RIO Nano Skimmer Club

tkeracer619 · #1 11/08/2006, 03:16 PM

While I was out getting some T5's from one of the Denver local club members we started to talk. He had tons of boxes of equipment. He asked if there was something I needed. Laughing I said a skimmer for my nano.

Well out comes a box. A Rio Nano Skimmer. It has a needle wheel. States on the box that it is for use up to 20 gallons.

He offers a price I am happy to accept. I was just going to try it out. He had no idea about it since he had never used one.

Just now I come home and went to check out the nano. Something smelled real bad. I look up at the skimmer. It is skimming. 24 hours on. No adjustment. I just washed it, put it in the tank, added an air line and adjustable air restricter from a maxijet (a non-custom skimmer... please, I won't own one

).

So far this is my unbiased opinion. Pics and more to come in the following days.
_____________________________________

Pro's-
1. Quiet
2. Easy to set up
3. Cheap
4. Compact

Con's-
1. Location of air adjustment. Simple Fix with some tubing and adjustable restrictor from a maxijet or similar.

tkeracer619 · #2 11/08/2006, 03:20 PM

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_...er.asp?CartId=

Just so we are all on the same page.

accord86 · #3 11/08/2006, 03:51 PM

Wow it actually has a small needlewheel. It's cheap too, I may have to try it out.

tkeracer619 · #4 11/08/2006, 05:45 PM

Yeah it has a rio 110 with a needle wheel. So far I am getting a very dry skimmate. I don't want to get ahead of myself though and am going to wait a few more days to see what it can do.

No need to flood my house with my nano. Is that possible =]

tkeracer619 · #5 11/08/2006, 08:45 PM

Really dark but when I tried to flash it the flash and plastic didn't mix well.

Here is the bottom of the collection cup.

Bubbling Away.

On the back of a standard 10g.

More to come.

tkeracer619 · #6 11/09/2006, 02:49 PM

48 hours into it.

The bad smell went away.

It is producing more bubbles. Very dry and stable bubbles.

I increased the water level slightly. No changes to air yet.

Still skimming

accord86 · #7 11/09/2006, 02:51 PM

Can you give some approx. dimensions for it.

Thanks

tkeracer619 · #8 11/09/2006, 02:53 PM

Let me go bust out the tape measure.

Edit:

The minimum room required above the unit to remove the cup is 1.75". From tank Rim you need 6.75" for this to work.

tkeracer619 · #9 11/09/2006, 03:21 PM

Also something I noted while taking measurments.

I think it would be almost impossible to overflow this.

I am going to go try.

Cosmo^Kramer · #10 11/09/2006, 03:28 PM

I ordered one from marinedepot and it should be here tomorow.It's for my 2.5 pico.I'm glad to hear it's getting some skimming.I figured with a needlewheel and venturi it's gotta get some skimate.I'll post with some results

tkeracer619 · #11 11/09/2006, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cosmo^Kramer
I ordered one from marinedepot and it should be here tomorow.It's for my 2.5 pico.I'm glad to hear it's getting some skimming.I figured with a needlewheel and venturi it's gotta get some skimate.I'll post with some results

Cool. Make sure to clean it really well. There was some oily stuff on the intake pipe. I doubt its harmfull. Probably cooking oil for the orings.

I tried to overflow it. I doubt it is possible.

I think I am going to make a little overflow box for the intake. Do some surface skimming.

Cosmo^Kramer · #12 11/09/2006, 04:51 PM

Thanks for the advice,I may even try a gutter guard mod on the needlewheel.The overflow box is a great idea too

tkeracer619 · #13 11/09/2006, 04:55 PM

gutter gaurd? havent seen that one.

Cosmo^Kramer · #14 11/10/2006, 06:10 PM

Well,I got mine about 3:00pm and it actually works.Whats nice about it is you can adjust the water level.You can also adjust the amount of water going into the skimmer for more contact time.I'm not sure if the venturi is supposed to be adjustable,but you can adjust the amount of air going into it.I have the water level set at the lowest setting and I have the intake reduced about 25%.So far I got some tan skimate.The only thing I don't like is micro bubbles.It has stopped some,I hope it stops in a few more hours.Overall it seems like a pretty good little skimmer.If you don't like the way it skims you could pull the venturi and use it as a regular filter.I'll postr some pics tomorow,I think i'm gonna like this one.
tkeracer619,let me find the thread on gutter guard impeller,i'll post it in a few

tkeracer619 · #15 11/11/2006, 11:52 AM

Cool, yeah the micro bubbles stopped for the most part. I am getting a better skimmate now that im a few days into it.

Im about half water flow and 20% reduction in air. For a nano this thing is pretty cool. Very easy to set up. I like it.

The best thing about it. I don't have to worry about a flood. Even if its only 2 gallons.

dhnguyen · #16 11/11/2006, 02:34 PM

Very interesting. Maybe Taam finally did get something right with this one

Might have to check one out soon as my son has been bugging me for a nano.

Please keep us posted.

D.

Cosmo^Kramer · #17 11/11/2006, 05:16 PM

I'm getting way too many micro bubbles for my 2.5 gallon.It would work great if I had a small sump.It does skim pretty good.I bet if I modded the impeller it would work great.

tkeracer619 · #18 11/11/2006, 10:12 PM

you ever find the link to that mod?

The Unit · #19 11/11/2006, 10:27 PM

ill have mine next week, ill post my results

Cosmo^Kramer · #20 11/12/2006, 03:06 AM

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...t=gutter+guard

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...t=gutter+guard

EMBRYOGUY · #21 11/13/2006, 09:33 PM

you can also get one at Something Fishy, toofishy.com

i have it for 2 days now and its great!. for 30 you really cant got wrong. you can also use it as a regular filter also.

i placed a small piece of form in the last chamber to catch any roaming bubbles. so absolutely clear in the display. its also very quiet and the thing i like about it is that it has a good size collection cup.

time willl tell how effective it is, but again for 30 you cant go wrong. definetly alot better than the fission skimmer.

ccoral · #22 11/15/2006, 12:55 PM

Just set one up on a 10 gallon tank yesterday with live rock and live sand. Skimmer already working well. Cant believe it is only $30.00

EMBRYOGUY · #23 11/15/2006, 01:13 PM

if your getting bubbles, just add a small piece of foam in the last chamber.

db_triggerfish · #24 11/15/2006, 02:12 PM

looks good and cheap at least at marinedepot.
I will buy one for my 16 gallon bow.

chak209 · #25 11/17/2006, 05:49 PM

Hello all,

Due to the incredibly limited skimmers in the UK especially for Nano reefs I decided to go for one of these skimmers. I received it today from the US and have it working on my Nano Reef via a voltage converter in the UK.

I have to say initially it was very noisy indeed. I wrote to TAAM and they advised me to perform a small fix on the impeller which has quietened the actual motor/impeller. However it is still very noisy when it's mixing the air and water.

Have all you guys experienced loud running noise or is it simply that I'm not used to a needle wheel skimmer and this normal - I hope it does quieten down soon though

Cheers for any advice in advance.

Neil