ETS 800 skimmer

[ReefEnabler]

Hello,

I have a chance to get an ETS 800 skimmer. I'm having a hard time finding information on them however. I'd appreciate some info on the following:


is this an internal or external? can it be run in the sump? If so, what water level will it tolerate??

what pump does it come with?????

How would you guys compare this to an ASM G4 Plus??

Thanks,
Ryan

[JRaquatics]

The ETS 800 is an old school down draft style skimmer. The Down draft skimmer is quite different from all other skimmer designs, it uses a 1/4" jet of water aimed at 1.5" bio balls in a 3" diameter column to create its bubbles instead a venturi, beckett or NW as most skimmers now do. The only drawbacks to this skimmer are its cost, the cost of the pump to run it with, and the amount maintanace it requires. It doesn't usually come with a pump. An Iwaki 70 RLT or Iwaki 55 should be adequate to run one. Most reefers that are still using these skimmers have modded them with beckett injectors.

I think it could outskim a ASN G4 but will cost alot more to run.

[ReefEnabler]

thanks!! any information on waterlevel or running it in the sump?

this is all part of a major screwup on part of my tank builder. I paid them for a tank and stand and some basic filtration stuff back in November 07, and the company is going out of business and most likely bankrupt right as they finished my tank.

Then they called to say they lost my ASM G4 Plus, my MTC Procal, and my Tradewinds 1/2hp chiller. All items I already paid for. And since the company is going bankrupt I basically have to contact a lawyer. OMG i'm having so much fun right now.


They just called me to say they had an extra ETS 800 they'd be willing to give me "free". However I'm dealing with a 29" tall cabinet so can't be elevating this thing out of the water very much and it needs to be internal.

I'm also worried that if I accept this "free" skimmer, it may hurt my ability to get my money back for the other 3 items down the road. man what a nightmare this is.



I'm thinking of saying 'screw it' and just buying a totally different skimmer.


maybe a bubbleking 250 SM (been wanting foreever).


The maintenance part of the ETS800 doesn't sound so fun to me.

[JRaquatics]

This style of skimmer Is alot of upkeep. If I remember correctly the 800 was the first skimmer ETS made. I think you can get a better skimmer that doesn't demand alot of maintanance and energy. The ets skimmer will have to be elevated perferably higher than the water height in your sump. The pump to run the skimmer will cost you a small fortune as well.

[ReefEnabler]

Ok thanks JR, you have just confirmed that this is not the skimmer for my main system. The maintenance sounds bad, but the elevation issue unfortunately rules it out for me.

However, since the company lost all my stuff, and basically owes me money and is bankrupt, they're just offering it to me free to help make up for my loss.

maybe I will use it on a live rock curing bin or something

[Wolfgang]

The first ETSS Skimmer made was the 1000. The 800 is a twin tube model, and the becketts mods did not work, and was a bad move. The ETSS Skimmers can hold there own against anything out there.
With no modding required. If you put the right pump on it, it Screams. Big Pumps are required, i'd say a 70 would be a bit much for a 800. A 55 would be a better choice.
HTH!
-Wolfgang

[ReefEnabler]

thanks!!

so i'm looking at the Iwaki MD55RLT, is that the right one?

If i try this on my whole setup, I'm skimming roughly 400 gallons total.

Sump goes in the lower right, its approx 70 gallons.

I was originally planning on an in-sump skimmer, but if I use the ETSS800 then I will have to find a new place for it. possibly in between the frag and mixing tank.

[ReefEnabler]

so why in this picture is the skimmer mounted on the same level as the sump, and plumbed to drain in like that? I thought the outlet was supposed to be above water level?

[johnnyblaze313]

IME it really dont matter if the outlet is above the water line. I ran one in sump for about a year after reading it will perform better above the water line i changed it around i seen zero change in performance. Only thing was i had to close the gate valve more with it out of sump. Because of no back pressure i think. Aside from being a energy hog and louder pump imo that skimmer is a much better performer than the asm.

[ReefEnabler]

thanks,

too bad it cant be run in the sump. I only have an 8" water level so it might work out. Is there no submersible pump that would work?? unfortunately the only accessible side of my sump where I could drill a bulkhead for the iwaki is nearly packed.

ill have to shuffle things around in order to use the ETS.

my return is a barracuda, and I think i have way too much flow going through the sump.

is there any way the barracuda would work ok on the ETS if I split off the main flow? I'm ok if it uses like 70% of the barracuda.

[johnnyblaze313]

When i first got mine i used a mag pump worked just fine but a pressure pump will make it work much better. Maybe you could try to sell it and get a in sump skimmer.

[Wolfgang]

It will work fine in Sump. There is a RC Member that uses it that way, Hopefully, He will Chime in!
-Wolfgang

[ReefEnabler]

I hope so too

So I am thinking of using a Mag 18 or possibly even a Mag 36, would these work ok?? the mag 18 gets 21' of head and 1800 gph so I think its pretty equivalent to the iwaki55 for a submersible pump. What do you think?


I have a question about the waste collectors for the ETSS. People mention that the waste collector prevents the skimmer from overflowing when the collector is full. I see it has a 'check valve' of sorts on it. But how does that shut down the skimmer? I know there is an 'air filter' that looks like a tiny version of the waste collector..... do you need to use both of those in order to get the 'shut off' feature???

I'm guessing theres really no way to use the waste collector for an in-sump installtion, since an empty collection cup will be prety buoyant. maybe I can actually install a bulkhead in the sump just to pass the line through at the proper slope

[Wolfgang]

Going back a few, Yes a Iwaki 55 would be a good match, A mag drive would work, but the Skimmer would never produce what it is capable of without a pressure rated pump.
I have a friend that ran a ETS600 with a large Mag Drive pump and it skimmed OK.
The waste collecter works by shutting off the air to the skimmer, and shutting it down. It uses a Ping Pong ball that floats up and seals off the air flow.Works really well.
As you said, it would float around in-Sump.
I'd say put it in sump and let it rip. If you have the Magdrive already try it out.
Once set up and dialed in with proper pump, it really does work really well. If you got it for free, you have nothing to loose to give it a good trial run. Try the Magdrive as well if you already have it , you could always kick it up with a pressure pump later.
-Wolfgang

[mta]

[ReefEnabler]

"It uses a Ping Pong ball that floats up and seals off the air flow."

how does blocking the air tube to the waste collector shutting off airflow thought??? I thought the waste tube is always capped off if you aren't using a separate waste collector for it.

mta, thanks for the pic. looks like you were able to do it with very little space, looks nice!

[Wolfgang]

The Skimmer works under Pressure, the air coming out of the drain tube can blow out a Match.
Sealing off the drain tube shuts down the skimmer preventing floods.
You can't seal off the drain, the skimmer would not operate.

[ReefEnabler]

I dont mean the actual drain, I mean the little tube in the top of the wate collection cup. If you don't have one of the separate collection cups, isn't that little tube essentially always blocked off????

I'm not understanding how the waste collector filling up causes it to shut off exactly... unless theres a 2nd tube connected to the skimmers air intake?

[Wolfgang]

We are talking about the same thing, the collector cup drain. You can't seal it off on a ETSS or a Beckett Skimmer, even without a self shutdown collector, you would still need to run a tube down to a jar/milkjug to collect the waste.
There is so much airflow thru the ETSS and Becketts being a pressurized skimmer, sealing off the cup drain, forces the pressure back down and kills all foam production.

[scooter86]

Speak to Gary at AEtech, he invented downdraft, and makes ETSS skimmers. www.superskimmer.com

[gasman059]

Still run one truly set and forget.
Yes it IMHO needs a pressure pump(Iwaki in my case) and also needs to be above water level to work accordingly.
HTH
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[ReefEnabler]

wow, thats some nasty gunk there

I just spoke to Gary at AEtech. He said mag18 nos way, but possibly the mag36, but I'm a bit wary of putting a 380watt pump in the water, so I think I might just shell out for the iwaki 55.


I know it uses all 1" fittings. Should I use a 1" bulkhead in the sump, or would it be a good idea to upsize to 1 1/2 or possibly 2" bulkhead???


Thanks guys you've been a huge help. At first I was a bit dissapointed to have ended up with this skimmer, but after learning more about it I'm really looking forward to seeing how it does.

I'm not seeing what JR meant when said they're more maintenance. the part about set an forget totally makes sense to me, is it just hard to clean this skimmer or something?

Ryan

[ReefEnabler]

ok:

Ordered the Iwaki 55 and a 1 1/2" bulkhead for it (cant hurt to oversize it)


The only unfortunate thing about this is that the iwaki is going to have to pull from the return section of my sump... definitely not ideal but theres just no way to put a bulkhead anywhere else due to the way I designed the fishroom.



thats my return barracud. the rear plumbing line is for the snapper for the 3 misc tanks. the iwaki will go smack in the middle for lack of a better place.

[scooter86]

I have an ETSS 900 run by an Iwaki 55. I like it ,and suspect that you will like yours as well. It is also VERY easy to clean. Once yearly I change out the bioballs in the tower. I'm sure you can get a maintenance manual from Gary.

[ReefEnabler]

already got one and just ordered the small waste collector. I wanted smaller since I wont be able to elevate the skimmer itself very high at all and I might have to elevate the waste collector above the bulkheads... we shall see.

so do you guys think its OK if the iwaki is drawing the water from the return section?? should I worry about much stuff staying in the tank because of that, or will it not really matter given how powerful this thing is?