AquaMaxx EM100 Skimmer

[Wildman926]

I purchased this skimmer and received it yesterday. The quality of the skimmer is very good. It has thick acrylic, as thick as my old SRO 1000. It was very easy to assemble, just the pump, the collection pump, the rubber feet, and the air line. This EM100 is replacing my SRO 2000 on my 110g, so I can recover some sump space, and only that reason.

Others that have purchased have stated that they hated the noise from the splashing from the output tube. The instructions state to run it in 6-8" of water, no more than 8" or else the adjusting tube will not work. I measured the distance from the top of the tube where the water exits, and noted it was about 8.5". When I installed the skimmer, I immediately set my water depth in the sump to 8 3/4" and that did the trick. No splashing. I had seen a video on YouTube where someone had theirs very deep, way past the output and my setting of 8 3/4" with no issues, so I knew it could be done.

When I set the skimmer in the sump, I adjusted the skimmer where the level is at the bottom of the collection cup (ala my old SRO's). 30 minutes later, it had a nice head of foam on it, touching the underneath of the collection cup's lid.

It is quiet, VERY quiet. If I had not seen the the swirl in the body and the bubbles rising in the neck, I would not know that it was on. Here are some pics.

30 minutes after installation -

 

[Wildman926]

Here are some more pics and a short video after I had gotten everything set with the sump. and 4 hours later after installation. You can see residue already settling on the bottom of the collection cup. I have it connected to the SRO waste collector, and it has 1" of removal in it.

There were microbubbles being released after installation, but after 6 hours, there was none in the display.

I have the EM200 ordered, and it will replace my other SRO 2000 on my 150g.

I am extremely pleased in this short time. The last pic is actually a video. Just click on it to see it.

 

[Wildman926]

I set the level where I keep my skimmers at to skim somewhat wet, 1" below the neck where the pea sized bubbles break into large sized bubbles. The large sized bubbles then break above the neck, spewing the skimmate into the collection cup.

Here is a pic of it, as well as a pic that I just took now of what is in the waste collector. There is 2" of dark skimmate in just 29 hours of use of this new skimmer. This skimmer performs as well as the SRO 2000 it replaced. The SRO 2000 skimmer would fill the waste container in 5-7 days. This new one looks to perform as well as it.

This is a lot of performance and quality skimmer for the money. I highly recommend it.

 

[Wildman926]

48 hours after initial installation, and it is skimming away. It has deposited 3" of wet skimmate in the waste collector. It is very stable, no overflows what so ever. You can see I got lucky catching a large bubble bursting over into the collection cup.

 

[iTzJu]

looks like a good skimmer! do you know what pump it uses?

 

[Wildman926]

looks like a good skimmer! do you know what pump it uses?

Yes, this skimmer uses the modified Sicce Syncra 1.5. Aquamaxx has changed their AM series in sump skimmers to the new EM series by changing to Sicce Syncra modified skimmer pumps. It is used in many other brands of skimmers, JNS, Reef Octopus, etc. It is very quiet, efficient, and stable with no over flowing of the skimmer, even when set high to skim wet like I do.

 

[Wildman926]

Here is a pic 72 hours after initial installation, and the waste collector has over 4" of wet skimmate. This is a little beast of a skimmer. Low wattage use, high performance, silent, stable no overflowing, up to a 120g, and only $250!

 

[Aqua fire/medic]

What kind of warranty do these come with?

 

[Wildman926]

What kind of warranty do these come with?

Pretty much like any other skimmer, 1 year.

 

[MarineDepot]

Nice write up. I also use the EM100 on my 60 gallon reef, and I agree it's a great skimmer. I run mine in about 9" of water depth and it works well. The Sicce pump is great quality and is day and night compared to the skimmer I replaced with this.

Chris R.

 

[Wildman926]

Latest update. One week after installation, it fills the waste collector with dark wet skimmate. Very quiet, not one overflow. Recovers nicely after feedings, just a great little skimmer.