super reef devil owners please read..

[mrphosphate]

ok i got my super reef devil today but i have a couple of questions about it. is there supposed to be a tube within the riser tube? it looks like there is one in the pic but mine doesnt have one. also do any of you have problems with tons of bubbles coming out of the skimmer? if so how did you deal with them.....thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jisham]

1. No there isn't a tube within the riser; the pic does look like there is one, but it's an "illusion"...yours is just fine.

2. You will get lots of bubbles until the skimmer breaks in; mine took about a week.

I've had this skimmer set up on my 75gal reef for about a month now and it kicks ***. However, I'm using a Rio 2100 instead of the supplied Cap1800 pump. Good luck.

[cabowabo]

Like jisham said it's just an illusion. I did'nt notice the bubble problem however. I am going to try a mag 7 on mine. You can tell this skimmer is just dying for a pump with more @#$#@ than the one it comes with. Even with upgrading the pump it is the best small tank skimmer for the money. working well for my 72gal now, but it's as if its looking at the cap 1800 and saying are you serious!

[mrphosphate]

hey all thanks for the replies. i just came home from work and the thing is skimming like nuts. i cant believe the amount of dark skimmate in the cup already. this thing is nuts...i would recomend this to anyone!!

[Reef Maniac]

I have one, and cant get it to skim for the life of me. It's been 5 weeks now!

[jisham]

Maniac: Have you tried calling the company about your skimmer? I remember you posting your problem a few weeks back...perhaps you got a bum product? You're the only one I've seen that's had problems and, like I said, I couldn't be happier with mine.

[Jase]

Mine hasn't been skimming all that well lately either...i get good foam all the way up the riser tube, but not much gets collected. I'm figuring that my water is pretty clean now, so there's not much to skim.
Definitely going to go with a more powerful pump.

Do all of your skimmers stop foaming when you feed or put your hand in the tank?

[jisham]

Jase: YES! Putting your hands in the tank or feeding will most always cause skimmers to stop working for awhile.

[mrphosphate]

hey would a rio 2500 or 3100 work on this baby or is that just too much?? what do u guys think im thinking about throwing a huge pump on this thing and see what happens!!!!!!!

[chuk]

I'm certainly glad to hear some very positive feedback on this skimmer as I've been somewhat reluctant to purchase based on a few negative comments floating around the net recently. In your experiences is there any downside to the skimmer? Is upgrading its pump necessary? Are there apparent benefits over the Turboflotor?

I'm looking at buying one for our soon-to-be 50 gallon reef with 20 gallon sump.

Thanks!

[jisham]

I used the Cap1800 that came with it for a couple of weeks and it skimmed very well. I just happened to have a Rio2100 laying around that I decided to hook up. I think you'd be fine with the Cap1800. I don't see any downsides to this skimmer at all personally, but it does have a pretty big footprint. I'm using a 20gal long glass tank for my sump that's partioned into three sections...first section for the skimmer and tank return; second for a refugium; and third for the return pump. I did wait to add the partitions until I had the skimmer so I'd know how big to make each section. I also have the skimmer on a platform that's about 3.5 inches tall; that way I can keep the sump's water level higher. Let me know if you have any more questions.

[chuk]

Thanks jisham - I appreciate the feedback.

Only one other question. In looking at a photo of the skimmer, the collection cup seems pretty small and I don't see a line leading out. Are you able to connect a line to a remote bucket? If not, have you had any issues with the size of the collection cup?

Given that the skimmer does sound like a great little unit and AE Technology has made some great skimmers, I am surprised I haven't heard more about this particular skimmer. I can find all kinds of opinions (usually great) about the Prizm and the new Berlin Turbo but the discussions on this skimmer are pretty quiet. Is anyone aware of any published reviews or side by side comparisons to other competing products?

[jisham]

The collection cup is pretty big and does not have an attachment to run a line to a container, etc. However, that hasn't been an issue at all for me. I do guess you could always drill a hole and attach a line yourself. My cup fills up about every three days;I simply remove it (very easy), dump it, then wash it out with hot water. No problem. I'd certainly guess that this skimmer blows away those little Prizm thingees.

[mrphosphate]

i just added a mag 7 to it yesterday and i would suggest anyone who has this skimmer to do it. it skimmed well before but now this thing is a machine. ive emptied the cup tree times already since i added the mag. the difference is amazing. oveall its a great skimmer but with the mag it skimms better than anything ive seen.....later