Easiest skimmer to tune.

[Odyssey350kc]

I really dislike my vertex omega 130 protein skimmer. I have never been able to get it tuned in. Thinking of picking up a new one on black Friday. 

Not looking to spend a ton of money. What is the easiest skimmer to dial in?

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

[farkwar]

Why do you think it's the skimmer?

 

If it is already broke in, and considering the vintage it probably is, I would bet it is something you are doing

 

Say, feeding your fish or corals

 

There are only a few sets of skimmers better than Vertex skimmers. Royal Exclusiv, MRC, or DelTec skimmers, and the last two are debatable.

[mcarroll]

On 11/19/2020 at 6:17 PM, farkwar said:

There are only a few sets of skimmers better than Vertex skimmers. Royal Exclusiv, MRC, or DelTec skimmers, and the last two are debatable.

That's basically trying to start an old-fashioned skimmer fight.  😉😆  Vertex were a me-too company. Meh.  MRC is nicely made, and made in the USA, but is painful to use and should never EVER be mentioned where ease of tuning is in the thread title. 😁 I miss AETech.  I miss Euro Reef/Reef Dynamics.  A broken pump is the only part of a RE skimmer I've seen in person.  🤷‍♂️ DelTec is really nice but $$$.  Think they still have a good US distributor.  I also miss Aqua C and I'd still choose an AquaC if I could find one...I have an old EV-90 on the shelf....SOLID skimmer....the newer designs were even better.  Tunze skimmers are fire-and-forget in terms of simplicity and durability – I also have a Tunze 9410 on the shelf.  So much skimming in so little watts! 

 

That said (all in fun)...

 

On 11/18/2020 at 7:08 PM, Odyssey350kc said:

I really dislike my vertex omega 130 protein skimmer. I have never been able to get it tuned in. Thinking of picking up a new one on black Friday. 

Not looking to spend a ton of money. What is the easiest skimmer to dial in?

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

It's rare that a skimmer these days is so bad that it needs to be replaced.  

 

First, make sure it's really clean.  I'd recommend letting the pump and all its parts dry COMPLETELY after you take it apart and give it an initial cleaning.  Once dry you can see even light calcium deposits that are normally invisible when wet.  Make it clean!  😉  Especially make sure the air tube and the pump connections for it are completely clean.

 

Once it's back together completely clean, get it operating at a level where it's close to dialed in....not flooding at least.  Let it skim for a day (or a few days if it doesn't get started right away after cleaning) and then come back and make and adjustment to the skimmer based on the skimmate it has produced.  In other words, when fine-tuning, do NOT make adjustments based on how it's skimming at the moment you're making the adjustments – only based on the skimmate produced in the prior daily cycle.

 

If you're really set on replacement (or there's really something incurably wrong with it) then I'd suggest a Tunze 9410.  Similar cost as a 130, great warranty, easy to use, better features, less gimmickry, etc.  There are lots of great skimmers tho.

 

What size tank is this going on?

[farkwar]

They have a DelTec USA 'branch' now, that does US sales

 

I think think they are just cutting Battle Corals loose

[Odyssey350kc]

On 11/20/2020 at 9:09 PM, mcarroll said:

That's basically trying to start an old-fashioned skimmer fight.  😉😆  Vertex were a me-too company. Meh.  MRC is nicely made, and made in the USA, but is painful to use and should never EVER be mentioned where ease of tuning is in the thread title. 😁 I miss AETech.  I miss Euro Reef/Reef Dynamics.  A broken pump is the only part of a RE skimmer I've seen in person.  🤷‍♂️ DelTec is really nice but $$$.  Think they still have a good US distributor.  I also miss Aqua C and I'd still choose an AquaC if I could find one...I have an old EV-90 on the shelf....SOLID skimmer....the newer designs were even better.  Tunze skimmers are fire-and-forget in terms of simplicity and durability – I also have a Tunze 9410 on the shelf.  So much skimming in so little watts! 

 

That said (all in fun)...

 

It's rare that a skimmer these days is so bad that it needs to be replaced.  

 

First, make sure it's really clean.  I'd recommend letting the pump and all its parts dry COMPLETELY after you take it apart and give it an initial cleaning.  Once dry you can see even light calcium deposits that are normally invisible when wet.  Make it clean!  😉  Especially make sure the air tube and the pump connections for it are completely clean.

 

Once it's back together completely clean, get it operating at a level where it's close to dialed in....not flooding at least.  Let it skim for a day (or a few days if it doesn't get started right away after cleaning) and then come back and make and adjustment to the skimmer based on the skimmate it has produced.  In other words, when fine-tuning, do NOT make adjustments based on how it's skimming at the moment you're making the adjustments – only based on the skimmate produced in the prior daily cycle.

 

If you're really set on replacement (or there's really something incurably wrong with it) then I'd suggest a Tunze 9410.  Similar cost as a 130, great warranty, easy to use, better features, less gimmickry, etc.  There are lots of great skimmers tho.

 

What size tank is this going on?

Thank you for the in depth reply. It is in a 40 gallon tank with a 40 gallon sump about half full. I have tried everything with the vertex skimmer, and I mean everything. including most recently giving it a complete disassembly and intense cleaning. letting it overflow for a week, and then trying to tune over the past month adjusting every possible thing 1 at a time and letting it run for a full 24 hours before adjusting again.

[farkwar]

Have you stuck a Brightwell block underneath it?  After writing that, I realized you haven't said exactly what it's doing wrong.

 

Is it overflowing?

 

Underflowing?

 

Not making skimmate to your satisfaction?  Blowing bubbles out the wedge pipe?

 

Maybe post a video

 

Post a video of your tank as well, to give idea what kind of bioload you're running