Seaclone and phosphates

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c0mf0rt

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Messages
658
Location
Oregon
I've got a Seaclone 150 on my 55gal tank.... I'm wondering how often the cup should fill???? Please look at my profile for my load....

Also I've had previous posts asking about dying snails/shrimp and I've got one about loads of diatom algae....... I've been reading up and think I might have a problem with phosphates..... haven't done any testing though..... gonna get a test kit today..... sound like it might be the problem to you guys????????
 
Every tank is unique when it comes to how often the skimmer cup should be emptied. Your correct in one factor being fish load. ANother factor is how often you feed and even what you feed.

Overall I would say emptying the cup twice a week would be normal. The coloration of the liquid in the cup should be dark brown.
 
This is true.... but my skimmer is pulling no where near that outta my tank....... I just got done talking to the guys at the LFS.... sounds like I'm gonna try a water change with some RO/DI water I picked up from the grocery store....... we'll see if it makes a difference....
 
Your skimmer might need adjusting or cleaned. OR your water just does not have that much in the way of disolved organics to skim out.
 
test first???? the skimmer???? how so ????? I just adjusted it again.... I have a few bubbles dropping into the tank, but the water/air ratio is alot more towards the water side than it was....... we'll see.... it's my first skimmer... I'm really not sure what to expect...... all in due time my friends......
 
I belive the skimmer instructions say to adjust the venturi valve so the water level is just below the gasket that seals the collection cup to the skimmer body. The seaclone does not have all that many adjustments so the water level is the only thing to really go with. The reaction chamber should be a nice froth of micro bubbles.
 
Hate to be the bearer of bad news but Seaclones suck. I had a 100 in my 55 and it was marginal at best... I brought it back for a 150 (only reason I did that is because I could only get store credit from petsmart) and the 150 is even worse than the 100. The 150 uses the same pump as the 100 and it is crazy underpowered... the valve is almost impossible to adjust correct... and the thing bubbles like crazy. It would take about a month or two to fill my cup... the 100 filled it about once every two weeks but it was a light color... the 150 doesn't fill it but it is all sludge. As soon as I get a good check I am ditching it for something better (which I think would be just about anything).
 
I have to agree w/ Matt. My seaclone doesn't collect anything but sludge in the tube of the cup even after 8 months of fiddling w/ it. I found mine collects the most if I leave it off (no air through the venturi, just water for tank circulation) overnight and turn it on for an hour or so before and after lights on. IMO, Buy a better skimmer, or be very cautious about overfeeding, and keeping up w/ water changes. HTH
 
A friend of mine runs a Seaclone 100 on his 90 gallon, runs it in his sump. Seems to do real well. He is looking for another actually. I believe there is a new and an old model. Something about the length of an inner tube???? I just bought one myself, we'll see!
Cheers
 
I guess you have good and bad with all. I have had a 150 in my 75g for 8months. I get about 2 cups a week, sometimes more. The general rule of thumb in adjusting the air valve, is to close it all the way, then unscrew it 1 1/2 times. That should be the general area. You want to have the water in the tube real bubbly. Where you cant see through it. The amount of water that flows back into the tank should not be a huge flow. It want be that much at all. :wink:
 
Well mine is a month or two old and the 100 was abotu a month older than that so they are both pretty knew... the thing that your friend benifits from is that he doesn't use the J connector so the pump has less distance to move the water. That is probably why it is working a bit better for him while in the sump.
 
Actually, my sump has been set up for about 3 weeks now. My seaclone so far has worked better hanging on the back. :wink:
 
I guess if you consider it crap......

I know that seaclone is not near the best, but it is better than nothing. Some people may not be able to afford anything better at the time. So I think we should not call what other people use or have crap. :wink:

On a side note: I will be upgrading to Remora, ASAP! :D
 
I have one so I am allowed to call it crap :wink: ... Your right because that is exactly why I bought one. The 100 is better than nothing but the 150 basically is nothing. I also am going to try the remora. So to sum it up Seaclone 150=as good as nothing... Seaclone 100=slightly better than useless...
 
Your right, you can call your on crap! :lol: I have called a few things of my on the same. :p

Seems that my "as good as nothing" 150 is better than your "slightly better than useless" 100. I'm just giving you a hard time! :)

Anyway, at least the 150 gets me at least two if not more cups of sludge a week. I think we can both agree on the fact that a remora would work better for us.

Hey, gotta run, my 150 sludge cup is about to overflow....... :mrgreen:
 
lol ya I am not sure why mine sucks so bad. I did notice that my tubing running to the air valve was very flimsy not that it would make a big dif anyways.
 
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