Stock protein skimmer on max e170

[acshaw80]

Still trying to decide on the reefer 170 deluxe or max e170. I hear the ATO on the reefer is not particularly useful. More importantly I’m wondering how well the stock protein skimmer performs on the max e170?

I was thinking that if I hit the reefer170 I might buy the rsk 300 protein skimmer.

thoughts?

 

[JaaxReef]

Still trying to decide on the reefer 170 deluxe or max e170. I hear the ATO on the reefer is not particularly useful. More importantly I’m wondering how well the stock protein skimmer performs on the max e170?

I was thinking that if I hit the reefer170 I might buy the rsk 300 protein skimmer.

thoughts?

I had that tank for 3 years before I upgraded and the skimmer is a beast for the 170. It’s actually the same skimmer they use for the max e260, so it can skim even a bit too much until you get a good bio load. Once you get the air valve adjusted it is really quiet too. It was reliable and good enough for my tank without issue for 3 years with just regular cleaning. The sicce skimmer pump was reliable too.

I ended up getting a 6 gallon ATO water jug for under the tank from amazon since there was so much room in the stand without a sump on the e170. That 6 gallon jug would easily last 10-14 days depending on the time of year.

I would recommend the Max e170 over the Reefer 170. The built in power switches are also awesome, the stock return pump is super quiet and great quality too (Sicce). If you are going Reefer definitely do the 250.

 

[00100]

I had that tank for 3 years before I upgraded and the skimmer is a beast for the 170. It’s actually the same skimmer they use for the max e260, so it can skim even a bit too much until you get a good bio load. Once you get the air valve adjusted it is really quiet too. It was reliable and good enough for my tank without issue for 3 years with just regular cleaning. The sicce skimmer pump was reliable too.

I ended up getting a 6 gallon ATO water jug for under the tank from amazon since there was so much room in the stand without a sump on the e170. That 6 gallon jug would easily last 10-14 days depending on the time of year.

I would recommend the Max e170 over the Reefer 170. The built in power switches are also awesome, the stock return pump is super quiet and great quality too (Sicce). If you are going Reefer definitely do the 250.

Sorry to drag up this old thread but what section of the rear sump did you place your ATO sensor and fill tube? I’m setting up an E170 with ATO my thought is right above the return pump.
Thanks

 

[JaaxReef]

Sorry to drag up this old thread but what section of the rear sump did you place your ATO sensor and fill tube? I’m setting up an E170 with ATO my thought is right above the return pump.
Thanks

That was exactly where I had mine and it worked well!

 

[00100]

That was exactly where I had mine and it worked well!

Thank you for the reply

 

[jopo4343]

That’s where my ato is and it works well.

 

[jopo4343]

I am having some problems adjusting the skimmer and suggestions?
i either get to wet or way to dry just lots of white foam?

 

[JaaxReef]

I had good luck adjusting the water level with the gate so the bubbles came up to about a 1/2” under the neck on the cup. Then just adjust the air valve open or closed depending on how much organics are in the water. Close the valve a little if you are getting that super wet bubbly performance and it will dry it up a bit. Make vet y small adjustments and wait like 10-15 minutes before checking on performance. Might take you a bit to get it dialed in, but I worked really well for me. It is definitely oversized for the 170; they use the same model on the e260 too. So I found closing the air valve a little helped performance since I didn’t have a huge bio load.

 

[discostew]

This thread is older. I’m wondering what is referred as the neck, is that the very bottom level of the cup where the physically enters the collection cup? Or is it the point where the bubbles fall over? Im setting up the max e 179 skimmer and have no clue what im doing (first tank)

 

[JaaxReef]

This thread is older. I’m wondering what is referred as the neck, is that the very bottom level of the cup where the physically enters the collection cup? Or is it the point where the bubbles fall over? Im setting up the max e 179 skimmer and have no clue what im doing (first tank)

I believe you are right. The neck would be the portion just below the collection cup.

 

[discostew]

I believe you are right. The neck would be the portion just below the collection cup.

Thanks. Ill try not to create a new thread. My tank is cycling, Likeley not much to skim. Looking at prior threads I have the water gate at its lowest and the air valve is off. I basically have no bubbles visible unless I open up the air valve very high or if I raise the water gate. Should I just leave the water gate all the way down and just wait for my tank to get dirtier?

I can raise the gate and open valve to get water foam, but that gets really noisy and just watery.

 

[JaaxReef]

Thanks. Ill try not to create a new thread. My tank is cycling, Likeley not much to skim. Looking at prior threads I have the water gate at its lowest and the air valve is off. I basically have no bubbles visible unless I open up the air valve very high or if I raise the water gate. Should I just leave the water gate all the way down and just wait for my tank to get dirtier?

I can raise the gate and open valve to get water foam, but that gets really noisy and just watery.

Honestly… I wouldn’t even run it until you get a few fish in there unless you just want to see when it starts to do its job. It’s a pretty powerful unit for the E170 and really skimmed its best for me when I had a full stocked tank and was feeding quite a bit. It will likely just look a bit like boiling water until it has enough organics to run. Some people say this skimmer is crap, but I disagree. It just doesn’t do well with a low stock of fish and minimal feeding.

 

[discostew]

Honestly… I wouldn’t even run it until you get a few fish in there unless you just want to see when it starts to do its job. It’s a pretty powerful unit for the E170 and really skimmed its best for me when I had a full stocked tank and was feeding quite a bit. It will likely just look a bit like boiling water until it has enough organics to run. Some people say this skimmer is crap, but I disagree. It just doesn’t do well with a low stock of fish and minimal feeding.

Thanks. I’d like to keep it on. So should i just keep the gate down and air valve closed for now, or just adjust it so the bubbles are visible but necessarily going to cup?

 

[JaaxReef]

Thanks. I’d like to keep it on. So should i just keep the gate down and air valve closed for now, or just adjust it so the bubbles are visible but necessarily going to cup?

With no organics, it will just bubble around everywhere without making stable foam, so I would just keep it from overflowing at this point. Gate down and air minimal (not closed) until you start to see a more stable foam and build up in the neck or entrance to the collection cup.

As you add fish, raise the gate and keep the air minimal. If the foam is too dry, increase the air in combination with raising the gate until you get the consistency you want. Just don’t plan on seeing much until you start feeding quite a bit and have a few fish.

When I had the tank packed with fish, I eventually had the air almost wide open and the gate about 1/3 of the way up to get a nice dark skimmate. Could have raised the gate higher for a wet skim, but didn’t see the need.

 

[jopo4343]

I have just replaced the skimmer with a icecap k1-50 it fits barely and skims Like crazy. I could never get the redsea one to skim right. The icecap skims more in a day or so then the redsea ever did. It is also much easier to clean. My tank has never been this clean in almost 10 months.
I turn the knob to adjust it and can tell the height of the bubbles! It’s much quieter too.

 

[JaaxReef]

I have just replaced the skimmer with a icecap k1-50 it fits barely and skims Like crazy. I could never get the redsea one to skim right. The icecap skims more in a day or so then the redsea ever did. It is also much easier to clean. My tank has never been this clean in almost 10 months.
I turn the knob to adjust it and can tell the height of the bubbles! It’s much quieter too.

Yeah; it’s a common misconception (proven by BRS experiments) that over-sizing a skimmer like the one that comes with the E-170 is a good idea. I don’t think the bio load for most people gets high enough for it to work efficiently. It definitely would work better in the E-260. So, it usually just looks like boiling water because it produces too much air and there is too much flow through it for the level of organics in the tank to produce stable foam.

 

[jopo4343]

I agree think the skimmer is to much for the E170.
That’s what I saw was just boiling water. Someday I will have more fish but with the move to Florida in a year and 3 months trying to make sure I have as little as I can to move. I have tried not to even glue coral to rock.

 

[Alex_star]

Wow, so you guys are saying the protein skimmer that comes with the redsea max E 170 is too big? Honestly now it makes a little bit of sense I really don’t like the skimmer and it’s a little too difficult to tune to be honest I

 

[Alex_star]

Wow, so you guys are saying the protein skimmer that comes with the redsea max E 170 is too big? Honestly now it makes a little bit of sense I really don’t like the skimmer and it’s a little too difficult to tune to be honest I

What protein skimmer upgrade do you recommend? For the redsea max E 170

 

[islammoabd]

I have just replaced the skimmer with a icecap k1-50 it fits barely and skims Like crazy. I could never get the redsea one to skim right. The icecap skims more in a day or so then the redsea ever did. It is also much easier to clean. My tank has never been this clean in almost 10 months.
I turn the knob to adjust it and can tell the height of the bubbles! It’s much quieter too.

Hi, would mind posting a photo of the skimmer and how you’ve put it in? You said it ‘barely’ fits?