AquaC EV-180 more air than Bubble Master?

hilde123 · #1 04/02/2007, 06:54 PM

I am trying to decide on which skimmer to purchase for a new 150 mixed reef I am setting up. Based on the infor from AquaC the EV-180 air intake measures 2,200 l/m, this is more than twice that of most needlewheel skimmers which from what I've seen are on the order of 600-900 l/s. Am I missing something or does this mean the AquaC is that much better. I have read all the steller reviews on the Bubble Master and are undecided on which would be best? Anyone have any experiences/suggestions they would share?

cervidaejager · #2 04/02/2007, 07:25 PM

I have an AquaC EV240 on my 210 and if I can get it dialed in it rocks. It pulls out black, not green skimmate, but like I said if I can get it dialed in. If I feed, put my hands in the water or just look at it wrong it stops skimming. If I could keep it skimming I wouldn't trade it for any other skimmer, I wish I would have went with a needlewheel. I hope this helps.

hilde123 · #3 04/02/2007, 08:32 PM

cervidaejager

Do you run the skimmer in-sump or external, I've heard that it is sensative to sump water level?

manderx · #4 04/02/2007, 09:28 PM

Quote:

If I feed, put my hands in the water or just look at it wrong it stops skimming. If I could keep it skimming I wouldn't trade it for any other skimmer, I wish I would have went with a needlewheel

needlewheels are no different.

hilde123 · #5 04/02/2007, 09:45 PM

manderx
Have you had any experience or any comment on the AquaC EV skimmers or the Bubble Master? Thanks

skwirl · #6 04/02/2007, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by manderx
needlewheels are no different.

i disagree..
i had an mr2 right next to a e.r. cs6-2 and if i put my hands in the tank, the mr2 would completely stop for a few hours at least. the e.r. would pretty much stop for about 10 mins, then slowly build the foam head back up. it would be skimming just like it was within 20-30 mins. it was worse with the mr2 with feeding. but the e.r. would pretty much just keep on truckin.

the e.r. could in no way compete with the mr2 though that mr2 was a MMMMOOONNNSSTTEEERRRR!!!!! WHEN it was dialed in, and nothing had been in the tank for a few hours.

manderx · #7 04/02/2007, 10:12 PM

i've never used a EV on my tank but i have played with them on other people's tanks that i have watched long term (months at a time). anything would make ithem shut down, just like the 2 big deltecs i've run on my tank in the past. the key is to just be patient and not screw with it, it simply doesn't matter. seems like all of the 'performance' skimmers are sensitive like this. i've never heard of this issue on a seaclone

.

skwirl · #8 04/02/2007, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by manderx
i've never used a EV on my tank but i have played with them on other people's tanks that i have watched long term (months at a time). anything would make ithem shut down, just like the 2 big deltecs i've run on my tank in the past. the key is to just be patient and not screw with it, it simply doesn't matter. seems like all of the 'performance' skimmers are sensitive like this. i've never heard of this issue on a seaclone .

i heard that as well...
"thats how you know you have a good skimmer. any change in the water, and the skimmer reacts to it.

cervidaejager · #9 04/04/2007, 08:40 AM

Hilde 123 I run it in sump. The water level may have been one problem but now I have an auto top off so we will see.

RichConley · #10 04/04/2007, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by skwirl
i disagree..
i had an mr2 right next to a e.r. cs6-2 and if i put my hands in the tank, the mr2 would completely stop for a few hours at least. the e.r. would pretty much stop for about 10 mins, then slowly build the foam head back up. it would be skimming just like it was within 20-30 mins. it was worse with the mr2 with feeding. but the e.r. would pretty much just keep on truckin.

the e.r. could in no way compete with the mr2 though that mr2 was a MMMMOOONNNSSTTEEERRRR!!!!! WHEN it was dialed in, and nothing had been in the tank for a few hours.

That ER doesnt pull enough air, or build enough of a foam collumn to be affected. Use a big NW skimmer, and you'll see exactly the same thing as the MR2.

The reason the foam head on the MR2 is dropping is its grabbing all the oil in the water, whereas the ER is just ignoring it. The ER keeps skimming because its doing a crappy job.

gcarroll · #11 04/04/2007, 10:12 AM

wow, 2200 lpm on an EV180, I wonder how many lpm mine does?

BTW, the AquaC does loose foam head when you feed or place your hands in the tank. It does not stop skimming as many people suggest. as the foam head begins to rise again, you will notice that all the protiens are collecting right on the top of the foam. since the foam head is 10" - 12" tall (remember all the real mixing takes place in the box), you cannot compare that to the 2" foam head of a needlewheel.

Best advice is that you should keep you hands out of the tank.

My skimmer is off for 6 hours per day. I don't see much to worry about the loos of foam for an hour or so.

cervidaejager · #12 04/04/2007, 11:22 AM

OK so now that I've slammed my Aqua-C 240

and found out it is probably more my fault then it's can anyone tell me what pump would be best to run on it? I am using a Mag 18 right now but have heard a pressure rated pump works better.

gcarroll · #13 04/04/2007, 11:29 AM

Yep but before you plop don the money on the pressure pump, contact AquaC and order the $10 "gcarroll 1 inch injector" and replumb the mag 18 with 1" hose to the new injector. This will drastically wake up your skimmer!

gabe3d · #14 04/04/2007, 11:39 AM

gcarroll,

Didn't you also modded the tower of your EV240, extended it by a few inches? Or is that someone else?

Gabe

dmack · #15 04/04/2007, 01:23 PM

I own a needlewheel (octopus nw2000) and the ev180. I find the needlewheel pulls a lot more stuff from the whater, and does it more consistently than the ev180.

gcarroll · #16 04/04/2007, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gabe3d
gcarroll,

Didn't you also modded the tower of your EV240, extended it by a few inches? Or is that someone else?

Gabe

Nope, I never owned a EV240. I had the EV400. The extended tower was CaptainCoral. He did it to take advantage of the stronger pump (Eheim 1262) on his EV180.

Quote:

Originally posted by dmack
I own a needlewheel (octopus nw2000) and the ev180. I find the needlewheel pulls a lot more stuff from the whater, and does it more consistently than the ev180.

Sound like you are using the Mag7. Is this correct? If so get the Eheim 1262 and you will have a whole new skimmer. Be sure to visit the AquaC club thread for proper instructions on using this pump or you can run into big problems.

dmack · #17 04/04/2007, 01:38 PM

I have used a mag 7, mag 9.5, then finally eheim 1262. I did see significant improvement with the eheim, but the skimmer just needed too much attention for my taste. My octopus skimmer just seems to skim and skim and is not that sensitive to feedings/hands in water. I think my biggest complaint was that the skimmer performance was reduced when the smallest bit of salt creep found its way into the air injector.

gcarroll · #18 04/04/2007, 01:47 PM

I see, I don't worry about that issue because mine has dual air valves.

cervidaejager · #19 04/04/2007, 05:39 PM

Gcarroll, instead of me contacting AquaC how about you telling me how to do the mod or selling me the parts.

gcarroll · #20 04/04/2007, 06:01 PM

i did not do the mod. I asked them to make me a 1" injector for my mag 24 since the 3/4" hose was restricting the pump so much. It worked so good many other people started doing it also. It is a fix that maked the mag 18 on the EV240 and the mag 24 on the EV400 perform like the appropriate pressure pump for that skimmer.

Waxxiemann · #21 04/04/2007, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gcarroll
i did not do the mod. I asked them to make me a 1" injector for my mag 24 since the 3/4" hose was restricting the pump so much. It worked so good many other people started doing it also. It is a fix that maked the mag 18 on the EV240 and the mag 24 on the EV400 perform like the appropriate pressure pump for that skimmer.

I use a mag 18 on my 240 and the 1" injector really made a big increase in performance.

Just my 2 cents.

hilde123 · #22 04/04/2007, 10:03 PM

Anyone using Iwaki pumps on their AquaC EV?

gabe3d · #23 04/05/2007, 01:50 AM

I used a Panworld 100PX which has a nearly identical flow curve as an Iwaki 40RLT. Not too good in my opinion, maybe i should have bought the equivalent of the 55RLT.

Gabe

smackwater · #24 04/05/2007, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Anyone have any experiences/suggestions they would share?

My

Aqua-c down in the garage. In the box for about 6yrs now.
Does the same thing down there it did under the tank.
Waste space.

A skimmer should work with the recommended pump....... Right?
1st was a Rio something, then people sad get the mag7 then they said oh, you should of got mag9

but hey, My hats off to the skimmer guru's that get them to work......

I guess maybe I just didn't have the patience?

Smackwater