Skimmer options for the 250

H

hallie

Member
Hiya guys,

1st post on here :) Im picking up a 250 in a couple of weeks. From what I have read I am going to want to replace the stock skimmer, The Euroreef looks like an awesome bit of kit but I dont want to have the collection cup visible.

Can anybody point me towards a skimmer that can be installed without the coll. cup poking out the top.

The TUnze 9002 is not going to cut it, the 9005 looks like it is too wide....

Any advice appreciated.

Cheers

Tim
 
framerguy

framerguy

Well-Known Member
What is the problem with the skimmer cup being visible? You have to collect the skimmate in something.
 
H

hallie

Member
Gday,

Well, visually the 250 looks so good, I dont want the cup full of skinmate to be on display for all to see.

Secondly, in the unlikley event the skimmer goes nuts or the outlet becomes blocked, I dont want it to overflow onto my floor.

Cheers

Tim
 
framerguy

framerguy

Well-Known Member
The skimmer could go in the sump beneath the tank, hopefully behind cabinet doors so it is never seen. I don't know of a skimmer that doesn't have a collection cup. There may be one, I just don't know of it. Welcome to Reef Sanctuary by the way.
 
H

hallie

Member
Thanks for the welcome,

This tank doesnt have a sump below the tank, the standard skimmer sits in a compartment behind the tank and is completley concealed.

Im not asking for a skimmer without a cup, I just want one that can sit where the standard skimmer is without the cup been visible.

Cheers

Tim
 
Y

yycguy

Member
Well I have a 250 as well and just put the substrate in today rock later this week so I as well am interested in a replacement skimmer. That all being said I am going to run the stock skimmer for awhile and see how it works. I have a 130 with the tunze 9002 and it is ok but still a pita at times.
I agree about not wanting a skimmer sticking out the top, that's the reason we bought the RSM is the look!
But the Euroreef looks like the only replacement that I have seen so far!
 
L

L3IGH

Member
dont see why people buy the red sea max tanks if they just gonna start replacing the equipment, what a waste of money! money that you could spend on coral/fish/inverts
 
H

hallie

Member
Thanks for the responses guys,

Nowellsy, . How do you find the noise from the stock skimmer. I reckon I will set it up and see how it goes, if the noise isnt to bad i will stick with it.

L3IGH, I looked at a couple of different setups using induvidual components, both of which I would have been happy with and could of setup for a little bit less than the RSM.

My GF however didnt show much interest, she was happy for me to get back into the hobby that I used to love so much. I showed her pictures/vid of the RSM and she oooohd and ahhhhd about how good it looks and started asking what we could keep. That is the resaon im going with this tank.

And to be honest, before I even showed the tank to Michelle, I was leaning towards it simpy because of how well it will fit into our lounge room.

Cheers

Tim
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
Tim -
welcomefish.gif

to ReefSanctuary & the rsm owners club, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members
745.gif


I agree with you, the stock look of the rsm250 the most beautiful tank on the market imo, I can understand you wanting to keep the stock look
745.gif


I would suggest starting out stock & hope rsm gets the pump problems fixed, after a while the noise will become "white noise" not to bad & from what I understand the stock skimmer on the 250 skims fairly well when it runs right.
 
proenca

proenca

Member
hallie said:
My GF however didnt show much interest, she was happy for me to get back into the hobby that I used to love so much. I showed her pictures/vid of the RSM and she oooohd and ahhhhd about how good it looks and started asking what we could keep. That is the resaon im going with this tank.

And to be honest, before I even showed the tank to Michelle, I was leaning towards it simpy because of how well it will fit into our lounge room.

Cheers

Tim
Click to expand...

Hi Hallie,

First of all, welcome to RSM !

Im in the exact same situation as you , although 120 liters shorter :)

I was away for a few years from reefkeeping and now Im getting back with a 130D - I though about the 250 as well, but I knew that with so much spare equipment from my older ( and big ) tanks, I would start modding it straight away.

My GF also is in love with the contained look of the RSM ( albeit 130 ) and I understand that some members want to keep it that way.

For me I upgraded the skimmer but I wanted to keep the clean look as you - very important to the missus :)

So while Im perfectly conscious that I could install even better skimmers and so on, I would "spoil" the clean look / lines of the RSM and thats a no-no with the other half. :)

Best of luck !
 
A

Auritania

New Member
I would say give the skimmer a try. They seem to be hit and miss as far as I can determine from everything I'm reading and all the people I've spoken with. It might work for you. Mine is complete rubbish. And don't believe the white noise argument. In fact, if you hear it now there is every chance that it will get louder going forward.

And I agree 110% with the sentiment that the RSM250 has a very unique and desirable look. The clean integrated look along with the promise of no leaks, accidents or overflows were the main reasons I even got away with a display tank in our living area.

I've been looking, reading, thinking and scheming. A bad mix all around, but in the end I'm pretty sure that my first line of attack is going to be "fixing" the current skimmer. At least that's the plan for after my resurrected basement setup settles down. I somehow convinced the wife that I should get everything going in the basement again to "support" her fancy 250 display tank upstairs. I just got my new Octopus 250 Xtreme today and started it up in the sump so the 250 is going to have to wait.

But, when I get back to it, the plan is to take a fresh look at pump alternatives and internal flow within the chamber. I've got some ideas on swapping the pump and I've got rough designs in my head for an adjustable internal baffle or two inside the current skimmer box.
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
And don't believe the white noise argument
Click to expand...

my reference to a noise that you will get use to over time... my refrigerator makes a noise when it runs, at a db level of 45db, but I don't pay it much attention, because I have become use to it... for what it's worth... my 130D skimmer db level is 62 db & I just took a sound level reading today :) I hear it & it's louder than I like, in fact I may one day change it out for just this reason, but I also have become use to it...

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/red-sea-max-owners-club/50523-rsm-db-level-readings.html
 
N

nanoskim

Member
Auritania said:
I would say give the skimmer a try. They seem to be hit and miss as far as I can determine from everything I'm reading and all the people I've spoken with. It might work for you. Mine is complete rubbish. And don't believe the white noise argument. In fact, if you hear it now there is every chance that it will get louder going forward.

And I agree 110% with the sentiment that the RSM250 has a very unique and desirable look. The clean integrated look along with the promise of no leaks, accidents or overflows were the main reasons I even got away with a display tank in our living area.

I've been looking, reading, thinking and scheming. A bad mix all around, but in the end I'm pretty sure that my first line of attack is going to be "fixing" the current skimmer. At least that's the plan for after my resurrected basement setup settles down. I somehow convinced the wife that I should get everything going in the basement again to "support" her fancy 250 display tank upstairs. I just got my new Octopus 250 Xtreme today and started it up in the sump so the 250 is going to have to wait.

But, when I get back to it, the plan is to take a fresh look at pump alternatives and internal flow within the chamber. I've got some ideas on swapping the pump and I've got rough designs in my head for an adjustable internal baffle or two inside the current skimmer box.
Click to expand...

Downstream from the skimmer, make the water overflow the first baffle then force the water down the bottom opening of the second baffle. You can place some foam between the baffles which will also kill the bubbles.

Also look from where the return pump gets the water...if high up in the chamber you will get bubbles returned so extend the intake tube down as as low as possible so it will not pick up bubbles...I cannot believe that the RSM people cannot design the baffling correctly to prevent bubbles from being returned to the tank!!
Two years ago we designed our own glass nano tanks which contained their own top off area/system and baffling so that bubbles could never be returned to the tank...too bad that it cost so much to bring it in USA ( requires buying a container full to keep the cost down) or we would have been selling these.

Efficient skimmers are designed to produce a lot of foam so depending on organic loads, bubbles will escape...sometimes a lot sometimes a little, but good tank design will not allow bubbles to be returned to the tank.

regards,
Robbert
 
H

hallie

Member
Hey,

Thanks for all the responses/opinions guys. As suggested I will run the stock skimmer for a while.

Can sombody explain the noise to me, I assume the noise is vibration from the pump? The skimmer I used on my last tank (TF1000) was very quiet, only noise i got was the normal 'fizzing' and some hissing from the air intake which I fixed with a valve that made it silent.

Has anybody tried running the skimmer using a different pump? If so, what pump did you use and what were the results?

I just cant work out how a skimmer can put out so much noise if the pump isnt causing it.....

Cheers,

Tim
 
H

hallie

Member
Also if you block the air intake and just allow water to run through the skimmer does it affect the sound?

Cheers

Tim
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
Tim on my 130D skimmer... 90% of the noise is the (sucking air) - normal 'fizzing' and some hissing from the air intake.... their are a few options to try to quite it down...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top