Surface skimmer for back filters/canisters for Nana-Reefs and small tanks..PIC INSIDE

[Physh1]

http://www.californiareefs.com/Assets/skimmer01.jpg

For those interested...

Hagen came out with this really cool surface skimmer attachment for back filters and canisters. It could adapt to a lot of filters not just the Fluvals and Aquaclears. I hooked it up to my Aquaclear 150 on my 7 gallon Nano. Works well so far....got to my page linked below for more pics of it under photos and 7 gallon reef....

Cameron

[Lunchbucket]

Physh1, i posted some pics a while back w/ it in the tank so it is a good thing you got one out of the tank. been runnign mine since the begining of the tank! works great!! a little hard to hide but it isn't that unsightly

just a little tip...make sure you clean your impeller about 1x a month, because the suface scum will collect on there and clog it a little.

later
hope you enjoy
Lunchbucket

[Lunchbucket]

dang man that tank looks awesome!! what kind of shrooms are those they are sweet!!

later
Lunchbucket

[TomB]

I haven't been able to locate one - where'd you get it and how much? Looks like it will fit right onto the intake of the aquaclear, I have a mini on a 7gal bowfront will it fit it?

[Lunchbucket]

mine is on a mini works like a charm

www.petsolutions.com

shop from the catalog and item #15511006 $8.49

hope this helps
later
Lunchbucket

[dsb1829]

I just set one up yesterday on my powerfilter 200 that I have running on my 7g. The thumbs down is my rating. I think it is a pi$$ poor way of maintaining the skimmers height by the flowrate. The reason is that the pumps flow will vary over time and the slots on the bottom eventually clog wich results in the need to continually adjust.

That said, I find that in order to get good surface flow into the device it randomly sucks in a bit of air. This is of steady enough frequency to induce microbubbles on a near constant. I like the aeration, but the bubbles have got to go. I plan on modifying mine by gluing the surface cup to the pipe and then using the pipe position and pump flow to ensure bubbles aren't getting in. I will also extend the cup on top with some gutter screen to allow for enough depth if required. With these mods I feel the bubble problem will be fixed.

Just wanted to throw out my $.02 on this product. It is handy, but needs to be less finicky than stock.

[Lunchbucket]

i NEVER get any bubbles w/ mine NEVER.. and i NEVER have to adjust it. maybe your have a defective one or since it is on a 200 that makes a dif. mine is on a mini.

i like it...for $8.50 i give it a thumbs up but if it was more expensive i wouldn't enjoy it

thanks for another oppinion! others will thank you too!

later
Lunchbucket

[SeaMac]

Hey everybody...

All of the posts on this little contraption have started to peak my interest! Can anyone give me the overall dimensions (height is most important in my case) of the unit? Thanks. :D

Chris

[Lunchbucket]

oh crap i just took the one for the 5.5gal to my parents today. umm, let me measure mine from out side the tank for you quick.

height is right around 6.5" tall plus 2 inch for the skimmer cup so like 8-8.5 i can get the exact measurements tomorrow for you. the cup floats up to adjust to the water hieght. so mine is like 10" right now.

any more ?'s just ask
later
Lunchbucket

[kennerd]

I have the eheim surface skimmer on my 38 gal freshwater planted tank, and it works rather well. You can even slide down a shut-off for the surface skimming device during feedings, etc. Don'r know how well it would work in a nano, though, since it needs to be cut down.

If I recall, oohno was using one on his 10 gal. Might be wrong on the name....some help with this one?

[dsb1829]

Okay, after a couple days of gurgling and bubbles this thing has started to work the way I imagine it is supposed to. I don't know if it just took an algae/bacteria coating or what, but no bubbles and no gurgling this morning. Weird:confused: . If this is how all of yours have performed from the start then it definitely deserves a reversal of the previous thumbs down I gave. The jury is still out on that one. If it hold adjustment for a while I will definitely give this thing my endorsement.

[Lunchbucket]

i am glad to hear it is working now! maybe it did need a good coating first!! mine works perfect...can't remember if i didn't from the beginning.

it will hold adjustments as long as you keep you water level constant.

also if a snail climbs the cup and i sinks just reach in and pull it above the water line to get a bubble in the area underneath the cup...it will float again and work just like before.

let us know how it keeps up
later
Lunchbucket

[Reef-lite]

Mine also took about two days to break-in. I haven't had any micro bubbles since then. My only complaint is that it sucks in flake food during feeding time. Other than that I am very happy with it.

[FishAffair]

Hee, hee. That's exactly what i've been looking for. Thank you Lunchbucket for replying to my other post. Thank you Physh1 one for posting the pic. I founf out www.aquaticecosystems.com sells them too. JOHNNY

[Corpus Callosum]

While we're on this topic I'm wondering what's the difference between a surface skimmer and a protein skimmer? are they the same thing with different names or what? , Also I have a 10 gal nano that's like 5 days old now with a aquaclear 150 and I'm wondering if that thing is really beneficial to me..how about a protein skimmer?

[Lunchbucket]

surface skimmer - skims the oilly stuff of the top of you water...so it is perfectly clear and good for oxygen exchange

protien skimmer - uses bubbles and current to attach "crap" to the bubbles and rise, foam and condense to nasty liquid

get a surface skimmer and DON"T get a protein skimmer

later
Lunchbucket

[Physh1]

Kinda nice to see this thread still floating around....

Cameron

[clarkanenome]

I just put that thing in yesterday, and I noticed that in the u-tube of my mini when the water gets to the 90 that heads down into the filter it's not completely filled with water, it seems like there's a big air bubble in there and i'm getting alot of microbubbles in the tank. Should the entire u-tube be filled with water or is this normal? It seems to be working OK, just that it's making some sucking sounds too.

thanks
cA

[Lunchbucket]

from my experience it take a little while to get junked up which helps quiet it down and work better. also try messing w/ the level a little to get the u-tube filled and so you don't get bubbles


later
Lunchbucket

[rlp]

WOW!!! This is EXACTLY what I was hoping someone would invent.

[maroon clown 05]

i was wondering if you guys think this device can be modified to work in an eclipse tank. The filtration is essentially the same as a hang on filter, but it is just enclosed under a hood. I suppose i would need to cut down the intake pipe a bit to connect it to the pipe on the skimmer and maybe shorten the adjuster to have it fit under the hood- but to people who own it already, do you think this might be feasible? It really is a good idea.. I currently have a powerhead pointed up at the surface to try and get some of that scum to disappear..

[Physh1]

Yeah, it'll work. There are two different sizes of this unit that hagen makes. You didn't mention what Eclipse you had so couldn't tell you which size you'd need. You'll have to cut down the length of the tube like you mentioned but sounds feasible...

Cameron

[maroon clown 05]

thanks physh1- i have an eclipse 12, the acrylic bowfront one, not the glass - im not sure but i assume id need the larger sized one as the intake on the 12 is a bit wider than the one on the 6

[lizbeth]

Ok here's a really stupid question.

What happens to the gunk it skims off? It goes into the filter it's hooked to, right? What do you use to catch the gunk...filter floss or a sponge?

It sounds like a cool device......but if I build corner pieces like bigchili ( http://www.bigchili.com/nano ) did with slots cut in the top would I need/want one.

I'm at the point of building the corner pieces ...or not.

[Physh1]

Well, IMO those corner peices would take up a descent amount of tank room. When were talking about a 10 gallon tank, 2 "overflows" takes up some room. The surface skimmer I use (why this thread started) removes film from the top and it enters the aquaclear and passes through the sponge and carbon bag that is in the filter. In the case of maroon clown 05 the water would poor over his eclipse filter pad (a cartridge that has pad and carbon). It works on mine and will work on an eclipse once adapted to the intake pipe.

Cameron

[lizbeth]

My tank is going to be a 20 gallon so I have a bit more room. I liked the idea of hiding the equipment, but the draw back would be adjusting that same equipment. I still haven't decided if I'm going to build them or not. I'm leaning towards not. I have a spare Aquaclear 200, maybe ditch one powerhead and use it with the skimmer...less stuff in the tank.

[Physh1]

I understand about the less stuff in the tank and like to keep it to a minimun. My equipment ( aquaclear 150 ) is it with the skimmre attachment but is pretty well hidden in the rockwork. Barely noticeable to be honest and easy to clean with everything being outside my 7bow...

The problem I see with bigchilis setup is that he recirculates the surface skum back into the tank instead of it being actually absorbed by carbon. Then the carbon can be removed and replaced physically removing the organics that makeup "scum". That's the only thing I see that I would question....nice setup though....

Cameron