Apex Feeder + Skimmer users

[tunicata]

Hey there,
I have the AFS and definitely love it.

However, I am worried about the implication of:

1. turning off my return pump, WP, and skimmer at least 3x per day so that my fish don't have to break their fins to get a pellet and so that the majority of food doesn't end up in my filter socks.

2. I have the SRO 2000INT and the SLIGHTEST change in water level or anything for that matter makes it stop working the way it was before.
I.e. if I have it at a good water level, pulling tons of gunk on the daily with the water level 5 inches above the pump AND with the pump opening only 2 inches from the wall, any change in that causes it to technically restart, and takes like 1-2 days to get it back to normal (or I have to reposition it if there was a change in how close it was to the wall.

Now, I thought I was buying a really good skimmer. Not the BEST, but it definitely cost up there and should be a nice midlevel tool. Is this normal???

As you know, when you turn off all of the pumps, the water level rises in the sump and usually if my skimmer is still on there will be an overflow.
If I move the skimmer pump farther than 3 inches from the wall I get an overflow. If I turn off the skimmer then turn it back on, the water level is at first really low and takes a day or 2 to get back to normal skimming level.

It's annoying and I don't know if this is a thing I would get with any skimmer.

 

[Macropora]

Why not try using a feeder ring to keep the pellets from floating into the overflow? That way you don't have to keep shutting off the pumps 3 times a day.

 

[vio]

did u ever try check valve ?


http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/spears-true-union-check-valve.html

 

[oh207]

I have an AFS and I turn off the return pump and skimmer when the feeder is activated. But I use a virtual outlet to handle the timing, partly because I was using an eheim auto-feeder before and its programming was setup to coincide with the APEX shutting off return and skimmer. I have no problems with the skimmer resuming normal skimming (Seaside Aquatics); I have a 5 minute delay on the skimmer outlet to allow water level to be back to normal.
I used to turn off my powerheads as well, but I just changed them to run at a lower speed (50%). I find that it was best to keep the powerheads running because it moves the pellets around the tank. And also my clowns refuses to go more than 2 inches away from their nems. They prefer to be served and will only eat a pellet if it flows in front of them.

On another tank I have a Reef Octopus sss1000 running on a 60 cube and its the biggest piece of ****. Most of them have the problem where it takes a very long time to reset back to normal skimming after you turn the power off. And sometimes it also decide to randomly overflow, even though its sitting in the recommended 6.5" of water.

 

[tunicata]

Macropora: I do want some dispersement of the food. I have 2 tangs that are absolutely pigs and will eat every thing. They are also at least 2-3 inches larger than everyone else in the tank. My wrasses are often hanging out under a rock and are always late to notice stuff and my yellow tang is more anxious than the others so when there is a lot of commotion she is much slower to act since she is darting in and out of rocks.

Vio: I believe I already have a check valve (on the pvc that goes from the pump to the display). It's not the water returning from the return line that fills the sump. It's the water from the overflow. So, I definitely want that to fill the sump in order to level out the water and not cause a leak.

Oh207: Your issue is the exact one I have with the SRO INT 2000. I am fine with the program of the 5-10min delay (mine turns off 5 mins before and comes on 5 mins after the feeding) but it's the skimmer being weird afterwards that's a pain.

Especially when it overflows and puts all the gunk back into the tank!!!!!!
Why is this a typical problem on a $400+ skimmer???? I thought I was getting something that I wouldn't get for a $200 or less skimmer.

 

[oh207]

This is a known problem with that line of skimmers. It is well documented on RC. Some of the threads complaining about it has been deleted, but a few still remain.
I still put up with the one I have because I have a new bubble blaster pump in it and I also have 2 more new bubble blaster pumps sitting in boxes. But I swear at times that I want to dump it.