Whits End with skimmer, recommendations please.

PirateMonkeyReefer · May 11, 2020

I’ve got a vertex omega 130 and it will not skim... It’s been “skimming“ a 55 gallon system for almost 3 months nowI’ve been trying everything from raising it in the water and then lowering it. Fiddling with the volute at the opening and giving it an air feed from the outside with a ball valve to regulate air. As a last measure I’m going to try to raise it high in the water so the pump is just below the water line and then I’m throwing in the towel unless anyone has any other good suggestions.

I’m not getting my hopes up though and would like the communities recommendations. I’ve been eying a reef octopus skimmers as it seems like they are pretty reliable, But I’m not sure what one will be the best. I’m open to other suggestions as well. Like I said above it’s a

55 gallon Sps dom system and I’ll end up with between 6-10 fish.

Thank you, I know this post sounds frustrated but I partially needed to vent as well as get some advise.

Cell · May 11, 2020

Love my Tunze 9004 on my 55. Sorry, can't help much with your Vertex.

PirateMonkeyReefer · May 11, 2020

Thanks I hate fighting gear so much! I’ve heard great things but Looking for something in sump.

mrbh22 · May 11, 2020

how new is your entire system? how many fish are in the system? what kind of feeding schedule and what food are you feeding? the skimmer is a bit oversized but i probobly would have used the same one TBH. i have used the omega 150 for 6 years and honestly it only ran rite for a short peroid of time before it would decide to do its own thing (overflow or not produce a foam) i had better success when i connected the intake to a ball valve to control the amount of air into the system. can you describe what the bubble mix looks like? if you put your finger over the hole that goes into the skimmer silencer does it make the skimmer overflow/ or rise immediately?

PirateMonkeyReefer · May 12, 2020

currently there are only 3 fish but 4 more are on the way I probably feed a medium amount with a little bit of frozen for one feeding and A few pellets 1-2 A day as well.

I also added a ball valve to the Air intake as I described Above but it has hardly helped (my PH is great though!) I’ll take a photo later today on the bubble mix. That’s a great idea to share that.

jda · May 12, 2020

You might not want to hear this, but this skimmer sucks. I have one, it never worked right on any tank with any setting. I broke the pump trying to modify it for more air intake and this was a blessing in disguise. I ended up putting a Mag Drive 5 on it with a Venturi nozzle and now it skims way better, but has like a 16 inch footprint and really unusable unless you have a huge sump (I do).

Vertex are just not good skimmers, especially this model. I have heard that the 180s are better, but I have no personal experience. Sorry.

PirateMonkeyReefer · May 12, 2020

jda said:
You might not want to hear this, but this skimmer sucks. I have one, it never worked right on any tank with any setting. I broke the pump trying to modify it for more air intake and this was a blessing in disguise. I ended up putting a Mag Drive 5 on it with a Venturi nozzle and now it skims way better, but has like a 16 inch footprint and really unusable unless you have a huge sump (I do).

Vertex are just not good skimmers, especially this model. I have heard that the 180s are better, but I have no personal experience. Sorry.

Thanks for the honesty and recommendation! I’m going to try afew more things. I’ve got my final few fish in the way and if it can't do the job then I’m definitely getting something different.