two skimmers better than one?

[lizardarm]

hey everyone,
here's a hypothetical question:
would it possibly be better to run two needle wheel skimmers instead of one beckett skimmer.
the logic being that you can run two needle wheel skimmers for the same power consumption that is required for one beckett.
let's assume that space is not an issue.
any input would be appreciated.
-chris

 

[DonW]

hey everyone,
here's a hypothetical question:
would it possibly be better to run two needle wheel skimmers instead of one beckett skimmer.
the logic being that you can run two needle wheel skimmers for the same power consumption that is required for one beckett.
let's assume that space is not an issue.
any input would be appreciated.
-chris

I was wonder the same a month or so ago. There is a thread around here somewhere. I intend to add another one as soon as I can find one I trust to run external.

Don

 

[oliver]

IME no. Whenever I ran more than one skimmer it seemes as if they would compete for one another. One would be pulling while the other was not. Kinda of a hassle to adjust them properly. I now run 1 large beckett skimmer and am much happier.
I heard somewhere that using identical skimmers may help the fluctuation problems that I had, but never tried it. JME

 

[Hooked]

I'm running two ASMs -- a G1-X and a G-3. The G-3 continued to pull the same amount of crud out after I added the G1-X. The G1-X fills up faster (smaller cup?) And the G-3 pulls out 2-3x the crud as the Turboflotor it replaced. These are on a 90 gal plus 20 gal prop tank with about 50 gallons in the sump (100 gal stock tank 1/2 full).

 

[DonW]

I'm running two ASMs -- a G1-X and a G-3. The G-3 continued to pull the same amount of crud out after I added the G1-X. The G1-X fills up faster (smaller cup?) And the G-3 pulls out 2-3x the crud as the Turboflotor it replaced. These are on a 90 gal plus 20 gal prop tank with about 50 gallons in the sump (100 gal stock tank 1/2 full).

Thats kind of what I was hoping for.

Thanks
Don

 

[Ed Hahn]

I am underskimming. I have two skimmers. both collection cups are being filled quite often. The little skimmer being a Euroreef RS 5-3, the big skimmer being a Euroreef CS8-2. My skimmers are reacting same way. Smaller skimmer fills faster than larger. Both are pulling out crud from my 300 gallon tank, just have to stay on top of it. I need another large skimmer.

 

[lizardarm]

i wouldn't expect that they would produce equal amounts/quality of skimmate. it seems that one would inevitably end up getting to the incoming water first; i was just wondering if anyone had experience using both methods (thanks for all the inut everyone), and if running two skimmers actaully seems to clean up the water better.
i've been leaning towards a beckett skimmer for my new setup, but have heard plenty of people saying that they are switching away from the becketts that they are happy with performance wise, because it's such a pain to clean them.
so i started kicking around the idea of running two needle wheels because the power consumption would be about the same, and the maintenance on them is less involved.

 

[scottw]

There are very few people that I have met or seen that ran 2 skimmers efficiently. Especially one that had a larger pump. Now as far as Beckett vs. NW, there is not comparison IMO, the NW IMO is 30-40% more efficient, I have ran all of them.

If I were you, I would buy 1 skimmer, instead of spending money on 2, buy 1 good one, there are plenty of companies out there that make great NW skimmers. Save yourself the hassle, Becketts are a pain in the you know what, you will need to clean them at least once a week, at most once every 2 weeks.

This is all of course my opinion, but I have had saltwater tanks since mid 80’s, and have seen skimmers come and go over the last few years, and the NW is here to stay!

 

[lizardarm]

thanks scott,
you've touched on a selling point that i had mentioned earlier, about the NW being easier to maintain. in saying that the needle wheels are more efficient, are you talking about the skimming quality per watt consumed?
the general consensus that i've heard so far is that becketts will out skim a needle wheel any day.
p.s. i apologize if my typing is all fubar, our friends at new belgium brewery released a new seasonal beer in my area this week. just tried it today, it's damn good... and i'm feeling it/
chris

 

[scottw]

thanks scott,
you've touched on a selling point that i had mentioned earlier, about the NW being easier to maintain. in saying that the needle wheels are more efficient, are you talking about the skimming quality per watt consumed?
the general consensus that i've heard so far is that becketts will out skim a needle wheel any day.
p.s. i apologize if my typing is all fubar, our friends at new belgium brewery released a new seasonal beer in my area this week. just tried it today, it's damn good... and i'm feeling it/
chris

Well at least I hope you drank one for me :lol:

Now as far as where I was going, I have never had a Beckett produce the quality of skim mate that the NW produces. As you touched on, the power vs a Beckett and power vs NW, the power vs the beckett is typically a HUGE pump that sucks down power, usually a loud pump, lots of extra plumbing, vs. NW using very little to no power at least with the skimmers I use, zero extra plumbing, and a super quiet pump that adds no heat to the tank.

Becketts vs other style skimmers (other then NW) they are the best, but with technology, you just can't compete with at NW designed skimmer. I mean look at all the DIY guys now, they had Sequence build them a NW style pump so they can run there large skimmers. If becketts were still the top skimmers, I don't think Sequence would waste their time, for just some DIY guys, they are seeing the change in the times, and NW is the way to go.

I hope this helps you out some, the one area of reef keeping I know about more then other areas is skimmers, I have tested a lot of skimmer from MRC, Deltec, ER, GroTech, ETSS, Bermuda, PM, GEO, to Bubble King. Hands down the NW just can't be touched. That is why you see all of these companies switching to NW style; even Eheim is now making a NW, vs. their old pinwheel design.

One thing nobody can argue with is, beckett’s are Power Hogs, Clean weekly or they don’t work, and typically use HUGE pumps that are way too loud, vs. NW, quiet pumps, no heat to the tank, need a cleaning once every few months, energy efficient and produce much finer bubbles. If Beckett’s were still the top type of skimmer, every company would offer one, not just a couple. NW is defiantly the present and future of skimming.

scott

 

[NaH2O]

Here was the past thread we had on the subject: Dual Skimmers?

 

[lizardarm]

wow scott,
great input, thanks a lot.
so do you have any input on comparison of performance between the higher priced needle wheels (euro reef/asm) and the newwer lower priced octopus skimmers. the octopus nw150 or nw200 are the needle wheels that i had been considering if i went the needle wheel route.
T.I.A.
chris