I have a Deltec TS-1250 that i bought back in 2005 and almost 20 years later and still working like new might look into a new version sometime in the future, excellent review.
Brilliant. I’ve just bought a Chad! Lol. I was also replacing a bubble magus A5. I’m so pleased to have replaced it. It’s so much more reliable and easily adjustable. It also helps me keep a tighter Control on my salinity as I can have a much tighter control on the amount of water the skimmer collects.
How awesome! I don’t use Chad on my current tank but I’m keeping him in case I ever need him. I tried to buy the biggest version of Chad but was unable to get one here in Canada at the time, so I got an AquaVitro Division 500 and it’s doing a great job. But I have to say, if I ever have a chance to get the 1000i, I won’t hesitate. Thanks for watching! 👍🏻
Great video! and nice skimmer! I have just purchased the 600ix which is AC variant of this range, it's not has quiet as the DC i model 🙁. What height are you running the skimmer at? By the way not sure if anyone else in the comments have pointrd this out, or you have discovered yourself, but the water adjustment tube actually dismantles, the screw knob along with cap that's attached to the black rod simply pulls up and off the tube. 👍
Thanks Dean - someone did point that out and I’ve since been able to clean it properly. 👍🏻 I’m not running that tank any more but I think it was running in about 7.5” of water. I still have the skimmer, though my new build will have something different. I would have bought the 3000i if I was able to get one here in Canada without it costing me US$300 just for the shipping. 😡
Reefgrrl Yeah the white cap with the 2 holes in it pulls off and the whole threaded rod comes out so you can put your bottle brush down the empty tube. 👍
Hi First of all what a truly fantastic video, iv just bought the Deltech 1000i. I noticed that you could not clean the adjuster tube easily, iv just noticed that the white cap just under the adjuster on mine does actually come off as it is a press fit, This may be an alteration or maybe yours is just a little tight. Anyway I had the RedSea 600 before this and could not trust it and the skimming capability wasn't very good as the slightest change in water level would cause it to over skim. Thanks again for a great vid. all the best, Nick.
Hey Nick! Thanks so much for the tip - turns out mine was on a bit tight, and the last time I cleaned it I was able to completely disassemble it. 👍🏻 And thank you for the kind words! I’m still in love with Chad and he’s still doing a great job. 😍❣️ I hope you love yours too. 😎
@@Reefgrrl Thanks for the Reply iv just done my 48 hour run in as per instructions and its now in full on skim mode and I still can't hear it, this was definitely the right choice of skimmer. The RedSea has now been relegated to a cardboard box lol
Thank you! I’ve come to realize if I keep my sump clean on an ongoing basis, there won’t be toxic buildups of decomposing organics that will pollute the tank when disturbed. And I think a one-year review makes a lot of sense....🤔 Thanks for the suggestion!!
This is a lie , the deltec 600ix makes a lot of noise , more the the older 1351 . A lot more noise ! i had a 1351 before and it made less noise then my wave-pomp .
@@ikke1970100 I just saw your comment now, so sorry for the delayed reply. It’s definitely NOT a lie - I have the 600i - the DC pump version - and you’re talking about the ix, the AC pump version. My 600i is absolutely silent.
I’ve heard very good things about Nyos! Of course, I love my Deltec 600i but Nyos would be a careful consideration if I needed a new skimmer. Which I probably won’t because I have a Deltec lol....😁
Looks awesome. How does it compare in size to the BM a5 - which was also the pain of my existence during my first year of reefing.... the built in neck cleaner seems very useful!
It’s very slightly taller, and bulkier because of the cylinder shape but the footprint is better - slightly narrower. Were I to ever need another skimmer, I’d buy a Deltec without even thinking about it! 👍🏻
Hah! I didn’t! Battlecorals in the US is the only online place I could find, that stocks them. Marine Depot shows them as “coming soon” which has been there since last June. I had it shipped to my US shipping address and went and picked it up. Dealing with Adam at Battlecorals was a great experience - he is very passionate about Deltec as a manufacturer, going way back.
Nice review. I ended up buying the 600i. I was wondering, you mentioned you have yours set at speed 1. Recommendation on the book says 5. That’s the difference? When I set it at 5, it constantly bubbles up too much and fills the cup, even if I raise it. 1-2 seems optimal for me, but wanted to double check if the setting makes any difference . Thanks again
I ran mine at 1-2 and then gradually increased it based on reduction over time in the in-body water level - I believe this increase was needed as the pump gradually accumulated biofilm on the impeller magnet. When I had to run it at 5 to maintain proper function, I took it apart and cleaned it. This was about every six months. I don’t have it running now because I’m starting a new build. hth. 👍🏻
Hey Kevin, that’s right - no bubble plate, and cylinder-shaped body - a little bit retro stying and functionality, getting back to basics with great success. I love it. 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks for the review! Bought the same one because of your great review. BTW, at what height is the water you set it in? Also, do you have the controller running at full speed? Thanks in advance for the feedback!
That’s great, thanks for letting me know! Mine is in 8” of water and the controller is at 3. I run an outside airline into the air intake and without that, the controller runs at 1. I suspect the pump needs cleaning though, because I did have the controller at 1 until recently. It started to skim too dry, so I increased the setting to 3 and now it’s back where I like it. So I’ll need to pull it out soon, and clean the pump. I still love Chad! 👍🏻
Many thanks for the reply! I see now that I had my controller set too high because I couldn’t dial in the skimmer. Set it at 2 and it instantly improved the performance of Chad’s sister;)
Hahahaha, that’s awesome. Carlos23 has called his Deltec Linda, and there’s a guy in Australia who calls his Angie. 😁 I’m thinking Veronica would be another good name for a skimmer.....😜
I must be the rarity. I have a BM curve 5, my second one. Yes it does overflow on occasion ( The Reason water level in the sump) very sensitive to water level. I have had them now for 11 years
Hi Bob! So nice to hear from you! My theory is that the pump in mine was somehow oversized for the purpose because nothing I did - NOTHING - stopped the overflowing. I varied the water level by as little as 1/4” at a time to try and get it to work but the only thing that controlled the constant overflow was restricting the air intake. Which they told me voided the warranty (I still have the emails about it). I’ve heard other reports of success with it, which makes me even more sure there was an issue with my particular unit, that they wouldn’t acknowledge. So I won’t ever buy their products again, because they weren’t interested in addressing my problem. And I’m glad to hear you’re still keeping a reef! Thanks for the comment, and stay safe. 👍🏻
@@Reefgrrl still reefing, still in the condo so still restricted to size but I just bought a IM 50 gallon with a fijicube 24 sump. Love it a lot better than the JBJ 45 gallon AIO that I converted to a sump.
No problems at all. I even use outside air into the skimmer on my current system. We notice a distinct drop in pH when we turn off the skimmer. 👍🏻 Thanks for watch8ng!
I have a Jebao DP4 that’s been running perfectly for almost 4 years now, on various tanks. However, I might switch to a Kamoer wifi dosing setup, for reasons I’ll reveal in a future video....😉 Nothing wrong with the Jebao, just wanting to move with the times....
You are either lucky with the one you got, or i got a bad one. But this skimmer is not silent at all here. In fact its much louder than my vertex omega and bubble king mini.
@@kristofdb7139 Did you get the x? The DC pump version? I have heard the ix - the AC pump version - can be loud. I have the DC version and it is absolutely silent. 🤷♀️ I’d contact Deltec if you have a bad one, see what they can do for you.
It’s sitting in around 8” of water. The water level inside the skimmer varies and to check it, I observe the overflow tube. When it’s running the way I like, the water level in the tube is not quite 1” from the lowest point of the top of the tube (the top edge is angled - can be seen in the video).
Hey Reefgirl I purchased the deltec 600i dc and having some technical issues. Can you help? I have the pump settings on 4 bars and the water level half way up. The base is milky white micro bubbles the neck is small and large bubbles popping at half way in next but no skim mate can't understand it. When I first turned on worked lots of skim and bubbles now no waste.
If you look at the water level tube, can you see near the top where it’s marked “max” and “min”? With, if I remember right, wavy lines beside the words? The water level in that tube needs to be between those lines. If it isn’t between those lines, adjust the knob to get it there, and see if that makes a difference. If it is between the lines, you probably need to increase the power on the controller. Let me know...
@@Reefgrrl Hi Thanks for replying to me, so the water level on tube between minimum - maximum water level is about half way. On pump setting 6 now is doing dry skim perfect. What number is your pump on ? My skimmer is sitting in 19.5cm or just under 8 inches of water from bottom to level of sump water. Manufacturers deltec say needs to be between 15- 25cm of water depth. Any news or updates on your big tank with the issues !
Hi, I bought 600i. The tank just cycled and I started running the skimmer about 5-6 days ago. I guess between not being broken in, a low bio load, and epoxy for the rocks, it is impossible for me to get this right, Either the water level with air is too low, or it overflows. Even when it is set OK, it may overflow, or the level will drop when I check it later. Deltec recommends setting the pump at 7 or 8. That would be impossible at this point. Do you have any suggestions, as well as the optimum water height for the skimmer to sit in the sump? Thanks so much.
Hi, apologies for the tardy reply - hubby had to have some surgery and it’s been hectic around here lately. I no longer run the Deltec but I recall I ran it at level 2 on the controller when I used it. Any higher than that caused it to overflow. I also recall I set it in the water depth recommended by Deltec. I fiddled around with the water level in the tube over the course of a few days until I got it right but I remember it was pretty easy. The Min / Max lines were very helpful in getting the water level right. It’s quite possible if your tank is in the midst of cycling, it might be too soon to have a skimmer running. I don’t know if this helps…thanks for watching!
@@Reefgrrl Hi, thanks for your message. Hope your husband recovers quickly. It is running better, but you are correct that there isn't much of a bioload in the tank right now. Why did you change out skimmers? What are you running now? Thanks.
I have a new tank, so now I have an AquaVitro Division 500, and I love it. I did my best to get the Deltec 1000i but they just couldn’t get their act together to ship to Canada, so I gave up. I’d still get a Deltec in a heartbeat if it were possible. I have a playlist of videos about the new system, which I call CrazyTown Reef. Total water volume is 600+ gallons, with a 325g display and the rest in a basement sump. It’s been quite the ride…😁
Haha, well cheap skimmers can add up if you have to keep replacing them because they don’t work. 😁 there’s been a 10% price drop since I got mine.....🤷♀️
does it ever pull crap out! such dark skimmate. Do you think you may have less coraline and algae build up if you blocked that light from reaching the skimmer body?
As it happens, I now use a piece of black egg crate stood vertically in front of it, blocking the light, plus I have a Par 30 bulb in there now that directs the light more straight downwards, so less spillover. I thought the buildup wasn’t bad, considering it took about 7 months to reach that point....but no buildup would be much better. 👍🏻
Much as I love my A5 it is a real PITA to clean an reset, not to mention the initial setup; having to trawl UA-cam for a good instruction vid (I used yours ;)) hmm Chad is looking better by the minute lol.
I finally snapped when, after several months of the a5 skimming fine using the air restriction, it suddenly started randomly overflowing again. I’d had enough. The Deltec was WORTH. EVERY. PENNY. And, it’s not available in Canada so I had to have it shipped to my US shipping address and go pick it up. Cost almost CA$700 by the time I got it in my door. But again, it was worth it!
Hi, it’s to bring in fresh air with low carbon dioxide. Pushed through the skimmer, it helps displace the carbon dioxide in the water and slightly increases pH. That’s the reason: to help increase pH.
Was it that obvious? ☺️ No drain but I skim on the dry side, so it doesn’t matter - takes about a month to get 2” of skimmate because all the nasty collects in the neck and on the walls. It’s awesome! And I’ve never had it overflow, even when putting in new filter floss basically right beside it. 😁
I’ve moved on from that skimmer, but from what I remember, I had it in the level of water recommended by the instructions. I ran it on speed 3 or 4, depending on the circumstances. Are you getting bubbles and foam?
Hello Reefgrrl, I love my deltec 600i aswell! Unfortunately I'm having issues getting that dark glorious skimmate. Is there anychance you may be able to walk me through the way you tune yours for either dry or wet skimmate please 😊🙏
I can tell you my settings, maybe that’ll help. I have the controller set to 1 (the lowest level), I draw air in from outside (which affects the water level in the skimmer body, makes it lower), and I keep the bubble level in about the middle of the neck - ends up about 3/4” below the bottom of the collection cup. When it comes to getting dark skimmate, it needs to be dry, so the bubble level needs to be low rather than high. It’s been almost a month since I last emptied the skimmer cup, and I have an inch of near-black ugly in the collection cup. As soon as I can smell it when I walk into the room, that’s when I clean it out. I don’t know how much this helps, but I’ll try and answer any other questions you might have. 🤷♀️
@@Reefgrrl thank you! Any chance you could measure the depth of water it's sitting in? Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I really appreciate it
Hi, apologies for the tardy response. That tank had a system total of about 110 gallons (88 gallon display) and I would consider it well-stocked. The 600i was perfect for it. I think the 1000i is overkill for 540 litres/147 gal, unless you have an extremely heavy bioload, or you plan to upgrade going forward. I’m currently using an AquaVitro Division 500 on my 2400 litre/600 gallon system and it’s about perfect for the moment, because I need to maintain a sufficient nutrient level in that water volume. Not sure this helps, good luck! 👍🏻
Hi ReefGrrl! You should rename Chad to Adam lol. I like you skimmer very nice. I need to find the 3 pack of glue, ive been using the 2 pack. Have a great Day
Not sure what you mean.....in the video I have it running in the kitchen sink and it’s so quiet you can hear crickets from outside... It’s absolutely silent in my sump. When I turn it off there is no difference in the noise level in the cabinet. Over a year since I first installed it, and I still love it.
Nice pick up I’m having problems with my curve 5 pump don’t want to work if u not going to use the curve 5 pump I’ll buy it from u I’m scare the I’m going to buy one and is not going to work either so I’ll already know yours work so if you don’t have no plans for it I’ll buy it
Hey Hector - I’m interested - I’ll pull it out and get it cleaned up and make sure it’s running, then we can talk details. The pump always ran well, though occasionally it made a low whining sound that I thought happened when it wasn’t level.... I’ll try and get to that tomorrow, and let you know. Thanks for the thought.....
Thank u so much I want it for my new build the I just started and the skimmer I order came from China and is the second pump I get for the skimmer and it doesn’t work so now I’m scare to order one more and then don’t work so letme know I appreciated and thank u so much for replying wish you the best with that new boyfriend lol
Hi, I’m not sure what you’re asking. The controller was at setting 2 and the air was wide open, coming from outside the house through a hose. The water level was what they recommended (I can’t remember now, what that was - I have a different tank now).
Deltec products have always been about the quality of the product but ....that pump reminds me of every other cheap Chinese DC pump (e.g. Jebao) out there, everything from the body of the pump, the very generic controller and even the cheap looking wall wart plug. Such a sad state of affairs that so much is sourced from China, I mean I get that you can get different tolerances and quality levels from the factories there but when they all look the same it's hard to distinguish "good" stuff from bad.
I’ve never had anything but good experiences with Jebao equipment (since you mention them specifically) and I have a lot of it. I believe in regular maintenance and cleaning, which is why I’m so impressed with this Deltec pump (since you mention pumps specifically) because it has so obviously been designed with ease of maintenance in mind. When researching before buying I learned Deltec is highly regarded as a quality product. From my experience to date, I have to agree. Looks can be deceiving - this pump is far better quality and much easier to disassemble and reassemble than the pump on my BM curve a5 was. I’ve only been in the hobby for about 8 years and I’ve observed a lot of bias against Chinese-made products. Some is definitely justified. Most is not, in my opinion. It’s a matter of researching the difference. If a company such as Deltec, with its long-standing good reputation uses Chinese-made components then I trust those components meet the quality standards required for Deltec to maintain that reputation. Full disclosure: when I find something that works, I stick with it. Thus I don’t have experience with a wide variety of pumps. My benchmark is simply whether any piece of equipment does its job. If it does, I’ll stick with it. If not, I’ll be looking elsewhere. To date, I’ve made only a few wrong choices and buying the 600i isn’t one of them. 😁
@@Reefgrrl Glad you haven't had issues with Jebao equipment, nothing sucks in this hobby more than getting any equipment and having it fail on you prematurely regardless if you buy cheaper stuff or really expensive stuff. And I'm not going to look down on someone trying to save a few bucks in this hobby, hell I'd be hypocritical if I did. My "bias" against Chinese made products is more from being in this hobby quite a bit longer, remember when Bubble Magus skimmers first came out and seeing they were direct ripoffs of other existing skimmers at a fraction of the cost. Overtime though companies just could not compete without super cheap labor & manufacturing so just about everything is made in China. That said, when so many pumps look absolutely identical to one another, and again everything from the pump body to controller to the power plug connector. Only variations are color and branding, it just makes you wonder if you're really getting quality in that part, or the same factories are just producing products for tons of brands from the very cheap (Jebao) to the expensive (Deltec). I mean heck even Reef Octopus changed their old DC pumps out because they looked too much like the same ones everyone else is popping out. Again I'm not ripping into the quality, it's just it's hard to see that pump and think quality because I've see the non quality versions. It'd be like seeing a BMW that looks like a Ford Focus, and wondering if you're getting "fine German engineering" or same stuff with a higher price tag.
I’m thinking the difference might be after-sale support. As in, when something fails, how easy is it to get the “manufacturer” to fix the problem? There are a few companies (well-known, Chinese and not) which have dismal to zero customer support. And there are others renowned for their superlative handling of problems. So when I pay big bucks for EcoTech, I’d expect the best in customer service and from what I’ve read it’s spotty at best, and seems like they play favourites to some degree (I have no personal experience of this, just impressions gathered from a variety of types of sources). That’s one of the reasons I don’t mind paying a premium for Deltec! Their reputation! My direct experience with Bubble Magus was denial I had a problem and warnings that I’d have no warranty and limited pump life if I modified the stupid thing so it would work. What good is a warranty when they won’t admit there’s even a problem? And with modification at least I got just over a year out of it before it started acting up and randomly overflowing again. Obeying their directions not to modify rendered the skimmer useless anyway, so what did I have to lose? I might as well have run it over with my car - it would have at least been entertaining. So to me that’s what matters - BMW (I drive a mini) has stellar customer service and they stand behind their products whereas Ford is lacklustre at best. Given a choice between the two, I don’t mind paying more for the one that starts every time and if it doesn’t, the manufacturer makes it right. And as I said in the video, skimmers are in my opinion, very high on the list of equipment where you get what you pay for. Lol, I hope this all makes sense....😂
This is a lie , the deltec 600ix makes a lot of noise , more the the older 1351 . A lot more noise ! i had a 1351 before and it made less noise then my wave-pomp .
Love your review so I went and got in contact with Adam from BATTLECORALS AND HE SENT ME A DELTEC 1000ix I love it too. I have to give her a name to 🤔
That’s AWESOME Carlos! Lol, what about Linda (I love that it's Spanish for “cute”...) 😈 I hope you’re very happy together. 😁❣️
I have a Deltec TS-1250 that i bought back in 2005 and almost 20 years later and still working like new might look into a new version sometime in the future, excellent review.
I was unable to get a bigger Deltec for my new tank, so I kept the original one just in case. Thanks for watching!
Brilliant. I’ve just bought a Chad! Lol. I was also replacing a bubble magus A5. I’m so pleased to have replaced it. It’s so much more reliable and easily adjustable. It also helps me keep a tighter Control on my salinity as I can have a much tighter control on the amount of water the skimmer collects.
How awesome! I don’t use Chad on my current tank but I’m keeping him in case I ever need him. I tried to buy the biggest version of Chad but was unable to get one here in Canada at the time, so I got an AquaVitro Division 500 and it’s doing a great job. But I have to say, if I ever have a chance to get the 1000i, I won’t hesitate. Thanks for watching! 👍🏻
Great video! and nice skimmer! I have just purchased the 600ix which is AC variant of this range, it's not has quiet as the DC i model 🙁.
What height are you running the skimmer at?
By the way not sure if anyone else in the comments have pointrd this out, or you have discovered yourself, but the water adjustment tube actually dismantles, the screw knob along with cap that's attached to the black rod simply pulls up and off the tube. 👍
Thanks Dean - someone did point that out and I’ve since been able to clean it properly. 👍🏻 I’m not running that tank any more but I think it was running in about 7.5” of water. I still have the skimmer, though my new build will have something different. I would have bought the 3000i if I was able to get one here in Canada without it costing me US$300 just for the shipping. 😡
Just got my Deltec 1000ix today from Adam @ Battlecorals. Happy as can be.
WooHoo, that’s awesome! Adam is wonderful to deal with! I hope you love yours as much as I love mine. Was well worth the price.
hahaha the intro made me LOL at work, amazing
Deltec definitely makes quality equipment. It does come apart way easier than my reef octopus. Great Video!
Thanks for watching!
Oohhh I like it a lot. I may pull the trigger on a new skimmer and this maybe it. Great review Cindy
Thanks DC, you will NOT regret it! 👍🏻
Good review, I have the same skimmer, you can remove the level adjustment end cap for cleaning the tube.
Really? Is it the white top cap that comes off? Does it screw off or is it just friction fit? 🤔
Reefgrrl
Yeah the white cap with the 2 holes in it pulls off and the whole threaded rod comes out so you can put your bottle brush down the empty tube. 👍
Best review of this skimmer... Thanks.
Thanks for the compliment - I hope it helps. I still love it! 😍
I love this review. You actually used it for months upon months and showed the clean up!!! Well done!
Thank you! it’s a great skimmer!
Hi First of all what a truly fantastic video, iv just bought the Deltech 1000i.
I noticed that you could not clean the adjuster tube easily, iv just noticed that the white cap just under the adjuster on mine does actually come off as it is a press fit, This may be an alteration or maybe yours is just a little tight.
Anyway I had the RedSea 600 before this and could not trust it and the skimming capability wasn't very good as the slightest change in water level would cause it to over skim.
Thanks again for a great vid.
all the best,
Nick.
Hey Nick! Thanks so much for the tip - turns out mine was on a bit tight, and the last time I cleaned it I was able to completely disassemble it. 👍🏻 And thank you for the kind words! I’m still in love with Chad and he’s still doing a great job. 😍❣️ I hope you love yours too. 😎
@@Reefgrrl Thanks for the Reply iv just done my 48 hour run in as per instructions and its now in full on skim mode and I still can't hear it, this was definitely the right choice of skimmer.
The RedSea has now been relegated to a cardboard box lol
Great reviews on the skimmer ❤
I’ll be going with Deltec for the new build.
Being happy is important. I hit the dopamine button to help also. it looks really nice you have a very clean sump. Will we get an annual review?
Thank you! I’ve come to realize if I keep my sump clean on an ongoing basis, there won’t be toxic buildups of decomposing organics that will pollute the tank when disturbed. And I think a one-year review makes a lot of sense....🤔 Thanks for the suggestion!!
totally agree..its a good skimmer and very silent
I’m getting worried about you loving an object lol 😂👍 I agree though Deltec are really good.
This is a lie , the deltec 600ix makes a lot of noise , more the the older 1351 . A lot more noise ! i had a 1351 before and it made less noise then my wave-pomp .
@@ikke1970100 I just saw your comment now, so sorry for the delayed reply. It’s definitely NOT a lie - I have the 600i - the DC pump version - and you’re talking about the ix, the AC pump version. My 600i is absolutely silent.
@reefblog Let me know when you installed it in living room
Nice upgrade😎
Hi Cindy, I have been struggling with the bubble magus curve 5 for the last year. So saving up for a new nyos quantum 120 to replace the BM.
I’ve heard very good things about Nyos! Of course, I love my Deltec 600i but Nyos would be a careful consideration if I needed a new skimmer. Which I probably won’t because I have a Deltec lol....😁
Great review!
Fantastic video 👌👍👊💪
Lol, thanks for stopping by!
You cannot beat quality can you, I know they are not cheap but you do get what you pay for in my op👍
Looks awesome. How does it compare in size to the BM a5 - which was also the pain of my existence during my first year of reefing.... the built in neck cleaner seems very useful!
It’s very slightly taller, and bulkier because of the cylinder shape but the footprint is better - slightly narrower. Were I to ever need another skimmer, I’d buy a Deltec without even thinking about it! 👍🏻
Reefgrrl and where did you get this bad boy in Canada?
Hah! I didn’t! Battlecorals in the US is the only online place I could find, that stocks them. Marine Depot shows them as “coming soon” which has been there since last June. I had it shipped to my US shipping address and went and picked it up. Dealing with Adam at Battlecorals was a great experience - he is very passionate about Deltec as a manufacturer, going way back.
Great review! Just ordered mine. ✅
Awesome! Did you get it from Battlecorals?
I did! Adam hooked it up. :-)
Nice review. I ended up buying the 600i. I was wondering, you mentioned you have yours set at speed 1. Recommendation on the book says 5. That’s the difference? When I set it at 5, it constantly bubbles up too much and fills the cup, even if I raise it. 1-2 seems optimal for me, but wanted to double check if the setting makes any difference . Thanks again
I ran mine at 1-2 and then gradually increased it based on reduction over time in the in-body water level - I believe this increase was needed as the pump gradually accumulated biofilm on the impeller magnet. When I had to run it at 5 to maintain proper function, I took it apart and cleaned it. This was about every six months. I don’t have it running now because I’m starting a new build. hth. 👍🏻
@@Reefgrrl Thanks! Appreciate the quick response.
Cool skimmer! There is no bubble plate? The overflow failsave is pretty cool
Hey Kevin, that’s right - no bubble plate, and cylinder-shaped body - a little bit retro stying and functionality, getting back to basics with great success. I love it. 👍🏻👍🏻
@@Reefgrrl yes looks like it performs well!
Thanks for the review! Bought the same one because of your great review. BTW, at what height is the water you set it in? Also, do you have the controller running at full speed? Thanks in advance for the feedback!
That’s great, thanks for letting me know! Mine is in 8” of water and the controller is at 3. I run an outside airline into the air intake and without that, the controller runs at 1. I suspect the pump needs cleaning though, because I did have the controller at 1 until recently. It started to skim too dry, so I increased the setting to 3 and now it’s back where I like it. So I’ll need to pull it out soon, and clean the pump. I still love Chad! 👍🏻
Many thanks for the reply! I see now that I had my controller set too high because I couldn’t dial in the skimmer. Set it at 2 and it instantly improved the performance of Chad’s sister;)
Hahahaha, that’s awesome. Carlos23 has called his Deltec Linda, and there’s a guy in Australia who calls his Angie. 😁 I’m thinking Veronica would be another good name for a skimmer.....😜
Hey Reefgrrl! You still love Chad? I bought a second hand one (With a new pump) after watching this video, thanks for sharing your thoughts on it! :)
I still love Chad! He doesn’t spend every night out partying then throwing up all over my sump! I have had zero problems with him! 👍🏻
I must be the rarity. I have a BM curve 5, my second one. Yes it does overflow on occasion ( The Reason water level in the sump) very sensitive to water level. I have had them now for 11 years
Hi Bob! So nice to hear from you! My theory is that the pump in mine was somehow oversized for the purpose because nothing I did - NOTHING - stopped the overflowing. I varied the water level by as little as 1/4” at a time to try and get it to work but the only thing that controlled the constant overflow was restricting the air intake. Which they told me voided the warranty (I still have the emails about it). I’ve heard other reports of success with it, which makes me even more sure there was an issue with my particular unit, that they wouldn’t acknowledge. So I won’t ever buy their products again, because they weren’t interested in addressing my problem. And I’m glad to hear you’re still keeping a reef! Thanks for the comment, and stay safe. 👍🏻
@@Reefgrrl still reefing, still in the condo so still restricted to size but I just bought a IM 50 gallon with a fijicube 24 sump. Love it a lot better than the JBJ 45 gallon AIO that I converted to a sump.
Also what speed .🤔
Hi 👋 R/G I’m thinking of putting the air line like you did , as now it’s just put into the lid , did you have any problems🤷🏻♂️😀
No problems at all. I even use outside air into the skimmer on my current system. We notice a distinct drop in pH when we turn off the skimmer. 👍🏻 Thanks for watch8ng!
Love my deltec, didnt know they had a neck cleaner, very awesome
I can’t find any negatives with this skimmer, it was well worth the price. 👍🏻
@@Reefgrrl The noise is too much
Zero noise from my 600i.
congrats! very nice small foot print too. what dosing pump are you using right now?
I have a Jebao DP4 that’s been running perfectly for almost 4 years now, on various tanks. However, I might switch to a Kamoer wifi dosing setup, for reasons I’ll reveal in a future video....😉 Nothing wrong with the Jebao, just wanting to move with the times....
Hello can you still recommend the Skimmer? I've heard it's very loud.
Is that true?
It’s absolutely silent - the most quiet skimmer I’ve ever had. I’m planning on getting a larger one for my new build later this year. 👍🏻
@@Reefgrrl Perfect many thanks for the fast answer.
You are either lucky with the one you got, or i got a bad one. But this skimmer is not silent at all here. In fact its much louder than my vertex omega and bubble king mini.
@@kristofdb7139 Did you get the x? The DC pump version? I have heard the ix - the AC pump version - can be loud. I have the DC version and it is absolutely silent. 🤷♀️ I’d contact Deltec if you have a bad one, see what they can do for you.
Nice video. How high do you have it in the sump. Also how high is the water level inside the skimmer?
It’s sitting in around 8” of water. The water level inside the skimmer varies and to check it, I observe the overflow tube. When it’s running the way I like, the water level in the tube is not quite 1” from the lowest point of the top of the tube (the top edge is angled - can be seen in the video).
Hey Reefgirl I purchased the deltec 600i dc and having some technical issues. Can you help?
I have the pump settings on 4 bars and the water level half way up. The base is milky white micro bubbles the neck is small and large bubbles popping at half way in next but no skim mate can't understand it.
When I first turned on worked lots of skim and bubbles now no waste.
If you look at the water level tube, can you see near the top where it’s marked “max” and “min”? With, if I remember right, wavy lines beside the words? The water level in that tube needs to be between those lines.
If it isn’t between those lines, adjust the knob to get it there, and see if that makes a difference.
If it is between the lines, you probably need to increase the power on the controller.
Let me know...
@@Reefgrrl
Hi
Thanks for replying to me, so the water level on tube between minimum - maximum water level is about half way. On pump setting 6 now is doing dry skim perfect.
What number is your pump on ?
My skimmer is sitting in 19.5cm or just under 8 inches of water from bottom to level of sump water. Manufacturers deltec say needs to be between 15- 25cm of water depth.
Any news or updates on your big tank with the issues !
Hi, I bought 600i. The tank just cycled and I started running the skimmer about 5-6 days ago. I guess between not being broken in, a low bio load, and epoxy for the rocks, it is impossible for me to get this right, Either the water level with air is too low, or it overflows. Even when it is set OK, it may overflow, or the level will drop when I check it later. Deltec recommends setting the pump at 7 or 8. That would be impossible at this point. Do you have any suggestions, as well as the optimum water height for the skimmer to sit in the sump? Thanks so much.
Hi, apologies for the tardy reply - hubby had to have some surgery and it’s been hectic around here lately.
I no longer run the Deltec but I recall I ran it at level 2 on the controller when I used it. Any higher than that caused it to overflow. I also recall I set it in the water depth recommended by Deltec. I fiddled around with the water level in the tube over the course of a few days until I got it right but I remember it was pretty easy. The Min / Max lines were very helpful in getting the water level right. It’s quite possible if your tank is in the midst of cycling, it might be too soon to have a skimmer running. I don’t know if this helps…thanks for watching!
@@Reefgrrl Hi, thanks for your message. Hope your husband recovers quickly. It is running better, but you are correct that there isn't much of a bioload in the tank right now. Why did you change out skimmers? What are you running now? Thanks.
I have a new tank, so now I have an AquaVitro Division 500, and I love it. I did my best to get the Deltec 1000i but they just couldn’t get their act together to ship to Canada, so I gave up. I’d still get a Deltec in a heartbeat if it were possible. I have a playlist of videos about the new system, which I call CrazyTown Reef. Total water volume is 600+ gallons, with a 325g display and the rest in a basement sump. It’s been quite the ride…😁
Nice. I'll check it out. Take care.@@Reefgrrl
That skimmer would work awesome in my seahorse tank. I'm a little scared to check the price on it. Lol.
Haha, well cheap skimmers can add up if you have to keep replacing them because they don’t work. 😁 there’s been a 10% price drop since I got mine.....🤷♀️
does it ever pull crap out! such dark skimmate. Do you think you may have less coraline and algae build up if you blocked that light from reaching the skimmer body?
As it happens, I now use a piece of black egg crate stood vertically in front of it, blocking the light, plus I have a Par 30 bulb in there now that directs the light more straight downwards, so less spillover. I thought the buildup wasn’t bad, considering it took about 7 months to reach that point....but no buildup would be much better. 👍🏻
Hi did you have to raise skimmer up of floor
Yes, I raised it up so it could operate in the recommended water level.
Much as I love my A5 it is a real PITA to clean an reset, not to mention the initial setup; having to trawl UA-cam for a good instruction vid (I used yours ;)) hmm Chad is looking better by the minute lol.
I finally snapped when, after several months of the a5 skimming fine using the air restriction, it suddenly started randomly overflowing again. I’d had enough. The Deltec was WORTH. EVERY. PENNY. And, it’s not available in Canada so I had to have it shipped to my US shipping address and go pick it up. Cost almost CA$700 by the time I got it in my door. But again, it was worth it!
@@Reefgrrl Yeah I remember you going through hell with the A5 lol, you can't put a price on peace of mind, as they say :)
Can I ask why you use an outside airline connection?
Hi, it’s to bring in fresh air with low carbon dioxide. Pushed through the skimmer, it helps displace the carbon dioxide in the water and slightly increases pH. That’s the reason: to help increase pH.
Uuhh so you’re saying you like it ? lol 😂 one question is there a drain in the bottom of the cup? Thanks for the review
Was it that obvious? ☺️ No drain but I skim on the dry side, so it doesn’t matter - takes about a month to get 2” of skimmate because all the nasty collects in the neck and on the walls. It’s awesome! And I’ve never had it overflow, even when putting in new filter floss basically right beside it. 😁
great vid , you put many a man to shame 😍
Lol! 😂
Hi nick
I have had mine for a week now and I still got no skim
What water level do you have your skimmer sitting in
I’ve moved on from that skimmer, but from what I remember, I had it in the level of water recommended by the instructions. I ran it on speed 3 or 4, depending on the circumstances. Are you getting bubbles and foam?
I'm getting bubbles but no foam
Hello Reefgrrl, I love my deltec 600i aswell! Unfortunately I'm having issues getting that dark glorious skimmate. Is there anychance you may be able to walk me through the way you tune yours for either dry or wet skimmate please 😊🙏
I can tell you my settings, maybe that’ll help. I have the controller set to 1 (the lowest level), I draw air in from outside (which affects the water level in the skimmer body, makes it lower), and I keep the bubble level in about the middle of the neck - ends up about 3/4” below the bottom of the collection cup. When it comes to getting dark skimmate, it needs to be dry, so the bubble level needs to be low rather than high. It’s been almost a month since I last emptied the skimmer cup, and I have an inch of near-black ugly in the collection cup. As soon as I can smell it when I walk into the room, that’s when I clean it out.
I don’t know how much this helps, but I’ll try and answer any other questions you might have. 🤷♀️
@@Reefgrrl that you so much :) where does the water level sit in the overflow tube?
About 1/4” below the line marked as maximum...
@@Reefgrrl thank you! Any chance you could measure the depth of water it's sitting in?
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I really appreciate it
Sorry for the delay - it’s in almost exactly 8” of water, maybe 7.9. HTH. 😁
Sorry what size is your tank as I’m going for a 540lte (147us gallon) and there telling me to go for a 1000i 🤷🏻♂️
Hi, apologies for the tardy response. That tank had a system total of about 110 gallons (88 gallon display) and I would consider it well-stocked. The 600i was perfect for it. I think the 1000i is overkill for 540 litres/147 gal, unless you have an extremely heavy bioload, or you plan to upgrade going forward. I’m currently using an AquaVitro Division 500 on my 2400 litre/600 gallon system and it’s about perfect for the moment, because I need to maintain a sufficient nutrient level in that water volume. Not sure this helps, good luck! 👍🏻
Thanks for getting back got one now ( super silent ) dod you say start it on control speed 2 or 4 😮
Hi ReefGrrl! You should rename Chad to Adam lol. I like you skimmer very nice. I need to find the 3 pack of glue, ive been using the 2 pack. Have a great Day
Lol, thanks Mike! I see you watched right to the end....people don’t know what they’re missing.....😁
Deltec 600i+ noise test ?
Not sure what you mean.....in the video I have it running in the kitchen sink and it’s so quiet you can hear crickets from outside... It’s absolutely silent in my sump. When I turn it off there is no difference in the noise level in the cabinet. Over a year since I first installed it, and I still love it.
Nice pick up I’m having problems with my curve 5 pump don’t want to work if u not going to use the curve 5 pump I’ll buy it from u I’m scare the I’m going to buy one and is not going to work either so I’ll already know yours work so if you don’t have no plans for it I’ll buy it
Hey Hector - I’m interested - I’ll pull it out and get it cleaned up and make sure it’s running, then we can talk details. The pump always ran well, though occasionally it made a low whining sound that I thought happened when it wasn’t level....
I’ll try and get to that tomorrow, and let you know. Thanks for the thought.....
Thank u so much I want it for my new build the I just started and the skimmer I order came from China and is the second pump I get for the skimmer and it doesn’t work so now I’m scare to order one more and then don’t work so letme know I appreciated and thank u so much for replying wish you the best with that new boyfriend lol
I like your review
How much level are you pumping?
Hi, I’m not sure what you’re asking. The controller was at setting 2 and the air was wide open, coming from outside the house through a hose. The water level was what they recommended (I can’t remember now, what that was - I have a different tank now).
Sweet 👍💪
Merci 👍
Is your husband jealous now that Chad is your new boyfriend? Love the swabbie
Shhh! He doesn’t know.....😂
My wife would have me shot and mounted on the wall if I cleaned my skimmer in the kitchen sink. 😂
Lol, I AM the wife.... But I’m getting a sink right in my next fish room, so I can keep the equipment out of the kitchen. 😁
Chad is hot 😍 love my Deltec skimmer too
Chad is a superstar! 😁
Deltec products have always been about the quality of the product but ....that pump reminds me of every other cheap Chinese DC pump (e.g. Jebao) out there, everything from the body of the pump, the very generic controller and even the cheap looking wall wart plug. Such a sad state of affairs that so much is sourced from China, I mean I get that you can get different tolerances and quality levels from the factories there but when they all look the same it's hard to distinguish "good" stuff from bad.
I’ve never had anything but good experiences with Jebao equipment (since you mention them specifically) and I have a lot of it. I believe in regular maintenance and cleaning, which is why I’m so impressed with this Deltec pump (since you mention pumps specifically) because it has so obviously been designed with ease of maintenance in mind.
When researching before buying I learned Deltec is highly regarded as a quality product. From my experience to date, I have to agree. Looks can be deceiving - this pump is far better quality and much easier to disassemble and reassemble than the pump on my BM curve a5 was.
I’ve only been in the hobby for about 8 years and I’ve observed a lot of bias against Chinese-made products. Some is definitely justified. Most is not, in my opinion. It’s a matter of researching the difference. If a company such as Deltec, with its long-standing good reputation uses Chinese-made components then I trust those components meet the quality standards required for Deltec to maintain that reputation.
Full disclosure: when I find something that works, I stick with it. Thus I don’t have experience with a wide variety of pumps. My benchmark is simply whether any piece of equipment does its job. If it does, I’ll stick with it. If not, I’ll be looking elsewhere. To date, I’ve made only a few wrong choices and buying the 600i isn’t one of them. 😁
@@Reefgrrl Glad you haven't had issues with Jebao equipment, nothing sucks in this hobby more than getting any equipment and having it fail on you prematurely regardless if you buy cheaper stuff or really expensive stuff. And I'm not going to look down on someone trying to save a few bucks in this hobby, hell I'd be hypocritical if I did.
My "bias" against Chinese made products is more from being in this hobby quite a bit longer, remember when Bubble Magus skimmers first came out and seeing they were direct ripoffs of other existing skimmers at a fraction of the cost. Overtime though companies just could not compete without super cheap labor & manufacturing so just about everything is made in China.
That said, when so many pumps look absolutely identical to one another, and again everything from the pump body to controller to the power plug connector. Only variations are color and branding, it just makes you wonder if you're really getting quality in that part, or the same factories are just producing products for tons of brands from the very cheap (Jebao) to the expensive (Deltec). I mean heck even Reef Octopus changed their old DC pumps out because they looked too much like the same ones everyone else is popping out.
Again I'm not ripping into the quality, it's just it's hard to see that pump and think quality because I've see the non quality versions. It'd be like seeing a BMW that looks like a Ford Focus, and wondering if you're getting "fine German engineering" or same stuff with a higher price tag.
I’m thinking the difference might be after-sale support. As in, when something fails, how easy is it to get the “manufacturer” to fix the problem? There are a few companies (well-known, Chinese and not) which have dismal to zero customer support. And there are others renowned for their superlative handling of problems. So when I pay big bucks for EcoTech, I’d expect the best in customer service and from what I’ve read it’s spotty at best, and seems like they play favourites to some degree (I have no personal experience of this, just impressions gathered from a variety of types of sources). That’s one of the reasons I don’t mind paying a premium for Deltec! Their reputation!
My direct experience with Bubble Magus was denial I had a problem and warnings that I’d have no warranty and limited pump life if I modified the stupid thing so it would work. What good is a warranty when they won’t admit there’s even a problem? And with modification at least I got just over a year out of it before it started acting up and randomly overflowing again. Obeying their directions not to modify rendered the skimmer useless anyway, so what did I have to lose? I might as well have run it over with my car - it would have at least been entertaining.
So to me that’s what matters - BMW (I drive a mini) has stellar customer service and they stand behind their products whereas Ford is lacklustre at best. Given a choice between the two, I don’t mind paying more for the one that starts every time and if it doesn’t, the manufacturer makes it right.
And as I said in the video, skimmers are in my opinion, very high on the list of equipment where you get what you pay for.
Lol, I hope this all makes sense....😂
This is a lie , the deltec 600ix makes a lot of noise , more the the older 1351 . A lot more noise ! i had a 1351 before and it made less noise then my wave-pomp .
I don’t have the 600ix.
Easy date
😂😂