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Old October 19th 06, 04:45 AM posted to rec.aquaria.marine.reefs
TheRock
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Posts: 202
Default Skimmer for an overstocked 58 gallons


"Pszemol" wrote in message
...
"TheRock" wrote in message
news:izWYg.3223$Z46.1342@trndny05...
Bigger pump, more skimmate (approx 1+ gallons per month).


1+ gallon from what kind of tank ? What bioload ?


75 gallon tank and 29 gal sump
Not realy sure what the bio load is, do you count corals ?
I have about 7 fish all about 3 to 4" long and quite a few corals.
So worst case 28 inches of fish, 5 gallons for evey inch...
I really don't know. Some 4" fish are smaller than other 4" fish.
I haven't weighed them recently....oops !

I would say medium bio load.


The Seaclone had this really annoying air hose that needed
to be adjusted DAILY, where as the AquaC has a
"Spray Injection System". It's a little adjustable screw underneath
the collection cup that pulls in air, a consistent amount
and the right amount. I've never touched it, although
I've thought about it but it seems to be set just right.


The air hose problem with SeaClone is that the pump end
of the air line is below water level and there is a salt
deposits created in this spot. Similar problem like with
all air-stone driven skimmers or filters in marine tanks.
Water gets up the air line and dries due to the air flow,
salt is left and clogs the air line, skimmer stops working.


Yes, I remember the water backing up into the line and salt building up.
Algea too.


Also, I don't see any algae build up on it.
It may have something to do with the color of the
plastic (Smokey) ? Where as the Seaclone needed to
be cleaned almost weekly (clear plastic).


Well... maybe I need to clean mine SeaClone :-)
Haven't done this for about 1/2 year already...

The Seaclone also had many connections, 2 sections of pipe that tie
together
1 to the skimmer body and the other to the pump. More places for
possible failure (leak)


Did it actually leak in these places for you ?
Mine never leaked. I have an old, one piece S-pipe version.


It leaked once, but because of my carelessness, didn't turn the quick
disconnect all the way.
But I still got a build up of salt around those areas.


Plus salt would creep around those areas...more to clean. The AquaC
remora
assembly has fewer parts that need to be assembled and seems to be a much
simpler, more robust design.


Less connections = less chances for leakage, that is correct.

But overall, it pulls more water through per hour (pump)
and it produces more and darker skimmate. In fact I believe
if I didn't have the drain fitting on the collection cup,
it would overflow every other day.


How big is the collection cup ?


The collection cup is approximately 3" x 7" x 3.5" with a drain fitting.
I have a hose on the end that drains into a plastic 1 gallon milk carton.


Not being an expert protein skimmer design or actually lack of
interest on my part, I make my judgment purely on results.

1 year later I'm still getting smelly, putrid, dark brown gunk
I'd say she's a winner.


I am also getting smelly, putrid, dark brown gunk
in my SeaClone collection cup, as pictured below:
http://voila.pl/ct7rq/index.php?8
http://voila.pl/ct7rq/index.php?7


Oh yeah !!!
I'd say so.


Tank is 58 gallons, about 6 months old. Setup as DSB with sump.
Sump is not ready yet, so there is a make up 10 gallon tank
with a sump pump sucking some air. That is why there is a lot
of micro air-bubbles in the water column. There is also a lot
of cyanobacteria mixed with spongy green algae as pictured:
(prepare your eyes, this is sad view...)
http://voila.pl/ct7rq/index.php?6
http://voila.pl/ct7rq/index.php?5
http://voila.pl/ct7rq/index.php?4
http://voila.pl/ct7rq/index.php?3
http://voila.pl/ct7rq/index.php?2
http://voila.pl/ct7rq/index.php?1


Oh dear...the cyano isn't that bad, but the algea needs a butt kicking !
That's a big tang you got there !

Your tank is still young, I didn't get a handle on my tank for almost a
year.
I know many people here are against it, but have you tried the Marycin ?
It knocks down the biological filter (bacteria good and bad), but it would
help beat back a major cyano outbreak.


Somebody saw this tank and recomended a better skimmer.
He said I should spend some money on skimmer and everything
will be fine. That is why I ask here for skimmer recomendations.


I will say right around the time I got the AquaC Remora pro I was battling a
nutriance problem
, cyano and some algae. Since I got this skimmer the problem seemed to go
away.

However, I built a closed loop circulation system (added 1400 gph flow) and
I bought a boat load of crabs and snails.
Haven't had a problem since. I get a tiny spot of Cyanobacteria every now
and then,
but after a water change it goes away.

You from Poland ?


Chris