Dual Skimmers?

[PCIALF]

Hi Anthony

I have followed and implemented some changes based on your skimming suggestions. I have had great success. I am wondering though about your thoughts on dual skimmers on a mixed reef with some fish. I am currently running a 120 w/ 170gals of total water (tank, fuge, sump, etc) with a VS2-24 Lifereef Skimmer which is overrated for my tank as it is. Should I be considering a 2nd skimmer and if so where in the chain of flow should the 2nd skimmer be?
You can check out my setup currently www.pciwebserver2.com if you would like.
Thanks

 

[Anthony Calfo]

I cannot see a reason on typical tanks to NOT run at least two skimmers. I have always done so for my tanks and encourage other the same. The simple premise is to clean them alternately so as to minimize the interuption of skimmate production. You also have the benefit of different qualities of skimmate being extracted by different skimmer.

There are many good skimmers out there... and even more bad ones.

Mojoreef here on RF built a wicked one. Do check out his threads.

For commercial units that are plug and play for the masses and idiots like me I like ASM, AquaC and EuroReef

 

[Illusion]

I would have to say that I am An Avid AquaC user as well... I love my Ev400 on my 224g system... Works wonders and skims the Tank Extremely well.. No reason not to run 2 skimmers on your tank... More the better LOL.. What one doesnt get the other should... I have used Deltec, AquaC and Beckettt style skimmers and the only one that I have really enjoyed is the AquaC... The Deltec 1003 was nice but Extremely costly and the AquaC ev400 does about the same job..

James

 

[PCIALF]

I have 1 in the sump does it matter where the 2nd would go?

 

[Illusion]

Either External or Internal.. Doesnt really matter IMO... As long as you have good flow thru in your sump you should be set in any Configuration..

James

 

[NaH2O]

Interesting that I stumbled upon this thread. I just added a second skimmer to my system today. I wondered what differences I'd see not only in skimmate production, but to my water quality as well. Now the 120 is getting skimmed with a EuroReef CS8-3 (in-sump) and an AquaC EV-180 (external). I'm storing my brother's set-up for the next 4 years or so....no sense in letting a perfectly good AquaC collect dust in the basement .

 

[Illusion]

HEy Nikki.. Which one of the 2 skimmers seems to be working best.. Been curious as to an actual side by side of the 2.. IMO they are both the best out there..

James

 

[NaH2O]

James, I will definately let you know. I'm still trying to get the AquaC dialed in (just hooked it up after a good cleaning yesterday early evening). I checked it this morning, and it looks like I had the water level too high, so I had to dial it back a bit. When choosing a skimmer for my tank, I debated between the ER and AquaC, so I'm also curious to the difference between them, and the benefits of running two different styles side by side.

 

[dgasmd]

I cannot see a reason on typical tanks to NOT run at least two skimmers. I have always done so for my tanks and encourage other the same.

Would you mind posting a picture of your tank? I would love to see it. I always wonder what the expert tanks look like. I saw some of Julian Sprung's sponge tank pictures at MACNA and it seemed pretty impressive. Even more so after looking at the technical aspects behind it.

 

[Scooterman]

Me too that would be cool! Nikki which skimmer is working better IYO?

 

[NaH2O]

I haven't seen much in the way of skimmate yet in the AquaC, and the EuroReef is still pumping away. Of course, this doesn't mean the AquaC isn't a good skimmer. I might try and play with where the output line of the AquaC is in my sump, as I think it's double skimming itself. I'll keep you posted, after I change it up a bit.

 

[Illusion]

Nikki... From what I have noticed with the AquaC is that you pretty much have to turn the gate valve up quite a bit with their REcommended pumps to get any Skimmate... My Ev400 is pumping away at the skimmate like there is no tomorrow... That is the one thing that I cant stand the smell of... I try and get the wife to empty the waste container but thats not happening.. LOL... I did have a problem with thinking that mine was double skimming itself so I moved the pump line to behind the skimmer to try and avoid that and havent had any issues since... I also Leave the air wide open... If you need their Directions its on their website at

http://proteinskimmer.com/EV180.pdf

Jameshttp://www.proteinskimmer.com/EV180.pdf

 

[dgasmd]

Still waiting on Mr. Calfo's pictures.

 

[NaH2O]

HEy Nikki.. Which one of the 2 skimmers seems to be working best.. Been curious as to an actual side by side of the 2.. IMO they are both the best out there..

James

James - I haven't decided yet on which one is performing better, as I think they are complimenting each other instead of competing (and it might be different if I swapped their positions in the sump). I've noticed when one skimmer's production is down, the other's is up, and vice versa. There has been a difference in the type of skimmate comparing the two, for whatever that's worth. I've found my EuroReef to make darker coffee colored skimmate, while the AquaC makes light tea colored skimmate (like Iced Tea). I'll keep you updated on the performances of both. The EuroReef is due to empty and clean the neck in the next couple of days, so I'm guessing the AquaC will pick up the slack for a day or so while the ER is squeeky clean.

dgasmd - I found this thread a week ago or so, and thought it might help with your question: Haven't Been Able to Find Pics of Your Tanks Anthony

 

[Anthony Calfo]

FWIW... I run an Aqua C urchin downstream from a Tunze skimmer (love both brands for their plug and play reliability... though only Aqua C for its value).

Interesting thing is that the Urchin consistently outperforms (volume and density of skimmate) the Tunze even while the Tunze skimmer produces well for me!

Tuning/tweaking is a big deal with most skimmers. Among good designs, individual defects are rarely the source of poor performance. It's all about tuning and tweaking IMO.

That urchin BTW is on a 120 that only has two fish that do not even get fed daily! Yet both the Tunze and Aqua C yield a half cup of dark skimmate daily for me. Quite impressive (the skimmate... not me )

 

[JFish180]

Anthony,

I currently have an ETSS 600 (run by a mag 9.5) skimming my 180 gallon sps. After implementing several of your skimmer ideas/suggestions over on RC, I have the skimmer producing about 3/4 cup of coffee colored skimmate per day (although I am still not satisfied with bubble size).
I can get a good deal on a Euro-Reef 8-2 and am thinking about trying it out. My question is, do you think it would be better to run both the ETSS 600 and Euro-Reef 8-2 on my tank, or do you think it would be better to try and get a larger skimmer?

Thanks,
Jared

 

[Anthony Calfo]

glad to hear of your progress/improvements my friend.

My advice here is to get the second, less expensive skimmer to run with the ETSS. Reasons being the possibility of getting perhaps different skimmate qualities or at least having different tolerances for disturbances (and thus greater skimmate production long term) for not having all your eggs in one basket. Also, its less work for not having to remove the current skimmer that is working well, plus less money for not having to buy a single larger skimmer of the new brand/variety.

And even if you were not happy with the ETSS and said you wanted rid of it, I'd still suggest two smaller skimmers rather than one larger one even if one of the two did not include an ETSS

Lets see if the ER outperforms the ETSS on yoru system with your husbandry here. Either way, I suspect you will not be disappointed

best of luck!

 

[Maxx]

Hey Nikki,
How are the two skimmers performing on your tank?

Nick

 

[NaH2O]

The AquaC is cranking away. Euroreef has slowed way down, but the skimmate is different between the two. So far, I'm very happy running both on the tank. For reference, the AquaC is before the Euroreef in the sump. I'll see how it goes long term...

 

[DonW]

Nikki,
Are both skimmer still working ok?

Don