Protein Skimmer

[whysomanyshoes]

Just to clarify, most common acids, certainly including muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid), will do NOTHING to tubing and plastics.

You are absolutely correct. I should have said acetone.

 

[whysomanyshoes]

My Red Sea 300 works great for my 125 / 55sump. With all rock and equipment, total volume is prob. 140-150. I've got a moderate bio load of 9 fish + cuc, feed generously at least once a day. Skimmer in combination with kessil H380 on fuge show almost undetectable readings in nitrate. 0 for ammonia and nitrite. All of this, including using 200 micron filter socks on the return into the sump and a UV sterilizer, the RS300 (once broken in, and it does take some time and tuning) still creates a thick, black skim in the skimmer cup which then (my favorite feature) can be drained via included drain tube and ball valve. Skimmer also includes an integrated neck squeegee to keep the skimmer neck clean and visible. The pump is not DC, but still very quiet. Other than sound, don't see the need for a variable speed DC pump. I want my skimmer running 100% all the time, unless im in feed mode, which it then shuts down for +5 minutes. Integral gate valve works well for tuning and adjustment is above water level so never need to get wet while breaking in or tuning!

You raise some interesting points. Number one is bio load. Most people feed far too much and too often. I feed 2 maybe 3 times a week. Usually every third day. I'll bet that a lot of guys who GUSH at how great their skimmers work are dumping a pound of flakes in the tank every day. (-;
And you don't need to turn off the skimmer for feeding, but of course turning off power heads and the circulation pump is good. The skimmer only processes dissolved protiens, so you can keep it running all the time. if you turn off the circulation the skimmer will just keep skimming the sump if that is where you have it.

 

[mikus]

You raise some interesting points. Number one is bio load. Most people feed far too much and too often. I feed 2 maybe 3 times a week. Usually every third day. I'll bet that a lot of guys who GUSH at how great their skimmers work are dumping a pound of flakes in the tank every day. (-;
And you don't need to turn off the skimmer for feeding, but of course turning off power heads and the circulation pump is good. The skimmer only processes dissolved protiens, so you can keep it running all the time. if you turn off the circulation the skimmer will just keep skimming the sump if that is where you have it.

When I feed "generously", I feed enough, but not enough that much is left to make it to the bottom of the tank. (bare bottom) I like some left overs to make it to the bottom to keep my CUC happy, and even at that, within a few hours its gone. It is absolutely important to have your skimmer off during a feed mode in which your main return pumps are off and your sump elevations rise, otherwise your skimmer will overflow.

 

[redfishbluefish]

.........The skimmer only processes dissolved protiens,.........

To clarify, a skimmer removes ORGANIC compounds, of which proteins are but one of these compounds.

 

[whysomanyshoes]

When I feed "generously", I feed enough, but not enough that much is left to make it to the bottom of the tank. (bare bottom) I like some left overs to make it to the bottom to keep my CUC happy, and even at that, within a few hours its gone. It is absolutely important to have your skimmer off during a feed mode in which your main return pumps are off and your sump elevations rise, otherwise your skimmer will overflow.

Yes, you are right of course.

 

[whysomanyshoes]

To clarify, a skimmer removes ORGANIC compounds, of which proteins are but one of these compounds.

To further clarify, there are 5 organic compounds
carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

 

[X-37B]

Get a tunze 9410. They are as set and forget as any skimmer can be. I have 2. You can find a good used one for under $200.

 

[ksed]

Reefbreeders Coralbox . Economical and very quiet.

 

[legionofdoon]

Good Lord this got ugly fast. Dwell time is not a myth. You either do it with turbulence, height or recirculation. That is a fact. How you accomplish that is up to what you are willing to deal with. Height deal with the either your stand or if you don't mind running external, turbulence is just another way of prolonging contact time as is recirculation. That's why I love the lifereef it it's designed to maximize contact time with DIFFERENT bubble sizes but still is compact enough to fit under MY stand. Does it look pretty? To me it does. Does it work? Yes and that is all I care about. I've use air stones, I've used impeller aspirating, I've use cones with bubble plates. They all work it's up to you what you are willing to look at and pay for.

 

[legionofdoon]

Even bubble plates are designed to maximize contact time just look at one running the air circulates in the first champer until it goes through the plates just thought I'd point this out.

 

[legionofdoon]

To further clarify, there are 5 organic compounds
carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Don't forget love LoL

 

[NDIrish]

Get a tunze 9410. They are as set and forget as any skimmer can be. I have 2. You can find a good used one for under $200.

What's the difference between the 9410 and the 9410 DC?

 

[NDIrish]

Good Lord this got ugly fast. Dwell time is not a myth. You either do it with turbulence, height or recirculation. That is a fact. How you accomplish that is up to what you are willing to deal with. Height deal with the either your stand or if you don't mind running external, turbulence is just another way of prolonging contact time as is recirculation. That's why I love the lifereef it it's designed to maximize contact time with DIFFERENT bubble sizes but still is compact enough to fit under MY stand. Does it look pretty? To me it does. Does it work? Yes and that is all I care about. I've use air stones, I've used impeller aspirating, I've use cones with bubble plates. They all work it's up to you what you are willing to look at and pay for.

I have the Terminator II which is a recirculating skimmer I got when I bought the tank (used). It works, just a huge footprint, 13" x 12". I have read good and bad reviews. Most of the bad was do to the frustration putting it together.

 

[topjimmy]

What is the difference between 9410 and the 9410 DC?

The only difference is the pump. The DC version has a controlled pump. I just bought the non DC for my 65. Which probably would be fine for your tank too. But I got it for a great price. I probably would spend the extra on the DC if I was buying it @ msrp.

 

[X-37B]

What's the difference between the 9410 and the 9410 DC?

I have the dc on my 120 and the non dc on my 45 frag tank. Dc pump speed is controlable. Non dc you control the air into the skimmer. Both are set and forget as they come.