Hardware Of The Month - Skimmers

[seffieuk]

Hardware of the Month

Skimmers​

Name:
Photo:
Price range:
Size/Dimensions:
Suitable for tanks of (min/max litres):
Set-up pros and cons:
Running pros and cons:
Conclusion:
Satisfaction with product 1 to 10

Archived Hardware of the Month Threads

 

[rabbut]

Might want to add the maximum size tank they'll run to the list of descriptors. I'll add a few reviews for works skimmers at some point for you

 

[seffieuk]

Might want to add the maximum size tank they'll run to the list of descriptors. I'll add a few reviews for works skimmers at some point for you

Added and thanks, look forward to reading your reviews

Come on guys, it's the weekend, so get writing your reviews, please

Seffie x

 

[youngfisher]

There should really be a sub topic for this. "Marine Weekly Review" that has hardware, fish, corals, inverts. - And seffie runs it! wohoo.

YF

 

[seffieuk]

How do skimmers work:

To be as unscientific and as clear as possible, let's simply say that the air bubbles inside the skimmer's body strip the water of undesirable waste by-products. How the bubbles accomplish this is a neat trick that needs some explanation. Ever blow bubbles as a kid? Remember all the rainbow colors on them? Just as the soap clung to the giant bubbles you were creating so too, does all the junk and other organic gunk in your aquarium water. Those pretty rainbow colors were the light refracting off the soap film...you could actually see it! In our skimmers, the bubbles are microscopic and the results can only be "seen" after they burst and deposit their "films" into the collection cup! No pretty rainbow of color here...nope. Only the vilest and nastiest looking sludge imaginable ride our skimmer's bubbles.

How does this happen? It was discovered long ago in waste treatment plants that by injecting high volumes of air bubbles into a column of waste water, the resulting effluent was purer and much cleaner than before. How could this be? Actually, quite simple. Surface tension. Surface tension? What's that? The interaction between the oxygen bubble and the surrounding water creates a kind of friction between the two. This friction in turn "charges" the molecules in the water.

Playing on the old law of physics, "opposites attract," the charged gunk molecules "stick" to the bubbles, riding them up the column of water. Once the bubbles reach the surface air they burst, depositing their hitchhikers into a collection cup. This collection cup keeps the accumulated gunk from slipping back down into the water column inside the reaction chamber. Due to the very nature of saltwater, this process is possible. Freshwater protein skimming just isn't feasible at our level as the technology to make it possible just isn't practical at the hobby level.

Stan & Debbie Hauter

 

[seffieuk]

Name: Deltec MCE 600 Protein Skimmer

Photo:

Price range: £250 – down to approx £100 second hand
Suitable for tanks of (min/max litres): High stocking 450 litres, low stocking 700 litres
Set-up pros and cons: Very easy to set-up, instructions are easily understood. No cons
Running pros and cons: quiet and efficient, can keep media inside such as phospate remover. no cons, except for the length of flex
Size/Dimensions: 260 x 180 x 500h
Conclusion: an excellent product which does what it says on the box! Can be used as a hang-on or in a sump
Satisfaction with product 1 to 10: 9 would have scored 10 had the wire for the plug been longer


Seffie x

ps I even like the look of the thing, sad I know!

 

[seffieuk]

Cough, cough................. guys, come on, where is the info on your skimmer? Pleeeese!

Seffie x

 

[Buddyboy67]

Mine is fully sebmerged in rear chambers seffie so can't get any pics...it's a cheapy boyu that came with the tank but works a dream however....

This is what it normally pulls out..

And when the shrimp dug up the dsb....

 

[TigerIssey]

I will edit this post later with my V2 Nano review and Aquamedic Midiflotor review. Sorry cannot do it reet now, in the middle of writing a filtrations section on sumps and protein skimmers.

 

[Luketendo]

Gonna keep it quick atm:


Name: TMC V2 Skim 400
Photo:

Price range: Cheapest I found was was £65 but usually about £75
Size/Dimensions: Not sure but small and tall.
Suitable for tanks of (min/max litres): Up to 400L but I use on a 180L
Set-up pros and cons: I'd never owned a skimmer before and I kept making it will the cup up too quick.
Running pros and cons: Seems consistant to me does the same thing every time and never needs adjusting (unless after medication or a long time being off.)
Conclusion: Seems good enough to me but I have nothing to compare it with.
Satisfaction with product 1 to 10 - 8, seems to work but not sure how good.

 

[kj23502]

CPR Dual BakPAk

Around $200 give or take.

Body Size: 11.5" wide, 3.75" deep, 18" height

I have mine on a 29g. Most people told me they work best on tanks less than 100 usg.

Mine works well pulling sludge out of the water. I'm pretty satisfied with it

 

[jtnova13]

ew buddy i can smell your skimmer from here.

 

[seffieuk]

Now I know some of you have new skimmers, so come on, tell us what you think

Seffie x

 

[xxBarneyxx]

I intend to write up a review of my V2 120 nano skimmer and the big old cheapo ebay skimmer I got recent (which is AMAZING! and 1/4 of the price of the deltec/TMC skimmers rated for the same size tank). Just have very, very little spare time at the moment

 

[seffieuk]

Come on Barney, you cant do that to us, we are now all waiting.................

Seffie x