Turbofloater 1000

[SRV]

Anyone played with a Turbofloater 1000/Rio 2100 needle wheel skimmer? The performance leaves a lot to be desired. Does doing a mesh mod to the needle wheel give significant enough performance improvement to bother with doing the mod? Or should I step it up to a bigger pump? If so, which pump? What i'm looking for is the best way to maximize this skimmer? I'm sure someone has already played around with this and it would save me alot of time going through the R & D. This is not my tank and changing to a different skimmer is not an option. Thanks in advance!!!
Rick.

 

[dhnguyen]

The OceanRunner 2700 (2500 with a needlewheel) is abetter pump for this skimmer. But yes you can improve perfromance by doing the mesh mod as well.


D.

 

[SRV]

The OceanRunner 2700 (2500 with a needlewheel) is abetter pump for this skimmer. But yes you can improve perfromance by doing the mesh mod as well.


D.

Would the OceanRunner 2700 and the Sedra 2500 (needle wheel) be about equal? I have access to one of those.

 

[dhnguyen]

Not really. The OceanRunner 2700/2500 is a 625 gph pump while the Sedra 2500 is a 250 gph pump.

 

[Scooterman]

I upgraded my old TB1000 from hang on/w aqua-bee to the OR2700 in sump which worked really well for this skimmer. I find that is you have to modify it & get another pump, your almost better off trying to get ASM or one similar & out the box they should work well. The mesh mods needs to be cleaned often so if you want to deal with that you can but IMO not worth it.

 

[DonW]

I upgraded my old TB1000 from hang on/w aqua-bee to the OR2700 in sump which worked really well for this skimmer. I find that is you have to modify it & get another pump, your almost better off trying to get ASM or one similar & out the box they should work well. The mesh mods needs to be cleaned often so if you want to deal with that you can but IMO not worth it.

Agreed, I also dont think the t1000 can handle the additional waterflow of the meshmod. I do think the mesh mod is a novel idea but as scooter said they have to be cleaned often.

Don

 

[dhnguyen]

Really... I never had to clean mine at all and it still doesn't clog up. What did you use for the mesh?


D.

 

[DonW]

Really... I never had to clean mine at all and it still doesn't clog up. What did you use for the mesh?


D.

Same thing everyone else has been using lately, dont know what its called. Do you use a filter sock or some sort of prefilter? I think the mod is fine as long as the water is prefiltered. I'm not a big fan of the mod in general. I do think it makes more bubbles but it screws with the flow, contact time etc... But I'm also not a fan of wet skimming so I guess to each his own.

But as far as the t1000 is concerned I realy dont think it can handle the increase flow that the mesh mod provides. Its just to short and over all to small.

Don

 

[SRV]

OK?
If it won't handle the mesh mod and won't handle the increase pump size, do I valve off/reduce flow into the skimmer thus giving more contact time to water in the skimmer? I took it apart and drilled out the barb air intake (not to inlarge, just clean out) and it works a little better, but still trying to increase performance. New skimmer? Appreciate the feedback so far.
Rick

 

[DonW]

OK?
If it won't handle the mesh mod and won't handle the increase pump size, do I valve off/reduce flow into the skimmer thus giving more contact time to water in the skimmer? I took it apart and drilled out the barb air intake (not to inlarge, just clean out) and it works a little better, but still trying to increase performance. New skimmer? Appreciate the feedback so far.
Rick

I can do well with a or2700. What size tank is this on?

Don

 

[SRV]

I can do well with a or2700. What size tank is this on?

Don

Don
This is a 30 gal tank/20 gal sump on loan from a friend to hold my RBTA's until I get my main system on line. If I can make improvements without doing damage to the system/skimmer I'm sure it will be fine. What do you have in mind? I'm not quite sure I understand your response.
Rick

 

[Scooterman]

The OR2700 is the best way to get that skimmer working as efficient as it will get without really modding the thing, that should do your set-up very well, I used it on a 100g tank which was too much tank for the skimmer but anything like a 50g or less it is very efficient. I wouldn't waste money on any more than that pump not worth it IMO, actually that pump will cost you enough as it is.
BTW for some reason I don't skim as wet as most like to, not sure why but I usually have a thicker skimmate, maybe I'm too lazy to adjust it wetter

 

[DonW]

Don
This is a 30 gal tank/20 gal sump on loan from a friend to hold my RBTA's until I get my main system on line. If I can make improvements without doing damage to the system/skimmer I'm sure it will be fine. What do you have in mind? I'm not quite sure I understand your response.
Rick

I agree with scooter the skimmer is just fine for your tank. I ran one for awhile on a much bigger tank. I never changed the pump I just stuck with the oem. The or2700 is a perfect fit for the skimmer, but if your not going to be using it for very long I'd probably just spend some time giving it a good cleaning. Vinegar or acid will have it working like new.

Don

 

[SRV]

Scotter/Don
Thanks for the tips.
Rick

 

[SRV]

I can do well with a or2700. What size tank is this on?

Don

Don/anyone - Doing some research on pumps - question?
The existing pump on the TF1000 is a Rio 2100 which pumps 667 gph @ 1' of head. The OR2700 which is the pump you guys reccomend pumps 700gph @ 0' head. What do I gain? Different needle wheel? I don't see any real gph difference for the cost of a new pump. What do you see that I don't?
Rick

 

[dhnguyen]

You can't judge a pump's performnance for a skimmer based on gph rating alone.

There are differences in volute size, venturi size, impeller size, even the needle wheel design that will all play a part in how a pump will work in a given skimmer. ALL skimmers are basically the same in design regardless of brand, it is the pump that makes that skimmer a good or mediocre one.

 

[Scooterman]

Don/anyone - Doing some research on pumps - question?
The existing pump on the TF1000 is a Rio 2100 which pumps 667 gph @ 1' of head. The OR2700 which is the pump you guys reccomend pumps 700gph @ 0' head. What do I gain? Different needle wheel? I don't see any real gph difference for the cost of a new pump. What do you see that I don't?
Rick

It is a AquaBee pump, not a RIO on them.

 

[DonW]

It is a AquaBee pump, not a RIO on them.

The origonal t1000's came with a rio 2100.


Don

 

[dhnguyen]

Actually.. The original T1000 comes with the OR2700 not Rio nor AquaBee. AT some point later though, AquaMedic started packing the Rio with the T1000. My guess is to cut cost.

 

[Scooterman]

Well I had an AquaBee, I think that was the replacement from the RIO now that Don mentioned it. I had called Barry their rep tech. & he provided me with the necessary parts to convert the hang on to a sump model & the OR pump. It isn't a cut & dry conversion because of the large size of the OR.