Vertex 200i replacment help

[vdigiorgio]

Hey all..
Im replacing my Vertex 200i and im trying to decide what to use in its place.. I just found it was over skimming halve the time and the water hight is constant.. I literally had to have it in 5in of water to not over skim.. and it should be at 7 to 9"..

I am also thinking to go with a DC pump skimmer to be able to get more control over the skimmer.

Any suggestion???
Tank is 150g with about 100lbs of rock
plus another 25g or so in the sump
here is the sump 9" water hight in skimmer section
http://www.elite-aquatics.net/index.php?route=product/product&path=58&product_id=47

 

[melypr1985]

Let's see if we can get you some help with this. #reefsquad has some serious equipment nuts in it. What say you squad?

 

[Diesel]

I would say go with a Lifereef skimmer,
Jeff is a great guy to work with when you call him.
Lifereef is one of the skimmers if not the only one you can order without a pump and decide which pump you like to install yourself on the skimmer.
You can upgrade the collection cup or the venture if you like.
This skimmer is a set and forget kind of skimmer and will out compete any skimmer in the long run, but that's just IMO.
I have ran several skimmers in the last 30 years but Lifereef is like the car you never have to change your tires on

 

[jsker]

I would say most skimmers look alike and are pretty much built the same. Myself I run a RLSS skimmer in my system and it works well. I do like the DC pumps, very quite and one can adjust the speed of the skimming with the pump.

If you are running a controller I would look and the pumps capabilities of linking with a controller so that you can make adjustment via the controller. I would also look at the ease of tearing down the skimmer for cleaning. I have big hands and small places do not work for me. One other thing is to look for simplicity, the less part the less to break.

 

[vdigiorgio]

Thanks for the replies. i would defiantly love a set it and forget it skimmer. I will check out the lifereef site.
I was also looking at the deltec 1456 dc skimmer or Skims monster sm163/201 dc skimmer
Anyone with experience this these?

 

[skim]

What do you mean by over skimming?

 

[vdigiorgio]

sorry overflowing

 

[skim]

Sorry but how long have you had it? I know the Vertex are touchy and need to be played with but when you dial them in you just leave it. I see you have posted on RC also, I posted this in a few different place you should give it a try.


OK I have used the 150 on and off for 2 years and did experience much of the frustrating things that many on here and other Forums have, the long break in, the setting and later overflow, the Flute ( air adjustment ) and probably a few other things. This led me to buy other skimmers and a very expensive journey. Anyhow this has led me back to the 150 as I removed my other skimmer to clean and thought I would put in the 150 but I first went and thought things out. We know this Skimmer is under rated the pump seems to be too much for the Body, so I took a good look at the impeller and noticed that the pin wheel is quite large and just fits into the assembly head, the other thing I noticed when trying to remove the Impeller it was quite hard to do. The Magnet is very strong and the force from pump to impeller shaft is very strong which is key as to the quiet running and the draw of the pump. I believed the Flute plays a major roll in the way this skimmer runs more, then is made out to believe.
I have played with it in the past only to become frustrated in waiting for the foam process to start again after hands went into water, so this time I looked at info on the Alpha 170 and came across info about it surging, hay, I have had that happen and low and behold to solve that problem was the Flute so before I put the skimmer into the water I made a adjustment. I put a mark across the flute so it was on pump and flute extension. To solve the problem with the 170 you extend the Flute 8 mm out which just so happens to be 3 full turns out on the 150 Flute, so that means full turns, from mark around and back to mark 3 times. This will let a lot more air in and cuts back on the water flow of the skimmer. Well I have never had this skimmer work the way it is now small bubbles all the way to the neck and pea size in the bottom part of cup and bigger exploding bubbles in the cup area, no more having fine bubbles way done in the body just above water line and large bubbles from the point where body starts to curve in and into the neck. Body is full of small bubbles and the that massive turbulence has become more like a river and not a raging river, just nice swirls. The foam that goes into the cup is very dense and all most looks molded. So if you are having troubles or had troubles and gave up on the 150 you may want to pull it back out and give this a try, for me its like a whole new skimmer.

 

[vdigiorgio]

Thanks skim
I've played with all different water levels, setting everything for months. it works for a couple weeks then does the same thing again.
I dont know if its just me but i have had rlss skimmers, reef dynamics, and many others over 25 yrs and this is a first with having so much trouble to get dialed in.. doesn't seem worth it to me
For me its NO more Vertex

 

[wpeterson]

The research I've read seems to imply the fundamentals of skimmer technology don't vary that much - so if you have an appropriately sized skimmer and pump driving it, you're not likely to see dramatically different results.

That being said, I've had good luck with Bubble Magus and Reef Octopus skimmers. The largest tank I've run was a 90g display / 30g sump, so smaller than what you're working with. If I were in your shoes, I would consider a Bubble Magus Curve 9 due to solid skimming performance, low noise levels and reliable pump. If you have a bigger budget, you might consider a DC-pump version the Curve D9. I don't think you'll be unhappy with most of the popular skimmer brands (Reef Octopus, Bubble Magus, Vertex, or even Skimz).

You might consider investigating why your skimmer is overflowing. Are you experiencing a daily event that effects water level? (ATO fill, feeding adding/removing oils/viscosity, etc). I'm surprised your skimmer is consistently overflowing, but it's probably a period of diurnal tank changes you aren't there to see (over night?).

Good luck! Let us know if you decide to super-sleuth the current skimmer or choose a replacement.

 

[vdigiorgio]

ok well after trying everything with the vertex im finally calling it quits. moving on to something else... after two weeks of trying again it just doesn't work.. constant water hight, tweaking , every dame setting..:mad:
Emailed Jeff at lifereef and Im going to purchase on of his skimmers.. i just cant take the aggravation of dealing with this skimmer anymore.

 

[skim]

Just a heads up with LifeReef, great skimmer and products. if they weren't he would not have be around so long. In regards to the skimmers, you need a good pump, pressure rated would be the best type and they tend to use the power and they also, since being Venturi style do make noise and I don't me like oh my RO, I can sometimes hear a low sucking sound, its more like an air hose because they suck a lot of air. If your sump backs off into another room it should not be a problem, but if you using it in sump under the display, it may be an issue.
One thing to remember is the better the skimmer the more sensitive they will be in foam production, they foam the way they want to, not the way you think they should. The best way to set a Vertex is when it is in its most productive time and then leave it alone. If it drops out leave it, if it just sits with no foam going into the cup, leave it alone, because believe me it will hit that productive stage again and if you have moved it from the first spot it will overflow. Vertex skimmers are underrated, they skim the hell out of the water, as you can see for your self when it is in full production it works like a beast but as your Organics drop so does the foam to the point where it just a container that looks like its filled with milk and if you go and adjust it will give problems when the Organics rise again in the water column. You should have got the 150 and even that believe it or not would do some of what you experience know. They are one of the most sensitive skimmers I have used except for Down Draft, I have seen a Down draft skimmer do a total collapse of Foam within minutes of a Cigarette being lit. In fact that is how you almost have to treat a Vertex is like a Down Draft, because when you have it dialed in it will not be like other skimmers and the body be full of tinny bubbles rising in a water column it will will be more like you see a water line down low in the body and larger bubbled foam rising quickly up the body and into the cup, so unlike most skimmer and you put the water line at the top of the body where the cup meets it must be much lower, and that is just simply because of the amount of foam they produce when there are enough organics present. So in the end it is your decision but do not assume that it is not working. In fact if you still have it and want to try something and see just how sensitive they are add some frozen food to the tank and wait a couple of minutes and watch your skimmer. This is when you should do some adjusting because it going to foam like hell and if you can quickly dial it in enough not to over flow but make foam into the cup, that is around where you want to keep it. You may have to adjust a very small amount, tinny amount after watching it for a few, you don't want to adjust on low production only when you see the skimmer in a high production and forget it when in low. I do like the Vertex skimmers, I have found them to be underrated and my biggest beef with they is that stupid screw on cup and because of it, I DO NOT USE ONE as my sump only lets me put the skimmer a certain way and the drain ends up on the opposite side which makes it very hard to work with, but I do have a Vertex 150 as back up.

Anyhow good luck on your skimmer adventure, I hope you find your match!

 

[vdigiorgio]

I cant get it to stop overflowing so there is no way to dial it in.. works for about 10min then straight to overflow and the gate valve is open all the way.. its sat at 7.5 in- 7in - 6in - 5in of water and still the same thing

 

[skim]

Have you tried adding GAC to the system? If it is being that sensitive you have something in the water that is making it that way. How is the tank? Did you use like a large quantity of putty for any rock work or mounting corals. Have you done a Vinegar bath on the skimmer? 7.5 to 8 inches seams to be a sweet spot for the Vertex skimmers. Please anymore info on your tank can help. If it is as bad as you say then chances are it will do it with other skimmers as well. I would hate to see you get rid of one thing and the other is doing the same.

 

[vdigiorgio]

Ive done a vinegar bath, dont use puddy, havnt mounted coral in months. tank looks great. checked all water parameters, and its been doing it since I've put it in. first skimmer never did this.. it was just an old aqua c ev-180 that i sold and boy do i regret that... ive searched the forums and these vertex skimmers seem to do this alot.