Skimmer testing for FREE!
 

Ever wonder how your skimmer is actually performing? Ever wanted a more objective measure other than "Gee, a lot of brown crud is coming out?". Well wonder no more as your friendly neighbourhood GVRD skimmer testing team (a.k.a. Vic, Anthony et moi) is now on the loose!

We'll be heading out to visit some LFS in Abbotsford on Saturday and bringing my
Dwyer RMA-22 airflow meter and Kill-a-Watt with us. Just let me know if you want us to put your skimmer through its paces!

Anyone interested?

We went out and fkshiu tested the Vertex 250.

I'll let fkshiu post about the results.

Cheers,
Vic

I would love to test my ASM G5

Tom R

No problemo. Let's try to arrange a time. I can be out in Surry sometime next week.

i checked that vertex out at aquatic addictions today and it is frickin cool. i was floored as to how cheap they are as well. i had never heard of the vertex til i was in there.

Sure, can you be here by Thursday? :smile:

Do I hear Road Trip?

Cheers,
Vic

How about Thursday June 2009........ I've gotta check out my friends new house. He moved from the Hamptons down South. ;)

Cheers,
Vic

Did you want to check out my BK?

J

I just ordered a Dwyer RMC-102 and getting a Watt-meter too - can hardly wait to test the results.

Sure, but I'd like to check out your tank again even more ;)

Oooh, that RMC is one of the big suckers, much bigger than my wee little RMA.

What is a Dwyer RMC-53D

Any time Franklin

what exactly are you testing and what are you using as a basis for comparason?

Steve

flowmeter
 

its basically a air flowmeter. This Dwyer models comes in different sizes:
RMA - 2"
RMB - 5"
RMC - 10"

I just double checked and i made a mistake. mines actually the rmc-102
http://www.noblersport.com/ebayimg/xb/xb116a.jpg

this model rmc-102 measures between 10-100 scfh (5-50 liter per minute)

Air draw (or "suckage" as I like to say) of the pump versus electrical draw of the pump. It is a good objective measure of the efficiency of the skimmer pump since skimmers are basically air/water mixers. It also puts the manufacturer's advertised numbers to the test and you can compare the numbers to what others have measured with the same or comparable skimmers.

The interesting thing in particular about needlewheel skimmer pumps is that they are being used for a purpose that they were never designed for. Needlewheel pumps are all initially designed to pump water and only water. When you add air into the mix a lot of things can change. Firstly, the amount of energy the pump uses goes down since air is easier to move than water. Secondly, things such as needwheel design, volute design etc. can affect how much air is drawn and how much energy is used. As a result, the Sedra on TomR's ASM G5 is probably pulling a different amount of air at a different wattage than the same model of Sedra on a Euroreef, for example.

For Chin it's all gone phallic :P

He needs the monster flowmeter because of the monster numbers he's going to get from his monster skimmer pump. My RMA-22 tops out at 25 LPM (half of the RMC-102):

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...u/IMG_5937.jpg

Jason, the Red Dragon on your BK may max out my RMA-22 since I expect it to draw around 30 LPM, so Chin's RMC-102 may be to right tool to measure it with.

I am generally available, just give me a call the day before.

Tom R

Cool... I don't have a skimmer :(