ETSS Skimmer Club

[bangzoom39]

High everyone! Been reading posts for months now and wondering,why etss skimmers get very little press?Is it because of cost or power consumption?I own 2 (evolution 500 and the 800 gemini model).Love both of them.Will post pictures when I find my damn camera.Living in New York my whole life I Kind of take pride in New York companies.I visited their (factory) in Beacon.Very friendly people and awesome displays.

 

[jhale]

I have a reef devil on my tank

It's going to be replaced soon though.
Nothing wrong with the skimmer, it's just too small
for my system.

 

[Deanos]

I own 2 (evolution 500 and the 800 gemini model).Love both of them.Will post pictures when I find my damn camera.Living in New York my whole life I Kind of take pride in New York companies.I visited their (factory) in Beacon.Very friendly people and awesome displays.

When you're ready to post, go to this thread and give us your review. Thanks!


Also, welcome to Manhattan Reefs!!! Excuse Jhale for not doing so, it's early in the morning. :p

 

[jhale]

oops,
welcome to manhattan reefs,

You can also start a tank thread in the tank forum,
we like to see lots of pics of the tank as well as the plumbing
and equipment.

 

[jhale]

that does not make sense to me.

salt water will not effect the silicone on a tank any more than fresh water will. were they speaking about the actual tank itself or perhaps the lifespan of a sandbed in the tank?

 

[jhale]

a well made tank should last decades.

the weight will not make a difference as long as the tank is supported correctly. and if it's not your going to know about it much sooner than ten years

my present tank built by glasscages.com is so overbuilt I think it's going to outlast me...

 

[cali_reef]

I own two ETSS but not using them right now.

They are one of the better hand built skimmer I have used, very solid construction and fairly easy to tune if the correct pump set up is used. The major draw backs are the power required to run one, noise, and the frequent cleaning of the bio balls.

 

[loismustdie]

Welcome to MR.

Like I posted in the skimmer thread, I really don't like my ETSS. Even when I ran the dedicated pumps that the company advises. Mine also had the bottom come off. I'm careful with my equipment, so I know I didn't rough handle it. That made me question their craftsmanship, but this kind of thing does happen when you mass produce. I accepted the fact that it is possible that I purchased the 1 in 10,000 models that are defective. Now, if ony my luck playing lotto was so good.
I recently got it fixed and currently run it off of my main pump tee'd in. Not the best way to use it. It becomes very inconsistant. I think you'll find that if you try a lot of the other skimmers, you will find that they perform better. My Euro Reef blows the ETSS away no matter how I had it hooked up. Some of these recirc models with needle wheels I hear are even better.

 

[loismustdie]

yeah, like I said, when I originally bought it, I used dedicated pumps. Mag 9.5. I had a hard time adjusting it. Spent a lot of time on the phone with the manufacturers to make sure I was doing everything right. It did okay, at best. They then said I would get "killer" results with an Iwaki 30rlt, so I got one of those. I know there is a lot of people who talk about what great pumps Iwaki's are, but I felt it was way too loud, uses a lot of electricity and I still didn't see those "killer" results they talk about. I'm not saying it didn't skim, I just don't think it was all that good. I got more skimmate with a Berlin Classic ran off of a Mag 5.

I'm pushing 500 gph through it right now from my main pump and I will say that it is working pretty well. It doesn't cost me anything to run. There is just no way it can handle my system on its own.

 

[alistair]

Anyone try modifying their Reef Devil with a becket nozzle?

 

[Domboski]

I have a ETSS 750 (no longer make it). Two modified injectors (beckett). Although folks say it is too small with becketts, it runs awesome! Water is pumped in using a Sequence 4200.

I did have some trouble getting it adjusted though. It has been great since I got it just right!

 

[Salesbig]

I own two ETSS but not using them right now.

They are one of the better hand built skimmer I have used, very solid construction and fairly easy to tune if the correct pump set up is used. The major draw backs are the power required to run one, noise, and the frequent cleaning of the bio balls.

I'm trying to set up my etss reef devil.. having a really hard time

Mag7 and the skimmer is setting im my sump.
I have the gate valve wide open and the cup gets filled..
Any ideas? do i need to have the bio balls in there>?
Thanks

 

[prattreef]

Can't help with the tuning aspect, but yes you need the bio-balls. Water cascading past the balls is how the water and air are mixed in a downdraft skimmer. RD

 

[Salesbig]

Can't help with the tuning aspect, but yes you need the bio-balls. Water cascading past the balls is how the water and air are mixed in a downdraft skimmer. RD

Thanks Randy

That made the difference.. great skimmer now

 

[alistair]

I have the reef devil running externally on my 75g tank. When i work out how to attach a beckett nozzle I'm going to try this mod.