Sick of EV-120, What's the best DIY skimmer to Build?

[algaefree]

I have been using an AquaC EV-120 for about a year now and have never gotten even reasonable performance out of it. I'm so sick of seeing everyone with these awesome DIY skimmers and then looking at my 1/4" worth of skimmate that took 2 weeks to produce!!!

Basically I'm starting this thread to let everyone spout off about what they feel is the BEST type of skimmer to DIY...

I'm going to take the next couple of months to research and will begin assembly this spring. Based on the answers I get here, I will start a new post documenting start-to-finish production of my new skimmer, including updates on it's performance.

I could give you updates on the performance of my EV-120, but they would be the same every week....SUCKY!!!

[rsman]

I am a fan of the euroreef style, really easy to DIY and can be done cheap. and are really simple to build.

[Cheapreef]

If you want todo a euro reef style just check out this post for a few ideas. Really easy and cheap.:) http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=305697

Clinton

[newfishLINY]

Originally posted by algaefree
I have been using an AquaC EV-120 for about a year now and have never gotten even reasonable performance out of it. I'm so sick of seeing everyone with these awesome DIY skimmers and then looking at my 1/4" worth of skimmate that took 2 weeks to produce!!!

Basically I'm starting this thread to let everyone spout off about what they feel is the BEST type of skimmer to DIY...

I'm going to take the next couple of months to research and will begin assembly this spring. Based on the answers I get here, I will start a new post documenting start-to-finish production of my new skimmer, including updates on it's performance.

I could give you updates on the performance of my EV-120, but they would be the same every week....SUCKY!!!

I have a ev 120 also and it does suck! I have a 90 gal reef with a lite load of coral and 5 fish and clean up crew 100 rock , 14 months and going good . 30 gal sump. yes about 1/4 to 1/2 of green slime a week if I am lucky . I evenn spoke to the owner of the company and said the 120 is fine. well thats not the fact ,
I must admitt when the skimmer is clean the tank gets really clean then skimmer does not work well after.
I wish I new but then who knows better the owner or me
new fish

[newfishLINY]

m

[algaefree]

Originally posted by Cheapreef
If you want todo a euro reef style just check out this post for a few ideas. Really easy and cheap.:) http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=305697

Clinton

If you had to estimate your weekly skimmate production, what would you say it would be? What size pump do you use for your skimmer?

Also, probably very important, what kind of bioload do you have, fish count, etc...

[Cheapreef]

Well i've only had it running for about 48 hours so weekly i can't say. But here is a pic after 36 hours of break in.

http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/album18/Picture_089.sized.jpg

I use 2 maxijet 1200's, if you go through the post it has all the info you need to build it. If you have any other ?? just ask. I have very little bio load, that's why i get such little skimmate for the time it's up. I have 2 fish, one Maroon clown and a Green chromis. I have mostly soft corals, 5 devils hand, 3 finger leather(green sing) 3 pieces of cabbage coral, xenia, GSP, 2 colt corals, candy coral a few polyp rocks a Squamosa clam and 5 various acro frags. This is in a 15gal tank with a 15 gal sump.

Clinton

[grim]

Maybe you don't have anything to skim.. You can't produce skimmate out of nothing. If I don't feed for a week, I'll have next to no skimmate, if I feed heavy (fish mush, golden pearls, cyclopeeze), I'll have 10x the skimmate. I'm using a mtc hsa..

That skimmer isn't a bad one, nobody would consider it junk. What pump are you using with it? It's possible your pump is too small or the skimmer not tuned properly for that size pump. A larger pump will let you turn down the air intake a bit for smaller bubble production, as well as greater turnover. What would you estimate your turn over between tank and sump at? Maybe your not moving enough water between the tank and the sump

jb

[prezioso73]

I built a snailman skimmer. It works like a champ!