Rio 600 Replacement Doesn't Bubble? 02-19-06
Thanks for answering what may be an obvious oversight on my part. I just replaced a Rio 600 on a CPR skimmer and I do not get any bubble action from the venturi. It's the exact setup as before, but now water is getting pumped out of the venturi hose. What am I not getting?
<<Your lines are backwards. Switch the venturi line onto the other intake. Travis>>
Thanks,
Harry

Skimmer tweaking needed?    2/17/06
Hi, <Hello Derek.>
I've had Cyano troubles for a while and although I'm trying to address it in a few ways, I'm thinking that part of the problem is that my skimmer is not
performing very well.  I have a 35 gal FOWLR with about 30lbs of live rock and just 3 green Chromis.  I have an Aqua-C Remora Pro running the Rio
pump.  A small amount of thick skimmate will attach itself to the inside of the cylinder leading up to the collection bucket, but the bucket itself
never has much in it. <Problem lies here.  This cylinder needs to be cleaned at least weekly.  Once the skimmate forms it causes the rising bubbles with nutrients attached to prematurely burst never making it to the promised land.> The small amount that does get to the bucket is very
dark but very watery.  I'm wondering if the problem is that the pump is not powerful enough to get the gunk up into the bucket.  Is this possible?  If
so, would I be best to go for the Mag pump and see if there's an improvement?  I've tried adjusting the bucket up and down and cleaning it
regularly with no improvement. <Try suggestion above.  James (Salty Dog)>
Thanks in advance, <You're welcome>
Derek

Which Skimmer Is A Winner? (Skimmer Choices)   1/11/06
Hello,
<Hi there! Scott F. at the keyboard today.>
I am currently running a 72gal FOWLR tank with aspirations to jump into reef-keeping within the same system. I have a 30gal sump with 30 lbs of live rock for biological filtration. I use a micro-fiber sock with activated carbon for mechanical and chemical filtration for the time being.
<Good, but keep it clean; change or replace it regularly>
I also have what I view as a complete waste of space, a Seaclone 100 protein skimmer. I am going about buying a new skimmer now and I would greatly appreciate your input. I am stuck on trying to decide between the last 3 products I have read up on because they've all come back with good reviews.
In your preference, which would you see fit: Aqua-C Urchin, Coralife Super skimmer (needle wheel), or Aquamedic Turboflotor T1000? Or do you know of
any other 'ready-to-go' skimmers within that $200 price range? Thank you so much for your input! Your website has been a Godsend throughout my endeavors in aquarium keeping.
Thanks again!
Justin
Benicia, CA
<Well, Justin- if it were me, I'd go for the Aqua C Urchin. It's a well-made, super reliable, easy-to-understand skimmer. And, it's darned productive! Aqua C is backed by a great reputation, and a truly helpful owner, Jason Kim, who will take the time to answer your questions and render assistance with his products. Yep- my money is on the Aqua C! Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

Skimmer "break-in  12/28/05
Dear Crew, <Jimmy>
     Just a question re: skimmer break-in.  I have a 180 FOWLR that used to have 2 TurboFlotor Multi's for skimming.  I recently replaced one of the Multi's with an AquaC EV 180 driven by a mag 7 pump.  It has been almost a week and the EV 180 has yet to produce any skimmate while the remaining TurboFlotor continues to pull about 1/2 cup of light skimmate daily.  I am running ozone thru the TurboFlotor but not the EV 180. The AquaC in adjusted appropriately.  I am told that there may be a "break in" period before the skimmer starts to work.  I have read in WWM that "break in " periods really do not exist.
Do break in periods exist or should I be concerned? <My opinion is a couple days or so to allow the new acrylic to "season" so to speak.  Your ozone is helping to make the flotors more efficient and I'm thinking this is what your seeing.  James (Salty Dog)>
Thanks Jimmy

Algae and Skimmer advice
Hello to my marine aquarium heroes -- and thanks for your time in keeping up
this site!,
<Welcome>
I am at a seemingly dead end and need some advice on a red slime problem in
my tank -- I've looked at enough photos online to be convinced I have
Cyanobacteria.  The slime seems to accumulate on the substrate and the live
rock within 1-2 days of my siphoning or blasting with a turkey baster.  It
has really started getting out of hand the last two weeks.  I believe I am a
relatively "light" feeder -- small pinch of flake food or 1/2 tablet of
frozen, twice a day -- and although I am using tap water (typically mixed
2-3 weeks before needed), I am showing no nitrates and less than 0.1
phosphates coming out of the tap.
<... have you read on WWM re Cyano, control?>
My first potential culprit is my skimmer (Aqua C Remora, upgrade to Maxijet
pump).  While mine produces about 1/8 cup of light green tea skimmate daily,
it is much less than I have seen suggested in many of your responses.
<The "rule of thumb" statements re amounts of skimmate to be expected are misleading>
I purchased the collection box to better skim the surface but have not noticed
a gain in performance.  Upon emailing Aqua C, I was told that it may just be
due to the low bioload but after reading hours of faq's on WWM, I'm not sure
that advice is correct.
<I am>
I don't believe there are any adjustments I could
make to my skimmer so I'm wondering how to tell if I have a bad one.
<Very unlikely... I know of Jason Kim, his skimmers... very well... they are consistent, well-made products>
I purchased this skimmer because of the general high opinion of its
performance so if it is working properly, I must be doing something else to
lower its performance.
<Mmm, no... I'd explore other avenues... test your source, system water for nutrients, look for delimiting them, use countervailing strategies... BGA can be beaten with understanding, a strategy>
I bought the canister filter at the suggestion of my LFS but after reading
some of your responses, I'm thinking I may be better removing it.  In my
attempt to avoid creating too many nitrates from it, I clean the filter and
all levels every two weeks.
<Perhaps too infrequently>
I take care to only clean the rock level of the
filter with old aquarium water so as not to completely destroy the bacteria
colony.  The rest I wash thoroughly in tap water.  Would you suggest
removing the canister filter now or sometime in the near future?
<Will have to see what other filtration, set-up, maintenance...>
I plan on purchasing additional live rock (I will certainly cure it in a
separate tank!) to help with the water quality, hiding space, visual appeal,
etc.  
<This will help for sure>
My particulars:
-75 gallon: setup early January 2005
-Coralife PC lights (260 watts: 130w 10k, 130w actinic) Added 6-8 weeks ago.
Used standard bulb that came with tank setup for the first couple of months
(skimmer took precedence of my $).
-45 lbs live rock + 30 lbs dry rock
-Eheim 2217 canister filter with carbon added
-2 Maxijet 900 powerheads
-4-5 inches of aragonite substrate
Live stock:
-Red flame hawk; Yellow tang (small); False Percula clown; Royal Dottyback
-10 hermit crabs; 30 snails
Water Quality:
Ammonia: 0; Nitrite: 0; PH: 8.2; Nitrate: 10-20; Phosphate: 0.1;
<You want this to be near zip>
SG: 1.023
Carbonate Hardness: 200+ (this puzzles me because it consistently reads so
high)
Change 10 gallons of water every 2 weeks
Oceanic Salt
Your guidance is certainly appreciated!
Brad
<I'd look into growing some purposeful macroalgae... perhaps a sump/refugium, a DSB... many other possibilities... Use WWM my friend... read our articles, of others similar experiences... peace of mind is only a few hours away. Bob Fenner>

Protein Skimmer/AquaC
To the crew member(s) of WetWebMedia:
Hi, thank you for operating the awesome WetWebMedia webpage and your incessant advice and contributions to all aquarists! 
<You're welcome>
I purchased a Remora Aqua C hang-on skimmer with MaxiJet pump a few months ago running on a 38g FOWLR tank. Recently (about two months now), the foam production is greatly reduced. I have not even obtained a half container of 
foam in many weeks! I cleaned inside the skimmer and also outside of the pump bi-weekly. Normally, days after changing water, I will get intense foam production, this does not happen anymore. Kindly please provide insights and solutions to this problem. Thank you! 
<Leo, go to www.proteinskimmer.com. That is AquaC's website. There is a contact area on the page and it will put you in touch with Jason. I'm sure he will be able to answer your questions on one of his products. James (Salty Dog)>

-Remoras in the UK?-
Hi.
<Hello>
I have been reading only good things about this skimmer and wish to buy one.
<They are great units and are highly recommended.>
The trouble is I live in the UK and can't find a distributor. Can you recommend an online store that would ship one to me?
Regards Angela Parker
<Angela I think you should email Aqua C at info@proteinskimmer.com  and ask them if there is a UK distributor. The last I heard Jason Kim, the inventor and owner of Aqua C, was not able to get a UK distributor yet; and was shipping the skimmers direct to those that wanted them. Do drop them a line and I am sure they will gladly help. Feel free to tell them WetWebMedia sent you.>
<Justin (Jager)>

Tuning an Urchin Pro w/ Mag 3
Hello Crew, 
<Hello Matthew>
Let me get the initial gushing out of the way about how great I think this site is!! Very helpful, not condescending or annoyed at any questions people have (nice change from some of the LFS's). A quality resource for anyone in the hobby.
Anyway, my question is in regards to my AquaC Urchin Pro with Mag-drive 3.
My collection cup fills up about every 3-5 days but the foam that is created is very wet. I heard that skimmers ideally create a dry foam. I have moved the collection cup as high as possible to see if this makes a difference, but it is still the same. I have heard that the collection cup contents should be dark, like coffee, mine is brown, but not very dark. I do see lots of particulates in there. Should I be expecting to get a "dryer, darker" result? Can I tune my type of skimmer to change the type of foam output? Considering what I have explained would I want to?
Currently I am running a 90 gallon reef ready tank, about 80+ lbs. of live rock, 80lbs live sand. Currently have about 14 random soft and hard corals, only 1 Orange Tail Damsel and 1 Cleaner Shrimp, lots of snails and hermit crabs. 
Until about a month ago I had 4 more fish (introduced a live rock that was not fully cured, I think that is what killed them) but the type of collection in my skimmer never changed.
pH - 8.3, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0.
Hope I have been clear about what I am asking. Thanks for all of your insight and input!!
  <Matt, no one knows more about the AquaC skimmers than Jason at AquaC. Send an email out to him at www.proteinskimmers.com. Good luck. James (Salty Dog)> 

Tuning an Urchin Pro w/ Mag 3
Thanks for your quick response. 
<You're welcome>
I went to www.proteinskimmers.com, but did not find a way to send an email. This site seems to just contain links to other sites... Am I missing something??? 
<Matt, just went there. All you needed to do was click contact, then technical support. It is technicalsupport@proteinskimmer.com.  James (Salty Dog)> 

Tuning an Urchin Pro w/ Mag 3
I see the problem, in the initial email you specified skimmers.com rather than skimmer. 
<Sorry about that Matt, hope that Jason can solve your problems. I too had a Urchin at one time and Jason is so willing to help solve any problems. James (Salty Dog)>

Aqua C Remora
I've been searching online for the best price on the Aqua C Remora Pro with Mag 3 Pump.  They all appear to sell it for $227.00. Do you know of any others that may offer discounts? <Premium Aquatics sells the Pro for $226.00 with the Mag 3 or the Pro with the Rio 1400 for $208.00.  A buck isn't much, and you probably don't want the Rio 1400.  They are an excellent company to deal with. Other than that, all you can do is a search which I'm sure you did. James (Salty Dog)>
Mitch

Aquac ev-180 skimmer
HI, I have been searching for answers for days now...I have purchased the AquaC EV 180 skimmer and the mag 700 pump, I guess I didn't do a very good job of doing my home work  because I don't have a sump is there any other way of hooking this skimmer up I have heard of people rigging them up as HOT got any advise??? has anybody else had this problem...lol... hope not...thanks
<Am referring you to the owner/manager of AquaC, Jason Kim for his valuable input here... and to archive for others use in future. Bob Fenner>

Re: AquaC ev-180 skimmer
Thanks Bob, I'll take care of this one...
<Thank you Jason. Please send along a copy of your response for our posting/sharing>
No diving in the Maldives for a while I guess..?
<No my friend. BobF>
-------------------------
Jason Kim
President
AquaC, Inc.
9825 Carroll Center Rd., Ste. 400
San Diego, CA 92126
858-689-1121 phone
858-564-3419 fax
visit us online at...
www.proteinskimmer.com

Pump and skimmer
<Hi Chris>I just got a 75gal.  I have ordered two emperor 400's and I would like to get a AquaC remora protein skimmer.  Do you think this would be too much for my
tank? <I personally think its going to be fine but the big question is what do you plan to keep in the tank? That will make a huge difference as to how it will do.> Thanks Chris Keller

Aqua C
To the Wet Web Crew,     Many thanks for the great web  site. I also wanted
your viewers to know that Jason Kim has about the best  customer relations I
have ever encountered for a company president. I don't want  to go into details
but I am very satisfied with his skimmers and customer  support. I recently
contacted Jason and he was more than helpful with my  situation. If it wasn't
for the Wet Web and Jason Kim, I probably would  have given up my favorite hobby
long ago. By the way Mr. Fenner, we're waiting  for your next book.   
<Thank you for this, and me too! Bob Fenner>

Aqua C in the UK
Morning Crew,
<Henry>
Quick question, I want to change my skimmer from a Red Sea to an Aqua C based
on the poor performance of the Red Sea and the good reviews/info on this site
regarding Aqua C Products.
I live in the UK and can't find a UK distributor of Aqua C products, I have
mailed Aqua C themselves a few times but got no response. I'll even settle for
ordering online.
Any clues as to a UK distributor of Aqua C products?
Thanks
John
<I don't... but have cc'ed a friend at TMC re (Jayne, please forward this message to Paul West if you would), and Jason Kim (owner and manager of AquaC) in the hopes of not only a solution directly, but the urging of a liaison between their businesses. Bob Fenner>

Aqua C European Distribution
Hi John ( and Jason, Bob, et. al. over at WWM),
We are still working on finding a distributor for our product line in the
UK!  This is something that I have been working on (on and off) for a while
now, but nothing has come to fruition as of yet.  John - when did you try
emailing me and from what address if you don't mind my asking?  I apologize
for not getting back to you earlier, but I must have missed your message.
<Jason, if the fine folks at TMC are not responding I will gladly introduce you to the people at Underworld. You have fine products that deserve European representation. Bob Fenner>
Jason Kim
President
AquaC, Inc.
9825 Carroll Center Rd., Ste. 400
San Diego, CA 92126
858-689-1121 phone
858-564-3419 fax
visit us online at...
www.proteinskimmer.com

Aqua C
Bob,
<Jason>
I talked to someone over there a while back but it never panned out...  Let
me give it another shot and we'll see what happens.  I was talking to Ed at
LiquidLife the other day and he was going to try and put me in touch with
his new distributor over, who is supposed to be pretty big.  I appreciate
your help with this...
<Jas... I will help you in whatever avenue you choose>
So are you in Hawaii now or in SD?
<In HI for the month>
  I ran into Di a while back at the post
office, she mentioned that she was discontinuing the Knop thing since it
wasn't working out as well as she had hoped.
<Yes... the folks there are already looking for other distribution in N. America... opportunities lost. Perhaps helping them makes sense for you>
Everything here has been so
busy this last year, I can't complain.  I'm moving into a new bldg. down the
street in Jan. (5,000 sq. ft.) so I am excited about that.
<Very glad to hear of your progress. Am looking forward to cooking for your wedding. Bob F>
Jason Kim

- Tuning an AquaC EV-180 -
Hello,
Thank you guys in advance for the response.  I've have an AquaC EV-180 that I can't seem to find the right water level for.  I've read the instruction manual which is kinda confusing.  If you could perhaps tell me EXACTLY where the water level should be inside the skimmer via a diagram or picture or something I'd be very happy. <Huh... well, there is a picture in the EV-180 manual that at least to my eye says it all. There is a horizontal divider just below the top of the body of the skimmer. The water level inside the skimmer should "ideally" be just an 1/8 to 1/4 inch below this.> I love this skimmer and know it will work well with your help.  Also I'm looking to upgrade the pump for this skimmer...I've been looking into the Iwakis which are awesome pumps, although my main concern is the noise level and I'm not sure where these fall on the noise scale. <Not outrageous, but also not quiet.> If you have any suggestions or references to other pumps I'd appreciate it. <Would stick with Jason Kim's recommendations.> Another thing I've been toying with is to instead of control the water level with the 1" gate valve I could oversize my pump and throttle back the water before it comes in the skimmer (much like how it works with the dolphin 800 pump). <Not as wise - valving back the pump will at the least up your electric bill... much better to let the pump run at full bore and use the gate valve on the skimmer body to control the water level.> If I this is true I could take off the gate valve at the exit.  I would think this would create a higher flow through rate if the exiting water is less restricted from the 1" gate valve. <It probably would, and would result in a less efficient skimmer.> My goal is to get as much water processed as possible.  In the near future I'll be upgrading to a 180g tank and want to know if the skimmer can handle that much load. <Yes.> It'll be a heavily stocked reef tank with fish and corals.  Maybe with the higher flow modifications to the skimmer it'll be much better suited for this larger tank.  Once again thanks for the advice and info I'll be awaiting a reply.
Sincerely,
Chris AKA - fishtank
<Cheers, J -- >

Skimmer update
Michael + Mac, <Hi Brian, MacL with you>
Been in touch with the Aqua C company President Jason Kim, who will ship one to England for me (have to save up first though, not only tight space but also budget). <Believe me most of us understand that, And how exciting. These companies are amazing.> I was surprised how cheap it would be considering it will be shipped out to me and compared to the price I paid for my present SeaClone. Its a pleasure to know people are willing to give their time and knowledge, to beginners, THANK YOU. <I'm so glad we were able to help you Brian., Mac>
Brian Kavanagh

- Aqua C Modifications -
I just purchased a mag drive 3 and an overflow box for my remora pro. The water intake tube on the pump fits very snug in the overflow box. There is about 1/8th inch clearance between the intake and the wall of the box. Is this okay or should I trim about 1/8 to 1/4 inch off of the intake to provide more water flow. <I'd probably trim down the intake on the pump.> It is functioning now but I am not getting the same amount of foam I was before adding the mag drive and overflow box. I also have what I would call a mild outbreak of red slime algae. My protein skimmer is about a month old and mag drive and overflow have just been installed [one day]. Do I have to wait and give it time to break in? <Only a couple of days.> By the way my amm. is 0, ni.=0, na=10, and ph is 8.2. My setup is a 80 gal. tank with about 40lbs of LR so far. Four blue-yellow tail damsels, one green Chromis [plan on adding a few more 3 or 4], a royal Gramma and one yellow watchman goby. For the most part everyone gets along fine. Any advice you could give me on my skimmer and red slime problem would certainly be appreciated. <The slime algae will have to be addressed directly - please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm >
Thank You,
R. Morton
P.S. My  lighting is 4x65 watt power compacts [2 10,000k and 2 03 actinics]
<Cheers, J -- >

- Problems Clamping with Plastic Clamps -
I was hoping you might help spread the word about a problem I had with the AquaC Remora Pro HOB skimmer I installed on my 90gal tank. The small black clips that secure the tubing between the pump and the skimmer are ridiculously under-engineered. I have a Magdrive 3 on mine and I was worried about these flimsy black clips when I installed it. I know now I should have used stainless hose clamps! <I don't really agree with this assessment - stainless steel is stain-less, not stain-proof and would still rust in your saltwater environment and cause no end of trouble. Those black plastic clips are in fact your best option, but are best used in pairs.> I arrived home from work today and was very tired, sat down on the couch and dozed off for about 10 minutes when I heard a noise (more specifically a lack of noise) in the tank. I looked over to see that the pump had come loose from the skimmer and was blowing my sand substrate all over the tank. I could barely see through the water!! my lil' buddies in the tank (baby Volitans, Russell's and Porc. Puffer) were seriously unimpressed. I took the pump out and found that the little black clip simply popped apart!! I was very careful to check, and double check the clamps when I installed the unit, the were on as good as they could be. I am changing over to stainless hose clamps immediately. <Please reconsider... use pliers to set those plastic clamps in place and you should be free of trouble.> I have since learned that a sump is the ONLY way to go for FOWLR and am setting up a 180 with a 55 gal sump now. I was having a hard time deciding between a AquaC EV unit or a Euro Reef, this incident made it VERY easy for me to choose. If I would have been at work (24 hour shifts) when this happened, my fish would have died from the sandstorm for sure, it looks like a tsunami ripped through the tank. <Mmmm... don't really agree with this assessment either, typhoons and lesser storms stir up sand constantly on the reef making it impossible to see, and it doesn't generally kill fish unless it buries them. They would have survived this no problem.> It's scary how a .03 cent piece of plastic can take out a tank in 30 seconds!! <More so when it's not deployed properly or in pairs. Have used these clamps for years without event... will agree that they are not as aggressive as a stainless-steel clamp, but the SS clamps really should not be used in a submerged capacity. Unless you have pried the plastic clamps apart too many times, they should hold strongly enough to keep the hose in place. I do understand your frustration, but would be better to examine your own methods rather than the manufacturer who supplied the proper parts.
Cheers, J -- >

- Remora Pro Pumps -
I have recently purchased an aqua c remora pro protein skimmer with a stock Rio 1400 powerhead. I have seen my fair share of Rio putdowns. <No worries, just take it apart and clean it frequently - every other month would be fine - and it will last you many years.> My question is what type of pump should i use on this skimmer. Would a maxi-jet 1200 be enough on a remora pro? <No, this pump would be undersized for that skimmer - the largest pump you can put on it is a Supreme Mag 3.
Cheers, J -- >

- Adjusting the AquaC EV Skimmer - 
After reading your write-ups about the AquaC (I can't fit a EuroReef) I just bought the EV180 for my 120 gal FOWLR-I also have an Amiracle wet/dry and will be adding a UV sterilizer. My question, I am going INSANE trying to adjust this skimmer-the level looks great for hours-but when I wake up in the morning its changed. <Is the skimmer in an area of the sump where the water level changes? If so, this is the root cause of your problem - if not... I'm not sure what to say.> I do not have a lot of room in my sump and am thinking of getting the urchin from AquaC-is this just as good as the EV180 or should I hang in there and give it more time? <I have both, but don't consider them to be equivalent - EV-180 is a much more powerful skimmer.> I'm going to have a fit if I have to adjust it ONE MORE TIME! <Then perhaps this is not the skimmer for you.> I need something-as you say-idiot proof-as I have no previous experience with protein skimmers. <Again... look to the water level in the sump - if it doesn't stay in the exact same place all the time, then the skimmer is in the wrong location.> Also, is the EV-180 a "down draft" skimmer as I've heard you mention? <Sort of, but not exactly.> What do you suggest-I think all this is a little over my head... 
The impatient one in Mass. (what were known for) 
:( 
<Cheers, J -- >

Jason Comes Through (3/10/04)
Thanx Steve! I've been reading recently about the troubles with the Rio pumps. I plan on getting a MaxiJet 1200. Hopefully that will help. I also contacted Jason at AquaC as your suggested and he gave me some advice that I'll try. It was nice to see how quickly he responded and how willing he is to help. I only wish more company's were like that. I'm keeping my eyes on the Linckias! :) Still nervous about them, but I'm a new salty mom! LOL <I knew you could count on Jason for some good tips. He's helped me with my Remora Pro. I agree with the MaxiJet upgrade. I expect you'll be satisfied. I surely hope your Linckias survive & thrive. Either way, please update us. Steve Allen.>

Aqua C Skimmer Adjustments 4/9/04 
First off, the book, The Conscientious Aquarist, and this site are incredibly helpful, informative (in a responsible, intelligent way), and very entertaining. Thank you for guiding me with my new set-up. However, I need a bit more specific advice that I could not seem to locate elsewhere..... I have a 60 Gal with 65lbs. Fiji live rock, 60lbs live sand, a big wet/dry sump that has the bio-balls removed and a filter bag in their place (should I keep the bag 'till I fill the space with live rock?) 
<filling with live rock is a popular habit, but not necessarily a good one. If it can be done without restricting water flow, OK. But if not, do resist... it may be an impediment> 
and an Aqua C EV-120 skimmer. The tank has been up for 3 weeks. As I am just now installing the skimmer, Aqua C recommends I leave the air valve and water valve fully open while initially setting it up. 
<yes... this is recommended and correct for most skimmers initially> 
The problem it that doing this results in copious amounts of wet foam spilling to the cup/reservoir. 
<understood... to correct, leave the air full open and restrict the water inflow until it subsides. If that is not enough, then the skimmer is sitting too low in the water (if sump model) or the feed pump is oversized> 
Turning the air valve down lowers the foam ok, but seems to be inefficiently skimming. 
<Correct... always resist throttling the airflow> 
After much tweaking of the skimmer, I currently just have the air turned way down and bubbles in the tower, no overflow. Have I lost my mind, am I missing something, or is this just a break in period. (I know this is probably a question for Aqua C, but I like you guys better=) 
<the old saying of a "break in period" is mostly bunk IMO. You need to focus on water flow here my friend> 
Thanks in advance, Pat in Costa Mesa 
<best of luck. Anthony>

Skimmer Question 12/30/03
Hi there,
<Hi again Pete!>
Thanks for all the skimmer advice, just one last question! The AquaC
skimmers seem to be the most highly rated skimmers on your website and their low height means that they could fit in my sump without having to be removed to take off the collection cup. I'm quite cynical and I see that AquaC sponsor WetWebMedia, they are as good as you say they are right??!
<I am new enough here that I didn't even know Aqua-C was a sponsor!  In addition, we do work very hard to give unbiased opinions.  If I though another device would be better for your application, I would have said so without hesitation.  Aqua-C skimmers are top-notch.>
The question was whether you can get these skimmers in the UK, I emailed the website about it but didn't hear back.
<Give them a couple of days.  Jason is usually pretty good about this.>
Also they recommend the Iwaki pumps, haven't seen those for sale in England either... Any ideas? I think the EV-120 looks like the best for a 100 gallon tank.
<Any equivalent pump will work.  Iwaki's are external only, and you previously mentioned submersibles.  Iwaki pumps are probably the gold standard by which all other external magnetically coupled pumps are judged.  FWIW, I would be shocked if they aren't available in the UK.  They are a large company that supplies a wide variety of industries.  You might check their website directly.>
Thanks once again, I've got into the habit of reading WWM almost every day now, always lots of new things to learn!
<Always happy to help out!  I look forward to chatting again! Adam>
Pete

- Skimmer Performance -
Hi Crews,
I had an Aqua C Remora. It is not producing any skimmate in the cup for the last 3 days. The foam stay at lower half of the tube. Due to equipment fault, my salinity is at 1.029 and I am trying to get it down to 1.024. So my question is that while lowering my salinity, does it disrupt my Remora from skimming efficiently? <It does alter things a bit...>
I don't think my tank is lack of nutrient because I am experiencing Cyano bloom now. Also, when I added powerheads to combat Cyano, the Remora reacts negatively. The foam go even lower down the tube? Any ideas??? <Live with it... or perhaps purchase the surface skimmer attachment. The circulation is really quite useful.> I am confused and lost. Should I continue to wait further (3 days now) for my Remora to produce skimmate again? <I would... am doing something similar. My Urchin stopped skimming over the weekend, after a water change - has produced nothing since.> I checked the pump, cleaned the cup, cleaned the inner tube etc, but to no avail. <Yes... I have done all the same. Just be patient... it will start working again.>
My tank is 46g, 45lbs LR, 2 small clownfish, 1 cleaner shrimp, 8 snails. Is Cyano bloom normal for my 3 months old tank? <Yes.
Cheers, J -- >

Best Pump for This AquaC Skimmer
>Hello there,
>>Hello.
>I searched the database, but was unable to find an answer already
posted--sorry if I just missed it.  
>>Vast amounts of info to be slogged through here!  No worries.
>My question is a quick one:
>>Hotay!
>I'm going to be getting an Aqua C Remora skimmer for my 30g cube tank, and I'm wondering which pump is generally regarded as best for it (Rio 800 or MaxiJet 1200)?????  
>>I will recommend a MaxiJet EVERY TIME.  
>Are there pros/cons for each?  
>>MaxiJet won't burn up on you and pollute your tank (that's the con of the Rio).  
>The tank will contain a bimac octopus, so I'm looking for the best, most effective pump (of the preceding two listed) for this skimmer.  Thanks--I'll be waiting to hear from you before I place my order.  Sam Sundberg - Mpls, MN
>>Well, I hope I was quick enough, I know how it is when you have an itchy clicker finger!  I say MaxiJet, all the way.  Marina

Pump for an EV-120...
Hi Crew.  I am collecting the equipment to set of a 50-gallon reef tank.  I just purchased a slightly used AquaC EV-120 skimmer that did not include a pump.  The manual recommends four pumps:  the Mag 500, Dolphin DP 560, Iwaki 20 RLT, and RIO 2100.  Of the four, I ruled out the Iwaki because of price (maybe I'll upgrade later).  I've been reading on your site (and heard from retailers) that there are problems with Rios burning out, etc. <Yep, god bless TAAM for such a quality product... At least they're cheap.> So, it seems it's down to the Mag 500 and the Dolphin DP 560.  Both seem to be about the same price. Do you have a recommendations on which to select, and why? <Either one will work well, I run several mag.s and neglect their maintenance like the plague and they still run strong. I also run one on my EV-180 and it performs very well. So, it's up to you, the mag might be a little smaller as well.>  Also, would any other pump work well with this skimmer? <Nope, you should be good with either the mag or the dolphin>
Thanks, Tim <Happy skimming. -Kevin>

- Noisy Pump -
I just got my AquaC Remora Pro skimmer with a mag drive pump.  I even got it installed!  Unfortunately, there's an obnoxious rattling sound coming from the pump and just intermittent gurgles of water into the skimmer.  Now, I'm no marine biologist... but I don't think it's working right.  Any ideas? <I'm not a marine biologist either but I think your pump is broken. I'd pull the volute off the front on the pump and give things a look-see.> Mucho appreciation! Mike
<Cheers, J -- >

- AquaC Urchin and Ozone -
I have a urchin pro which I just found out is not compatible with ozone. <I don't know if I'd use the word incompatible - there just isn't a easy place to get the ozone in like the fitting on the AquaC EV series. You can use a venturi fitting on the powerhead to get ozone into the skimmer, but it will affect the efficiency of the skimmer.> I know that the ozone discharge is supposed to go into the skimmer intake. <It doesn't have to go there.> Is there another way to dose ozone safely without adding it directly to the skimmer? <There are ozone reactors on the market which will accomplish the same thing.> Thank you for this wonderful site.
Alex
<Cheers, J -- >

Skimmer Placement
>Hello to all!
>>Hello to one!  Marina tonight.
>I have a question on where to place my AquaC remora skimmer.  I have a 65gal reef w/ a gravity feed 20gal refugium.  My tank is being filtered by the refugium and a canister filter.  I've had the skimmer hanging on the back of my tank w/ the surface skimmer box for about 7 months now.  If possible I would like to place it in my refugium just to get it out of the display tank.  My refugium is built out of a 20H and features one piece of glass dividing the incoming water from the rest. The refuge is being fed by a small maxi power head. Would my skimmer perform just as well if I placed it in my refugium?  Thanks,  Jason -Surfs Up!
>>I don't see why not.  Give it a try, I say.  Marina

Super Charging The Aqua C Urchin Skimmer!
In response to Scott F's helpful reply to my question "Sump + skimmer (Urchin Pro) with single pump?", I also heard back from Jason Kim at AquaC, as follows....
"Bruce: Thanks for the message, your idea sounds fine and we do have a number of customers who run their Urchin/Urchin Pros exactly in this manner.  The main problem you will face is finding a suitable pump that will be able to provide the right flow rates and also adjusting the flow correctly once everything is set up.
The skimmer is going to run best when provided with a flow of 300-500 gph unrestricted.  This is a wide range, but since you are going to the trouble of doing this yourself I figure you might as well beef up the flow rate and get better results.  In other words, a flow of 300 gph will give you Mag 3 level of performance.  If you move towards 500 gph, you are talking Mag 5 performance which is 30-50% stronger.  The Urchin Pro will yield excellent results at this level. In sizing the pump... If you want 500 gph of actual flow back to the tank, you will need to find a pump that produces 500 gph at however many feet of head there are from the sump to the tank, plus the 300-500 gph unrestricted (no feet of head) for the skimmer.  An example of such a pump would be something like the Iwaki 40RLT (which is even a bit more powerful than that) or the "Quiet One" pump. If you didn't need as much flow back to the tank, which is probably the case, you could get
away with something like the Iwaki 30RLT or equivalent.  There are a host of submersible pumps that would also fit the bill, but it sounds like you want to avoid those.  I mention the Iwakis since they are easy to find, very high quality, and it is easy to find flow rate info on them.  There are, however, many other external pumps that would certainly work... On your other question, the water outflow from the skimmer is simply a square hole that is milled into the side of the unit.  Water "cascades" out this hole and down the skimmer body.  If you butted the skimmer up to a baffle directly, the majority of the water flow should travel on
to the next compartment, and you would have little or no flow that ends up back in the same compartment as the skimmer.  This really wouldn't be an issue, so it should work just fine. You will need a couple of high-quality ball- or gate-valves on the output of the pump so that you can control the flow to the skimmer and tank...  this should be relatively easy to do, it will just take some experimentation once you get everything set up to find out how to
divide the flow rates. Let me know if you have any other questions and I can help out!" Jason Kim, President, AquaC, Inc.
http://www.proteinskimmer.com
<That Jason Kim is an alright guy, huh? He knows his stuff, folks- THAT is one reason why we recommend his products so often...>
Scott, your comment about needing to concentrate raw, protein-laden
SURFACE water into the sump skimmer is indeed a potential weakness in my single-pump sump design; the two big overflows at the top of the main tank are intended to address that need.
<Yep- surface overflows will do the job>
Also, my sump will not include ANY mechanical filtration (except in emergency), although it will admittedly contain live-rock rubble to provide some  nitrogen-processing.
<Good idea, IMO>
On that subject, one last question.... Am I right in assuming that live rock in a total-darkness sump still helps water quality in the main tank? At a minimum, total darkness seems a low-tech way to kill off unwanted green algae on live rock without losing the beneficial bacteria inside. Yes? No?
<Well, yes- the bacteria should still do the job, even in darkness. You still need to obey all standard rules of tank maintenance, etc, to keep things humming- but this should be fine>
THANKS AGAIN! - Bruce Mewhinney
P.S. - I'll take pictures and document results of this
skimmer/sump/single-pump setup.
<And thanks for sharing Jason's response, Bruce...Sharing is what this site is all about! Regards, Scott F>

Modifying a Remora Skimmer
Good Afternoon Gentlemen and Lady,
<Well, maybe not a gentleman...But you have Scott F. with you today!>
Ok, I finally had it with my Red Sea Berlin Hang On Skimmer. I finally broke down and bought the Aqua-C Remora.
<A great choice in H.O.T. skimmers, IMO!>
I just wasn't having fun with the Berlin. I found myself on all fours every night, trying to find the right air/ water equilibrium. My question is, I bought the Remora Hang-On with the MaxiJet 1200 pump and I had to double the length of the tubing so that the pump would be completely submerged. Will this affect the performance of the skimmer? I guess I'm a little "gun-shy" because of my experiences with the Berlin. Much thanks, Greg
<I don't think that it will be too much of a problem, but you may have to experiment a bit to get it right...Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

- Aqua-C and ClearTank -
<Greetings, JasonC here...>
To the Grand Poohbahs of the Captive Ocean, the great and all-powerful Wizards of Wet, the Sages of Surf and Surge... I beg a question or two...
Seriously, you guys have saved me from so much grief, thus the superlatives. <Well, thank you for the accolades, but I really am just a normal human, same as you.>
I have a 60 G system w/some soft inverts and fish that are doing relatively well but there's an inconsistency problem with my Aqua-C EV-150 skimmer which seems to manifest itself with inverts looking good for a week, then a little anemic, then good again. It seems it's efficiency is directly related to the water level in the sump. <This is quite true...> I get it tweaked so that the foam isn't too wet or too little or none. In a few days the water level drops and so does the foam level. Is this just part of the way the Aqua-C's work? <Well - the 'tweaked' setup of your skimmer has as much to do with the water level in the sump... there are ways to design your sump so that the skimmer sees a constant level of water, and or use an automatic top-off device to keep the water level in the sump constant.> This model has been replaced by the EV-90. <Am quite familiar with these.>
Secondly, I talked to the President of the company that makes ClearTank, the polymer spray that minimizes algae growth on glass/acrylic (you spray/wipe the stuff on a new dry tank before set up) and he guarantees the stuff. He was very convincing. I've ordered a bottle. Have you guys heard one way or the other? <Nope.> I'm going to be building a new reef system soon and I thought I'd give it a try, unless you guys, the Gods of Gorgonians, say nix. <I can't imagine the stuff would really last very long, or long enough... but I'm sure you can let us know how it goes.>
Silicon Valley Steve
<Cheers, J -- >

AquaC Skimmer
Hello WWM Crew,
just want to say, all of you do an excellent job here!
<We thank you!>
I just setup my 55g tank and have used many suggestions I have read here.  Everything is going fine so far… 65lbs LR, 50lbs Southdown sand, 1 dozen snails, ˝ dozen Scarlet Reef crabs, etc.  I am only about 1 month into it… and I don’t want to rush it.  One minor problem I have been having is the AquaC Remora Skimmer.  It works great by the way!.. but the vibration from the Maxijet 1200 pump is driving me nuts… Is there a chance I have a bad one?
<I'm not sure what kind of vibration you're talking about. I would look for some way to make the connection from the powerhead to the skimmer tighter...possibly add some padding in the area where the vibration is occurring. I have and continue to use Maxijet products and have never had a vibrating powerhead. Something may be wrong with either setup or the powerhead>
So many people seem to love them.  I now need buy some powerheads for water flow, if my Maxijet isn’t defective, I need to look
for a different brand… which brand should I go with?
<IMO most powerheads are created equal, with the exception of
Zoo-med sweeping powerheads. They really are a total waste of money>
Also I was thinking of setting up 1 powerhead in each back corner (total of two) crossing over each other.  What would be the right amount of gph for each of this powerheads for my 55g.
<Don't worry. Buy high gph. You will never get too much circulation from a powerhead. Or have each blowing into the front panel of the tank...for the same purpose. I use the largest Maxijets available for my 100 gallon (I think about 260 gph). It still isn't much>  
Thank you
<You're welcome! David Dowless>
-Brian   

Re: AquaC Skimmer
I guess "vibration" wasn't the best wording for the pump itself... it is
really a hum (loud)... that in turn seems to vibrate everything in the
room... and since the pump is not touching anything except an adapter
tube for the Remora... I can't see how to dampen it anymore... I am
really nervous about adding two more of these and having it sound like a
idling jetliner... do yours hum at all? Sorry to be a pain... I just
can't see how this can be normal. Thanks again
<Jason (Kim) and I have been over this issue (cheaper pumps... and their inherent shortcomings). Please look into replacing the pump with an Eheim... this will solve the noise problem, and the service factor (longevity, energy savings, less waste heat) will pay for itself in several months. Bob Fenner>
-Brian

Aqua C EV 180  with a Becket 1408 foam head
Anthony I am sending the pictures of the Aqua c EV180 protein skimmer  with before and after with the Beckett 1408 foam head. It takes just 10 min to change it over, and it will get twice the dark skimmate per day in the cup. and much better control. The pump that was used for the Aqua C was not change to do this . Your help to polish the article would make it much better.    RGibson
<thanks kindly, Ralph. All in good time. But thanks for contributing. We are tied up in the final edit of the book now at any rate... quite busy from the next month. Looking forward to your piece though! Kind regards, Anthony>

Skimmers and Bubbles-Causing Troubles..?
Hi Crew,
<Scott F. with you this evening>
Recently have set up a 200 gallon FOWLR tank.  Will be keeping triggers, angels, and wrasses.  Have not yet ordered the skimmers.  Originally was going to get the Turboflotor but in reading your FAQ's decided maybe to consider the Aqua-C EV-180 or EV-240.  Would I be able to get by with the EV-180 (even though my tank is 20 gallons bigger) or do I need to upgrade even more to the EV-240 (is there going to really be that much of a difference?).
<I'd go for the EV240. IMO, there IS a difference in performance...bigger is better when it comes to skimmers, particularly in a FOWLR tank. Do contact Jason Kim at Aqua C if you have specific sizing-related questions. He's a great guy, and will definitely offer you some good advice.>
Next question is I unfortunately have the bubbles in the main tank problem as many others do.  I have a 72 gallon sump in basement,
set up the baffles, checked all pvc plumbing lines no leaks.  From my sump back to the main tank I am running 1" pvc and then have it go into 3/4" at the returns into the main tank.  Do you think this may be the problem, would it be worthwhile changing those to 1".  Thanks for the help
Joe
<Well, Joe, it sounds like you've eliminated the leak idea, created baffles. Hmm- I'd say that the larger diameter return is worth a shot. Perhaps the decreased pressure may help eliminate those bubbles. Good luck to you!>

New AquaC
I recently purchased an Aqua C Remora protein skimmer from FFE
(small one with Rio 800 pump). I've had it for nearly 2 weeks, but I can
never leave it alone for long because it keeps collecting full cups of
water. A great deal of foam is collected, but it breaks down into water,
and the cup is full of water in 1-2 hours. I've tried adjusting the cup
to all possible heights. I even took it to the LFS and had them run it.
It worked perfectly for them. So is it my water? My SG is at 20. Any
ideas?
<Thank you for writing, and yes, the excessive volume and "wetness" of your protein skimmer collectant may well be due to a simple factor you mention: your low specific gravity (you list as 20, probably 1.020). Do elevate this (over a period of a few days, about a thousandth per day) to something closer to Natural Seawater (NSW), 1.025. The higher density is more useful to you for your livestock and skimmer function.
The easiest way to achieve this elevation is to remove a gallon or so of water, add a cup or so of salt mix, dissolve it thoroughly and slowly pour or siphon this hypersaline solution into the middle (not onto sessile/non-mobile invertebrates) of your tank. You should see a continuing "dry-ness" to the material you collect in your skimmer cup, and much less volume. Bob Fenner>

Skimmer Selection
Hey Guys,
    I have a 125 gal. reef tank, and I made a 55 gal. sump for it. Can you recommend a protein skimmer for my sump, preferably a one piece unit.
Thanks, Louie
<Your best bet would be to check out the forums for others opinions, reefcentral.com, wetwebfotos.com/talk/, etc.  The two brands that I am always hearing good things about are Aqua-C and EuroReef.
http://proteinskimmer.com/
http://www.euro-reef.com/
You should also check out our Skimmer FAQs to learn of others experiences.  Best Regards, Gage >

- Eheim Pump for AquaC Skimmer -
Hi,
I'm in the UK and have just ordered an AquaC EV180 skimmer from America (having put up with a Berlin for far too long..), I don't have access to any of the recommended pumps for the AquaC skimmer, didn't order pump from US 'because of different voltages. <Understood.>
Have you seen the EV180 working with an Eheim pump? <In fact, I have.> Which Eheim pump would you recommend? <Gosh... I keep forgetting their model numbers...> I was thinking either the 1262 (3400 lph) or the 1264 (4500 lph). <I think you are right.> (I think the recommended pumps range from the Mag 7 (2650 lph) to the Rio3100 (3780 lph)) <Do think you should contact AquaC directly... have seen Jason Kim running Eheim pumps in his facility but just can't recall which one it was - info@proteinskimmer.com >
Thanks,
Pete
<Cheers, J -- >

The ultimate comparison. Aqua C -v- EuroReef (also would a hybrid idea work?)
I just wanted to say after reading MANY of all your guys reviews, that thank goodness there are people out there that truly give good advice when it comes to aquarium issues. with that said on to my question. I have been a reefer for many moons and have usually gone the cheaper way of doing things.  This last year I made a choice that I need quality over being cheap. Everything has worked in the past but I can see were having the cheaper product has cost me many years hunched over a tank that didn't need to be spent.  my set ups are a 7g 30g a 65g a 90g and a 120g all reefs.  I have used Aquaclear products in the past and they work good as far as skimmers but I am truly looking for a step above and beyond this series.  The 2 skimmers that seem to be leading the pack are the Aqua C and the EuroReef. I really like the sturdy design and ease of fine-tuning of the Aqua C but I keep finding my self drawn to the EuroReef's (Sedra pumps) pinwheel for chopping up the bubbles. I know these are both great products and for me money isn't an issue since were only talking 40-110 dollars difference. Which is truly hands down the best?
<Euro Reef>
(in your opinion of course) Also I was thinking could I have my cake and eat it to by purchasing a SEDRA 5000 pinwheel pump and attaching it to the Aqua C Unit. This to me would seem like the end all of be all. but would it work?
< Not sure if this would work I'll Pass on the question. Eric Rood>
Or would it simply fizzle out the performance of the aqua C. Any information and opinions from you guys would be much appreciated as my wallet is on fire and my skimmers need to be replaced ;)
Thank you much!
Sy West

EV-180 vs. CS8-2 - 12/27/03
Hello Bob & Crew:
<Hi Rich.  Adam here today!>
I have tried lots of searching before sending this e-mail but have found  nothing.   I guess it is hard to find someone with this experience.   My search  for a new skimmer has come down to the EuroReef CS8-2 or the AquaC EV-180.
<Both outstanding choices.>
Operating noise level is the main consideration on making a decision between the two, I have done enough research to know they are both great skimmers.   Any  opinions (experience) on this would be greatly appreciated.
<Pump choice will obviously be important in noise considerations.  Also, strategies like putting neoprene pads under pumps can help a lot.  Between these two, I would probably decide based on cost (don't forget that the pump comes with the euro-reef!).>
If the EV-180 is  the suggestion which pump?
<Jason at Aqua-C is second to none in customer service and assistance.  I am sure he will do a much better job with this than I would.>
I don't think they (AquaC) have evaluated the new Quiet Ones and since my main return is currently a Mag7 that is becoming very
noisy I am tending to shy away from them (although it is 3 years old).
<Jason may have done this testing by now.  I would check with him.   My experience with the new Quiet ones is that they are comparable to a Mag drive in noise.  When you do choose, also consider the availability of replacement parts.  Hint...  Mag drive parts are everywhere.  Replacement parts for Euro-Reefs are bit more difficult to find and often a bit pricey.>
Thanks for the help.
<No problem!>
Rich

Remora Skimmer for 29G? (12/27/2003)
Just a simple question that I could not find on your site.  Is the Aqua C Remora to much skimming for a 29 gal reef tank. <A quick check of the AquaC website reveals that the Remora (not the pro) is the right size.>  I am in the planning stages and want to make the right decisions now and not have to pay for it later.  I plan on having a few clowns, tangs, and anemones.  <Bad plan. There is no Tang that is appropriate for such a small  tank. Minimum 75G for one yellow, bigger for a purple. No anemones. Very difficult for beginners and require a lot of light, pristine water conditions and care beyond the ability of a beginner. BTW, clownfish do not need and anemone. Also, I would not keep more than two clownfish in this small tank and I would stick to ocellaris/percula. Do consider other fish for your tank such as the Royal Gramma, a small Hawkfish, and smaller gobies. Perhaps a small flasher wrasse.> Live rock will be a must.  Let me know.  Thanks Jeremy <You're welcome. Steve Allen>

Over-skimming With Remora Pro? (12/23/2003)
One more question regarding my 40 gallon setup.  For future flexibility (larger tank) should I go with the Remora Pro now?  I'm willing to spend the extra $70., I've read (I think here) that it is possible to 'over skim'.  Would the Pro be too large for the 40 gallon tank?
Thanks, Rick
<I checked AquaC's website. They list this skimmer for as little as 40 gallons. If you plan on going to a bigger tank in the forseeable future and have the extra $, I see no reason not to go for it. Steve Allen>

Which Aqua-C?
Hey Crew,
I am considering buying a AquaC Urchin pro skimmer for my 55 gallon reef (90 lbs of live rock). I am debating between the Urchin Pro and ev-120. The ev-120 is a little out of my budget. Do you know if the urchin pro will work well with my tank or suggest a comparable skimmer? Thanks so much, Chris.
<Sure Chris. The Urchin Pro will work fine with a sump set-up, the Remora Pro for hang-ons. Also look at Euro Reef ES series for sump placement. All fine for this size tank. Get the EV-120 if you know you'll be getting a larger tank in the future......
Cheers, Craig>

Aqua C- A World-Class Skimmer?
Scott,
<Hello again!>
Thanks for the information. Given my requirement for a HOT skimmer the Aqua C Remora appears to be a good choice. Unfortunately, being based in the UK, I am not sure I can find a supplier (I am checking this out at the moment). If I cannot get hold of the Remora I was wondering if the Bak-pak 2 is highly regarded (certainly better than the Prizm, anyway)?
Thanks for your help. Andrew Senior
<I do like the Bak-Pak 2. It is a proven, reliable skimmer. However, do check with Jason Kim at Aqua C for dealers who may carry this skimmer in the UK. He is one of the truly great guys in this industry, and perhaps he can point you to a source. Perhaps some U.S. e-tailers who ship internationally will carry these skimmers. They are worth the effort to find them. Good luck in your search! Regards, Scott F>

Remora Pro (online deal)
Hi, you just posted a mail from Derek about wanting to buy a Remora Pro.  I assume the $345 that he was going to pay was at a local retail store?  I just ordered one on line and will be receiving today from
www.aquaticwarehouse.com for $199 including the Rio 1400 pump.  I paid the extra $29 for the two day shipping for a total of $228.99 including shipping and the item.  I am always on the lookout for a good deal and this was the best that I found on the net through google.com.  I don't know if you are big into putting up addies for on line stores but am hoping if he reads this it could save him big bucks and will get him the better skimmer for the good deal.  Thanks as always, Jeff
<We post what folks send. Thank you for sending this along. A bargain, for sure. Bob Fenner>

Aqua C vs. Euroreef
Hi All,
<cheers>
Love your site! The information here is mind boggling. Thank you all
for taking the time to answer our questions.
<our pleasure>
I am setting up a 180 gallon reef tank. The DIY sump (40 gallon long)
will have live rock instead of bio-balls and a small refugium. Since I
was told by my LFS that the refugium should have a turnover of about 2
x's per hr., (I hope this information is correct???)
<not really... likely too slow but depends entirely on the type of
refugium and its inhabitants>
I thought to have the skimmer overflow into it which would then overflow towards the return pumps.
<if the skimmer is getting raw water from the display first then I'm Ok
with it all>>
I will be purchasing a skimmer within the next few days and would like
to ask your opinion regarding this. Looking over your site it seems the
AquaC and Euro-Reef are the two top skimmers mentioned.
<many good brands for different peoples needs...these two are at the top
considering value and performance. The "best" may be an RK2 starting at
$1500 and self cleaning...heehee>
The Marine Depot site lists that you would have to double your water capacity when purchasing the Euro-Reef skimmer. Is this true? If so, my stand height is 26 inches and the CS8-2 rated for 200-500 gallons is 24 inches which would make it a real tight fit. When I looked at the AquaC there is not a reference to double the water capacity. In that case I could go with the EV180 rated for 60-270 gallons and only 20 inches high. The EV240 is 26 inches and that puts it right out of the ballpark height wise.
Thank you for any help you can give me in this.
<the Euroreef needs high volume, is possibly a slightly more consistent
and idiot-proof design... the Aqua C gets my vote for value and performance with educated consumers>
Chris, Williamstown, NJ
<best regards, Anthony Calfo>

Re: Aqua C vs. Euroreef
Hi Anthony,
Thank you for your quick response regarding the skimmer.
<my pleasure>
It is now ordered and should be here next week along with the 180 tank and the Custom SeaLife 3-175 MH/2-96W (2 Actinic/3-5500K)light.
Before I go on with this email I must tell you I had a great chuckle
when I received a reply from you. I have read "Aquarium Corals" by
Borneman, "The book of the Marine Aquarium" by Dakin and of course Bob's book "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" which I consider one of the best that I have read so far. Now to the chuckling part----The decision
of the skimmer was holding up my order and I was getting impatient
because included in that order is your book "Book of Coral Propagation".
Thanks to your suggestion of skimmers, I now can get your book into my
hands within a few days!
<Ha! talk about fate for both of us :)>
I read on your site that you have suggestions on what type of macroalgae should be grown to benefit the corals and would like to learn more---hence the refugium idea.
<yes... in fact, I just got off the phone with Eric Borneman... we were
chatting and grumping about various industry shams not the least of
which is the awful marketing blitz that has strong-armed aquarists into equating Caulerpa with refugiums!!! Refugiums have been around DECADES longer than "magic mud" Caulerpa cess pools... and there are so many reasons not to encourage large quantities of it to grow. Anything but Caulerpa please. Heck... many styles of refugiums have no Caulerpa at all and are far more productive :)>
I have a 30 gallon reef tank with a few corals (Plerogyra sp, Paralemnalia sp., Protopalythoa vestitus, and a few mushrooms of various colors) and fish (1-True percula, 1-Copperband Butterfly (which I have had for 5 months and love blood worms, seaweed and brine/Mysis shrimp), and 2 PJ Cardinals. Let's not forget the cleaning crew of a few blue leg crabs, snails, and 1 cleaner shrimp. All which live together happily so far but will be more comfortable in the 180.
Presently I have the Berlin Turbo skimmer which I was able to get skimming pretty well until I cleaned the collection cup (rinsed with water only). Since then (3 weeks) I have not seen one drop of scum come out of it.
<interesting>
Needless to say, the water changes are weekly if not more depending on my readings. Unfortunately, my sump has bio balls which I did not know about the nitrate buildup until I stumbled on your sight a few months back. The RK2 sounds like my kind of skimmer since its self cleaning. Maybe I can make a wish list for Santa--hehe.
<agreed!>
Now to get back to your reply, the 40 gallon tank chambers will be set
up as follows: skimmer and overflow water, live rock (about 17 lbs.),
refugium (which will be elevated slightly to allow the overflow water to pass under, return pumps. The size of the refugium will be determined by the space left after the above is placed in. I am hoping the size will be at least 12 inches wide if not more. I asked my LFS if any of his customers install the skimmer this way (to get an idea on how to set the thing up). His said none of his customers have the skimmer before the raw water.
<then none of his customers have an optimally working skimmer... this is
all too common. Skimmers need to be fed raw overflow surface water... this is why better skimmers have their own skimmer boxes (Aqua C) or are rail mounted at surface (TUNZE). Otherwise, raw waste is allowed to go
through a biological component and create nitrate rather than get skimmed out before turning into nitrate>
Walking away with no idea of the proper way to do this, could you suggest how this should be done? My mental image is to have the overflow drain into the chamber that the skimmer is in.
<exactly>
The skimmer pump pulls up whatever water it can into the chamber and skims it. The remaining water will rise (no higher than 8 inches as per AquaC's site) and overflow into the live rock chamber which will drain into the next chamber and eventually get pulled up by the return pumps.
<ahh...yes, I think we agree. Basically... the skimmer box is drilled with a
hole at or slightly above the mfg recommended running level (the skimmer
can be propped up if necessary but never drill a hole too low)... the raw
water fills up the chamber and overflows into the sump or downstream
otherwise. The skimmer cycles in and out of the skimmer box water and the high turnover per hour thoroughly skims the system>
The skimmed water will flow into the refugium and overflow to the returns too. That was the original plan until you mentioned that the 2x's per hour flow may be too slow. Could we not raise the refugium up and have it level
with everything else and have the full flow of the overflow and skimmer go into the refugium and then overflow to the return pumps chamber? (We will be using 2 Mag 7 for the returns and another Mag 7 for the skimmer). I'm sorry I don't have a drawing yet (just a really rough draft of this sump) but until the skimmer arrives and I know the proper dimensions this is still theory in my mind. I guess to put it in a nutshell - Is the full flow from the overflow and skimmer running through the refugium too much?
<hmmm.... this is perhaps tough for both of us to envision in text. Do
look at the following diagram: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/plumbingmarart.htm
this is a diagram (not to scale) of many possible components but each
where it may work best>
So you will be in Philly in December? I would love to come. Do they
have a website I can go to and get the information?
<the club president hasn't confirmed the date yet... they are called
PARC>
There's a LFS I go to in the North East. In fact was there today to pick up the last of the LR for the 180. BTW, there are 3 LFS's I go to and this is not the one that said the turnover of the refugium should be 2x's per hour.
<I heard that Hidden Reef is pretty good in the area. Indeed, one can
get good and bad advice most anywhere... hence the reason for being an
informed consumer>
Cheers, Chris
<kindly, Anthony>

AquaC Skimmer
Hi guys,
We found a Aqua-C Urchin Pro Skimmer that is used for $70. Right now we have a 35 gallon tank, and I know that the Urchin Pro is big, but we do plan on upgrading to a 75 gallon tank within the year. Is it possible to buy the urchin Pro and use it on the 35 gallon until we upgrade or should we go with the smaller Aqua-C Urchin?
<No, do not buy this unit, just tell me where it is for sale. Just joking. I would pick this up in a minute, but I have a garage half-full of aquarium stuff and cannot park a car in there. I would still recommend you get the unit. It is a nice sump model skimmer. On your smaller tank, you may have to feed a little heavier and dose iodine a little more frequently.>
Thanks for your advice, Marci
<You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

Skimming - 12/27/03
Good Morning from the UK (or probably good evening).
<And to you!  Sorry for the slow reply during the holiday time.>
I wonder if I could trouble you with a quick question on my skimmer.
I use a Remora Pro HOT Skimmer which has produced skimmate regularly for months up until I had a bit of a disaster.......
<Nice skimmer!  I so hate to hear the "D" word!>
I registered a spike in my ammonia and nitrites about a month ago and suffered the loss of 4 fish!!!!! Two clown fish and two Pajama Cardinals.
<Sorry to hear of your losses.>
My tank is 40 gallons, with Fijian Rock via TMC and live sand. I had a total of seven fish in here which combined with my no doubt overfeeding, will likely have caused the ammonia spike (saltwater newbie..... That's my excuse anyway).
<Sounds like pretty heavy stocking (to begin with, not currently), but I doubt your feeding regime was the issue, I would consider it much more likely that an animal (even a single snail) died, causing the ammonia spike.>
I managed to bring the ammonia and nitrite back to zero via water changes and using the cycle bacteria. I now feed sparingly (a quarter of a frozen cube of Mysis shrimp once a day just incase), do you think this is too little?
<I suspect that your water changes were helped out by the fact that this was likely a one time event and the natural processes in your system.  Your current feeding is probably a bit on the light side and I would recommend a bit of variety (coral beauties natural diet is high in algae).  I would be concerned about the fire fish not getting enough food with two aggressive feeding tankmates.  I would also be concerned about the Gramma harassing the firefish into jumping out.>
The tank now consists of a Royal Gramma, one Coral Beauty, one firefish, Red star fish, duster cluster, 2 common cleaner shrimps and a clean up crew of hermits and Cerith snails.
<Be cautious that you don't have too many hermits and Ceriths.  I loathe crabs in general for their destructive tendencies (Even supposedly "reef safe" hermits for killing snails and each other for their shells!) and recommend keeping just a few if you must to keep competition low.  Ceriths are generally detritus specialists but may consume a bit of algae.  Keep no more than one per 2 gallons or so to prevent starvation.>
Since this loss of fish and my cut back on feeding my skimmer has produced no skimmate, not even a small puddle? Do you think this is simply down to the lack of waste in the tank, or should I be looking at a problem with the skimmer?
<This is probably a combination of your water changes and low feeding level.  Also, some Mysis are oily and tend to temporarily shut down skimmate production.>
I have mailed Aqua C regarding just incase there's something I've missed but the pump is fine and the skimmer is "jetting" the water.
<Jason's customer service and advice is second to none.  If he confirms that everything is OK with the functioning of the skimmer, I would trust that it is.>
Do I need to be concerned?
<Probably not.  I would try increasing your feeding a bit and see if the skimmer picks up.  Also, observe the skimmer to see if the foam collapses after feeding the Mysis.>
Many thanks Martin.
<Bet regards!  Adam>

Protein Skimmer
Hello there,
I am thinking about getting an AquaC Urchin or Remora protein skimmer. I have limited space under my 55g tank. The sump is a 10g glass tank with 4-5 inches of water and the box holding the carbon and bio-balls takes up most of the space. I've read that you really appreciate the quality
of the AquaC products, so do you think that this would be a good investment for me? 
<I would sooner not run most marine aquaria than do so without a good skimmer! Yes, very good investment>
I like the small footprint of the skimmer (it'll just make it into the sump), and mostly the price. What is the general opinion about these skimmers? 
<one of the best values for the price>
Do you prefer the sump or H.O.T. skimmer?
<I favor sump models when you can/care to make an internal skimmer box (for more reliable water level) see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/SystemPIX/AnthonysPlumbingDiagram.pdf>
Currently I've got six small pieces of live rock (three in the sump; do they need light?), 
<yes, for many interesting growths to flourish>
3 Florida Condy anemones, 
<do resist keeping or at least mixing anemone species... a recipe for disaster in the future with their competitive and motile nature. Feed VERY regularly (several times weekly with very fine shredded meats) and give very bright reef light if you are to have success>
3 serpent stars, 7 snails, about 10 blue legged hermits, a cucumber, a cinnamon clown, 4 damsels, a Kole tang, and a yellow tang (fish are 2 1/2 - 4 1/2" long, damsels are about 1 inch). I want to add some mushrooms in the future, and an E. quadricolor (?spelling) anemone.
<this anemone like most belongs in a species tank...not to be mixed with other cnidarians if you are to have long term success (not just a year or two)>
Thank you, Randy M. Yniguez, MA
<best regards, Anthony>

Aqua-C Skimmer Trouble
I bought a Aqua-C model EV180 30 days ago. The collection cup top is hard to get off, check with Aqua C was told to put Vaseline on the gasket it did not help much . I see know need of buying auto waste container at $ 79.95 and end up cleaning it and the collection cup to when the cap on the collection cup could be vented to let the air out and keep waste in and could be used by it self. I hope you can help. RGibson
<I would "tap" the collection cup and attach a drain line to it to a one gallon plastic milk jug or such... Please get on down to a retail shop or look on the internet at how these ports are arranged... use a sharp drill bit... and either Weld-On solvent or silicone rubber. Bob Fenner, who finds it very hard to believe this part sticks... and will cc Jason Kim of Aqua-C re>

Skimmers
Dear Bob: I have a 90 gal tank with fish and inverts. There is only a scant 3 1/2 inches between the back of the tank and the wall. Do you of any hang on skimmers that would fit and do the job? 
<<Hmm, the only ones that are worth a hoot that I know of are Aqua-C's Remoras... you can take a look see at them on Jason Kim's site: proteinskimmer.com
Otherwise... there's always searching about for space lower for a sump...
Bob Fenner>>