Lifereef Skimmers - Feedback PLEASE!

[Indyws6]

Greetings
I am having problems with my Reef Devil Deluxe skimmer that has caused 4 "floods" in the 4+ months I have owned it. I am comtemplating replacing it and am considering a Lifereef brand skimmer (VS3-24).

Who uses these skimmers and what can you tell me - both good and bad - about them? I thought I had done my homework before buying the Reef Devil, so I am a little gun-shy about spending several hundred dollars to replace it without getting some input.

The guy from Lifereef seems very knowledgeable and his description of problems associated with downdraft-type skimmers reflects virtually every problem I am having. My Reef Devil Deluxe seems to have adequate skimming performance, but is far too sensitive to water changes. It can literally go from producing no foam for extended periods to filling a 1/2 gallon jug in a one hour time-span - all from nothing more than the PH changes that naturally occur when the lights go out.

If you have recommendations for other skimmers, I am open to that as well. My current skimmer is plumbed outside of the sump and I would prefer to keep it that way. My stand will allow only a 24" - 26" tall unit.

90 gallon reef
Approx 5 months old
135 lbs live rock
4" sand bed
(1) rock covered with striped Mushrooms
(1) colony of Anthelia
(1) colony of pulsing Xenia
(1) fish (!)

I posted on the "other" forum, but can't seem to get any response. Hoping for better luck here. Thanks in advance...

[j tavares]

well i have had reef devils earlier models and did not care for them due to similar problems as for the lifereef I could never get the results Jeff claims on his site though my biigest problem is that Jeff never cared after alll these years to look at other designs of skimmers or update the skimmer to be more user friendly> I believe the output depending on what pumps and the low output return is flawed. Still I agree Jeff is a great guy and I recently purchased an overflow box which seems to live up to its repuatation I just feel The current skimmers like octopus and Tunze or even aquaeurousa are more to my liking. Not sure about Euroreef due to the fact I got less than stellar performance on earlier models and at the time their customer service left alot to be desired so I went elsewhere just my opinion. I am sure their are countless others. Goood Luck!

[kdblove_99]

Get a DAS EX2

for the money you cannot beat it.

It will run laps around a lifereef.

[Marc]

I know Jeff personally and I don't think he has any plans soon to update or build new models of skimmers. I feel he should though, but he is pretty stubborn about his products. Great guy though!!! Great craftsmanship too!!!

Marc

[Rwinfrey]

I have been using them for years and these days unfortanatly you can do better for the money he wants for those skimmer and if there not set up right they flood also.

[PL-Reef]

i have the 32" model and love it. i did have to bump up the size of the pump though.

[Indyws6]

All,
Thanks for the responses - I was getting nothing on the "other" forum

If I am reading this correctly, it sounds like the quality and performance of the Lifereef skimmers are acceptable but that most feel I could get the same results at a better price, or more skimming power for the same money. If that is true, what skimmer recommendations would you provide?

KDBLOVE_99 recommends a DAS EX2 - I will research that unit.
J TAVARES mentions Octopus, Tunze and Aquaeurousa, although not specific models.

What recommendations can you provide? As mentioned, I run my skimmer outside of the sump, it is a 90 gallon reef that will ultimately be geared toward SPS and, most likely, stocked a little heavy.

Thanks again for the help. I really appreciate the responses...

[Rwinfrey]

if you have the cash go for H&S www.finsreef.com you don't hear many complaints and when you do they are right on top of things for you.

[Indyws6]

RWINFREY - Thanks for the response...

It looks like the A110-F2000 is for tanks up to 100 gallons and the A150-F2001 is for tanks up to 225 gallons. I don't like running things close to the limit, so I would probably opt for the larger one.

Do you know if these skimmers have a tendency to overflow? Are they as sensitive to water changes as the ETSS downdraft skimmers?

It also looks like every single model is out of stock - is this normal for that manufacturer? Just makes me a little concerned if I were to purchase and have problems - would I be able to get parts, etc...

Take Care

[Shaun120]

I bought my VS2-24 about 7 years ago. It was one of the better skimmers at the time. Awesome quality and build. I never once had to clean the venturi and it worked well on the 120 I had it on which had a medium bioload. I ordered it with a Berlin system from LifeReef. I came with all the plumbing and it went together like butter...slick.

The LifeReef skimmers are due for a major overhaul...just putting a recirculating loop in it would help alot! The quality is awesome but the technology is lagging. Again once I had it dialed in I hardly touched it. Just cleaned the neck and emptied the cup.

The only think I totally hated about the LifeReef skimmer was the stupid “O� ring gasket that fit around the bottom of the cup neckthat I would have to fight with

I just got a MRC MR-3R and it’s awesome…after I got it dialed in. You could get MR-1 for about $275 (skimmer) + $45 (quick release) + $165 for a pump = $485, around the same price as the VS3-24 (with pump). The performance is SUBSTANTUALLY better. The MR-1 is rated for a 175gal but for an extra $50 you could get a MR-2 rated for 300gal (I always divide ratings by 2 for heavily stocked tanks). The really cool thing about the MRC skimmers is that you can upgrade the skimmer. On the MR-2 adding another Becket injector wouldn’t change the overall clearance of the skimmer but would really get the air injection up! The best thing is it is really easy to break down to clean and is really well made.

BTW…I don’t work for MRC, I just really like my skimmer and thought it may be another option to consider.

Good luck!

[Indyws6]

SHAUN120 - Thanks for the response and detail

Some of the points you mentioned are my biggest concerns; namely, that the LifeReef products, although well-built and supported, represent "old" technology. There is nothing wrong with the approach, but I am hesitant to invest in that style of skimmer if I can get better performance from a newer model.

The flip-side of that is consistency. After I get it "dialed-in", would I be able to walk away from an MRC skimmer for as many as 2 weeks without fear of overflows or lack of skimming? I don't travel as much as I used to, but I have to be out of the country for as much as 2 weeks, 2-3 times per year. In short, once you find the sweet spot, would the MRC skimmer you recommend require constant tweaking?

Do you have any photos of your installation that you would be willing to share? Thanks again for your help. I appreciate it...

[Marc]

If you are concernered about flooding or overflowing get a waste container. The waste container will shut the skimmer off when it is full. All skimmers can overflow from excessive foaming due to a coral releasing its slime coat or other toxins. Even additives can lead to skimmers going crazy. Lifereefs do not have this feature but MRC does.

Marc

[CruzinKim]

If you can afford a H&S, yes, by all means go for the A150, much better than Lifereef. Take a look at the ATi Bubblemaster 160 as well.

Manufacturer's specs don't mean a whole lot. Go to those who actually has experience using the skimmers you are considering and you'll probably get more reliable advice.

[Indyws6]

MARC - Greetings and Thanks for the response
I have done some research and have seen a few of the waste colectors available. The question gets to be: which of the recommended skimmers will work with one and (with reasonable certainty) shut-off if the container is full? My current Reef Devil Deluxe skimmer, because of the design, will not shut-off using a waste collector. That is something I didn't know before purchasing it, so any information you (and others) can provide about the recommended skimmers and their ability to function with an automatic shut-off waste collector is certainly appreciated!

CRUZINKIM - Greetings and Thanks to you, too.
I will do some more research on the H&S and Bubblemaster skimmers. Can you tell me if these units are meant to be used with automatic shut-off waste collectors?

The overflow potential is my biggest concern, followed by the erratic performance of my current skimmer. I look forward to more information from the group...

Take Care

[Johnsteph10]

You are talking about a number of skimmers that operate totally differently:

venturi/downdraft
needlewheel
beckett

They operate VERY differently from each other.

[Indyws6]

JOHNSTEPH10 - Greetings and Thanks for the response...

I understand - that is why I am looking for help from those with experience to make the best choice.

My current skimmer, a Reef Devil Deluxe downdraft model, is extremely sensitive to water chemistry changes and prone to running amok, flooding my living room. Although I expect that any skimmer will need some "tweaks" to perform at it's best, daily (sometimes more than once) adjustments and the constant threat of flooding is unacceptable.

My research led me to Lifereef, so I was looking for input on performance and quality and then the thread took a turn toward recommendations and options. In a nutshell, what I am looking for is help determining the best skimmer choice for my system. Some of the "requirements" and considerations:

*90 Gallon reef-ready AGA tank
* Reef will be geared toward SPS and clams and stocked a little "heavy"
* Reef Devil Sump
* I prefer an externally plumbed skimmer (in-sump installation would be acceptable, if there are good reasons...)
* Need to have an automatic shut-off waste collector, or some means to prevent flooding
* 26" height to fit in stand
* I don't expect "set it and forget it", but consistent performance without daily tweaks would be nice (I travel for work)

There are so many choices and opinions that it is getting hard to keep things straight. I'm just trying to be sure I make a wise choice before tossing out several hundred dollars to replace my current skimmer!

Thanks in advance...

[rishma]

you will never regret getting a H&S A150. The pain of spending a some extra $$$ will fade with time. They are built like a tank, customer service and performance is awesome, replacement parts are reasonably priced. They perform consistently and are easily adjusted. They are not prone to overflow.

There are many other good skimmers, but the A150 is my favorite for your size tank. The DAS EX-1 and Ex-2 are also good choices. Same pumps as the H&S, decent build quality, no costomer service, but good skimmers.

Good luck. Post pictures of the H&S when (if) you get it.

[Indyws6]

RISHMA - Thanks for the response...

Dumb question - everywhere that I look, the H&S skimmers are "out of stock". Is this typical? Should I be concerned with delivery delays or availability of parts, should they be needed?

Thanks again...

[kodyboy]

I have an H&S A200-1260: awesome skimmer

[Indyws6]

KODYBOY - Thanks for the response...

How would you compare the H&S with a Bubblemaster 200?

Take Care

[luke33]

Out of all the responses the one's I would recomend would be the following ranked least expensive to most expensive

Octo nw 200- $179 will handle it fine stock but very nice modded for a few bux

Dax ex2-$400- Will be great stock, 43watts recirc alot nicer than the octo

H&S A150-very nice but expensive.

All are better than the lifereef. If it were me i'd go mid pricerange and get the das ex2. You wont' have to worry about your water level in your sump this way and it will be consistent. Having a skimmer that isn't finicky at all is half the battle, having one like that which performs well is awesome.

[rishma]

Indyws6 - H&S tend to sell out immediately when the new shipment arrives. Just tell FinsReef what you want and they'll tell you delivery.

I have not had any delays/problems getting parts.

[Indyws6]

LUKE33 - Greetings...

Thanks for the summary. I noticed you left Bubbleking off of the list - would you recommend against it, or do you just prefer the others instead?

If it helps, I won't hesitate to spend as much as $600 if that's what it takes to get a well performing, consistent and reasonably stable skimmer. The amount that will ultimately be invested in stocking the tank more than justifies a quality filtration system...

appreciate the input from everyone!

[dhnguyen]

A bubble king will cost you more than $600 though.

[Indyws6]

DHNGUYEN - Greetings...

I guess I shouldn't have stated the $600 limit. I am willing to spend what it takes to get a quality skimmer, although I got an email message back from Greg Morgan at ReefGeek and he quoted a price of $549 for the Bubbleking 200 - when they get more in stock.

I'm certainly still open to suggestions and recommendations.

Thanks to everyone for the help!