably find this info from AE Tech. That way you can judge your pump based on what it is doing at the correct pressure instead of 0 pressure.

[C-21 USAF]

Well said!

[menace78]

Originally posted by C-21 USAF
I called AE Tech today and he confirmed the Blueline 40 is at the top end of pumps for this skimmer.

He also said that if you went with an Mag drive 18 it would be a bottom end pump and the Mag 24 would be much better for the job.

Apparently the externals can drive more "head pressure" on these skimmers and the GPH rating on all pumps is relative or is not that important at all.

what pump do you have?
BlueLine 40 HD Inlet-3/4" Outlet-3/4" GPH@0FT-790
BlueLine 40 HD-X Inlet-1" Outlet-1" GPH@0FT-1270
They are both presure rated wich is better than the mag series but the differance is 1270gph minus headloss on a BlueLine 40 HD-X is probably about the same as the mag24 after head loss.

I agree the mag18 is the min. I should go with a presure rated pump and I plan on upgrading in the near future.
Anyone know what the max GPH with a presure rated pump should be?
I have a 3500GPH High Presure pump but not sure if It can handle it.
If it can should It still be using the (I think it's 1/2") injector nozzle? or should it be replaced with a larger one?

Not planning on using this pump on the current setup but might when I get a larger system if it dosn't have to be throttled back too much.

[railroader46]

Skimmer came in this morning. Looks awesome probably a month or two till I get to see this thing in action.

[C-21 USAF]

I have the Blueline 40 HD and you definitely wouldn't want more than that...I'm down to about 11 bio-balls to keep it from overflowing internally.

[C-21 USAF]

I'm trying to get my externally mounted Evolution 750 set up and the middle seal keeps leaking! I have taken it apart twice and studied the construction, reassembled and still can't keep it from slowly leaking.

I compared both o-rings and even switched them but it keeps leaking. It almost appears that the black reaction chamber disc is slightly thicker than the o-ring so no matter how hard I tighten the bolts it doesn't seem to seal.

I bought it used but has only about 6 months use on it.

Any ideas?

[rigleautomotive]

This is a commom problem with the evoloution series skimmers.The flanges become warped with age and the edges where the bolt holes are ,hit before the area where the o ring sits does ,creating too large of a space for the o ring to be clamped tight enough to make a good seal.these flanges need to be machine flat again.put a straight edge across the flange and look at the space beneath it at the o ring area,if its greater then the space at the edges where ther bolt holes are then the flange is warped.If its just the flange on the collection cup side you can get a new collection cup from gary for a small fee.a temporary fix would be to wrap 1 inch teflon tape carefully around the o ring(6 or 8 wraps),making it larger

[C-21 USAF]

That makes sense and I'll check the flanges but I already observed a small gap around the flanges even after I tightened the bolts...so I dont think they're warped or at least they're not touching when the unit is running, but I'll still check.

[rigleautomotive]

well then if not that, the o ring is shrunk and needs replacement
or
the flange has come loose from the body and it is leaking there