Does anyone have experience with this thing, its a lee's counter current protienn skimmer and it doesnt want to adjust right, and it seems like it would have a hard time pushing foam into the cup. all information in books on skimmers is very vague, just wondering if anyone had any tips for adjusting this specific model (or does everyone just use $100 and up skimmers?)
Lee's (Really Cheap) Skimmer
- Thread starter Seawrath
- Start date
I tried one of these when I first started with SW fish only tank. The best way to adjust the Lee skimmer is to take all of the parts that it comes with and put it together. The bottom and top are seperate pieces. Make sure they are tightly held together and don't leave any extra pieces in the box. You really don't want any left over parts. Hold the middle of the upright tube in your right hand and the with the left hand open the lid on your trash recpticle. Carefully adjust so there is a 60/40 weight transfer to the right foot and as hard as you can, throw that piece of crap in the garbage as hard as you can. If you don't break anything on the way in. Do it again until you get the sharp sound of plastic snapping. Then you will be assured not to try to put it in your tank again, and you can get something that will cause you less heart ache and work. I don't like to spend over a hundred bucks but my critters like it when I do. Start out with the best you can afford. It will help in the long run.
Good luck.
HARRISON
[ January 12, 2002: Message edited by: HARRISON ]</p>
Good luck.
HARRISON
[ January 12, 2002: Message edited by: HARRISON ]</p>
the skimmer is on a 10 gallon tank, nothing in it yet so i cant say how well itll work. from what i had read in minireef websites,(and no one seemed quite sure about this) the skilter wasnt as good as a counter current model, and i heard it was noisy, and since its in my bedroom, i went with the lee's, which were i got it, was cheaper. It seems ok, but i have to set the downward flow control all the way open to keep the current from reversing (its running twice as many bubbles as the package reccomends) so im not sure it will work correcly. just wondered if anyone knew anything about this. or is the skilter the cheapest skimmer anyone has, because i might be able to afford that
Howdy,
You may need to get a more powerful air-pump to make it work. The best way to make this work is to get a dual outlet pump, and have one outlet run the airstone and the other one hooked up to the counter-current.
You will have problems if you are using a single outlet pump because each time you adjust one valve, the pressure in the other tube is affected.
You might want to look into the Red-Sea Berlin Airlift series of skimmers. They cost a little more than the Lee's brand, but are much better. Check out the mail order stores to get the best price.
Good luck,
Scott.
You may need to get a more powerful air-pump to make it work. The best way to make this work is to get a dual outlet pump, and have one outlet run the airstone and the other one hooked up to the counter-current.
You will have problems if you are using a single outlet pump because each time you adjust one valve, the pressure in the other tube is affected.
You might want to look into the Red-Sea Berlin Airlift series of skimmers. They cost a little more than the Lee's brand, but are much better. Check out the mail order stores to get the best price.
Good luck,
Scott.
ROFLMAO Harrison! You think you'll be saying the same for your CPR Backpack in a couple years?
Seawrath, IMO, a skimmer is hardly worth it for a ten gallon tank. Especially a sucky one, which is just a pain in the ***. It'd be a lot better to just keep a bucket of fresh saltwater at the ready and make a cupful size water changes every day. Takes like, 30 seconds once a day! Or buy a long lasting chemical media, like Purigen and put in some type of filter, like a bio-wheel.
[ January 12, 2002: Message edited by: samurai9 ]</p>
[ January 12, 2002: Message edited by: samurai9 ]</p>
I don't doubt that the counter current models may produce more skimmate, but I went with the Skilter for a couple of reasons. One, it isn't as obtrusive as the Lee's since all that is in the tank is the intake tube rather than the whole skimmer. It also has the added advantages of water movement and a place for chemical/mechanical filtration if needed. I don't use their supplied mdeia, but rather a 1/2 unit of ChemiPure and a small bag of Phosoguard for additional filtration.
I would agree that the Skilter can be quite noisy, but for me it isn't in a room I frequent all too often and if I am in that room for an extended period, I just close the valve to turn the skimmer off for a while, but being in your bedroom, it is a definate onsideration.
I would go with srbay's advice and see if that helps. Good luck.
[ January 12, 2002: Message edited by: SKBok ]</p>
I would agree that the Skilter can be quite noisy, but for me it isn't in a room I frequent all too often and if I am in that room for an extended period, I just close the valve to turn the skimmer off for a while, but being in your bedroom, it is a definate onsideration.
I would go with srbay's advice and see if that helps. Good luck.
[ January 12, 2002: Message edited by: SKBok ]</p>
Thanks for the replies, i guess ill see what happens, and if i had more money to spend i would certaintly try harrison's technique for adjusting the lee's, but its better than nothing, right... right? i do have two air pumps running on the thing, and i might look at the airlift, but i think i might go with a skilter, or a cpr. does the cpr fit a 10g? sorry, im dragging this on too long...
[ January 12, 2002: Message edited by: Seawrath ]</p>
[ January 12, 2002: Message edited by: Seawrath ]</p>
Seawrath,
Forgive the earlier jokes. IMO, which varies depending on mood and checkbook, I wouldn't skim a ten gallon. You can get I pitcher from Walmart and dip it in to pull out a gallon of water each week. This would keep from building up nutrients. If you were insistant on having a skimmer (which most of us hold our ground on our beliefs) I would look into the marketplace to find a cheap one. Or I did some looking and found the Prizm at Jeffs Exotics for like 69 bucks new. They are supposed to be pretty good, especially for the price.
And as far as the CPR Samuri, I am still using it. I did have to break down and clean it the other day though. hahah. I am looking at upgrading it soon. I would like to put the CPR on my ghetto tank. There is a guy that has a G-3 that I can pick up for 175 bucks that i am considering. Although I would have to redo my sump / refugium set-up. Might be worth it in the long run. But for now the CPR is doing pretty good for a cheapo.
HARRISON
Forgive the earlier jokes. IMO, which varies depending on mood and checkbook, I wouldn't skim a ten gallon. You can get I pitcher from Walmart and dip it in to pull out a gallon of water each week. This would keep from building up nutrients. If you were insistant on having a skimmer (which most of us hold our ground on our beliefs) I would look into the marketplace to find a cheap one. Or I did some looking and found the Prizm at Jeffs Exotics for like 69 bucks new. They are supposed to be pretty good, especially for the price.
And as far as the CPR Samuri, I am still using it. I did have to break down and clean it the other day though. hahah. I am looking at upgrading it soon. I would like to put the CPR on my ghetto tank. There is a guy that has a G-3 that I can pick up for 175 bucks that i am considering. Although I would have to redo my sump / refugium set-up. Might be worth it in the long run. But for now the CPR is doing pretty good for a cheapo.
HARRISON
thanks again, you have all given me some options. I added sand and some live rock too the tank and the skimmer is functioning (removed sediment, didnt know it would do that) So i guess ill keep the thing for a while, and do more frequent water changes than those reccomended for fully skimmed tanks. btw, no reason to ask me to forgive the joke
[ January 13, 2002: Message edited by: Seawrath ]</p>
[ January 13, 2002: Message edited by: Seawrath ]</p>
Hey, E, I thought earlier in the thread, it was the $100 and up club. Since when did it became $200?
Anyhow, I used to belong to the 200 club too till I went skimmerless.
Uh, seawrath, what do you mean the skimmer picks up "sediments"? No, they are not suppose to "pick up sedements"........ I think you have just created a vacuum skimmer!
IMO, stick with WC is sufficient.
Anyhow, I used to belong to the 200 club too till I went skimmerless.
Uh, seawrath, what do you mean the skimmer picks up "sediments"? No, they are not suppose to "pick up sedements"........ I think you have just created a vacuum skimmer!
IMO, stick with WC is sufficient.
Lee's airstone skimmer cons: You need a good airpump, you have to replace wood airstones -constantly- (every few weeks at the outside for good performance) and you have to consistently keep an eye on the water level in your tank and adjust the skimmer if it fluctuates much.
Pros: cheap. Actually performs quite well if you keep up with airstone replacements and adjusting the water height in the column in between top-offs. People always want to write off airstone skimmers, but truthfully they do perform nicely if go give them the attention they need.
Pros: cheap. Actually performs quite well if you keep up with airstone replacements and adjusting the water height in the column in between top-offs. People always want to write off airstone skimmers, but truthfully they do perform nicely if go give them the attention they need.
$100 and up club now......but had a skilter on FOWLR for 5 years with sucess
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if im going to have to replace airstones every few weeks, i think ill switch to a venturi model, sounds so much easier. and about the sediment, when the tank was really cloudy from the fine grade aragonite i added, about a half inch of sediment built up in the collection cup. very fine grade.
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