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View Full Version : Darn you SWC 160 Cone!


rhkingsfan
03/16/2011, 02:17 AM
Bought one 32 days ago to replace my Vertex IN 250 which was too powerful for my 100 gallon cube. It worked like a champ for the previous 32 days, but when doing a water change tonight the darn pump wouldn't start back up. I read that these Altman 2500 pumps do have trouble with start up and the recommended course of action was to tilt the skimmer 90 degrees. I did tried that for about 3 minutes and the darn skimmer tripped my GFCI! I'm not even going to risk plugging that darn thing in again.

Don't know what to do now. Thanks goodness I kept the Vertex (it's loud as heck but absolutely bulletproof). Bought this through Big Al's so hopefully they do warranty support. So frustrating when new reef equipment goes bad!

pmrossetti
03/16/2011, 02:22 AM
Bought one 32 days ago to replace my Vertex IN 250 which was too powerful for my 100 gallon cube. It worked like a champ for the previous 32 days, but when doing a water change tonight the darn pump wouldn't start back up. I read that these Altman 2500 pumps do have trouble with start up and the recommended course of action was to tilt the skimmer 90 degrees. I did tried that for about 3 minutes and the darn skimmer tripped my GFCI! I'm not even going to risk plugging that darn thing in again.

Don't know what to do now. Thanks goodness I kept the Vertex (it's loud as heck but absolutely bulletproof). Bought this through Big Al's so hopefully they do warranty support. So frustrating when new reef equipment goes bad!

sorry that happened. I was considering the alpha 250. what's so loud about it? the red dragon? thanks

rhkingsfan
03/16/2011, 02:27 AM
lol. I wish I had the Alpha Vertex! The Vertex IN 250 has a cheap Chinese pump. I think its a Resun or something.

Alysiak00
03/16/2011, 07:46 AM
I'm planning on getting an swc for my 65g. U can always just keep another pump

reeftivo
03/16/2011, 09:32 AM
Happens sometimes with atman pumps. When that happens it's best to have an airline handy that you can attach over the nipple at the silencer. Blow into it and the pump should re-start. A Pain, but works!

leeit2me
03/16/2011, 10:16 AM
I would take the pump apart and trim the mesh on it. I had my doing that. it would take a second or two before starting. what I did was just rip the pump apart and trim the mesh, some of the mesh was sticking out and binding against the inside the pump. After trimming, the pump starts up all the time.

rhkingsfan
03/16/2011, 10:53 AM
Thanks guys. Still don't know why it tripped my GFCI. I'm actually worried about plugging it in while in water.

reeftivo
03/16/2011, 11:40 AM
Still have warranty on it? That's the third time I've read of SWC's doing that (tripping GFCI's). Get a replacement pump.

kmu
03/16/2011, 11:58 AM
sorry that happened. I was considering the alpha 250. what's so loud about it? the red dragon? thanks

I have one and you cant even hear it on, its amazing and very very quiet... it made 10% of the noise my octo extreme 200 made...

b16drag
03/16/2011, 12:02 PM
Did you try blowing into the pump with an air tube? Blow baby, BLOW!

Dactylopterus
09/16/2011, 02:08 PM
Well, I just found that my apex Amp probe is reading 1,8 amps!! only for the Skimmer, all other readings for the other pumps, heaters and ligths are correct.

Could this ATMAN 2500 pump be drawing 190-210 Watts/h?

That could be your case if your pump is overloading and tripping your GFCI circuit.

Now after months using this skimmer and lots of power consumption I now have to think about buying another skimmer or changing the pump.

BigKahuna
09/16/2011, 03:59 PM
Don't trust the Apex amp meter. Don't get me wrong I love my Apex but the Amp meter is always off on mine, even after re-zeroing it too. I had a pump that I was curious about which was pulling about 69W on a standalone watt meter while the Apex was showing it using 1.7amps which is almost 200W. That is a prettey significant error.

wildman926
09/16/2011, 04:47 PM
Gotta love those Atman pumps! :D

Great deal and work good while they last.... Just keep them VERY CLEAN.

sneaton
09/16/2011, 04:58 PM
ive had mine for 9 months with no cleaning and it works great160810 30 hrs of skimmate

5pacey
09/16/2011, 07:40 PM
You fit SWC 160 into RS-75 sump? I didn't know that would work ;) ... I have a RS-75 and SWC120 and there isn't much room for anything else there. This was my RIP BC29 setup. Got a 90 now and am looking @ switching up to SWC160... but for sure I thought I was going to need to get a larger sump.

Out of curiosity, what return pump are you using? I had very few options on what to get because the pump compartment in that sump is very narrow. I ended up getting a Tunze Silence 1073.40 which worked good for the BC but not very "Silently" ;)

Interesting... well... I am getting an Eheim 1262 now for the 90 so I'll need a 30" long sump just to house that thing in it LOL ... and honestly I decided I hate cramped sumps.

Spacey :D

Dactylopterus
09/21/2011, 12:40 PM
Don't trust the Apex amp meter. Don't get me wrong I love my Apex but the Amp meter is always off on mine, even after re-zeroing it too. I had a pump that I was curious about which was pulling about 69W on a standalone watt meter while the Apex was showing it using 1.7amps which is almost 200W. That is a prettey significant error.

That's good to know, I like the SWC skimmer, I will have to buy a more reliable meter. I thought the pump had problems but I think is working fine.