Skimz skimmer club

[SoloGarth]

Hey so what speed is everyone running their pumps at? I have mind at 3. My thinking being that since it is (BRS) rated for a 190 and is on my 120 that that would work well. I have the air valve closed most of the way which is creating very fine uniform bubbles (looks painted white) and the gate valve closed to skim wet. Seems to be working well so far.

[SoloGarth]

I have to say I am also relieved that they have changed the impeller design. I saw the reviews stating that the pumps had failed but purchased the skimmer anyway. Since BRS is providing warranty support and I trust them. Also when things like this happen the company usually makes changes to correct the issue which is what has happened here. Just went through this with my gyres. It is understandably difficult to foresee these problems for a company without delaying product release for a year+ to test all components for durability. Although if they did do that it would be great.

[cruzo]

Originally Posted by SoloGarth

Hey so what speed is everyone running their pumps at? I have mind at 3. My thinking being that since it is (BRS) rated for a 190 and is on my 120 that that would work well. I have the air valve closed most of the way which is creating very fine uniform bubbles (looks painted white) and the gate valve closed to skim wet. Seems to be working well so far.

I am running full speed on the pump. The air i disconnected from silencer and hooked up to a 15'x3/8" Mur-Lok that goes outside the house. Seems to be working fine and very small painted like bubbles. but I am also only in 6.5" of water

[SoloGarth]

Originally Posted by cruzo

I am running full speed on the pump. The air i disconnected from silencer and hooked up to a 15'x3/8" Mur-Lok that goes outside the house. Seems to be working fine and very small painted like bubbles. but I am also only in 6.5" of water

Have you noticed any temp problems doing this? I notice you are up in my area where it gets very cold. I have the skimmer pull air from the outside during the summer but disconnect in the fall so in not pulling cold air into the tank/house.

I like the idea of using the push connect fitting. I also really like the skimz silencer design. I may try to fit an air hose to that so I can have both.

[Dbondaruk]

Hey guys my skimmer just broke. It was a reef octopus POV-DC2 series. Pump went out and they don't make them anymore. My tank is a 190 gallon reef. Will be heavy stocked. What model skimmer would
You guys suggest for me to get. Thanks

[Reeftub]

Originally Posted by Dbondaruk

Hey guys my skimmer just broke. It was a reef octopus POV-DC2 series. Pump went out and they don't make them anymore. My tank is a 190 gallon reef. Will be heavy stocked. What model skimmer would
You guys suggest for me to get. Thanks

I have a 190 sps tank with 5 tangs, 5 chromis, 2 anthias, 1wrasse, 1 nemo and some lps and I run bio pellets. I use the dc sm253 and works great
I've had it running 1yr 6m and love it.

[RobTheReefer]

I'm in. My skimz monzter sm203 dc came today. The venturi wouldn't go into the pump inlet. I had to use some wet/dry sandpaper and then put the pump inlet into boiling water. The venturi slipped in, and now it's right as rain. Can't wait until it's broken in. My tank is at a stand still. I can't feed it. If I wave a piece of nori over the top of the tank, the rocks get covered in algae. Between this skimmer and growing chaeto, I have to be able to feed again. Sucks having a decade old tank.

[fewponds]

Yes it is working stable, dead silent and so on... however now it is two years old and four pump replacements used. Now it works on jebao dc6000 (skimz impeller fits). I expect it fail next autumn, then I try a DCT pump...

[DamonG]

Originally Posted by Dbondaruk

Hey guys my skimmer just broke. It was a reef octopus POV-DC2 series. Pump went out and they don't make them anymore. My tank is a 190 gallon reef. Will be heavy stocked. What model skimmer would
You guys suggest for me to get. Thanks

As suggested above, the 253,251 or one of the other shape in this line..

I'm running the 251(dual ac pump) on my 180 dt(210 total water volume) with great success!

[SoloGarth]

Originally Posted by fewponds

Yes it is working stable, dead silent and so on... however now it is two years old and four pump replacements used. Now it works on jebao dc6000 (skimz impeller fits). I expect it fail next autumn, then I try a DCT pump...

What is failing exactly? The driver? The power supply? Motor block? It seems it is not the impeller as has been discussed before if you are still using it.

[fewponds]

Every time it was a motor block. Skimmer body is superb but these DC pumps are totally unreliable. At least Impeller seems to be time resistant

[RobTheReefer]

I'm in 9" water. Pump on max. Gate wide open. Air slowly closed to bring top of bubbles to 2/3 the way up the pipe inside the cup. Aaaaannnnd...she's skimming.

I'm pulling 20+ lpm of air.

I already have a airline to the outside from the old skimmer. Once I get this thing fully broken in and adjusted, I'll also disconnect the silencer and run outside air.

So far, so good.

[SoloGarth]

Originally Posted by fewponds

Every time it was a motor block. Skimmer body is superb but these DC pumps are totally unreliable. At least Impeller seems to be time resistant

Interesting. So what happens when they fail? Are you able to order just the motor block? Has anyone else had motor block failures? The only ones I remember reading about are impeller and cable issues.

I was a little concerned about the pump cabling they used after what happened with the gyre cables decaying.

Has anyone worked on fitting a better DC pump? Honestly I am a huge fan of the skimmer body. It makes the much more expensive deltec seem cheaply made. I would definitely invest in a higher quality DC pump if this one fails before it has run 3 years.

[SoloGarth]

Originally Posted by RobTheReefer

I'm in 9" water. Pump on max. Gate wide open. Air slowly closed to bring top of bubbles to 2/3 the way up the pipe inside the cup. Aaaaannnnd...she's skimming.

I'm pulling 20+ lpm of air.

I already have a airline to the outside from the old skimmer. Once I get this thing fully broken in and adjusted, I'll also disconnect the silencer and run outside air.

So far, so good.

What are you using to measure the rate of air intake?

[RobTheReefer]

Originally Posted by SoloGarth

What are you using to measure the rate of air intake?

Dwyer air flow meter. I have a 0 to 25 l/min

[SoloGarth]

SM203 collection cup next to old Deltec AP600 collection cup for size reference.

AP600 Heavy stocking = 133 gal
SM203 Heavy stocking = 190 gal

So 57 gal difference? These rating are very near useless IMO.

[fewponds]

Originally Posted by SoloGarth

Interesting. So what happens when they fail? Are you able to order just the motor block?

They just stop working. I sent just motor block to the retailer after the first fail, and for the period of service I placed my return pump (jebao dc5000) into the body using skimz impeller. New motor block arrived, and I put it back. It failed in the next four months so jebao was in to the job again and was an duty for six-eight months. In the meantime I received jebao DC6000 as a replacement from the retailer (but it was waiting for its turn). As you can guess it sits now in the skimmer body... This is my story .

[DamonG]

Originally Posted by SoloGarth

SM203 collection cup next to old Deltec AP600 collection cup for size reference.

AP600 Heavy stocking = 133 gal
SM203 Heavy stocking = 190 gal

So 57 gal difference? These rating are very near useless IMO.

Yes, that's one of the first things i noticed also when i ordered my 203(before I upgraded to the 251).. I was using a g3, and it was much like your comparison.. And as crazy as it sounds, the body of the 251, versus the 203, is similar size comparison to your deltec versus the 203 cup.. They aren't small at all.. Compact yes, but in diameter, huge! I honestly look at mine sometimes and think "man.. That sure does look a lot bigger than 11"..

And the size ratings, they are massively different with brs and actually skimz.. For example, the 251, from brs is rated to a 280 heavy load, though, from skimz, is rated up to a 793.. Massive difference.. If you look lower down in the brs description, you will see the actual skimz rating.. Same with the rest of the skimz line(with brs at least). That is how I had both the 203 and then the 251..

Before or should i say during the time that brs was updating their web page, i called brs and the person i spoke with told me the 203.. So i ordered it.. Well, fast forward less than a week and the new rating system came out.. I tend to be paranoid, and because i have used their products, i tend also to trust brs. So off to purchase land again i went.. They were out of the 253, and i liked the idea of 2 pumps..

But when that thing came, I was amazed at how big it was, even compared to the 203.. And I swear, the collection cup looks or at least seems like it's the size of a basket ball!

Big skimmers! I wonder sometimes though, as i debated about getting the oval, how will that one works also,along with how big it has to be..

But, honestly, being an adamant reef dynamics user, this one has the quality acrylic work, beefy construction (it actually, imho is a notch up), performance and adjustability, of the dynamics, but in a quieter, more cost effective and aesthetically pleasing package..

[illumnae]

What water level should the 251 be run in for optimal results? Skimz recommend 5" for the dc203 I had previously, but thats awfully shallow

[DamonG]

Originally Posted by illumnae

What water level should the 251 be run in for optimal results? Skimz recommend 5" for the dc203 I had previously, but thats awfully shallow

I am running mine in about 8.5" depth.. And your right, that does seem very, very shallow to me also.. But maybe it's do dry skim? But i agree completely, it seems extremely shallow..

[SoloGarth]

With how much adjustability these have I wouldn't think the water level should matter all that much. They give a range in the manual. So between pump speed, gate valve and air valve you should be able to adjust for whatever skimming you are looking to do as long as you are within that range.

[SoloGarth]

Originally Posted by DamonG

Yes, that's one of the first things i noticed also when i ordered my 203(before I upgraded to the 251).. I was using a g3, and it was much like your comparison.. And as crazy as it sounds, the body of the 251, versus the 203, is similar size comparison to your deltec versus the 203 cup.. They aren't small at all.. Compact yes, but in diameter, huge! I honestly look at mine sometimes and think "man.. That sure does look a lot bigger than 11"..

And the size ratings, they are massively different with brs and actually skimz.. For example, the 251, from brs is rated to a 280 heavy load, though, from skimz, is rated up to a 793.. Massive difference.. If you look lower down in the brs description, you will see the actual skimz rating.. Same with the rest of the skimz line(with brs at least). That is how I had both the 203 and then the 251..

Before or should i say during the time that brs was updating their web page, i called brs and the person i spoke with told me the 203.. So i ordered it.. Well, fast forward less than a week and the new rating system came out.. I tend to be paranoid, and because i have used their products, i tend also to trust brs. So off to purchase land again i went.. They were out of the 253, and i liked the idea of 2 pumps..

But when that thing came, I was amazed at how big it was, even compared to the 203.. And I swear, the collection cup looks or at least seems like it's the size of a basket ball!

Big skimmers! I wonder sometimes though, as i debated about getting the oval, how will that one works also,along with how big it has to be..

But, honestly, being an adamant reef dynamics user, this one has the quality acrylic work, beefy construction (it actually, imho is a notch up), performance and adjustability, of the dynamics, but in a quieter, more cost effective and aesthetically pleasing package..

Yeah I have to agree. I am not sure how the skimmer construction could have been done better. It is awesome and heavy. Every time I removed the deltec for cleaning I had to be very careful for fear of cracking it. The SM203 has the weight and durability of a tank. I would only be concerned about scratching it. I'll be sad to see it get stained by the skimmate.

[DamonG]

Originally Posted by SoloGarth

Yeah I have to agree. I am not sure how the skimmer construction could have been done better. It is awesome and heavy. Every time I removed the deltec for cleaning I had to be very careful for fear of cracking it. The SM203 has the weight and durability of a tank. I would only be concerned about scratching it. I'll be sad to see it get stained by the skimmate.

Yes, exactly.. Lol, I thought i was the only one that ever felt that way.. I had to do that with my g3.. I always was afraid of heavy handing it..

And actually, that's a good thing about them (so far at least, knock on wood).. Mine hasn't stained yet to be honest.. I only really have to rinse the collection cup, and it comes pretty clean.. In the bottom of it, it's usually black at the bottom, but it comes very clean. That's even with 2 weeks of skimming without cleaning it (with a skim bucket).. It's weird that you mention it.. My skim bucket is black at the bottom, but the actual skimmer and neck are still nice and clear.. I worry more about the body with coralline to be honest..

It seems like really good acrylic..

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by SoloGarth

What is failing exactly? The driver? The power supply? Motor block? It seems it is not the impeller as has been discussed before if you are still using it.

My first motor block failed at 11 months and the 2nd one did the same. Very poor reliability. At least it's an external pump so it opens up some options for replacement. I bought an mtc skimmer and am going to sell the skimz body.

[SoloGarth]

Originally Posted by Mike S

My first motor block failed at 11 months and the 2nd one did the same. Very poor reliability. At least it's an external pump so it opens up some options for replacement. I bought an mtc skimmer and am going to sell the skimz body.

MTC makes some great stuff. I use one of their calcium rxs. Hope that works out for you.