Tunze DOC Skimmer 9410 DC

The Tunze DOC Skimmer delivers efficient, low-power protein skimming sized to match your saltwater aquarium’s volume.

• Recommended for salt water aquariums up to 1,200 liters (317 US gal.).
• Immersion depth from 140 to 240 mm (5.5 to 9.5 in.)
• Dimensions without post-filter (L x W x H): 250 x 180 x 415 mm (9.8 x 7.0 x 16.3 in.)
• Water flow rate: adjustable up to 1,200 l/h (317 US gal.)
• Air flow performance: adjustable up to 750 l/h (198 US gal./h)
• Energy consumption: up to approx. 16 W
• Power supply unit: 100-240V / 50-60Hz
• Cable length: 3 m up to Turbelle^® controller
• Skimmer cup volume: 0.7 liters (0.18 US gal.)

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The Tunze DOC Skimmer 9410 DC pulls dissolved organic waste out of the water before it breaks down into nitrates — see our guide to Protein Skimmers for how skimming fits into overall reef water quality.

What's in the Box

TUNZE publish a parts-supplied list for the DOC Skimmer 9410 DC, and this is it:

• Housing, with its disc
• Skimmer cup and skimmer cup lid — the cup is 160 mm across and contains the foam reactor, so cleaning the cup cleans the reactor at the same time
• Hydrofoamer Silence, the pump that makes both the foam and the water circulation
• 155 mm outlet pipe
• Adapter ring
• Post-filter, and the 300 µm post-filter bag that goes in it
• Foam extraction unit
• Cleaning brush
• Power supply unit and Turbelle® Controller

The foam extraction unit is included rather than sold separately. It replaces the skimmer cup and drains the foam water straight into a container or a basin instead of collecting it; TUNZE say it considerably increases skimming capacity and is mainly used on professional systems, that it only needs cleaning every three to four weeks, and that the skimmer must be installed so the foam water can run away downhill.

The controller is what makes this the DC model: it sets pump output, so you can raise it for a tank heavily loaded with protein, and it carries a cup cleaning button that stops the pump so the cup can be lifted out without bubbles, then restarts automatically after about ten minutes. While the Hydrofoamer is stopped the air jet is rinsed, which TUNZE say significantly extends the intervals between full services.

Compatibility

TUNZE recommend the 9410 DC for salt water aquariums up to 1,200 litres (317 USgal). This is a marine skimmer; it is not intended for fresh water.

Where it will physically fit. This is a cabinet-filter skimmer: it stands in a sump rather than hanging in the display tank. TUNZE prepare it at the works for a variable water level of 140 to 240 mm (5.5 to 9.4 in), and no setting has to be changed inside that window. The body is 250 × 180 × 415 mm without the post-filter. Leave at least 100 mm (3.9 in) of clear height above it, because the skimmer cup lifts vertically out and part of the foam reactor comes with it — and the cup and post-filter both need to stay easy to reach for weekly cleaning.

Stand it upright, in a zone of calm water. TUNZE are specific that a drain outlet or an air ejector close by will disturb the formation of foam, and that standing upright is what decides both the efficiency and how quietly it runs. If noise matters, they suggest standing it on a filter mat of about 200 × 300 mm and 50 mm thick, watching the water level in the filter tank as you do.

The post-filter takes other media if you want it to — TUNZE name activated carbon and phosphate absorber — and the adapter ring lets you set the outlet-pipe height to tune how wet the foam runs. Set it so phase water cannot get into the air passage; you can see this in the silicone hose, and skimming falls off sharply if water gets in.

Power comes through the Turbelle® Controller on a 3 m cable from the pump, and then the power supply unit at 100–240 V / 50–60 Hz. TUNZE permit operation only with the original TUNZE power supply, and connection to third-party electronic switches or speed controllers is not permissible.

TUNZE rate every DOC skimmer against a standard marine aquarium stocked with leather corals, and publish a reduction table for tanks that carry a more sensitive biotope. Their worked examples all use a skimmer rated for 1,000 litres:

• Leather corals, long-polyp corals and anemones — no reduction. TUNZE note that the dissolved-organic load in these tanks may be higher, and is sometimes even necessary, so the skimmer can be run at its full rated volume.
• Mixed leather and stony (LPS) corals — 40% reduction. TUNZE's example: a skimmer rated for 1,000 litres should be used on a tank holding about 600 litres at most.
• Predominantly small-polyp stony corals (SPS) — 60% reduction. A skimmer rated for 1,000 litres should be used on a tank holding about 400 litres at most. TUNZE add that these tanks should carry no phosphate or nitrate load worth mentioning, and that the skimmer is often the stand-alone filtration.
• SPS with a heavy fish population — 70% reduction. A skimmer rated for 1,000 litres should be used on a tank holding about 300 litres at most.
• Comline® skimmers used as contact skimmers on plankton breeding tanks — 70% reduction. TUNZE's example here is a Comline® skimmer rated for 1,200 litres on a tank holding about 360 litres at most.

TUNZE print this table on this model's own page. The rating to apply it to on this model is up to 1,200 litres.

Safety & Precautions

These are TUNZE's own safety instructions for the DOC Skimmer 9410 DC, from the manual supplied with it.

• Not designed for outdoor operation.
• Check that the operating voltage matches the mains supply before first use.
• Fit the mains plug higher than the unit, so water cannot run down the cable into the plug.
• Operation is permitted only with a residual-current circuit-breaker fitted, 30 mA maximum.
• Disconnect every electrical unit in the tank from the mains before working in the aquarium.
• Do not repair a damaged mains cable — replace the unit completely.
• Connecting the unit to third-party equipment such as electronic switches or speed controllers is not permissible.
• Maximum aquarium water temperature: +35 °C (95 °F).
• Keep the instruction manual.
• TUNZE state the device is suitable for users, children included, with limited physical, sensory or mental abilities, or without experience or prior knowledge, only where a responsible person provides suitable supervision or detailed instruction. Children should not be allowed to play with it.

Minimum water level. The level must not fall below 140 mm (5.5 in). Below it the Hydrofoamer Silence can be damaged — the motor overheats, or the pump is damaged mechanically by running dry. TUNZE state plainly that this is a warranty exclusion.

Power supply unit. TUNZE's separate block for their power supplies:

• Not designed for outdoor operation.
• Place the power supply as far from the aquarium as possible, to prevent water damage.
• Operation is permitted only with a residual-current circuit-breaker fitted, 30 mA maximum.
• Mount it in a dry, well-ventilated position, away from heat sources.
• Ambient temperature in operation: 0 °C to +35 °C (32 °F to 95 °F).
• The Turbelle® Controller on the DC cable is susceptible to water and can be destroyed by it.
• TUNZE permit operation only with the original TUNZE power supply unit.

If you dose ozone. TUNZE describe an ozone connection for this skimmer and attach a warning to it: uncontrolled, continuous ozone use can damage health and can damage the electrical and plastic parts of the unit, embrittling them. Synthetic materials in prolonged contact with ozone become brittle and liable to break. Their own recommendation for a hard-coral reef aquarium is 1 mg of ozone per 100 litres (26.4 USgal).

Warranty & Support

This product carries a 24-month manufacturer warranty from the date of purchase, covering material and manufacturing defects. TUNZE’s printed instruction manual is the document that governs here: their website currently quotes a longer period, but the manual supplied in the box states 24 months, and 24 months is the term we will honour.

What voids it, and what it does not cover. TUNZE name three exclusions: damage from inexpert handling, for which water damage is the example they give; technical modification carried out by the buyer; and connection to devices they have not recommended. The remedy under the guarantee is repair or replacement of the unit at TUNZE’s discretion, and consequential damage is explicitly excluded — on an aquarium that means the unit itself is covered and what happens in the tank when one fails is not. TUNZE also require a defective unit to come back in its original packaging with proof of purchase, so keep the carton and the foam for the two years rather than putting them out with the recycling.

Warranty support is handled by us directly. Message our WhatsApp support with your order number and we will diagnose the fault first — most cases are solved by replacing a single part, so you rarely need to send the whole unit. If the item does need to come back, it ships to our Delhi or Pune warehouse, whichever one served your order, and courier cost in both directions is borne by the customer. Your GST invoice is valid proof of purchase for the claim.

Returns & Replacement

Returns are accepted within 7 days of delivery, provided the item is unused and in its original packaging. Manufacturer-sealed items cannot be returned once the seal is broken, and sale-priced items are not refundable.

If your item arrives defective or damaged, message us on WhatsApp with your order number — or email us, if you would rather — and we will replace it. Approved replacements are delivered within 3 to 5 business days. Transit damage is covered by insurance on every shipment. If tracking shows delivered but nothing reached you, tell us within 72 hours, which is the reporting window Indian couriers allow. Damage caused during installation or use is not covered; replacement spares for such cases are chargeable.

Full terms are on our Cancellation & Returns page.