skimmer

[msamsonz28]

has anyone had any experience with this skimmer?
It's the Clean-up 75 venturi driven protein skimmer by won brothers....
http://www.wonbrothers.com/product/skimmer/clean.htm
I don't have a pump for it yet. So if I were to use this, is it any good and what kind of pump should I have? Thanks!

matt

[RLG2182]

I've never seen it before. But I'd be kinda skeptical about a skimmer that's only 3" in diameter and 17" tall to be able to skim enough for a 75! Do you know how much this unit is?

Did you already buy it? It says to use a "Sen 300" pump. http://www.wonbrothers.com/product/pumps/sen300ga.htm

[msamsonz28]

yes i already have it. i bought it from ebay for 50 bucks after my buddy, who had the most sw knowledge of anyone i knew...until i found this site, said go ahead and get it. if it's garbage i would rather not even try to use it.

[RLG2182]

Well, I don't have direct experience with it, so I can't honestly say it's garbage. What I do know is that it would be difficult for such a small skimmer to skim 75 gal. The reaction chamber is limited since the bubbles don't have much time to gather the proper gunk, and the bubble volume is limited with a small diameter.

For example, my Euro Reef is 6" in diameter and 20" tall, and it's good for around 90. That skimmer is less than half the size of mine, yet it says it's good for 75 gal. Since you have a 55 gal tank, I would personally get a better skimmer... but until you really try it, you'll never find out.

Someone chime in if they've used it.

[malkore]

I've heard a few good comments about WON stuff. No personal experience though.

[msamsonz28]

well i'm going to give it a try. right now i have only 1 clown in my tank so the load won't be too high. i bought two mj 1200's. one is attached to skimmer, the other is just blowing water.
now if you could help with the skimmer function....
how much bubble action should there be when the water is right at the water line? i hardly have any until i close the valve. should it be that way, so then you just close the valve once a day or so and skim the bubbles off?
thanks ya'll

[RLG2182]

Well, I'm not too familiar with that... but I know that a skimmer should run 24/7 or else you could run into some problems with adjustments. I only turn mine off when I clean the sump out.

A skimmer should have a TON of bubbles. If you're not getting enough, try making fine adjustments to the valve until a nice stream of bubbles comes out.

[msamsonz28]

i have a very strong feeling i am just going to get a different skimmer. when i adjust this one to the point where bubbles will actually flow into the overflow, it is such a heavy flow i would have to empty it about every 2 hours. i took it to the lfs and no one there had ever seen it and couldnt' offer any advice really. fyi - i introduced my clown yesterday and he is absolutely loving the lr structure. at first he just was hanging out near the top. eventually got braver and explored down low. now he is swimming in and out of the tunnels i made. thank you everyone for all your posts, whether for my questions or others, i am reading as much as i can. slowly but surely i will be an "expert" at this hobby!!

[spongeynip]

it might ba a bad skimmer, but if you set it to instantly go to the collection cup, you are setting it too high. Sometimes skimmers need a few days to get going on a cycle. And the manufacturer should have a book with the line foam should constantly be at, because the bubbles don't always have to be flowing into the cup. but in any case, that skimmer doesn't seem big enough at first glance.