The aquarium industry has seen its fair share of high end controllable powerheads over the years, and it seems like this technology is finding its way into our return pumps more and more these days. For the longest time, aquarium keepers have had to rely on constant speed pumps to serve as the primary source of water movement between the display tank and its associated plumbing, or even closed-loop setups. These pumps came in a variety of shapes and sizes, but were very limited in functionality. And in a world of constantly changing technology, relying on single function products is quickly starting to lose ground to using equipment that can adapt and change to better suit the hobbyist’s needs. Because of this increasing demand for more control, companies are designing new products to meet the need and the latest offering to aquarium keepers in the world of controllable water pumps is a fancy new set of high flow, high pressure controllable sine wave pumps from Deltec. Already well regarded for their protein skimmer line, Deltec surprisingly has few products designed to just move water. But that hasn’t stopped them from going over the top with their new E-flow water pumps.

Being offered in three different models, the Deltec E-flow pumps use a brushless DC motor that allows them to run almost completely silently. On top of that, they are protected by an overload circuit that shuts the pump off if the impellers becomes blocked off. Once the blockage has been removed, the pump will turn back on automatically. In terms of controlability, the E-flow pumps come stock with a control panel that can be used to adjust water flow speeds. And once that flow is dialed in, there’s no need to fear about power outages causing the pump to revert back to a factory setting as the control panel will start back up in the last saved setting. But the fun doesn’t stop there.

Later this year, a separate multifunction controller will be available to control up to four pumps at once. This controller will operate much like our powerhead controllers by allowing the pumps to operate in multiple different wavemaking modes. The estimated release date for the controller is late April 2012 and we expect the pump and controller combo to really give traditional closed loop setups a run for their money. Of course, this setup will be far more cost prohibitive than a closed loop, but the energy savings will definitely be a much talked about selling point.

As we mentioned before, there will be three Deltec E-flow models available. Each of these models and their respective specifications are listed below.

Deltec E-flow 16

Technical data

• Minimum/Maximum water flow: 5000/14000 lph (1300-3700 gph)
• Minimum/Maximum power consumption: 20/180w
• Maximum head height: 9.0 meters (29 feet)
• Performance selection: 17 stages
• Inlet size: 50 mm (2″)
• Outlet size: 40 mm (1.5″)
• Price (from D-D The Aquarium Solution): £1099.99 (~$1730)

Deltec E-flow 12

Technical data

• Minimum/Maximum water flow: 5000/11400 lph (1300-3200 gph)
• Minimum/Maximum power consumption: 25/130w
• Maximum head height: 8 meters (26 feet)
• Performance selection: 12 stages
• Inlet size: 540 mm (1.5″)
• Outlet size: 40 mm (1.5″)
• Price (from D-D The Aquarium Solution): £959.99(~$1510)

Deltec E-flow 10

Technical data

• Minimum/Maximum water flow: 5000/9000 lph (1300-2400 gph)
• Minimum/Maximum power consumption: 20/80w
• Maximum head height: 6.0 meters (20 feet)
• Performance selection: 7 stages
• Inlet size: 40 mm (1.5″)
• Outlet size: 32 mm (1.25″)
• Price (from D-D The Aquarium Solution): £1099.99 (~$1730)

Information and images sourced from D-D The Aquarium Solution and Advanced Aquarist

A little over a year ago, Deltec released a whole new lineup of protein skimmers. The TC and SC skimmers, as they were labeled, featured bubble diffusing chambers (single and dual layer depending on the skimmer), air silencers, micro adjustable settings, high water flow through, an optional self cleaning system, drains to remote collectors, and a new color scheme. Originally, only three models were released. Each model came in two versions, external and internal, and the smallest of the bunch was rated for aquariums over 400-gallons. Since the release of the original three models, Deltec has recently released a little brother to the group, called the APF800. As the name suggest, this model will be the predecessor of the Deltec APF600. However, this skimmer will receive all of the new features currently being used on the TC and SC skimmers. The APF800 is suitable for aquariums at or below 250-gallons, drawing in 600 liters per hour of air while only consuming 12 watts. Pricing for this skimmer is set at £474.95, or approximately $675. Interestingly, this is about $100 shy of the sticker price on the APF600. A manual self-cleaning head for the skimmer is also available for an additional $60.

Continue reading below for the product specifications from D-D The Aquarium Solution.

From D-D The Aquarium Solution’s website:

The new APF 800 combines the high skimming performance of the patented TC series with the compact dimensions of its predecessor, the APF 600.

• dimensions (l/w/h) / mm - 280x210x610
• power consumption – 12 Watt
• airflow – 600 litre/h
• high stocking – 800 litres
• normal stocking – 1000 litres

Deltec TC4580 Protein Skimmer at MACNA 2010

Though we aren’t at MACNA this year, we are working very hard to bring you the updates. The next MACNA update on the chopping block is the new Deltec TC4580 protein skimmer from D-D The Aquarium Solution. This new beast is capable of handling tanks that range in size from 10000-12000 liters, or about 2600-3150 US gallons. The skimmer will use four of the new low energy Deltec pumps, delivering about 6400 lph air while only consuming 43 watts of energy per pump. The total energy used is approximately 172 watts, which is minuscule when talking about the total amount of energy required to run a 3000 gallon aquarium.

Stay tuned for MACNA updates. We have a few people roaming the halls of the conference feeding us really good information as we dig around the net for updates of our own. We normally limit our posts to the daytime hours, but given the magnitude of this event and the sheer volume of aquarium equipment updates, we’ll be posting into the wee hours of the night. Bye bye sleep, hello sever aquarium addiction!

Frag Tank and Stand

I had a very busy weekend and started setting up a new frag tank. The aquarium is 48″L x 24″D x 16″T, for a total of about 80 gallons. A friend built the aquarium out of acrylic and added an external overflow box, which is really nice for those of you who haven’t had one, as well as a eurobrace. After having the aquarium sit in a spare bedroom for about two weeks, I finally started building the stand. I didn’t intend to finish out the project, but I got into a groove and wound up getting the stand completely finished, paint and all. I’m not 100% sure what I’m going to do equipment-wise for this setup, but I’ve already got a Tunze 6105 powerhead, a Mag 9.5 return pump, Euro Reef RS250 protein skimmer, and either a GEO 618 or Deltec PF601 calcium reactor on standby. Most of that equipment is overkill for a setup this small, but it’s all that I had left over from a previous aquarium breakdown. More pictures available below.

Deltec TC3070 (left) vs Deltec AP1004 (right)

Continuing on with our Deltec protein skimmer updates, I would like to bring you the review of the TC3070 skimmer by Glen Gardiner.

Glen is a UK reef keeper with a 12-foot long reef aquarium, on which he uses two Deltec protein skimmers. Originally, Glen had the Deltec AP1004 and AP703 protein skimmers, which he replaced with a Deltec TC3070 and TC2560.

According to Glen’s Deltec skimmer review on D&D’s website, the new skimmers use fewer pumps, are smaller in both height and footprint, and perform the same if not better than the older style Deltec skimmers. Glen even states how his TC3070 is about about a foot shorter than his AP1004, which is good news for people with limited height within their aquarium stands. The Deltec TC3070 uses only two pumps, and therefore less energy, than the AP1004 which uses three Eheim pumps.

The last thing I wanted to mention was the TC3070′s performance. After installing the new skimmer, Glen let it run for a couple of hours while he was out. Upon his return, the collection cup had already begun to fill with “gunk”, as seen in the following picture.

Deltec TC3070 Skimmer Cup with Skimmate

Source:
D&D The Aquarium Solution

Here is a video of the newest skimmer to the new skimmer line being introduced by Deltec. This video shows the Deltec TC3070s and its self-cleaning head in action. The video’s creator also gives some great commentary on how the skimmer is working, features that he likes, and a comparison to another Deltec skimmer.

Deltec has announced the release of the new cleaning heads for their Deltec TC and SC model protein skimmers. These new automated cleaning systems will feature a lower height profile in order to match the lower profile of the new Deltec protein skimmers and for installation in lower aquarium stands. Additionally, the new cleaning heads will include a new circuit board with an on-board timer which will switch on the head for one minute at intervals every eight minutes. The user can also run the head on an external timer for a customized cleaning schedule.

Deltec Protein Skimmer Cleaning Head

Deltec SC3070s

Deltec has added two new models to their brand new lineup of protein skimmers. The first model is the smallest in the new lineup, called the TC1655 External.

Here’s a few details for the TC1655 external protein skimmer:

Technical Data:

• External Version – Deltec TC1655 – This stands for Twin Chamber
• Exceeds performance of AP701/AP851 (600 lts of air – 230V)
• Total air produced – 800 lts/hour
• Power consumption - 12 watts
• Tank Suitability 1000 lts heavy stocking 1200 lts normal stocking

• Pipe connections 25mm in – 40mm out
• Patented Twn Chamber bubble chamber
• Remote drain of skimmer cup
• Air silencer
• Micro adjustable skimmer setting
• High water flow through the skimmer 1500 ltr/hr
• Optional self cleaning system
• New color scheme
• Can be gravity or pump fed (supply pump not supplied)

Deltec TC1655 Protein Skimmer

The second new skimmer in the Deltec lineup is the TC3070s external and the SC3070s internal. Below are the technical details.

Technical Data:

• External Version – Deltec TC 3070s – This stands for Twin Chamber, body diameter 300mm and total height 650mm
• Significantly exceeds performance of AP1004 (2400 lts of air – 230V)
• Footprint 380mm by 450mm
• Height under outlet pipe 264mm
• Total air produced – 2x 1700-2000 lts/hour
• Water feed/throughput 2200-4000 ltrs/hr
• Neck diameter 200 mm
• Same cup dimensions as the AP1006
• Pipe connections 32mm in 50mm out
• Patented Twn Chamber bubble chamber
• Tank Suitability normal stocking 6000 lts heavy stocking 8000 lts
• Remote drain of skimmer cup
• Air silencers
• Micro adjustable skimmer setting
• High water flow through the skimmer
• Optional self cleaning system
• New color scheme
• Can be gravity or pump fed (supply pump not supplied)

Deltec SC3070s

Source:
D&D the Aquarium Solution
D&D the Aquarium Solution
D&D the Aquarium Solution

As more and more news trickles out of MACNA, we’ll continue to post it.

The most recent news is that Deltec has finally priced their new skimmers for the North American market. These skimmers have been available overseas for a few months now, and all of the videos popping up have shown a very promising product. But enough of me rambling…onto the prices:

• TC2060 and SC2060 will retail for $1349
• TC2560 and SC2560 will retail for $1979
• TC3070 and SC3070 will retail for $3399

These prices may seem steep to some, but keep in mind that the smallest of the skimmers (the TC/SC2060) pulls a whopping 1000 lph of air and is rated for aquariums over 350 gallons. The largest of the skimmers, the TC and SC3070 reportedly pull 4400 lph of air…which is more than comparable Bubble King models.

Deltec TC2560 Protein Skimmer

Permissions and Sources:

DD The Aquarium Solution

Here is some more footage of the new series of Deltec Skimmers we wrote about back in May. This is a video of the skimmate gunk left over in the collection cup after being run for a while. It’s very dark and nasty looking stuff and people seem to be pleased with this skimmer’s performance.