Via Aqua Skimmer Club - Page 8

luke33 · 05/22/2007, 07:56 PM

OK, here's about 4 days of skimmate from the sk388, it actually overflowed and got gunk all over the skimmer and what not in my sump......a nasty mess! So it skimmed well over 11 cups...yea, alot! Here's the pics of the skimmate cup and the color of the skimmate. It was a medium brown color. I would have put it in a cup but it was 1am, and i had been on a plane for about 8hrs with a 3yr old...i was tired and had to work the next day.(rambling)

OnlyCrimson · 05/22/2007, 10:27 PM

You're getting quite a bit man! Are you ever gonna stock your tank with fish?

luke33 · 05/23/2007, 05:44 AM

Yea, i added the fish a week ago, so its starting to get some good bioload in there. All are ick free......again(lol) and they are very happy to be out of qt. I think the next thing i'll be getting is an air meter to see what this thing is doin. Oh, i got a ps160 coming my way for a skim off.......should be pretty fun.

hoyta · 05/23/2007, 06:10 AM

Hey again all! I am going to be selling my Via-Aqua

I found a hell of a deal on a Euro-Reef, and am going to take it. This is the 200 that origina;;y was Luke's, and I bought about 3 weeks ago. It comes with a practically brand new Gen-x 2400, which is modded with mesh and a 5/8ths venturi.
80.00, plus shipping.
Thanks alot!-Adam

hoyta · 05/23/2007, 12:19 PM

wow, I figured people would be all over this

luke33 · 05/23/2007, 01:05 PM

I think i sold 8 of them in about 2hrs on there.......post some skimmate pics and it'll be gone in a couple hrs.

GuySmilie · 05/23/2007, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hoyta
wow, I figured people would be all over this

Post it in the 'Used Equipment & Drygoods Selling" forum and they just might be.

luke33 · 05/24/2007, 09:40 PM

OK, i'm skimming a bit wetter, lots o stuff goin on in my head. Here's some pics of the last 12 hrs of skimmate. I'm honest, the skimmer is just now getting consistent. I can pull 10 cups a day of this stuff. And i will be. It turned green now. Go figure.

Yea i know its not the darkest skimmate by any means but dang, i can pull 12 cups a day of this. That is to the point where you don't need water changes in my opinion. Alright............i've hit my limit with pumps. I'm gonna go off soon!

luke33 · 05/24/2007, 09:47 PM

I'm done with being politically correct with the whole NW vs venturi thing. The difference.....a venturi is a different impeller and the air injector is after the output of the pump. A NW is a thinner impeller with a air injector before the input.

What a shi%bag. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MESHMODED NW OR A FREAKIN REGULAR IMPELLER CUT DOWN. DON'T PAY THE EXTRA DOLLARS TO GET A NW. ITS FREAKIN SILLY TO DO.

I'm done tonight. Look at the pics. A NW mesh mod can do the same as a regular impeller mod.

Later

OnlyCrimson · 05/24/2007, 09:52 PM

Sayin it like it is!!!! Nice. I will keep that in mind.

luke33 · 05/24/2007, 09:58 PM

Here's a cheap reminder between the two..................which i posted a whilel back

It is easy to mod....ok, i'm really done now........later

luke33 · 05/25/2007, 09:35 PM

Alright, i got my skimmer Tuned pretty well now. It usually takes about a month with these skimmers to get them how you want them. Anyhow, to the pics. I pulled nearly two 24oz cups of this stuff, so almost 6 cups! WOW, pretty good. And this is the way i like my skimmate. It basically doesn't build up all over the riser tube, its dark and it keeps skimming smoothly this way. Here ya go.........i just needed someone to share the second cup with. My 3yr old boy said it was disgusting! LOL.

Cheers!

luke33 · 05/25/2007, 09:37 PM

Oh yea, this was in less than 24hrs. About from 11pm last night to today around 9. So 22hrs.

GuySmilie · 05/25/2007, 09:41 PM

Well now if the 3 yr old is that picky, try a couple of shakes of Tabasco sauce in it.
That should give it a little zip!

jasonak · 05/26/2007, 01:27 AM

Hey Luke

Did you ever mess with the air intake or have you always left it open.I get wat more bubbles in the chamber when i turn the airdown,but then the water always seems to flow over the pipe.

Mines working great fills the cup halfway up twice a day,of nice green tea looking stuff,but of course i want to mess with it,

luke33 · 05/26/2007, 08:56 AM

Jason, good to know. I took off the regular pump and venturi a long time ago....matter of fact, i never even tried it stock : ) So i have my own venturi and pump on there i modded. I posted pics of it all a while back. But if your getting that much per day I wouldn't worry about doing anything. I would however get a silencer for the noise the venturi makes. That stock one is like an engine.

luke33 · 05/27/2007, 11:16 PM

OK, here's the last 24hrs. Its about 9cups, each of these cups are 24oz.

There ya go

luke33 · 05/29/2007, 06:31 AM

I made another mod on the venturi last night and put an even latger air hose and air injector on it. A 3/4" hose, and it now sounds like a motor running. The silencer helped a ton but its still fairly loud, not to loud though. We'll see if wifey says anything in the morning when she gets up. Its pulling some serious air now. When i got up there was already three cups worth in the skimmate cup and its darker than normal. I'll post some pics tonight when i get home. Anyone else going to post some skimmate pics anytime soon? How's everyone doin?

luke33 · 05/29/2007, 07:53 PM

OK, here's the last 15 or so hrs. I'm gonna skim dryer, i hate cleanin out the cup so much. I can hopefully go to dark brown or black skimmate and pull out three cups a day. I'd be fairly happy with that.

Still looks pretty good and pry around 8 cups in 15 or 16hrs. Not to shabby.

jasonak · 05/30/2007, 02:23 AM

Hey Has anyone else just had there skimmer quit skimming,ive got the 200.It quit like a week ago.Was working great and now nothing.Ive been adjusting the overflow tube but nothing seems to help.if i mess with the air it whites the thing out but i get alot micro bubbles,and it seems to want to overflow.Anyideas?????

thanks

luke33 · 05/30/2007, 05:48 AM

Well, here's my thoughts on it not skimming. These guys truly take around a month to become set and forget, the only annoying thing i've noticed about them. If you run it stock, you must keep the air open full throttle to get the best skimmate. The water level isn't a huge issue, seems to do fine from 4-8 inches. Once you get it skimming consistently it seems to always be fine. When you feed it kills the skimmate production for around an hour or less.

Jason, the whiter it is the better it'll perform. Just try getting the bubble line to the bottom of the riser tube and start over. It should start to prduce some skimmate. It its still pulling air, it won't stop skimming unless your water level is to low in the skimmer. Sometimes they need to be adjusted for the first month. You may get alot of microbubbles, there's no getting away from that, but thats what the baffles are for in your sump and bubble traps. I personally don't have any micro problem but i have them in my sump. Have you dosed your tank with anything lately? Additives?

silvers · 06/02/2007, 07:29 AM

I just got the skimmer from hoyta and all I can say is holy slitz

luke33 · 06/02/2007, 08:33 AM

Welcome silvers, and if its for your 55g, wow, good stuff. Post some pics of some skimmate when you start to get some. You'll have to keep the water leveler near the bottom of the skimmer just so you know. Let us know if you need any help

jasonak · 06/02/2007, 02:51 PM

Hey Luke
thanks for the advice,its working like mad again,just kept messing with it not sure what i did excactley but its woking again.

luke33 · 06/02/2007, 05:05 PM

Good stuff Jason, these guys are finicky for a month or so, but once fully broken it, there awesome!

05/23/2007, 06:10 AM	#179
hoyta Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Camden, NC Posts: 286	Hey Hey again all! I am going to be selling my Via-Aqua I found a hell of a deal on a Euro-Reef, and am going to take it. This is the 200 that origina;;y was Luke's, and I bought about 3 weeks ago. It comes with a practically brand new Gen-x 2400, which is modded with mesh and a 5/8ths venturi. 80.00, plus shipping. Thanks alot!-Adam

05/23/2007, 12:19 PM	#180
hoyta Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Camden, NC Posts: 286	wow, I figured people would be all over this __________________ Go MIAMI!!!!! Current Tank Info: 34 g Solana

05/25/2007, 09:41 PM	#189
GuySmilie Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Land of Lincoln Posts: 943	Well now if the 3 yr old is that picky, try a couple of shakes of Tabasco sauce in it. That should give it a little zip! __________________ Guy Smilie

05/30/2007, 02:23 AM	#195
jasonak Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Posts: 327	Hey Has anyone else just had there skimmer quit skimming,ive got the 200.It quit like a week ago.Was working great and now nothing.Ive been adjusting the overflow tube but nothing seems to help.if i mess with the air it whites the thing out but i get alot micro bubbles,and it seems to want to overflow.Anyideas????? thanks __________________ I know violence isnt the answer.I got it worng on purpose! Current Tank Info: 300 mixed reef /30 and 120 community fresh

06/02/2007, 07:29 AM	#197
silvers Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ga Posts: 356	I just got the skimmer from hoyta and all I can say is holy slitz __________________ Lord knows Im weak wont somebody get me off this reef-Sublime Current Tank Info: 120g

05/22/2007, 07:56 PM	#176
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	OK, here's about 4 days of skimmate from the sk388, it actually overflowed and got gunk all over the skimmer and what not in my sump......a nasty mess! So it skimmed well over 11 cups...yea, alot! Here's the pics of the skimmate cup and the color of the skimmate. It was a medium brown color. I would have put it in a cup but it was 1am, and i had been on a plane for about 8hrs with a 3yr old...i was tired and had to work the next day.(rambling)

05/22/2007, 10:27 PM	#177
OnlyCrimson Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Royal Oak,Michigan Posts: 863	You're getting quite a bit man! Are you ever gonna stock your tank with fish?

05/23/2007, 05:44 AM	#178
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	Yea, i added the fish a week ago, so its starting to get some good bioload in there. All are ick free......again(lol) and they are very happy to be out of qt. I think the next thing i'll be getting is an air meter to see what this thing is doin. Oh, i got a ps160 coming my way for a skim off.......should be pretty fun.

05/23/2007, 01:05 PM	#181
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	I think i sold 8 of them in about 2hrs on there.......post some skimmate pics and it'll be gone in a couple hrs.

05/24/2007, 09:40 PM	#183
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	OK, i'm skimming a bit wetter, lots o stuff goin on in my head. Here's some pics of the last 12 hrs of skimmate. I'm honest, the skimmer is just now getting consistent. I can pull 10 cups a day of this stuff. And i will be. It turned green now. Go figure. Yea i know its not the darkest skimmate by any means but dang, i can pull 12 cups a day of this. That is to the point where you don't need water changes in my opinion. Alright............i've hit my limit with pumps. I'm gonna go off soon!

05/24/2007, 09:47 PM	#184
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	I'm done with being politically correct with the whole NW vs venturi thing. The difference.....a venturi is a different impeller and the air injector is after the output of the pump. A NW is a thinner impeller with a air injector before the input. What a shi%bag. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MESHMODED NW OR A FREAKIN REGULAR IMPELLER CUT DOWN. DON'T PAY THE EXTRA DOLLARS TO GET A NW. ITS FREAKIN SILLY TO DO. I'm done tonight. Look at the pics. A NW mesh mod can do the same as a regular impeller mod. Later

05/24/2007, 09:52 PM	#185
OnlyCrimson Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Royal Oak,Michigan Posts: 863	Sayin it like it is!!!! Nice. I will keep that in mind.

05/24/2007, 09:58 PM	#186
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	Here's a cheap reminder between the two..................which i posted a whilel back It is easy to mod....ok, i'm really done now........later

05/25/2007, 09:35 PM	#187
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	Alright, i got my skimmer Tuned pretty well now. It usually takes about a month with these skimmers to get them how you want them. Anyhow, to the pics. I pulled nearly two 24oz cups of this stuff, so almost 6 cups! WOW, pretty good. And this is the way i like my skimmate. It basically doesn't build up all over the riser tube, its dark and it keeps skimming smoothly this way. Here ya go.........i just needed someone to share the second cup with. My 3yr old boy said it was disgusting! LOL. Cheers!

05/25/2007, 09:37 PM	#188
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	Oh yea, this was in less than 24hrs. About from 11pm last night to today around 9. So 22hrs.

05/26/2007, 01:27 AM	#190
jasonak Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Posts: 327	Hey Luke Did you ever mess with the air intake or have you always left it open.I get wat more bubbles in the chamber when i turn the airdown,but then the water always seems to flow over the pipe. Mines working great fills the cup halfway up twice a day,of nice green tea looking stuff,but of course i want to mess with it,

05/26/2007, 08:56 AM	#191
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	Jason, good to know. I took off the regular pump and venturi a long time ago....matter of fact, i never even tried it stock : ) So i have my own venturi and pump on there i modded. I posted pics of it all a while back. But if your getting that much per day I wouldn't worry about doing anything. I would however get a silencer for the noise the venturi makes. That stock one is like an engine.

05/27/2007, 11:16 PM	#192
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	OK, here's the last 24hrs. Its about 9cups, each of these cups are 24oz. There ya go

05/29/2007, 06:31 AM	#193
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	I made another mod on the venturi last night and put an even latger air hose and air injector on it. A 3/4" hose, and it now sounds like a motor running. The silencer helped a ton but its still fairly loud, not to loud though. We'll see if wifey says anything in the morning when she gets up. Its pulling some serious air now. When i got up there was already three cups worth in the skimmate cup and its darker than normal. I'll post some pics tonight when i get home. Anyone else going to post some skimmate pics anytime soon? How's everyone doin?

05/29/2007, 07:53 PM	#194
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	OK, here's the last 15 or so hrs. I'm gonna skim dryer, i hate cleanin out the cup so much. I can hopefully go to dark brown or black skimmate and pull out three cups a day. I'd be fairly happy with that. Still looks pretty good and pry around 8 cups in 15 or 16hrs. Not to shabby.

05/30/2007, 05:48 AM	#196
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	Well, here's my thoughts on it not skimming. These guys truly take around a month to become set and forget, the only annoying thing i've noticed about them. If you run it stock, you must keep the air open full throttle to get the best skimmate. The water level isn't a huge issue, seems to do fine from 4-8 inches. Once you get it skimming consistently it seems to always be fine. When you feed it kills the skimmate production for around an hour or less. Jason, the whiter it is the better it'll perform. Just try getting the bubble line to the bottom of the riser tube and start over. It should start to prduce some skimmate. It its still pulling air, it won't stop skimming unless your water level is to low in the skimmer. Sometimes they need to be adjusted for the first month. You may get alot of microbubbles, there's no getting away from that, but thats what the baffles are for in your sump and bubble traps. I personally don't have any micro problem but i have them in my sump. Have you dosed your tank with anything lately? Additives?

06/02/2007, 08:33 AM	#198
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	Welcome silvers, and if its for your 55g, wow, good stuff. Post some pics of some skimmate when you start to get some. You'll have to keep the water leveler near the bottom of the skimmer just so you know. Let us know if you need any help

06/02/2007, 02:51 PM	#199
jasonak Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Posts: 327	Hey Luke thanks for the advice,its working like mad again,just kept messing with it not sure what i did excactley but its woking again. __________________ I know violence isnt the answer.I got it worng on purpose! Current Tank Info: 300 mixed reef /30 and 120 community fresh

06/02/2007, 05:05 PM	#200
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	Good stuff Jason, these guys are finicky for a month or so, but once fully broken it, there awesome!