Tunze 9002 observations

[chasesng]

For the boys and girls running 9002's.....

How often are you cleaning your skimmer? How much skimmate are you getting at each cleaning? Any other observations about this skimmer?

About a month ago i switched out of my 30 gallon oceanic AIO into a 30 long. No sump, just a tunze 9002 in back corner of tank.

Its a used 9002 and should be broken in by now. I'm cleaning every 3 or 4 days. Mostly gunk on the inside of the column. Very little skimmate in the cup. What little skimmate is more gray than brown.

7 fish and a few crabs, bunch o' snails. Few softies and a couple zoo's.

Interested to hear what experiences others are having with this skimmer.

 

[CHEMCHEF]

That sounds about right. I ran the skimmer for two years. The cup never fills,, or at least didnt for me with about the same bio load.
Modding the air line will help you to fine tune it better. This helped mine alot.
Also make sure the elbow that the air line is connected to is not clogged. This happens alot. I used to clean it like every 8 weeks or so.
http://vimeo.com/14282765 video of mod.

 

[bigdog1428]

Have u done the air line mod ? Make it easier to control the airflow to skimmer ..

 

[chasesng]

Not aware of that mod. Very interesting. Good project for this weekend. The "new" air nozzle....where do you get one of those? Hardware store? Home Depot?

Mod video says to save old air line and get new one. Is that just because mod requires longer air line? Or does new air line need to be stiffer....more flexible...wider?

I had noticed that the original design was pretty cramped inside there. I had actually shortened the original air line because it seemed so long that it was doubling over itself.

Thanks

 

[bigdog1428]

1/4 inch I.d hose and a air valve ,, u might need 12 inches of hose . I actually drilled a hole into the side of the skimmer and brought the hose out like that's instead of from the bottom. The hose was starting to kink making it harder to control .

 

[CHEMCHEF]

I used both soft silicone tubing and the tougher clear air line tubing. I like the silicone better. I kinked up less.
Air valve you can get at any LFS but not HD or Lowes. Usually costs like $2 for valve and $3 for tubing.
It's a nice cheap mod that really improves the output of the skimmer.

 

[bigdog1428]

i used both soft silicone tubing and the tougher clear air line tubing. I like the silicone better. I kinked up less.
Air valve you can get at any lfs but not hd or lowes. Usually costs like $2 for valve and $3 for tubing.
It's a nice cheap mod that really improves the output of the skimmer.

+1

 

[rookie07]

Cant wait to try it out! Thanks

 

[bigdog1428]

When u do this mod , make sure u close the original air valve all
The way close ,, and I noticed that if u have the air valve high enough ,, this changes the operating height if the skimmer ,, it doesn't have to be close to the line anymore

 

[CHEMCHEF]

When u do this mod , make sure u close the original air valve all
The way close ,, and I noticed that if u have the air valve high enough ,, this changes the operating height if the skimmer ,, it doesn't have to be close to the line anymore

+1
I found that after the mod. I would run it double the depth of stock height.
It sort of lets the body of the skimmer work as part of the " bubbling process???"lol, in addition to the tube in the cup, and get more skimmate.

 

[CHEMCHEF]

Cant wait to try it out! Thanks

This mod is especially good on a solana because the screw is so hard to get to when its runnig with the stevie t cup, and being so deep in the chamber.
Looks like mod x 2 for you.

 

[rookie07]

This mod is especially good on a solana because the screw is so hard to get to when its runnig with the stevie t cup, and being so deep in the chamber.
Looks like mod x 2 for you.

Exactly! Just ordered the 2nd 9002 tonight. Need to prepare for the move (stock skimmer is just not cutting it!)

 

[noelskii]

anybody have experience with the sapphire or koralia nano skimmer? i feel like the tunze doesn't really do much...

 

[chasesng]

I actually got a used sapphire skimmer when I bought my used oceanic. It worked well....when it worked. One of the pumps worked sporadically. But I've had a hard time finding replacement pumps. And I don't like fact that the sapphire needs 2 pumps ....vs 1 for the tunze.

 

[rookie07]

anybody have experience with the sapphire or koralia nano skimmer? i feel like the tunze doesn't really do much...

None of them do much.
I had a sapphire, it was decent & quiet. Sold it long ago.

They are out of businesa and replacement parts are hard to find I guess. Someone big did buy the rights to the name and plans, or so I read, so hopefully soon there will be a new version out.

 

[chasesng]

WOW! Finished the mod. Hardest part was waiting for the silicon plug to dry. As it was, i only waited about 16 hours instead of 48.

Just put the Tunze back in the tank and even tho its gonna have to break in again, its already noticeably quieter. And the bubbling activity looks great. Plus the adjuster is much easier to get at.

Way big 'thank you' to all for the comments.

One more question now....someone said earlier that the tunze depth is now adustable. I thought water level was an inch or two below top of skim box. How deep or shallow will others run?

 

[bigdog1428]

Since u are using the airline ,, the height of water really don't matter bc when the air valve was in neck , it limited the operating level for the skimmer , now since u have separate air valve u can operate the water higher and lower

 

[rookie07]

What a great and easy mod! Just did it twice

Thanks Noelskii!!!!