Skimmer Thread

[prattreef]

Shaun,

Craig Bingman is the "original " bio-chemist who starting publishing for the aquarium hobby in Aquarium Frontiers and Advanced Aquarist before Randy Holmes-Farley took over the niche after Craig faded into his Professional career... mapping bacterial genes and such in Madison, Wisconsin ( he did his Doctroal work at Columbia). His work is seminal for the hobby, and he is your kind of guy Randy

 

[jhale]

Das Ex-2

the DAS came today, the first pics are with a phone cam, I apologize it's the only dig camera I have with me now.

this will be up and running on saturday.
can someone recommend a feed pump for it. I forgot it needs one.

the two pumps on it are the same as the aqua-bee pumps, DAS just licensed the deltec design and put their name on them.
they are 38 watts and 2000 L/hr.
the skimmer is 27 7/8" tall, and the tube is 6" in diameter.
the collection cup rotates off the body using a very well made three bladed twist lock.
the skimmer cost $520.00 from petorama.net





in the pics I forgot to attach the air lines to the pumps.

edit: I may try to run a feed line to the skimmer from one of my 1.5" drain lines.

 

[pecan2phat]

Jonathan,

That is an excellent price for a two pump Deltec clone. The AP600 which is a smaller single aquabee, only 5" diameter and only 24" tall cost almost a clam more than your DAS skimmer.

I gotta say after owning a large Euro-Reef, an Aqua-C and now two Deltecs that your DAS has got to be one of the best buys I've seen in a while. People are paying $525 for a slightly used Deltec AP600!
What's the specs on stocking capacity on your DAS?

(Also stop making Rich cry with those beautiful pics of the EX-2)

 

[herman]

Rich will really start to cry now. J, definitely run one of your drainpipes into it. Also attach a ball or gate valve. Get enough plumbing so you dont get the splash and saltcreep all over the place.

All of your tanks just took an extra step to being the same

 

[jhale]

Rich is getting a BX-3!!! he has nothing to cry about.

How much is a clam? lol

The thing is there are no specs on the DAS products. They are so strange, they do absolutely 0 marketing and advertising. Yesterday Sean (from aquatic creations) was over checking out the elos, I told him I was getting a DAS and he asked what it was. If an owner of a reef store has not heard of them you know the company is doing something wrong. I have no idea how they stay in business.

I'll have spykes come over and measure the air flow and help fine tune it.
Once I get the new parts for the elos then I'll be able to compare the two.

I'm also very excited to have Shaun put the skimmate under the scope

 

[ShaunW]

Jonathan, I suggest drilling a hole in the collection cup so that it can be drained to a larger container. If you do it maybe we can do it together, since I would like to do it on my DAS also.

As a DAS BX-1 owner, the only problem with this skimmer as I see it is that the collection cup isn't big enough for the amount of skimate produced, especially if you skim wet. It needs to be emptied every two days with my system, and that is skimming dry.

 

[cali_reef]

this is what I found, about 5 days of skimming.

That is some nasty stuff. I never seen anything that black, not even from my Barr. Looks more like tar than something from a fish tank :shocked1:

 

[ShaunW]

Rich will really start to cry now. J, definitely run one of your drainpipes into it. Also attach a ball or gate valve. Get enough plumbing so you dont get the splash and saltcreep all over the place.

All of your tanks just took an extra step to being the same

I wouldn't do that, the only way that I know of to adjust the DAS is via the water imput (I guess you could adjust the amount of air, but I like to leave it fully open). Unless the "ball or gate valve" comment is for regulating the flow into the DAS? :scratch: Anyway I use a Maxijet 1200 for the imput to the skimmer.

 

[cali_reef]

Does anyone know if all DAS EX skimmers uses the same size body chamber?

That web site gives no spec what so ever..

 

[ShaunW]

Does anyone know if all DAS EX skimmers uses the same size body chamber?

That web site gives no spec what so ever..

I don't think so, since I think the specs that Jon gave for the EX-2 is bigger than my EX-1.

 

[ShaunW]

My tube is 6 inches in diameter, but it is 22 inches high complete, i.e. base to top of collection cup.

 

[DevIouS]

How about the footprint Shaun?

 

[cali_reef]

solbby, do you have a picture of your DAS EX-1 you can share? Rich didn't list one in the intro of this post.

 

[ShaunW]

Phil, here are the specs:
9 inch wide x 8 inch footprint.

6 inch wide tube. The skimmer itself is 22 inches high.

Cali:
I have just been too lazy to take any pic, nor write up any opinions or comments. But your not the first to ask so I guess the pressure for me to pay attention to my skimmer, instead of my livestock/biology, is increasing. As you can tell I am not so into the hardware of the hobby, just as long as it works well, and the DAS skimmer definately fits my personality, i.e. plug and play and forget (since it works so well).

 

[jhale]

shaun the input on my ex-2 came with a ball valve.

I'm going to put a tee on the 1.5" drain then use reducers to get down to the 1/2" tube size for the input. I guess I should put a ball valve on the other side of the tee for complete control over the flow.

 

[jhale]

Shaun, how long did it take for the DAS to produce good results?

 

[ShaunW]

shaun the input on my ex-2 came with a ball valve.

Mine has it too, forget my last post about your input I don't know what I am talking about (see I am a hardware retard, :fishhit: ).

 

[DevIouS]

Cool!
Thanks Shaun.

Awwwww man....... Another up-grade!:banghead:

 

[ShaunW]

Shaun, how long did it take for the DAS to produce good results?

Almost immediately! Within the first two days the cup was full with nasty skimmate. It has been kicking a$$ ever since.

 

[jhale]

Does anyone know if all DAS EX skimmers uses the same size body chamber?

That web site gives no spec what so ever..

There are no specs. You can try to call the DAS people in TX, the main number is 972-938-1115, good luck getting a tech person on the phone.
the woman who answers the phones does their billing and can't answer any spec questions.

also remember this is Texas you are calling, don't freak out if they take thier time getting back to you, like I said it seems like they don't want to promote the DAS products at all