Sicce PSK 1000 Pump Equipped on the Vertex Omega 180i Skimmer
Once again the pump supplied with the Vertex Omega 180i is a Sicce PSK 1000, an extremely reliable pump nowadays used by a large number of skimmers, like the recently tested LGs 850 and Ultra Reef Akula UKS 180.
The pump has been considerably modified, with a new volute and impeller.
Being a mono-pump configuration, we don’t need to worry about the water volume entering the skimmer and the air/water rate is already set. The suggested water level in sump should be around 20 cm, with tolerated heights between 18 and 22 cm.
The functioning scheme is very easy. Air and water are mixed and drawned at the base directly by the pump which mixes and spreads them into the contact chamber. As usual, simplicity is a quality rather than a fault. The skimmer works perfectly and its functioning is consistent.
As you can observe in the picture, the bright red silencer is connected to the outflow and regulation pipe. The times when equipped silencers were small cylinders to be leaned on something are finally over.
The only way to calibrate the Vertex is to turn the external outflow pipe, which allows us to control the outflow with three levels carved on the pipe indicating the complete closure, opening and a middle point. It is a well devised and useful system, even though the Ultra Reef one, with more levels between open and closed, was more accurate to use. The screw can be adjusted once found the wanted outflow, in order not to accidentally change it while doing maintenance.
Installation
Installation is extremely simple as there is nothing to adjust. The skimmer is taken out of the box and put into the sump. Done. Ready. The outflow pipe fitting is set and unchangeable, so is the inflow. The only issue may arise because of the low outflow point, for those who have the sump divided between the skimmer’s in & out.
The outflow pipe holder reminds us with a carved printing that the Omega 180i has been specifically studied to work with ozone: a red hose is connected to the pump, just like the one for air, as seen on the following picture.
On the right we can see the air intake, on the left the red hose for Ozone intake.
The outflow, as we already said, is very low, making it extremely quiet.
For obtaining a wetter or drier skimming, we need to adjust the outflow pipe as discussed earlier.
