LA Fishguys, Episode 88 pt 1, Protein Skimmer, Jeff Macare Reef Dynamics

[acidglow]

This skimmer is so huge in that tank. It takes up alot of space along with a heater, air stone/pump, filter already in a tank.. there's not much room for fish. Are all the skimmers placed entirely in the tank? Or are there some that just have a nozzle or tube that goes into the tank?

[lafishguy]

hey A, the skimmer is sitting in the sump, not the tank. the water is skimmed, heated and filtered in the sump that sits below the tank and then pumped up to the tank that would sit above the sump. you can see a similar application in Episode 107.

[avillareal1]

Hey LA, can you please check out this link and give me your opinion. Petco. com/Petco Rapids Pro RP3 Wet Dry Aquarium Filter System. Thank you

[lafishguy]

hey A, i have no experience with this unit, but from the picture is looks fine.

[avillareal1]

Lafishguy, on a 40 gallon breeder tank, fish only with maybe a few pounds of live and dry rock. What kind of filter whiter it be a wet-dry trickle or a sump refugium filter.

[lafishguy]

hey A, those two filters are really meant for two different applications. a wet-dry trickle filter is generally used on a fish-only system, whereas a sump is generally used on a living coral reef tank.

[avillareal1]

Hey lafishguy. Your the man.

[Bechertanks]

quick question, could a snowflake eel and a clown pair go together if there is alot of hiding spots in my tank such as caves and corners for the eel, and sorry for the random question on this vid, but you seem like you know your stuff and you usually get back to most comments...keep up the good vids

[lafishguy]

hey B, it all depends on the eel, how much you feed him and how much of a hunter he is. he does need hiding places but not so many you never see him. if you feed him every other day chances are he wont go after other fish, and yes you should be able to keep clowns with him, I do.

[tfpjr]

I bought my euroreef 8-2's from jeff back in the day. Hope all is well with him.

[huskysglare1]

Euro-Reef used to be good. However, they had not adapt any of the new skimmer technologies into their Skimmers. No bubble plates and no cone? There's a reason why a lot of people goes for the cone skimmers now a days, because they work. Reef Dynamics needs to adapt, Adapt or fade away.

Thank you for giving so much useful information Mr. Macare.

[lafishguy]

hey H, you should watch the entire Episode 88 before you pass judgement.

[huskysglare1]

@lafishguy Jim, I have watched the entire 8 episode. That's why i said Macare gave a lot of good information about how skimmer works. I wasn't being sarcastic when i said that.

However, his company has been on a decline. On reefcentral, noone ever talks about Euro reef or reef dynamics anymore. I would like for his company to be more main stream, however, the lack new skimmer technology means certain doom. Come on, a skimmer without bubble plate?

[huskysglare1]

@lafishguy I have a 10 years old Euro Reef skimmer that looks exactly like the ones they're selling now. Reef octopus, SWC, ATB all makes way better skimmers IMO. All i am saying is i would like to see Reef Dynamics put more new skimmer technology in their skimmers.

Jeef Macare seems like a very nice person and i respect him for taking the time to teach us the functionality of skimmers and i wish him the best of luck. I wish they would improve their skimmers tough.

[reefdynamicsmfg]

@huskysglare1

Thank you for your comments. If bubble plates and cones were really that innovative, we would have done it years ago.  We will pursue what works best and if we can refine it we will. If not, it's best to leave well enough alone. I can tell you we have not been idle....

[roor20]

@huskysglare1

Ive got a an old flat transition skimmer that will run circles around most of the models with bubble plates and cones available today. It has to do with a whole lot more then just marketing tools.

[huskysglare1]

@roor20 Please show me your tank and the skimmer that you run on it. Then, i'll judge.

[roor20]

@huskysglare1

It is a precision marine xl1 with a swc askol pump. I get about a gallon of dark nog every 3 or 4 days. I have zero algae and feed 8-12 cubes a day.

I can't post a link on youtube so I pm'd it to you. All sps was grown from 1" frags. The largest colony is about 14" diameter.

Try to learn from others instead of being so judgmental. Its annoying at the least.



[huskysglare1]

@roor20 These are two different type of skimmers we're talking about. Wait wait, you're using the XL1 with an askoll pump? Can you send me a pic of how it's hooked up? I thought they recommended a Iwaki 55RLT. Very Very nice tank. By the way.

[roor20]

@huskysglare1

It is the pin wheel askoll 1500. Basically I cut off the becket and installed the askoll. I was running on the iwaki and it ran great but It wasn't enough for my display. The askoll turned the skimmer into a champ. Its hard to beat PM quality but I would stick with a pin wheel powered skimmer for reliability (beckets need cleaning regularly) and power consumption. A dart might be able to power a becket injector but the pressure provided by the dart might not be enough.

[huskysglare1]

@roor20 Oh, so you basically just use the bullet's body and not the Beckett style skimming? So, the real work comes from the Askoll 1500 pinwheel itself?

[roor20]

@huskysglare1

It is the pin wheel askoll 1500. Basically I cut off the becket and installed the askoll. I was running on the iwaki 55 and it ran great but It wasn't enough for my display. The askol turned the skimmer into a champ. Its hard to beat PM quality but I would stick with a pin wheel powered skimmer for reliability (beckets need cleaning regularly) and power consumption. A dart might be able to run one but the iwaki pressure rated pump would be better. Thanks for the complement!

[gtileo]

@huskysglare1 i guess you buy into the whole advertisment thing rather then the simple concepts of how a skimmer works. a cone is good for bubble flow to the cup, but lacks the volume and a bubble plate is pointless unless you have high pressure pumps throwing water around the reaction chamber

[GunpowderAndGlue]

I like the "beer" analogy!

Right on

[jamacare]

@GunpowderAndGlue - Experience yeilds insight!

[jamacare]

@GunpowderAndGlue - Experience yields insight!

[Arteolike]

he said a protein skimmer takes out fatty acids, ammino acids and lipids. but realistically lipids and fatty acids, cant mix with water there hydrophobic, and less dense then water right?

[lafishguy]

hey A, i think you try to read too much into the information. i dont know the answer, i believe they are heavier, but I am sure Jeff would be quite interested in discussing it if you gave him a telephone call ( his number is listed at the end of the video ).

[jamacare]

@Arteolike - Those molecules are hydrophobic and thus they are attracted to the stable surface of the air bubble and are thus easily fractionated or separated from the water. They molecules are a byproduct of metabolized food stuffs and other dissolved organic compounds. Hope that helps.

[Andyarr]

@Arteolike that's why they are attracted to the bubbles rather than staying dissolved in the water.

[gregdubroca]

what is the best skimmer to buy? 300 - 600$ range

[lafishguy]

hey G, give Jeff at Reef Dynamics a call and he will help you define which unit to get. his number is at the tail end of the video.

[reefdynamicsmfg]

@gregdubroca

Depends on what size and type of aquarium you are trying to filter. The INS300 is a new model that is already extremely popular that sells for $599.95. It would do a fantastic job on a mixed reef up to 300 gallons with an average bio-load. For $499.95 you could skim up to 250 gallons well, and for $399.95 you could get an INS180 for a 180 mixed reef. If you are planning a Fish only system or an SPS low nutrient system, I would suggest stepping the ratings down respectively.

[SaltyTank07]

I just happen to find this series of videos and I must say that what you have here is a rare look at protein skimmers that not many people get to see. You get to see almost every aspect of a skimmer explained by the most experienced and knowledgeable person in the industry. Jeff is a great guy and no one knows skimmers better than him and his dad. If you are new to skimmers watch every minute of these videos. You will be a better hobbyist for it.

[Doubtfire95]

i really need help! my protein skimmer has been running for a few months now and i had to change the sponge in the bubble defuser on the outlet and i can not stop the bubbles coming into the tank i have tryed loads of different sponges i noticed you were using a small micron sock where could i get one of those all i can find is the really be ones for wet/dry trickle filter

mank thanks

p.s love the videos

[lafishguy]

hey D, do a Google search for " 3 inch micron sock ", and there is a reason you have more bubbles than before, something needs to be cleaned. look at the venturi intake itself.

[reefdynamicsmfg]

@Doubtfire95 Try adding 1/2 lb of GAC per 100 gallons to aid in reducing surfactant compounds or foaming agents. Within a few days you should be able to run the skimmer again without excessive bubbles.

[dodge250]

Thankyou Thankyou so much for your help Your the best i know

[dodge250]

oh and also love your shows there great :D

[dodge250]

Ok thanks one more thing my female tomato clownfish is becoming so aggressive to anything its real annoying and i want to take her back but cant catch her any tips

[lafishguy]

hey D, most species of clowns, including the Tomato, both the Male but moreso the Females are quite bossy. either trick her when using a net or consider a fish trap. its not easy to catch fish out of a tank.

[dodge250]

is 20 bad nitrate levels becuause my sand for 2 years has had a problem its like a skin type thing like diatoms but a bit thicker i think it might be hydrogen sulphide please help

[lafishguy]

hey D, 20 PPM of NO3-N is on the high end of what you want. not sure about your description so either vaccum your sand free of the debri and improve your protein skimmers proformance.

[rarepuma]

The intro with the Car scene drive was a great idea. Brilliant video series on Protein Skimmers. Keep the videos coming!!!!

[juliomexico13]

so ammonia turns into nitrite to nitrate right?

so why is it that my ammonia and nitrite is at 0 and my nitrate is a 10 to 15?

[lafishguy]

hey J, yes, Ammonia to Nitrite to Nitrate. Nitrate is the end result and it just builds up.

[juliomexico13]

@lafishguy

so what i dont get is y do i have 0 ammonia n nitrite but 20 ppm of nitrate?

[Jormungand65]

@juliomexico13 Because the bacteria in your tank are doing their jobs!

[lafishguy]

hey J, Nitrate is the end result and unless you do something to remove / lower it then it will continuely build up.

[canvoodoo]

This guy must know what he is talking about if he likes RUSH

[bbalak]

Z06 at the start of the video. Your stock just went up a few points. Great info too!

[ray671984]

fab video jim :)

[geedunk13]

I like his Vette at the start of the video

[mussedeq]

Hey Jim, any experience with the Marineland line of skimmers?

[lafishguy]

hey M, i worked for Marineland back in the '80's and 90's but that company has changed, and I have no experience with their current product line.

[cmanclan101]

thank you... i always wondered what these are for. what size aquarium would a protien skimmer be neccessary?

[lafishguy]

hey C, keep watching,....

[cmanclan101]

@lafishguy thank you

[MrDirect23]

Once again jim !! great information which a lot of people just don't know. this is great man thanks ..

[dahermitcrab]

lol scott XD

[GroinStabbingPro]

What happen to the video quality jim? Filming with a cellphone now eh? ;)

[Jruberti]

@GroinStabbingPro

the video is still being processed lol

[GroinStabbingPro]

@Jruberti Haha, I see. I guess thats a pretty clever system.

[lafishguy]

hey G, as YouTube uploads the footage it starts by allowing the low quality version to be viewed first, as time continues the quality continues to improve all the way up to 1080 HD.

[GroinStabbingPro]

@lafishguy Righton thanks for the info!

[mussedeq]

@GroinStabbingPro Lol, Canada.

[GroinStabbingPro]

@mussedeq What aboot Canada?

[JamieT96]

Yet again another awesome video and congratulations on getting over 1 million upload views. Have a happy Sunday from the United Kingdom.

[wisearchitect]

you`re the best Jim, as always...