EuroReef Club

[jcr6479]

Thanks for ignoring me. I know now not to post my ER questions in the euro reef club forum.

[sjm817]

Sorry you didn't get an answer. Sometimes posts just get missed.

Is the sump level consistent? It must be or you will have varying levels in the skimmer.

If you have LR with lots of crud coming off of it, I would imagine that that could happen if the amount of crud is going up and down.

[jimdogg187]

Originally posted by jcr6479
Thanks for ignoring me. I know now not to post my ER questions in the euro reef club forum.

Sorry JC!!!

Didn't mean to ignore you sjm is right, sometimes posts just get missed!

I'm not really sure what is going on with your skimmer. Have you tried to set it up more than once? I know you said you dialed it in, then it overflowed a few hours later. This has happend more than once?

If so, maybe its something you're feeding that makes the skimmer go nuts?

Also, I know with the extra organics in the larger tank, it may be best to set the water lower in the skimmer than you are used to. This may be the problem...

I don't think there is anything mechanically wrong with the skimmer, but I have been wrong several times in the past

Please keep us updated!!!

Cheers,

Jim

[jcr6479]

The water level is at a constant 8 inches in the sump. I've come to the conclusion that it must be from the live rock. I appoligize if I sounded rude. Its just that I have posted here before with the same results. I understand that posts get missed. I accept the appology.

[steveoutlaw]

I know that skimmers go nuts when a tank cycles.......could the live rock have thrown your tank into a mini cycle?

[jcr6479]

Possibly, I used approx. 60 pounds of live rock from my 30g and bought an additional 25 pounds. I also used 50 pounds of arag alive. I put all of my sps and fish in after two days and everything is healthy and thriving.

[rkaires]

Was the 30lbs you brough cured? I know my rs-100 & rs-80 go nuts when ever I add what the LFS calls cured rock to my tanks.

[steveoutlaw]

I am getting ready to convert my RS-180 to an RC-180 and use the Gen-x 4100 as the recirc pump. When I asked ER about the hole placement they said that they recommend that I don't use the gen-x because of heat issues. They recommended using the e-heim. This would be great except that they won't take a trade in on my gen-x (this is a brand new skimmer) and their e-heims are a little bit pricey.

Didn't ER used to use the Gen-x as their recirc pump? Are they just trying to get me to pay for an E-heim or will the gen-x work? Is there anybody out there currently using the gen-x as a recirc that can give me a little guidance? Can I ask any more questions?

Thanks.

[sjm817]

Yes, they certainly did use them on the RC (see my post on the previous page). I'd go ahead and do it.

What is the reason you want to do a recirc? Are you going to run it external? For the performance increase?
It would be a good comparison if you could run it as is for a period of time and then do the mod and compare performance.

Kentrob11's awesome DIY skimmer has (4) 4100s

[ridetheducati]

I heard that the Gen-x pumps were noisy and had rust problems in that config.

[sjm817]

Noisy yes, Rust, no. There is nothing that can rust.

[jimdogg187]

Originally posted by steveoutlaw
I am getting ready to convert my RS-180 to an RC-180 and use the Gen-x 4100 as the recirc pump. When I asked ER about the hole placement they said that they recommend that I don't use the gen-x because of heat issues. They recommended using the e-heim. This would be great except that they won't take a trade in on my gen-x (this is a brand new skimmer) and their e-heims are a little bit pricey.

Didn't ER used to use the Gen-x as their recirc pump? Are they just trying to get me to pay for an E-heim or will the gen-x work? Is there anybody out there currently using the gen-x as a recirc that can give me a little guidance? Can I ask any more questions?

Thanks.

Yes, I had a gen-x pump on my original RC unit. It was a bit loud, but I ran mine for over a year w/out any problems (other than noise). When configured like that, the sp4 pumps make more noise for some reason. I still have the pump and plan to use it when I clean my eheim in the future

As for the rust issue, ER ordered the gen-x pumps from gen-x. What they didn't know is that gen-x installed a heatsink in the rear of the pump that they claimed was "rust-proof". After ER had already modified the pumps and sent them out to some reefers as test units, they discoverd that the plates were not infact "rust-proof" and were quite the opposite. The heatsinks in the test pumps began to collect rust in about 3 months. This is why ER could not tell before they went out.

This NEVER affected performance, and was just on the 1st round of pumps that were sent out. The heat sink in the rear of the pump was the problem, NOT the pump itself. The pumps were in no way affected by the rust, and this had nothing to do with an RC configuration. In the end, ER replaced all the "rust-proof" units with proper units free of charge.

Here are some pics of what the problem was:

New




After 3 months


HTH,

Cheers,

Jim

[steveoutlaw]

Originally posted by sjm817
Yes, they certainly did use them on the RC (see my post on the previous page). I'd go ahead and do it.

What is the reason you want to do a recirc? Are you going to run it external? For the performance increase?
It would be a good comparison if you could run it as is for a period of time and then do the mod and compare performance.

[/img]

I'm doing it just to increase performance. I have a medium to heavy stocked 210g and the RS-180 was the only skimmer that I could fit in the sump.

[Fuzzy]

ER sent me a replacement needle wheel for our new RS180, I finally got it installed and ran it in the bath tub.
All I can say is I am extremely disappointed on how loud this darn thing is

We have one of the very first CS6-1's. I have raved for years about the quality and how quiet it is. I can't believe ER thinks these new pumps are acceptable........

I am 1 step away from sending it back to the dealer and going with something else. Fortunately - I've only had it in the bath tub so it's still in new condition.......

Has anyone heard if ER is doing anything to fix these darn things before I go to a Deltec or Tunze??

[jimdogg187]

IME, the sp4 is a loud pump. Period. They are working with gen-x to develope a special pump designed specifically to run with the ER impellers to reduce noise levels signifigantly.

Instead of dropping all the coin on a deltec, save the money and buy an eheim. Problem solved You can sell your sp4 to a DIY'er to help offset some of the cost.

Thats what I did (get the eheim I mean). Works like a champ.

Cheers,

Jim

Edit: BTW, are you running it in SW in your tub? IME with the sp4, when you run them in FW the pumps sound like a train wreck.

[sjm817]

That stinks. My RS250 (SP5 Gen-X 6000) is in my basement sump. When I was deciding on a skimmer, noise was not a consideration for this reason. Honestly, I never really notice if the SP5 is that loud or not. My return pump is not quiet (Gen-X Mak4) and it drowns it out.

I wouldn't be very happy if I were in Fuzzy's shoes. I wouldn't be all that willing to buy a new pump for it either. If the dealer would take it back, I would go that route and get a quiet skimmer.

[jimdogg187]

Originally posted by sjm817
That stinks. My RS250 (SP5 Gen-X 6000) is in my basement sump. When I was deciding on a skimmer, noise was not a consideration for this reason. Honestly, I never really notice if the SP5 is that loud or not. My return pump is not quiet (Gen-X Mak4) and it drowns it out.

I wouldn't be very happy if I were in Fuzzy's shoes. I wouldn't be all that willing to buy a new pump for it either. If the dealer would take it back, I would go that route and get a quiet skimmer.

I agree to a point here.

But if you want the goods, you often have to pay for them in this hobby. The RS skimmers are 1/2 the price for a reason IMO.

I'm not saying its okay for ER to sell the loud pumps. But thats how they come. The sp4's are loud. The sedras are quieter, but they don't perform the same. Thats the trade off if you don't want to pay the extra $$$ for the eheims I guess.

Jim

[sjm817]

The RS are a great bang for the $$ (which is why I bought one), but if it is too noisy to be used, that kind of kills the appeal.

[jimdogg187]

Originally posted by sjm817
The RS are a great bang for the $$ (which is why I bought one), but if it is too noisy to be used, that kind of kills the appeal.

Agreed.

But for some, its worth it I guess.

For me, definetly not. I want silence and I'm willing to pay for it (thats why I bought an eheim ) In the end, if you upgrade your RS model to an eheim, you still walk away cheaper that buying a German skimmer.

[sjm817]

Since we are posting about RS180..
RS180 $440
ER Eheim NW $300 (is that right?)
Total $740
If you want to make it recirc, add maybe $30 for fittings, lets call it $770

The RC180 is $840. If I wanted a Eheim powered ER, and the dealer would take it back, I think I would just get the RC180.

Using H&S for comparison:
H&S 200-1260 (non recirc in sump) $900
H&S A200-1260 (recirc) $1100

So yes, there is definitely a savings.

[Fuzzy]

I went with the RS180 as it was the closest thing to the old CS series. Our tank is a lightly stocked 150 and really didn't need a RS.
I knew the difference of the cast vs extrusion body - but did not expect the loud pump.
Also I was not aware there was an option to buy an Ehiem pump.
If I had known, I would have gone with it as I use an Ehiem for my closed loop. And have Eheim canister filters on our freshwater tank.

So that said - I guess I'll call ER or Premium Aquatics and see about the Eheim upgrade?
Regardless - It still ticks me off that ER would put out a pump knowing about these issues - I thought they were better than that.......

[sjm817]

There is not an Eheim option on an RS180. The RC180 comes with it. I think you can just buy a NW Eheim from ER and do what you want with it. If you installed it recirculating, you are pretty much converting an RS180 into a RC180.

[steveoutlaw]

What really gets me is that they won't let you trade in the loud pump (plus cash) for an eheim. I mean, an eheim 1262 is only $120 retail. I would happily throw in $100 plus my current pump (brand new) to get the eheim NW. I'd think that ER would want to do something like this to keep customers.

Just my humble opinion.

[sjm817]

You could always buy a 1262 and make a meshwheel impeller for it

[sjm817]

I just checked the ER website. An SPE5 (Eheim) goes for $250. No bad at all. Compare that to the $600 a certain German skimmer company gets for one.