Downdraft Skimmer

[Brendan42]

I'm not familiar with these skimmers and i'm wondering is the bio balls in the contact tube are necessary.

 

[Bodine]

I believe the principle of a downdraft skimmer is that if you put a large enough pump on a tower of bio-balls you get fine bubbles, so yes the bio-balls are necessary.

I have used a RD2 (downdraft) skimmer for about three years now and really it it.

 

[Iron]

If you want to use a downdraft. Look at SWC(lfs) they only/mostly use ets 1200 ect.. on all there systems. I prefer becket injector skimming. I 2nd euroreef. They are nicer imo

 

[davelin315]

I have a downdraft skimmer with no bioballs in it. My understanding is that people put the bioballs in there to aid in the contact time by slowing the bubbles down, but my thoughts are that I would think this would give the bubbles more time to join each other and increase in size, defeating the purpose of producing small bubbles. Mine works fine without any bioballs, although I still like my Top Fathom venturi skimmer better.

 

[Bodine]

Dave
With all due respect a downdraft skimmer principle is based upon the priciple of high pressure(strong pump) over the plastic media(bio-balls)..... http://www.reefs.org/faq/skimmer.html http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.connix.com/%7Ereefkeep/16.htm

[ September 01, 2001: Message edited by: Bodine ]

 

[geo]

I too have use the down draft style skimmer with and without the bio balls and could never tell a difference in skimmer performance either way. Seemed to work as well with out them

 

[Bodine]

I stand corrected on this matter. My older RD2 fuctions very poorly sans bio-balls. If other simmer function with them, I was unaware.

 

[davelin315]

No offense taken, perhaps I was suckered when I purchased the skimmer. It is not an ETS who believe may be one of the larger manufacturers, but I do know that it works on the principles of high pressure with a modified venturi principle.