Canadian Skimmer Company CSC-400
 

I’d like to start off by thanking Michael at Aqua Digital for giving me this opportunity. I’m a big fan of home reef technology and being able to play with it first hand is exciting!

In this review we will be looking at the Canadian Skimmer Company’s CSC-400.

CSC-400 at a glance:

At first glance this thing is a pure work of art, it’s a true statement of innovation without the price tag. Here are some features I noticed during the un-boxing.

Skimmer Cup
- This is fitted with a twist lock design. Removal of the skimmer cup is easy and hassle free, I’ve played with some other skimmers that twist off like a bottle cap and can get quite annoying.
- There is a hole placed in the skimmer cup for easy extraction of skimmate. This is a simple but effective design (barbed fitting). To make full use of this an airline tubing and valve would need to be purchased.

Skimmer Body
- This is a cone skimmer which does have a seam at the back of the skimmer, although not very noticeable.
- The acrylic is crystal clear and has a perfect finish to it. Truly a work of art.
- The body is secured to the base using 4 thumb screws, you can likely have the body off in under a minute.

Skimmer Base
- This skimmer uses the base and a variable gate to control the flow (water height) of the skimmer. This design allows for the extremely small footprint (11.5x11.5 inches).
- The base holds the two Cicce PSK 1200 pumps. These pumps are easily maintainable and accessible (I’d say 2 minutes from fully assembled to disassembled where you can get at the pumps).

Skimmer Air Intake
- There is an intake per pump, this allows you to control the amount of air available for the pumps. These are easily accessible and tunable.
- The intakes have nipples that allow you to attach tubing for external air (Some people like this feature to help more fresh air enter the tank)

Skimmer in general
- The skimmer sits 22.5 inches off the ground, measured from the base to the top of the skimmer cup. You will likely need another inch to remove the skimmer cup from the skimmer.
- The baseline water level is suggested at 180-250mm (7-9.8 inches).

I will keep this thread updated with progress.

Thanks for looking!

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/.../CSC-400_1.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/.../CSC-400_7.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/.../CSC-400_8.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/.../CSC-400_6.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/.../CSC-400_3.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/.../CSC-400_2.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/.../CSC-400_5.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/.../CSC-400_4.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...CSC-400_11.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...CSC-400_10.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...CSC-400_13.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...CSC-400_12.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...CSC-400_14.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...CSC-400_15.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...CSC-400_16.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...CSC-400_18.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...CSC-400_19.jpg

looks good.. my only thought (only owned verex skimmers) is i dont understand the output from the skimmer how does the cleaned water leave the skimmer. is it inteh tube in the back wih the adjustment dial?

There is a channel that goes from the center of the base out the back, the adjustment tube you are referring too has a small gate at the bottom of it which controls the flow out. :biggrin:

interesting.. if you get a chance id love to see a pic of that area but if its inset to tank dont worry about it i have an inqusitive mind and in the market for a new skimmer soon so ill be following along very closely... thanks for doing the review

Nice Skimmer! Looking foward to hearing more. Who carries these?

I'll snap a picture of my other skimmer, it has the same design :)

These should be available at almost any marine store in Canada. I believe the release date will be around September.

will they have h.o.b ones or strictly in sump skimmers

Can someone post the corporate website for the company :-)

Thanks !

Looks good depending on the price and air output of the pumps.
The only thing i see is that they need to add rubber pads/feet for the skimmer body as well as rubber lining under pumps to make it silent.
Like the idea of water output at the lowest point where there is least amount of bubbles.

www.aqua-digital.com

not updated yet but go to our forum for all the info on this line

Just in sump, we are brining in the NEW Bubble Magus E5 for HOB due in late July.

As Wayne said, the range will be launched at the end of September, we are currently evaluating the pre production models which this is one of, from there the production will start in about 5 weeks.

We have already received substantial pre orders based on the feedback we got from the pre production testing of the CSC-150

Here is a link
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=87599

Currently we have over 40 active dealers across Canada and the North America head count stands as of today at 87 so supply should be of no issue when looking for a CSC skimmer.

The next model to go under the pre test is the CSC-250 which starts today through Derek LeBlanc

Surprisingly enough, this skimmer is one of the quietest devices in my sump. There is a slight hum during start up, but then becomes pretty much silent. A single MP40 is louder than this skimmer and a lot quieter than my return pump.

There is a nice amount of foam forming and it's pulling out some skimmate (surprising for running under 12 hours). This unit is quite easy to adjust. I set the water level, then tuned the intakes to create a nice gradual increase in bubble size as it moves up the skimmer body.

Here is a quick pic of it's progress after the first day.

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...0/DSC_0117.jpg

Sorry, not looking for the distributor; was looking for the manufacturer website....

Looked on your website Michael; however you have no button I could see that would take me to you're forum.

Thanks :)

I am the first sponsor on canreef in the list, just go to the sponsor area.

Please read our forum the info is all there

The manufacturer is stated many times on our forum. CSC is an OEM product by Skimz on our exclusive behalf to our and canreefers requested specs.

"Introducing CSC skimmers (Skimz Hybrid)"
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=87019

Since the above post the CSC-350 was upgraded to CSC-400
SO where you see CSC-350 entioned it is referring now to the CSC-400

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=87450

First review and official ratings
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=87599

Due to the quality balancing done with the pumps and the mounts no rubber feet are required, the unit is quite simply near silent for a skimmer.

CSC-400 (formally SK251)
Technical Data:
2 X SICCE PSK1200 (110V/60Hz)
0.938A/52W
Air intake: 1680 l/h
Dimensions:
L 291 x W 291 x H 560mm
Cone base diameter (mm): 250
Tank Volume rating:
400-500+ Gallon
Estmiated price point:
$699.00 - $749.00CAD

Thanks

After a day of skimming, this thing is already pulling out some nice chunks of goo. I can't wait to see what this thing does at its full potential.

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...CSC-400_21.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...CSC-400_22.jpg

Nice! thats pulling some serious chunks! And its not even warmed up yet ;)

It's been a week and this skimmer is working like a champ!

I've had some people over and the common comment is how quiet the skimmer is. Personally, I can't believe how they packed a 500 Gallon capable skimmer into such a small package. For anyone looking to save some sump space, this is the solution.

There are a couple of things that would make this thing a superstar. First, the gate adjustment is extremely free... I would like to see a little more tension on this (so far it hasn't moved on me), might be a non-issue. Second, it would be nice if this skimmer included an extra hose and valve for easy dumping of skimmate... This feature is really handy.

Picture time! First week of running.

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...CSC-400_23.jpg

Looks great so far

The reason the gate valve is loose is likely due to you having the locking nut on the top side of the support bracket and not the underside. The pre review photos you sent showed the nuts being ontop ;)

We are looking into including a valve for the waste dump but not tube as we could never know how long somebody might want.

Thanks so far for the great review, keep the comments and improvement suggestions coming, it is these that help us build the brand ;)

I sorted that out before I installed the skimmer. Likely a non-issue as it doesn't seem to move and it's nice not fighting with it while adjusting.

Ok good feedback - I will look into having a locking mechanism fitted just for piece of mind. All adds to the quality.

I saw and heard this skimmer running. It's unbelievable how quiet it is.

I believe I've run this thing long enough to come to a final conclusion!

The Good:
It's never once had a problem starting.
It runs quiet!!!
The footprint is small for the performance.
It performs extremely well.

Improvements:
Dials are a little loose, after adding a few O-rings this is no longer an issue. Easy fix.

DIY Modification:
I added a float valve to the lid, this stops the pumps when the skimmer cup is full (Using DIY auto top-off circuitry). This by no means a requirement, but saved several overflows (due to laziness).

I'll leave you all with a couple of final photographs...

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...02D3B362B3.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...063B0E355A.jpg

I was eating when I started browsing this post and stopped when I reached the 2nd last photo :neutral:

First shipment lands in 5 weeks :)

hold onto your hats for a real quality cr*p producer to arrive :)

Aqua digital. What is the suggested retail price for this model?

we have posted some provisional pricing on our sponsor forum, however the final price will depnd on cost of import. However I do not see much change in what has been listed.

What depth of water are you running your CSC450 in ?

I just got one yesterday and I'm having trouble getting it to produce some good skimate. Right now it fills the cup about every hour. But I do have it sitting in 9 1/4 inches of water which is the max level according to the instructions. I'm thinking I might need to try it in 7 or 8 inches of water

optimal is 7" also it will take time to break in, all skimmers need a good week.

set the air to minimum and set the gate valve to maximum, then balance the water height with the air. it will take some tuning as you have two balancing components, but once balanced and bedded in these skimmers are set and forget.

Hey Michael, just a thought for skimmer design in general... Biopellets are really popular these days and the easiest way to hook one up to a skimmer is to add a T fitting to the input of the pump so one end of the T receives the effluent from the biopellet reactor and the other end is left open for the skimmer to suck in additional water. This is the most common way for people to hook up their biopellet reactor to the skimmer. However, the input of the skimmer is usually 1" PVC and a 1" T fitting will not fit over it without modification. If there was a better option, like maybe a barb fitting on the side of the skimmer body, or a different size input tube it would definitely be a selling feature for the many hobbyists running biopellets.

On the other hand, these look like nice skimmers. I like the idea of dual pumps instead of one big one. If one breaks down the skimmer can still operate. I really like the skimmer output too from what I can see of it in the pictures - looks like a great design.

That pic of the solid skimmer goo in the bowl...YUCK! :eek:

As far as the name goes, "Canadian Skimmer Company", these skimmers aren't manufactured in Canada are they? The price point seems too low for a Canadian manufacturer. :lol: Is it a Canadian company producing the designs then?

Hiya

As VERY well documented here many times on Canreef, No the skimmers are not made in Canada they are Skimz body with a Sicce pump, this has never been a hidden factor, the name also does not state Canadian skimmer manufacturer company, just a fun name to add to differentiate from the Skimz retail brand and the OEM brand we went with. The reason we went this route and not sell skimz electronically supplied goods is because Skimz warranties suck beyond comprehension so us taking control of the only real warranty part clients have great peace of mind, not to mention the fact the Sicce pump is way more superior in both performance, quality and silence. Skimz make some of the best bodies in the industry but the rest of the electronics they use are in my opinion a nightmare. We now have 100% control of that factor making an awesome skimmer for everyone at a great price.

Skimz CSC Skimmers
http://www.aqua-digital.com/skimz/


Bio pellets - are those things still being used? :sad: Really? whats the point? you need a reactor, be very careful in balancing the system so you dont crash the system and does nothing but add mass bacteria. This is why I am a fan of Prodibio, no reactor required, it is a complete system, you only dose every 14 days and impossible to overdose, have you ever seen a negative review either ;)

On to the T piece, the skimmer foot print would have to be bigger to compensate the addition there is not enough meat in the volute to add the required diameter for the T piece. Good thought in theory though.

Just for future reference we are now working on a complete new design for the winter/spring 2014 this will be a big departure from what you have seen so far and will be a design from us led by client feedback on the CSC rang thus far.

It also will not be Skimz OEM but a true blood new skimmer.

Hi Michael, thanks for having an open mind when real life suggestions are made. :)

I haven't read a sentence about these skimmers until this review, so no I'm not familiar with any documentation on the manufacture of the skimmer. Since this is a review thread, it seems an appropriate question to me. There is nothing wrong with the skimmer being manufactured somewhere else - most things are. I was simply wondering about the name. No reason to be on the defensive. ;)

As far as biopellets go, like it or not YES they are very popular. Whether YOU like them or not. Proper use of biopellets and some of the challenges when using them is also well documented now that all the guinea pigs have crashed their tanks. :p I've used Prodibio for 2 or 3 years now, and the system does not do what biopellets do. I like Prodibio, and will continue to use it for the benefits I see, but I have not experienced any noticeable nutrient lowering capability from Prodibio on any of my systems. Some people claim such, but I have not seen it myself.

Hiya

Not being defensive just making sure you and anyone else reading this have all the facts. As always the written word carries no emotion :(

As you know Aqua Digital = Straight talking BRIT :lol:

Anyone now looking for a CSC skimmer. Dave at Concepts just bought the very last shipment.

He has 9 x CSC450 and 5 x CSC250 in stock. CSC150 sold out

Hey Mike those Skimmers look very well built. I remember Doug having one of the skimmers with that knob and dial and he ran in to the same problem to with the loosen thingy lol. But some times it takes a few times to get it right. But at least its getting noticed. I really like the bottom out put of the skimmer great Idea. I was looking at the skimmer ideas and I guess having a Gate valve wouldn't really make sense due to the output of the skimmer.
I love pumps now thou. before I had a really bad run in with the Sicci pumps. and it drew me away from them.. but now they are rocking well Done.

I remember sicci pumps on the Bubblemaster skimmer with the super wide neck for awesome wet foam and its huge 10" body. anyways enough on me.. chatting about this skimmer.

Excellent review Wayne ........