seaclones...

[xoxox]

Originally Posted by Merredeth
Color me really stupid now but where on/in the top? How?? Can you elaborate?
Maybe you should explain this modification to ones who use the Seaclones and this person who just asked about Seaclones.
Denise M.

If you drill a small hole in the top of the collection cup (about the size of an airline tube) you can run it down to the center and use a wood air diffuser. I usually didn't use the air on the maxi but you might be able to, the current might knock the diffuser around but it produces smaller bubbles than the air inlet does. You'll need an air pump too.
I modded this for my 20 long and it produces dry skim, not bad for a small tank you just have to replace the wood diffusers once they're used up.

 

[lobstergrabber]

I would suggest the Aqua c remora pro for that bio load and get the mag 3 if you can chip in a couple of more $. I have seen a couple floating around here in the classifieds. Look around at the auction site too and you may save a few bucks.
Rich

 

[merredeth]

Originally Posted by XoXoX
If you drill a small hole in the top of the collection cup (about the size of an airline tube) you can run it down to the center and use a wood air diffuser. I usually didn't use the air on the maxi but you might be able to, the current might knock the diffuser around but it produces smaller bubbles than the air inlet does. You'll need an air pump too.
I modded this for my 20 long and it produces dry skim, not bad for a small tank you just have to replace the wood diffusers once they're used up.
Hey! Sounds like something worth trying for those that really hate clones.
I'm getting good results but you know the more you skim out the better so this may be something I'll try and compare results. After all, if it doesn't give the clone an improvement it isn't like you are out a ton of money and you can't fix the hole that was drilled in.
Denise M.

 

[merredeth]

Originally Posted by milomlo

As I stated everyone has their own opinions about these skimmers. I like mine fine.
I DID NOT HAVE TO ADD AN AIRSTONE.

I ran across a website talking about it and thought hmmm let me see. I actually added the airstone to my CPR Bak Pak first and it worked great. Made lots more bubbles without having to fiddle w/ the valve all the time. (as we all know we have to do periodically).
When I set up my 100 gallon I put an airstone in my seaclone to see how well it would work. Works even better than without it. It worked fine before but works even better now. IMHO if you add an airstone to ANY skimmer it will make it work that much better.

How did I do it?? Well put the airline tubing through the hole in the top all the way through the bottom of the skimmer cup, attach the airstone to the tube. Lower tube into skimmer.
Nevertheless, this is my opinion. I am not saying they are the best skimmers out there cause I don't know. This person asked for opinions on them. My opinion is they work great.
Okay, andother stupid question here because I'm willing to give it a shot.
When you put the airstone in, are you putting it in the center down low above the water intake, or are you putting the stone on the outer part of the inner tube up above the water intake.
I figure I'll try anything because you can never over-skim an aquarium.
Denise M.

 

[milomlo]

I just put it through the top (hole is already there) and the wood airstone sits on top of the piece that is down in there. It just goes straight down. Now my wood stone is big so if you get a small one you may be able to get it into the tube (where the cyclone is) but mine sits on top of the round piece above that. Hope that makes since.

 

[merredeth]

Originally Posted by milomlo
I just put it through the top (hole is already there) and the wood airstone sits on top of the piece that is down in there. It just goes straight down. Now my wood stone is big so if you get a small one you may be able to get it into the tube (where the cyclone is) but mine sits on top of the round piece above that. Hope that makes since.
I purchased a small airstone this morning and hooked it up to a pump and put it in the middle towards the bottom since it could go all the way down into the cyclone itself. I'll let it work a few hours and see what happens. If I'm doing this wrong, let me know please.
Thanks,
Denise M.

 

[milomlo]

Cool - let me know how that works cause it may work better being down lower. I may do that next time or maybe get a smaller one also and put them both in there. LOL

 

[merredeth]

Originally Posted by milomlo
Cool - let me know how that works cause it may work better being down lower. I may do that next time or maybe get a smaller one also and put them both in there. LOL
I cleaned my Seaclone this morning before doing the drilling and adding the airstone so results are going to be a little while. So far there is gunk in the cup, but before I say it works better I'd like to give it a few days and see what the result is.
Denise M.

 

[zanoshanox]

Meredith, I have had my seaclone set up about 1.5 months now and i know it is set up correctly. There was onyl one day, i think it was the 3rd, that I got anything in the collection cup. I work with adjusting the plug to varry the air intake but it never stays consistent enough to pull anything out. Do you know what my problem may be?

 

[merredeth]

Originally Posted by zanoshanox
Meredith, I have had my seaclone set up about 1.5 months now and i know it is set up correctly. There was onyl one day, i think it was the 3rd, that I got anything in the collection cup. I work with adjusting the plug to varry the air intake but it never stays consistent enough to pull anything out. Do you know what my problem may be?
When adjusting airflow I have mine set so the cyclone is a mass of bubbles only on the top fourth of the cylinder. It seems to work best if you have a wide funnel throughout the second and third fourths of the cylinder. Of course the very bottom of the cylinder is where the water is going into the bottom of the Seaclone.
Also, make sure that the air intake is above your tank so it can suck the air and not below or at the water line. This seems to help slow the process of the intake line getting salt creep stuck inside it.
If there is salt in the intake air line, I generally take a toothpick and prod around after running hot water through the hose and then blow through it over the sink. This gets out the salt and will clear the line with no problem.
Seaclones seem to have a 'seasoning time' of sorts - even after you wash it with your monthly or bi-monlthy maintenance. After cleaning my Seaclone I usually have to wait a day before I see any real results because of two things. First off, I do water changes every eight days religiously so I keep the trates down. Secondly, I don't have the huge bioload that a lot of people have with the tank maintenance schedule that I am on. Lastly, it seems like it is easier for the bubbles to climb on some 'junk' already in the skimmer. Generally, it takes about a day to get some kind of bio coating on the cyliner that is on the bottom of the collection cup.
I hope this helps you out.
Denise M.

 

[zanoshanox]

Thanks a lot Denise

 

[merredeth]

zanoshanox:
No problem. Let me know how it works for you on this thread.
Seaclones seem to have a bad reputation around here. Personally, I think it is because the manufacturer has shitty instructions and people don't look at the box to see that the cyclone and foam are set identical to the box.
Denise M.

 

[merredeth]

Originally Posted by milomlo
Cool - let me know how that works cause it may work better being down lower. I may do that next time or maybe get a smaller one also and put them both in there. LOL
I checked it out this morning and basically had worse results than before the drilling of the center.
However, before I went to my morning meeting I raised the airstone so it sits at about the bottom of the top fourth of the center column, just below the middle cyclinder, closer to the top part of the tornado where all the foam is.
In about an hour I came back and you will never believe the amount of sludge that it is pulling out. It is as dark as it normally is, just more frothy foam so I know it is working even better this way.
If you go to WalMart and get those small blue stones that you attach straight to the tubing they fit inside the middle cylinder and because of where it is placed, you don't hear any banging at all of the airstone.
I'd say the person who designed this modification was right on the money now! :cheer:
Denise M.

 

[milomlo]

OK KOOL!! My stone sits right on top of that middle part. So I wonder if this would be any different for me?
I am so excited that this worked for you. Much cheaper than a new skimmer and it works great (at least mine has).
Keep me posted... ;-)

 

[merredeth]

Originally Posted by milomlo
OK KOOL!! My stone sits right on top of that middle part. So I wonder if this would be any different for me?
I am so excited that this worked for you. Much cheaper than a new skimmer and it works great (at least mine has).
Keep me posted... ;-)
Well, it has been how long since I told you it works and I'm still getting a great foam and all kinds of junk pulled out of it.
I'd venture to guess if you buy one of the small stones like I told you about the previous post you would have even better results than you have now. A smaller stone I would think would spread more air into that area where it is needed - thus providing the ability to move more of the crap out of the column itself.
Let me know if your adjustment upwards improves it or not, as I would like to keep track of this for others that aren't happy with SeaClones but don't have the money right away to buy something else.
Thanks,
Denise M.

 

[mryoung7]

Originally Posted by LazyPinoy
Damn, i never thought aquariums cost this much money and time. ahaha might as well buy a comercial skimmer like at my lfs that cost him about 3 grand . you kno those 4 feet tall ones.

alright so from all ur post i see that seaclones "do work" but there are better choices out there. so what type of hang on skimmer would you recomend for this kind of bio load
1 lrg blu tang
1 sml blu tang
1 lrg yellow tang
1 sml yellow tang
2 lawn mower blennies
1 fox face
2 blu fin damsels
1 royal gramma
1 sml tomato clown
1 lrg tomato clown
1 striped catfish
18 hermit crabs
12 cone snails
2 bubble tip anemones been in thre for 2 months. still alive!
30-40 lbs live rock
in a 55 tank
Other equipment:
Fluval fx5 with bio max, seachem purigen and denitrate
Resun uv sterilzer 9watt powerd by a rio 1700.
rio 50 for circulation
standard 2 x25 watt floursent one using coral sun.
i cant have a sump " due to space" for those nice skimmers so i am forced to have a hang on. my tank is in the shape of a U where it is visble on both sides.
yea i kno it toooooooooo crowded and is which is why im going to get another tank soon.
MY BUDGET IS 200$!
pls dont suggest css. i kno it is great but its apperance is just to bulky and distracting to my tanks beauty since it is double sided.
i hope you've upgraded the size of your tank by now. i can't believe no one mentioned how unbelievably overstocked this 55g is. wow. :scared:

 

[chilwil84]

how about a 90 gallon refugium along with one of those 4 foot $3000 dollar skimmers that was mentioned earlier in the thread to handle that bioload
otherwise aqua c or some type of downdraft skimmer for minimal adjustments or none for aqua c

 

[lazypinoy]

Originally Posted by mryoung7
i hope you've upgraded the size of your tank by now. i can't believe no one mentioned how unbelievably overstocked this 55g is. wow. :scared:
yea i kno and my lfs didnt even mention that when i bought all those fish for my 55g i bought from him.! having all those fish, im having the most difficult time keepin nitrates down! my nitrates reached a peak at 120 once untill i did a few water changes and added seachem matrix (1L) that was soaked in seachem stabilty. now my trates are around 70- 80. still high but alot of improvement. ***) now im just waiting for the cheap fish to die so my tank would settle. i was hopin those damn damsels die, catfish, (both blennies died today :cheer: yet

... and the foxface.
oh i bought the seaclone 150 instead of the aqua C. ill be buyin the aqua c for my 120gallon in the future. i dont kno why people hate seaclones...ill post pics of its performance later. pulls about a FULL cup a day.

 

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by LazyPinoy
now im just waiting for the cheap fish to die so my tank would settle. i was hopin those damn damsels die, catfish, (both blennies died today :cheer: yet

... and the foxface.
oh i bought the seaclone 150 instead of the aqua C. ill be buyin the aqua c for my 120gallon in the future. i dont kno why people hate seaclones...ill post pics of its performance later. pulls about a FULL cup a day.
a) those cheap damsels will by far outlast the fish you want to keep (they should be the last thing to die if they die at all) and why are you happy yet sad two blennies died. those are great fish? why wouldn't you just take the fish you dont want back to the petstore or sell/give them away locally?
b) AquaC and Urchin (regular and pro) arent the best choice for a 120g especially the way you like to stock fish. You should be looking at an AquaC EV 120 minimum if you want to stick with aquaC. Remoras and Urchins are for small tanks and the Pro's for small tanks with heavier loads or larger tanks with light loads.

 

[lazypinoy]

Originally Posted by Stanlalee
a) those cheap damsels will by far outlast the fish you want to keep (they should be the last thing to die if they die at all) and why are you happy yet sad two blennies died. those are great fish? why wouldn't you just take the fish you dont want back to the petstore or sell/give them away locally?
b) AquaC and Urchin (regular and pro) arent the best choice for a 120g especially the way you like to stock fish. You should be looking at an AquaC EV 120 minimum if you want to stick with aquaC. Remoras and Urchins are for small tanks and the Pro's for small tanks with heavier loads or larger tanks with light loads.

yeah aquac ev120... ill be lookin in to that. thx stanlalee. well i just dont feel like drivin bac to the fish store agen makin a hassle bout returning. and no one in my block has sw just fw. i dont want to take out the fish since ive had them for over 5 months...kinda got used to them.