AquaC CLUB! - Page 14

CaptainCoral · #**326** 09/21/2007, 11:16 PM

Some more pics....

Hope that helps give you some ideas how they can be hooked up.

TIMMYE · #**327** 09/23/2007, 06:02 PM

How long did it take for your skimmers to start producing skimmate?

CaptainCoral · #**328** 09/23/2007, 07:21 PM

I got the ev180 when it first came out, it's a little fuzzy now how long I waited for it to kick in. I want to say five day range. Also, back then I knew nothing about what new plastics, air fresheners, hands in the water and so on would do. I initially ran it with a mag 7 and had never seen skimmate production like it before. After a year or so, I started to hear of the benefits of using a larger pump and switched to a mag 9 and was once again in skimmer bliss. I was so Impressed, I bought an ev400 when I upgraded tanks. It takes a happy skimmer owner to buy another model by the same maker.

It may be posted somewhere in the thread when the ev400 was new how long it took to kick in. I don't remember off hand.

ScottL4619 · #**329** 09/27/2007, 01:13 PM

Have any of you ever used some sort of conical piece between the main riser and the collection cup on one of the smaller skimmers similar to an EV150 (IE: EV180 or EV120)? My skimmer seems to build up an enormous amount of "stale" foam around the edges of the riser and it never seems to move. I suppose that's what causes the dark brown area in most people's pictures. Has anyone done anything to solve this issue? It seems to me that the skimmer would be more effecient with a gradual decrease in diameter. I saw someone used something like this on one of the larger models, but I was wondering if AquaC made one for the smaller versions.

ShapeGSX · #**330** 09/27/2007, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ScottL4619
Have any of you ever used some sort of conical piece between the main riser and the collection cup on one of the smaller skimmers similar to an EV150 (IE: EV180 or EV120)? My skimmer seems to build up an enormous amount of "stale" foam around the edges of the riser and it never seems to move.

I'd like to see the same thing, actually. I'd even make one. But the trouble would be getting it into place because the locking mechanism is smaller than the main riser itself.

Perhaps some type of clay or that epoxy that is used to hold rocks in place?

ScottL4619 · #**331** 09/27/2007, 01:36 PM

I think the biggest problem would be the fact that the top of the riser has a small lip that hangs out just enough to catch some gunk there. But, I still think something more gradual would work better.

CaptainCoral · #**332** 09/27/2007, 10:25 PM

I think that gunk will collect there regardless of the shape. Wet skimming is one good way to prevent it, as would be daily cleaning.

Waxxiemann · #**333** 09/27/2007, 10:40 PM

I think it would be cool if AquaC made a conical peice that fits on where the collection cup goes on and then you could put the the collection cup on top of that, kinda like a modular dealie, I'd buy it.

Waxx

PS- when I went to the 1" injector, it has basically stopped building up on the reaction chamber walls. I do run mine pretty wet as well though.

gcarroll · #**334** 09/27/2007, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Waxxiemann
I think it would be cool if AquaC made a conical paice that fits on where the collection cup goes on and then you could put the the collection cup on top of that, kinda like a modular dealie, I'd buy it.

A closed mouth doesn't get fed! I've been asking him for a calcium reactor for years and guess what.........?

CaptainCoral · #**335** 09/27/2007, 10:51 PM

Those cones probably only became popular because skimmers never used to have this much air in them. The cones were actually needed to help get the pathetic foam into the cup. The cone would have a higher airflow velocity at the top helping to give rise to the skimmate. These days, the necks are getting larger and larger and people actually measure the amount of air to get the most of a pump. As AquaC states with their pamphlet, these things blow foam. I don't personally believe that this skimmer design needs it at all, and there are loads of photos here that look like something I don't want to smell while cleaning.

Waxxiemann · #**336** 09/27/2007, 10:55 PM

Thank you, gcarroll for your wise advice as usual. I sent an e-mail to AquaC. I'll be interested to see what they come back with.

CaptainCoral · #**337** 09/27/2007, 11:07 PM

Oh, for the record, I do admit Gregs custom made ev1000 with the curves and big bottom for some reason reminds me of Jennifer Lopez.

Am I abnormal?

Waxxiemann · #**338** 09/27/2007, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CaptainCoral
Oh, for the record, I do admit Gregs custom made ev1000 with the curves and big bottom for some reason reminds me of Jennifer Lopez. Am I abnormal?

LOL.

CaptainCoral · #**339** 09/28/2007, 12:58 AM

hehe

Should I buy a (now infamous) GCarroll Injector before he patents it and the naming rights, and the price goes up?

Greg......please pm me first if you do.

ScottL4619 · #**340** 09/28/2007, 11:30 AM

I contacted Steve at AquaC via email, but unfortunately, they do not make a cone top for the EV150. Maybe you guys will have better luck with the other models. He said they only make a 6 inch diameter conical top, and my model has a 5 inch diameter. He suggested raising the water level slightly from where it is.

nattydread · #**341** 09/28/2007, 06:19 PM

Skimmer help!! Please.

I picked up a ev180 used of another rc memeber. With mag7. Ive read most of this thread and still cant get much more than a few bubbles. I have set up a new tank with 25 pound sof cured rock transfered from an existing tank, and 75 pounds of Marco rock. The water level is at mid level on the gate valve allready on a stand, I plugged the John Guest hole, the air valeve is wide open and the water level is at the box height.

I was getting more bubbles 2 days ago, now I have virtually nothin.

Help me

CaptainCoral · #**342** 09/28/2007, 06:40 PM

An ev180 will work with a mag7, but will work much better with a mag9 or an eheim 1262. Are you saying that the sump water level is midway up the mixing box's gate valve exit hole? I'm not certain, (I havn't looked at the manual in a while) but I believe the gate should be above the water level in you sump. Also, do you mean you have no bubbles or no foam head?

nattydread · #**343** 09/28/2007, 07:18 PM

Captain, this is no way board a ship, but I am afraid to say I skipped over step 1 of SOP. "check pump for blockage".

I'll walk the plank myself.

CaptainCoral · #**344** 09/28/2007, 07:47 PM

Hehe

Good, I'm glad you found it, but don't walk the plank.

chris4869 · #**345** 10/01/2007, 11:23 AM

double post

chris4869 · #**346** 10/01/2007, 11:26 AM

CaptainCoral,
What ever happen to your modified EV180? I'm referring to the skimmer that you went "Tim the Toolman" on.

You mentioned that you bought the bigger EV skimmer.

ShapeGSX · #**347** 10/01/2007, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by chris4869

I can get my EV120 to look like that. But as soon as it gets a head of foam on it like that, it seems to stop producing. It is as if the foam is too stiff for the skimmer to push up and out of the column.

I have either that situation or it will fill up my gallon jug with very light skimmate in half a day. I can't seem to tune it to anything inbetween those two extremes.

chris4869 · #**348** 10/01/2007, 12:07 PM

ShapeGSX,
How long does it take for your skimmer to fill the foam tower with foam? Can you tell us which EV model and pump you're using? I'm sure one of us can help you.

dolph · #**349** 10/01/2007, 01:53 PM

I'm using a mag 9 to push my EV 180 skimmer. With the mag 7 and 1" injector I had trouble getting foam into the cap. It would be days before I got enough skimmate in the cup where it needed to be changed. The Mag 9 seems to be too strong as it creates too much foam. I opened the gate valve on the skimmer aa the way and I closed the air valve. still to much foam. Any suggestions?

ShapeGSX · #**350** 10/01/2007, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by chris4869
ShapeGSX,
How long does it take for your skimmer to fill the foam tower with foam? Can you tell us which EV model and pump you're using? I'm sure one of us can help you.

I have an EV120 with a 1" injector and a Mag 7 pump. I installed a 1" ball valve on the pump outlet. But since the pump outlet is only 1/2", I think that the ball valve is really the wrong type of valve to be using. A gate valve would probably be better.

Anyway, I installed the ball valve to try and get some more control over the skimmer. I've tried adjusting it, but it doesn't seem to do much.

I have 1" hose from the ball valve to the skimmer, which is elevated about 20" above the pump.

On my skimmer outlet, I have the 1" gate valve and a 90 degree 1" elbow to put the water back down into my sump.