SC Aquariums SC150 cone skimmer review

Ok. So I received my skimmer 3 days ago. It has been going strong since then. I was getti.g a very little "iced tea skimmate" the first 2 days but now im not getting anything for skimmate... Is this all part of the break in period? There are tons of micro bubbles in the skimmer and if I adjust it past setting 3.5ish it overflows. Is this normal? I have the 150 gallon skimmer on a 40 breeder with 20 long sump. Water is about 11 high. Here is a pic. Is it too low in the water?

 

Here is another pic. Any suggestions?

 

Looks like it is running perfect to me. My 150 gallon is sitting in 10 inches of water. The setting is about 3.75 so if your not getting much skimmate you probably just don't have very many DOS in the water. Turn it up a little more if you want a wetter skim. See how thick and tall the micro bubble column is? You can't get much better than that.

 

I actually have 5 black Mollies, 1 clownfish, 2 bristle stars, and about 60 snails between tank and sump. I don't use rodi water and tank has been cycling for about 3 months, 2 of those months with fish. I figured there should be enough junk in the water to skim out by now. I am hoping this is a break in period. It's my first time ever using a skimmer but everyone shows dark skimmate and all sorts of nasty stuff coming out of the skimmer. I'm just a little confused I guess.

 

My cup is about the same color as yours so I wouldn't worry about it. Just keep that column of micro bubbles thick and tall. The skimmer should go crazy if your adding non RO/DI water to the sump for top off (so be careful about that). If you start getting anything brown collecting on the cone below where it meets the cup then you need to turn the skimmer up some. Are you using some system to keep the water level in your sum constantly the same height?

 

Thanks for the input. An RODI unit is my next purchase after I get the led lights I want. As for the ato, nope, not yet. I just fill it up every 3 days or so when it gets low. Eventually I'll set something up. Maybe place a 10 gallon somewhere in there for auto top off. Who knows. LOL.

 

Looks good to me! An ato is amazing helps with me being super lazy but i agree get rodi first

 

Finally got mine. Love the instructions.



Now to build a sump around it...

 

Yours came with instructions?

MIne had nothing LOL, Not that any are needed though.

My SC150 still works awsome!

I also have mine in a DIY sump. If interested about that, PM me Please.

 

I would have never seen those holes for the airline. Out enough skimmers to know what goes where but it would suck if this was your first one.

I just wanted to be 100% on the dimensions before cutting glass. Been screwed before by optimistic dimensions in the specs.

8" is the ideal wall height?