ETSS Skimmer Club!

[jmsalt1]

Originally posted by Bulldogger2008
Ok, I'm looking for a really good Skimmer, one that I can run from under the tank and I'm assuming there will be a hose running to the top of the tank to pull the water in. Or, Should I get a really good hang on the back of the Tank Skimmer? I only have around 5inches of room from the wall to the tank, so it will have to be a lean skimmer. Please attach links to some good sites who offer these skimmers, thanks a bunch to all who are MENTORING THE NEWBIE!

Others may be more creative but I would suggest setting up a sump. Sounds like your tank might not be drilled. In that case, if you don't want a drilled tank with a sump or an overflow to a sump, you could go with a CPR Backpak type skimmer. I don't recall your tank size but that might work well for you. Marine Depot, Champion Lighting and Supply are just a couple places you can look online. Use google. You can get tons of skimmer advice on the equipment forum. Hope that helps a bit.

[shleprock30]

Originally posted by Bulldogger2008

Ok, I'm looking for a really good Skimmer, one that I can run from under the tank and I'm assuming there will be a hose running to the top of the tank to pull the water in. Or, Should I get a really good hang on the back of the Tank Skimmer? I only have around 5inches of room from the wall to the tank, so it will have to be a lean skimmer. Please attach links to some good sites who offer these skimmers, thanks a bunch to all who are MENTORING THE NEWBIE!

Ok, here is probably the best link you can look at right now.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/forumd...s=&forumid=104

Most people that run a skimmer under the tank also are using a Sump, is your tank drilled? If it is not, you will need to make that decision first, drill or do a HOB overflow..... Like previously mentioned, this thread is specifically geared to one manufacturer of skimmers. If you are trying to make a decision if the ETSS downdraft type of skimmers are right for your setup, this is the right place, but from your questions it sounds like the New to the hobby forum will be the best place to get the information you are looking for.

I am sure everyone here is willing to mentor and give good advice as most of us post in the other forums as well.

[jmsalt1]

Originally posted by hottuna
JMSALT1 : Thanks ! any pics of where it attaches to the injector assembly ?

Tuna,
Here is a pic. for you. Again, no clamps yet as I wanted to make sure I was happy with the length first. No nog yet but only up for about 24 hours in this photo. Hope this pic. helps you. For some reason I can't get pics. in threads right now so you'll need to go to my gallery. I wasn't having this problem until a few days ago and cant figure out why. If anyone has experienced that in the past or can see what I am doing wrong please let me know as I have not figured it out yet.

[hottuna]

jmsalt 1 : thanks !

[jdieck]

Originally posted by jmsalt1
Tuna,
Here is a pic. for you. Again, no clamps yet as I wanted to make sure I was happy with the length first. No nog yet but only up for about 24 hours in this photo. Hope this pic. helps you. For some reason I can't get pics. in threads right now so you'll need to go to my gallery. I wasn't having this problem until a few days ago and cant figure out why. If anyone has experienced that in the past or can see what I am doing wrong please let me know as I have not figured it out yet.

Here you go, just get the image linf from the properties and enclose the link in between IMG and /IMG between square [] brackets

[jmsalt1]

Duh. I was pulling the address from my browser not the img tag. Won't make that mistake again. Thanks for helping me regain my sanity.

[Madjack]

Mines been working for about 3 yrs now on a 180g and I've emptied my 1 gallon milk jug maybe twice. I don't get the massive amount of bubbles that I see everyone else has.

My plumbing is as follows:

sump ----> Mag 12 ----> 3' 3/4" id hose --->skimmer raised 4" off the floor ----> sump

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[hottuna]

madjack: mag 12 might be your problem...that thing could probably use an iwaki 55 or better....

[cnaegler]

Originally posted by hottuna
madjack: mag 12 might be your problem...that thing could probably use an iwaki 55 or better....

+1

[LunarDDS]

+2 Go get yourself a nice pressure pump and make some bubbles in that bad boy. Your mag turned your etss into a soothing waterfall.

[ostrow]

Originally posted by hottuna
madjack: mag 12 might be your problem...that thing could probably use an iwaki 55 or better....

That, and your valve on the skimmer output is 95% open. With a Mag 12 it should be at least 75% closed, maybe more!

[shleprock30]

I would look at pulling out some of the bio-balls out. It looks like you are moving alot of water and not pulling much air in that pic.

My water level in the downdraft tube is near the bottom third mark, the more bio-balls used the less air that is pulled in.

Just an idea, at least it would be easy to try and adjust the bio-balls before doing pump changes and such.

[cnaegler]

Originally posted by Madjack
Mines been working for about 3 yrs now on a 180g and I've emptied my 1 gallon milk jug maybe twice. I don't get the massive amount of bubbles that I see everyone else has.

My plumbing is as follows:

sump ----> Mag 12 ----> 3' 3/4" id hose --->skimmer raised 4" off the floor ----> sump

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Mr.madjack,
After another, better look at that pic, it looks like your water level is extremely high? Your water level needs to be at or near the top of the black box, not where the riser tubes step down. Maybe it's an optical illusion in the pic but thats where it looks to be. Also, i'm not sure if your model has the threaded elbow air inlet or just the holes drilled in top or not, but you may need to clean those. It just seems that not enough air is getting in, whether because of the high water level or dirty air inlet. Check those things before you run and get a new pump and let me know.

[txfatcat]

Ok here we go. I have an 800 that has been running in my 150 gallon sump/fuge for about 8 months now. I had a mag12 running on it but it wasn’t consistent. I spoke with Gary and ended up putting a Iwaki 55 on it. All I can say is wow what a huge difference. I have had to limit/gate the input to the skimmer a little because I get full on gallons worth of wet skim mate in a few hours. Let me also say the water level is at the or ¾� below the black square box at the bottom of the skimmer(recomended by Gary). I also verified that I have 22 balls in each tower.

I don’t like to gate the pumps back as it has a tendency to produce heat. I have read that some guys are having the same issues and have just reduced the air valves. The drain is also open full tilt also. I am still seeing foam but not as dry as other skimmer I have seen. I also don’t have a large bio-load in the 265g at all. Anybody have any thought on this. I don’t want to fight with the settings up and down and don’t want to empty the catch can every day /hour also.

[LunarDDS]

Yeah, I'm only running a turbo sea 790p on my 800 and I think I need mo powah. I get good foam but not crazy foam like I think I should. I should take it apart and see how many balls I have in the towers. I have also found if I try and raise the water level I actually get less foam and poor production from the skimmer. It is kinda backwards from other skimmers I have used.

[shleprock30]

Originally posted by txfatcat

I don’t like to gate the pumps back as it has a tendency to produce heat. I have read that some guys are having the same issues and have just reduced the air valves. The drain is also open full tilt also. I am still seeing foam but not as dry as other skimmer I have seen. I also don’t have a large bio-load in the 265g at all. Anybody have any thought on this. I don’t want to fight with the settings up and down and don’t want to empty the catch can every day /hour also.

With my old square box Reef Devil I used to valve the air intake and it made a huge difference, with the SB40 I have not had to do this. It really does make a difference in being able to fine tune the bubble size if you need to go this route.

[ostrow]

I believe it is better to reduce the air via a valve on the output rather than the intake.

[tav]

I have a new SB40, not installed yet, determining best option for the waste overflow container. I don't really want to pay the high price for the one ETSS offers. Any issues with using a 1 gallon milk container. Any better low cost options?

[cnaegler]

Originally posted by tav
I have a new SB40, not installed yet, determining best option for the waste overflow container. I don't really want to pay the high price for the one ETSS offers. Any issues with using a 1 gallon milk container. Any better low cost options?

The only issues i see are smell. IS there really any better low cost option than a milk jug?

[ostrow]

DIY the waste container. I use an old salt bucket, drilled the lid for a vent, with ping-pong ball to close it on full bucket, etc.

[tav]

Thanks Ostrow, think I'll try the salt bucket idea. What does the ping pong ball mechanism look like? I did a quick searcha and wasn't able to find any DIY plans for this.

[txfatcat]

look at the PM site and you will see the stop/ping pong ball thing.


I have now turned the pump back up full tilt and it started producing some wet foam so I have started to slowly crank the air inputs down.

Do other skimmers skim all the time like the PM skimmers. Just wondering because mine will not skim for days sometimes.

I love the ETSS skimmers as my 800 is a beast but getting tired of the inconsistancey and maybe going to look at others now.

[jdieck]

Originally posted by tav
Thanks Ostrow, think I'll try the salt bucket idea. What does the ping pong ball mechanism look like? I did a quick searcha and wasn't able to find any DIY plans for this.

[ostrow]

Thanks Jose!

One issue with Jose's drawing is that the ball must not plug the bottom or air won't escape! I have a piece of mesh glued to the bottom of the pipe and the ball rests on that until water pushes it up to close the opening.

You might want to chime in here as people seem to be aiming to restrict the air at the input. I'm not so sure that's the way to go.

[rickyfins]

Originally posted by Madjack
Mines been working for about 3 yrs now on a 180g and I've emptied my 1 gallon milk jug maybe twice. I don't get the massive amount of bubbles that I see everyone else has.

My plumbing is as follows:

sump ----> Mag 12 ----> 3' 3/4" id hose --->skimmer raised 4" off the floor ----> sump

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Is the outlet on that skimmer stepped down to 1 inch pipe? If so that is a restriction to getting the skimmer to working properly. I would also recommend changing out the ball valve for a gate valve so it is easier to dial in once it is setup and working good for you.

I have mine plumbed into the sump in an area where the water level never goes past 7 inches in depth. This tends to keep the water level proper in the skimmer box. The bulkhead in the sump is at the base/bottom on the wall of the sump tank.

I also looked over the picture twice to get a good look. I think it also looks like the water level is too high in the skimmer tower. It should be at the base of the black reaction box. I would switch from a Mag 12 to a Blueline 40 you will really kick butt with that pump on that skimmer. There really is no comparison between the Mag drive and Blueline pumps with these skimmers. They just have the punch that these need.


These skimmers will sometimes stop skimming for some time. This is normal operation, they keep the water clean and then pretty much wait for dirt to remove. LOL This is one of the awesome things about these skimmers, no worries of whether or not they are working or if the tank is clean enough. You can actually feed more and worry less with the beastly skimmers.

JMO. Thanks all!