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AquaC
EV-180 A PROVEN
PERFORMER REVIEWED
AquaC, Inc. began business in 1998 as a small
one-man shop in San Diego, California. Jason Kim, its founder, was its
only employee. The company has since grown to become the leading
skimmer manufacturer in the USA, selling thousands of units worldwide
each year. To keep up with the demand, Jason employs six full time
fabricators. The EV- 180 was one of three EV models that
began life in 1998. In 2002, the EV line was further improved and
remains the same today, a testament to its reliable and efficient
performance. All AquaC skimmers use a patented spray
injection system to create the foaming action, much like that of
spraying water into a soapy pail from a garden hose. There are no
needle wheel pumps or venturis used in this
process.
The patented spray nozzle The AquaC EV-180 is boxed completely assembled
with the exception of the hose barb for the waste cup and the one inch
drain valve. A pump of the proper size (700-800gph) and a drain
hose must be provided by the user. The Supreme Mag 7 is the
recommended pump for this skimmer. Using a larger pump like the
Mag 9 or Eheim 1262 will overdrive the skimmer resulting in maximum
performance. However, be aware that you will need to install a valve
between the pump and the skimmer to fine-tune the water flow. In
my evaluation of the skimmer, I feel that a larger pump isn’t
necessary. The Mag 7 will allow you to run the system full
bore with no adjusting or tweaking needed. The AquaC EV-180 can be operated both in sump
and externally. If running the skimmer externally, it is imperative
that the skimmers drain be above the highest water level to be
encountered in the sump. Failure to do this could result in flooding in
the event of a power outage. I chose to mount my skimmer externally to
free up sump space for a future reactor. I also glued on four rubber
feet to the bottom of the skimmer to minimize the possibility of any
noise due to vibration and this proved to be
unnecessary.
A simple stand can be made of
wood to support the skimmer if installing
externally. Initial Start
Up If an in-sump installation is desired, you
will need to remove the collection cup and fill the skimmer chamber
with tank water to prevent it from floating around while you are
plumbing the pump. It is recommended that the distance between
pump and the water input of the skimmer be kept to a minimum for
maximum efficiency of the skimmer. Looking at the top of the
skimmer reveals three ports, water inlet, John Guest fitting
(optional), and a gate valve for air control. For an additional
$10.00, the AquaC EV-180 can be ordered with a John Guest fitting to
facilitate the use of ozone or add a calcium reactors effluent directly
back to the skimmer. The later can be advantageous as the carbon
dioxide in the effluent drip will be blown off into the atmosphere
which can help prevent pH depression.
From left to right; water
inlet, JG fitting, and air control valve For external installation you will need to attach a one inch
hose or PVC pipe to the gate valve and it is best to direct the output
away from the intake of the skimmer
pump. Once the skimmer is
situated and the plumbing in place, you can turn the pump on and begin
the break-in process. During this period, keep the gate valve and
air valve open 100%. I found that with my set-up, and after two
weeks use, leaving both the gate valve and air control valve at 100%
provided the best skimming action. The bottom chamber is
translucent and you will be able to see the violent foaming action
taking place, I was impressed. The manual states not to expect any
skimmate for 48 hours. This proved to be false in my case as I
had nearly ½” of skimmate in the cup after 48 hours of
operation. The collection cup and lid are bayonet mounts and both
have rubber EPDM seals to prevent any seepage. Removing the
collection cup requires only 1/2” of space above the cup. This
design is very useful for those with shorter cabinet heights.
After three weeks of operation the EV-180 continued to produce dark
skimmate, though not quite as much as the first two weeks and most
likely due to the system water having fewer dissolved nutrients
present. On the initial startup of the EV-180, I removed my
chemical media (Chemipure) from the system. After four weeks of
operation I saw no need to put it back into the system in regards to
water clarity, the water remains crystal clear with a blue/white tint
to it. Pros No dedicated pump required. Any quality
pump capable of producing 700-800gph can be used. A true set and forget
skimmer Quiet operation (relative to pump
used) Processes a large amount of water per
hour Can be used in-sump or
externally Cons I wish the foam tower was removable to make
cleaning a little easier. Close
The beauty of this skimmer is that there is
no venturi to tweak and/or clog and no dedicated needle wheel impeller
pump that must be used. I have had many skimmers in the last 20 years
but none as efficient and as quiet as the AquaC EV-180. Kudos to
AquaC.
After 24 hours of
operation
After 48 hours of
operation
Side
note Ever wonder what the owner of a skimmer
manufacturer’s tank would look like? Below is Jason Kim’s 350
gallon reef tank skimmed by an AquaC EV-1000 Protein Skimmer.
Total water volume of his system is 500 gallons.
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![Description: EV-180%20quarter[1].jpg](/SystemPIX/Maintenance/Supplements/Carbon/clip_image002.gif)
