IceCap K3-150 HOB Controllable Protein Skimmer
SKU: IC-K3-150HOB
MSRP: $ 381.14
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Available Through Authorized Retailer
- Controllable 24V DCAIR 2.5 DC Pump: Powered by a highly efficient, low-voltage DC needlewheel pump featuring an external 10-speed digital keypad and integrated feed timers.
- Ultra-Low-Profile Body Profile: Slim, space-saving rectangular footprint fits cleanly behind your tank display, requiring minimal physical clearance against walls.
- Massive 900 LPH Volumetric Air Draw: High-performance pinwheel impeller injects up to 900 liters per hour (900LPH) of air to produce a dense cloud of micro-bubbles.
- Externally Isolated Pump Mount: Positioning the pump entirely outside the primary skimmer vessel blocks excess heat transmission into your delicate marine ecosystem.
- Fail-Safe Collection Cup Overflow: Outfitted with a premium oversized collection well that includes a built-in 8mm overboard drain port to route extra waste away safely.
- Heavy-Duty High-Gloss Construction: Master-crafted from durable cell-cast acrylic and industrial-grade PVC joints to handle years of high-salinity exposure.
IceCap
Premium aquarium equipment without the premium price. Protein skimmers, pumps, reactors, heaters & more.
IceCap K3-150 HOB Controllable Hang-On-Back Protein Skimmer
The IceCap K3-150 HOB Protein Skimmer (SKU: IC-K3-150HOB) is an authentic, high-efficiency external foam fractionator distributed by CoralVue to deliver advanced, sump-grade water purification to large sumpless marine reef aquariums and high-bioload fish displays up to 250 gallons. Standard traditional hang-on-back skimmers suffer from significant architectural limitations: they rely on hot, fixed-speed AC motors submerged directly inside the display tank, crowd your aquascape, produce distracting micro-bubble storms, and clutter your display line. The K3-150HOB completely addresses these design flaws, condensing heavy-duty organic nutrient extraction into an elegant, low-profile hang-on chassis that sits entirely outside your aquarium frame.
At the operational heart of this system is the powerful Controllable IceCap DCAIR 2.5 DC Pinwheel Pump. Utilizing the included push-button digital controller, you have precise control over your filtration loop, allowing you to cycle the motor velocity across 10 distinct power intervals. This allows you to match the internal air-to-water ratio perfectly to your tank's unique bioload and changing surface tension. Water is drawn smoothly through a low-profile intake screen, passed immediately through the high-velocity needlewheel impeller, and diffused through a specialized baffle network. This maximizes contact time within the rectangular chamber, lifting dissolved organic waste cleanly into the collection neck before it can decay into harmful nitrates and phosphates.
Key Features:
Active 10-Speed Flow Customization: Instantly scale the pump velocity up or down at the push of a button to fine-tune your foam height or pause skimming for 10-minute coral feeding windows.
Cabinet-Saving Low Profile Frame: Measures only 3.5 inches in depth across its main body, allowing large-scale aquariums to sit tight against living room walls.
Subsurface Degassing Return System: Forces exiting water smoothly down below your operating waterline, trapping fine micro-bubbles internally while ensuring a splash-free, whisper-quiet loop.
Note: This retail package includes (1) K3-150HOB skimmer assembly, (1) high-capacity collection cup with drain line, (1) externally mounted DCAIR 2.5 pump, (1) digital controller keypad, an air silencer, and all rim-clamping hardware.
What’s Included:
(1) IceCap K3-150HOB Clear Acrylic Rectangular External Skimmer Chassis
(1) High-Capacity Removable Collection Cup with 8mm Overboard Drain Barb
(1) Low-Voltage Controllable DCAIR 2.5 DC Needlewheel Skimmer Pump
(1) Digital 10-Speed Pump Control Module with Wall Mounting Clip
(1) High-Volume Air Intake Silencer with Silicone Airline Tubing
(1) Clear Flexible Collection Cup Waste Drain Hose Line (8mm ID / 12mm OD)
(1) Low-Profile Intake Screen and Return Plumbing Assembly
Technical Specs:
Official Manufacturing Title: IceCap K3 150 HOB Protein Skimmer
SKU / Factory Part Identifier: IC-K3-150HOB
Primary System Application: External Hang-On-Back Use Only (Sump Not Required)
Total Base Footprint Scale: 10.0" x 3.5"
Maximum Rim Mounting Width: Accommodates aquarium rims up to 1.57 Inches (40mm)
Total Operational Height: 25.0 Inches
Skimmer Pump Model Type: DCAIR 2.5 DC Pinwheel Motor
Maximum Motor Power Consumption: 16 Watts Peak Draw
Volumetric Air Induction Draw: 900 Liters Per Hour (31.5 SCFH)
Volumetric Water Flow Throughput: ~317 Gallons Per Hour (317gph)
Warranty
CoralVue, Inc. hereby guarantees this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of:
- 1 Year
Warranty is activated on the date of purchase.
This Standard Limited Warranty applies and is limited as follows:
- To the product only as long as it remains in the possession of the original purchaser.
- To the product that has not been subject to accident, misuse or abuse.
- To the product that has not been modified, altered, defaced, or had repairs made or attempted by other than CoralVue, Inc.
- That CoralVue be immediately notified in writing within ten (10) days of first knowledge of defect by owner or his agent.
- That CoralVue, Inc. shall be given first opportunity to make any repairs, replacements or corrections to the defective construction within a reasonable period of time.
- Under no circumstances shall CoralVue and/or the Manufacturer be liable by virtue of this warranty or otherwise for damage to any person or property whatsoever for any special, indirect, secondary or consequential damages of any nature however arising out of the use or inability to use because of the product defect.
Instructions:
- Unbox all parts and lay out your components. Ensure the two pre-installed rubber O-rings are seated squarely inside the male union jacks of the external DCAIR 2.5 pump before coupling.
- Mount the pump block to the exterior lower base of the skimmer body by aligning the union nuts and hand-tightening clockwise. Warning: Hand-tighten only; using metal wrenches can crack the acrylic molding.
- Push the soft silicone airline onto the intake nozzle of the pump venturi, and route the opposite end to the stem of the air silencer clipped on the chassis frame.
- Carefully lift the skimmer and hang it vertically over your aquarium rim. Use the two adjustable nylon leveling screws on the lower base to level the skimmer body perfectly flush against your rear glass panel.
- Prime the Intake Siphon: Before plugging the unit into the wall, manually fill the main rear acrylic reaction chambers completely with salt water from your tank until it overflows back out of the return pipe. Running a DC needlewheel pump dry will score the ceramic shaft and destroy the motor.
- Plug the pump lead into the digital controller, connect the power adapter into a certified GFCI outlet, and set the controller to Speed 10. Kink or cap the airline tightly for a few seconds to purge trapped air from the pipes and pull a full siphon, then release the line to start skimming.
Full Instructions: https://www.coralvue.com/blog/instructions-2/k3-100-150-hob-protein-skimmer-user-instructions-136
Pro Tips:
- Purge the Air Line Manually to Drop a Full Intake Siphon Faster. Because the K3-150HOB sets its external pump high up behind your tank rim, it must fight gravity to pull its initial water column. If you turn on the pump and it struggles to pull water past the elbow, bend the soft vinyl airline completely in half to block all air intake. Holding the airline closed forces the DCAIR 2.5 pump to pull a pure hydraulic vacuum, priming the intake pipe instantly. Release the line as soon as the main chamber fills with water.
- Keep Your Controller Set Lower (Levels 2-5) During the First Two Weeks. Controllable 24V DC needlewheel impellers carry significantly more kinetic thrust than old-school AC-powered pumps. Firing up a brand-new, unbroken-in HOB skimmer at full Speed 10 will almost always trigger immediate, aggressive over-foaming, pushing raw tank water right out of the collection lid. Start with your controller dialed down to Speed 2 or 3, and slowly scale up the power intervals over a 14-day window as factory handling lubricants wash off the acrylic panels.
- Always Route Your Collection Cup Drain Hose Into a Deep Auxiliary Jug. While an internal in-sump skimmer overflow simply falls safely back into your filtration basin, a hang-on-back skimmer overflow will end up directly on your home flooring. To safeguard against this, never block or cap the lower drain barb of your collection cup. Connect the included clear flexible drain line to the barb and direct it straight down into a secondary 1-gallon utility container placed inside your cabinet. If a sudden shift in tank water tension triggers a brief over-foam surge, the fluid is captured safely in the jug.