Question about my protein skimmer

nick4202 · 02/17/2019, 12:48 PM

I have a sca-301 and it works pretty good after about a year the pump that had come with it had failed so i went to the LFS and purchased a new pump that fit into the inlet. Everything seems to be working fine I have to set it one setting higher with this pump 3 instead of 2 however it seems to be skimming just fine. My question is I was doing my monthly cleaning of the skimmer and it appears that the new pump is not a needlewheel pump like the old one. From what i read most skimmers are needlewheel because people say they break the bubbles into smaller bubbles for better skimming. Should i replace the pump again to a needlewheel pump it really seems to skim just fine collection cup is almost full of stinky brown tea colored water every 2 to 3 days.

Misled · 02/17/2019, 01:23 PM

You can see if they make a needle wheel impeller for that pump.

nick4202 · 02/17/2019, 01:42 PM

I could do that as well getting a pump with needlewheel impeller and using this one for a spare powerhead wouldn't be a issue im more or less waiting for someone to explain to me a good reason to switch it cause like i said it seems to skim well in fact it seems to operate better than stock pump.

Reef noob_ · 02/17/2019, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nick4202

I could do that as well getting a pump with needlewheel impeller and using this one for a spare powerhead wouldn't be a issue im more or less waiting for someone to explain to me a good reason to switch it cause like i said it seems to skim well in fact it seems to operate better than stock pump.

If it's doing well I wouldn't worry about it at all. I've got a sca 301 body that the pump died on as well. What model pump did you use as a replacement?

I've also heard of people putting mesh I their impellers as a diy needlewheel.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

Misled · 02/17/2019, 02:19 PM

Too many variables. Depends on original pumps gph, air draw and a few others I'm sure aren't coming to mind. Then the same on the new pump compares to that. If it's working fine, let it stay.

nick4202 · 02/17/2019, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reef noob_

If it's doing well I wouldn't worry about it at all. I've got a sca 301 body that the pump died on as well. What model pump did you use as a replacement?

I've also heard of people putting mesh I their impellers as a diy needlewheel.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

I got a aquatop maxflow 343 gph swp-1300 for the replacement pump

jmeehan · 02/17/2019, 07:23 PM

If its skimming well, I wouldn’t worry about the impeller.

02/17/2019, 12:48 PM	#1
nick4202 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 10	Question about my protein skimmer I have a sca-301 and it works pretty good after about a year the pump that had come with it had failed so i went to the LFS and purchased a new pump that fit into the inlet. Everything seems to be working fine I have to set it one setting higher with this pump 3 instead of 2 however it seems to be skimming just fine. My question is I was doing my monthly cleaning of the skimmer and it appears that the new pump is not a needlewheel pump like the old one. From what i read most skimmers are needlewheel because people say they break the bubbles into smaller bubbles for better skimming. Should i replace the pump again to a needlewheel pump it really seems to skim just fine collection cup is almost full of stinky brown tea colored water every 2 to 3 days.

02/17/2019, 01:23 PM	#2
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	You can see if they make a needle wheel impeller for that pump. __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

02/17/2019, 02:19 PM	#5
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	Too many variables. Depends on original pumps gph, air draw and a few others I'm sure aren't coming to mind. Then the same on the new pump compares to that. If it's working fine, let it stay. __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

02/17/2019, 01:42 PM	#3
nick4202 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 10	I could do that as well getting a pump with needlewheel impeller and using this one for a spare powerhead wouldn't be a issue im more or less waiting for someone to explain to me a good reason to switch it cause like i said it seems to skim well in fact it seems to operate better than stock pump.

02/17/2019, 07:23 PM	#7
jmeehan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Lincoln, CA Posts: 57	If its skimming well, I wouldn’t worry about the impeller.