o2manyfish - Skimmer Comparison

[moonpod]

Oh and one comment I would make. You can pretty much "dial" most skimmers to wetter or drier skimmates. You probably should run the skimmers "drier" and "wetter" and see how they do in terms of volume production. ie initially try to dial 'em all into similar types of skimmate (say start on the wetter side) and then dial 'em drier.

 

[o2manyfish]

Hey Guys,

I cleaned the skimmers today. Emptied the collection cups -- Which I saved and will post photos later today.

I wiped down the riser tubes, and made sure all the venturis were clean.

By slowing down the water being pumped into the GEO, it picked up on the skimmer production.

Thru today (Sun to Thurs am) the Aqua C has produced more skimmate. Consistency of the GEO and Aqua C skimmate is almost identical.

I will see if now that the GEO has less water flowing through it if it starts producing more skimmate than the Aqua C.

Brian's Monster skimmer is really pretty, but as of yet has produced 0 skim. Brian is going to try to stop by and see if he can figure out what is happening.

Tomorrow (Friday) I will be out in the yard cleaning the frag tanks. I have a bunch of kids coming on Saturday for free holiday frags. So it should be interesting to watch the skimmers as I algae wipe the tanks, and stir the tanks up.

You might even get a glimpse of my fuzzy carcass stumbling around the yard. Given it's over 80 here today.... I will be TOPLESS !!!

Dave B

 

[thetedinator]

You might even get a glimpse of my fuzzy carcass stumbling around the yard. Given it's over 80 here today.... I will be TOPLESS !!!

Dave B

Dave topless!!

 

[VegasMike]

Little kids in the back yard


Dave going "Topless"


Playing with bubbles and little sticks


Sounds almost like another infamous ranch up the road a bit in SB :badgrin:

 

[moonpod]

Dave, really, do you want the FCC shutting down your webcam?

 

[VegasMike]

Another set of related factors that should be included with regard to the skimmers is if the pump(s) required to run them are included in the price of the skimmer. If not, then the recommended pump(s) with the realted prices should be stated as well. If the pumps are included in the skimmer price, then it will be important to know how much a replacement will cost if the pump fails.

Mike

 

[o2manyfish]

Updated Webcam,

If you notice something different in the webcam, you will see that the reaction chamber of the Gro Tech is sitting in the testing tank.

Madison delivered the GroTech today. We are running the output from Brian's custom skimmer into the Grotech body t break it in for a couple of days.

My weekend is really busy. So the skimmers will be switched out for round 2 on Monday.

For those with time, keep an eye on the webcam on Saturday 11-2 PST. I am hosting a free frag day for kids. Kids get to come pick a frag, learn about the coral, mount the frag ( woo hoo a use for old zeolit ). So watch for all kinds of lil faces around the tanks.

Dave B

 

[Heinz]

"sticky thread",

IMO madison and dave should run the sticky thread, to get both opinion posted on the sticky thread, after all, the test is run by madison and dave, and not just by dave, thats how it started, i can't see a reason to change that,

 

[Stircrazy]

I think you are seeing already what I found last year. Two or more skimmers on the same tank only 1 will really produce. the other will not produce until the first gets dirty and stops. I think you are going to have a hard time doing any kind of test the way you are setting it up.

Steve

 

[VegasMike]

Stircrazy,

That might be the case if it were an average system, average size running two skimmers rated for that system. Dave's system is 1500 gallons, most of which are stocked and a lot of live rock thowing off detritus. The system has been underskimmed in the past, IMO, so there are plenty of organics to go around, not to mention a lot of fish in one of the tanks.

Given that these skimmers are rated well under the system size and the fact that the system is a very mature system, I do not foresee any problems for the first few match-ups, time will tell.

And actually, if you look closer, two of the skimmers out of the three are producing quite well and have throughout the week. The only one that did not seems to be an anomoly in many ways.

Hey, the system is there, the skimmers are there,let's test and see what happens. It's just for fun anyway.

Heinz - I agree with you that all of the people actually physically on-site making adjustments should be allowed to post in the aforementioned thread.

Mike

 

[thetedinator]

I think you are seeing already what I found last year. Two or more skimmers on the same tank only 1 will really produce. the other will not produce until the first gets dirty and stops. I think you are going to have a hard time doing any kind of test the way you are setting it up.

Steve

Stircrazy,

What do you mean by "gets dirty and stops"?

Thanks,

Ted

 

[arconom]

Whats the link to the video Feed?

 

[OUinLA]

video feed

http://www.o2manyfish.com/webcam.htm

 

[Stircrazy]

Stircrazy,

What do you mean by "gets dirty and stops"?

Thanks,

Ted

I am talking about when the becket gets a little plugged so it isn't allowing it to work to full potential. which ever skimmer was stronger was the one that skimmed and the other didn't really until the first one was dropping off.

Steve

 

[thetedinator]

I am talking about when the becket gets a little plugged so it isn't allowing it to work to full potential. which ever skimmer was stronger was the one that skimmed and the other didn't really until the first one was dropping off.

Steve

But isn't the point of this testing to determine which skimmer is "stronger"? Before it needs cleaning, the stronger skimmer is pulling harder. It seems to me that if all the skimmers are regularly cleaned during the testing (and from what I have seen, they are), then the stronger skimmers will prevail.

Ted

 

[OUinLA]

I think the point of this is determine several factors about many different kinds of skimmers so we can all be better informed when we make a purchase. Cleaning a skimmer every few days may not bother some people, some people might have a very light fish load and don't need the best skimmer, some might not have the space for some of these skimmers, some might not want to hear it running etc. For me, this is what this is all about.

 

[thetedinator]

I think the point of this is determine several factors about many different kinds of skimmers so we can all be better informed when we make a purchase. Cleaning a skimmer every few days may not bother some people, some people might have a very light fish load and don't need the best skimmer, some might not have the space for some of these skimmers, some might not want to hear it running etc. For me, this is what this is all about.

Madison,

Good point. Many things go into to determining which skimmer is best for a given situation.

Ted

 

[rufio173]

You guys are all too logical and reasonable... I just want to know which skimmer whips all the other skimmers butts. Haha.

Peace,
John H.

 

[gobie]

if logic played any part of this we would never do this in the first place.

 

[wetsleeves]

I just cant wait to see how the Deltic compares to the Bubble King.