mag 18 isnt big enough for the monster skimmer?NEED HELP!!!
 

Well i have the skimmer hooked up and have determined the mag 18 just wont cut it, Instead of the beckett sucking in air its sucking in air and spitting lots of water, i figure this is because the pump isnt spushing hard enough. Can anyone conquer? Also it can even push the bubbles into the larger tube. Can someone recomend a new pump, I would really really like it to be submersible, unless there is a way to put an external pump on without drilling my sump.

how big is this skimmer?? A MAG 18 should run most larger becketts.

haha funny question, its just under 6 feet tall. to top of collection cup. its about 59" to top of tube.

where is the beckett in relation to the rest of the skimmer?

Nevermind I remember, go back and re read my coments in this post about your skimmer and it will tell you why it isn't working right.
http://www.canreef.com/phpBB2/viewto...er=asc&start=0

STeve

Ok so i read your post and i belive my problem is getting the bubbles to go around into the reaction chamber. So what would be the best solution?

Get a Bigger pump :lol:

Is your beckett tube shooting into the mixing box or do you have some pipe inside the skimmer directing the flow into the reaction chamber?

I have tubing that directs the water up into the tube. So fill a bigger pump solve my problem or should i shorten the tubes by about a foot and a half?

what is your water hight in the skimmer? If you have it set so the water is only say 4 foot up the tube then you could lower the Beckett to just above that hight. also if there is a way for you to sleeve down the 2.5" Beckett tube to a 1" tube it would work a bit better I think. with those changed it might work with a mag 18.

Looking at that again is your 6" tube part 6 foot tall? you could probably cut that down to 3 foot and use the left over to make a kalk reactor or Ca reactor, or skimmit collection cup, but I would change the Beckett tube to a 1 inside diameter tube also.

Steve

Hello,

A mag 18 is just fine on a single beckett.

They require only about 1200 gph with a pressure rated pump to operate normally.

If the water hieght in your reaction chamber is higher than the beckett assembly, that is why it is spitting..for instance, if you were to shut the skimmer pump off and the skimmer output off....and filled the reaction chamber with water to its normal operating height....where does the water even out on the beckett side ?

It is a design flaw im sure, but should be easily fixed.

Marc.

Marc, gotta disagree with ya. I'm running a MAK 4 on mine as an upgrade from a MAG 18, and it's STILL not enough. I put an Iwaki 70 on it and it worked much better. When it ran the MAG, it only filled half the chamber with bubbles. When you get into large skimmers (as you well know), bigger pumps are better. Your's was what? a 1/2hp spa pump? :razz:

While a MAG 18 will work, it won't work nearly as well as a pressure rated pump, IME, IMO, IMM, etc

I agree with Marc on why its spitting water. I had to increase the injector housing height on both my 32in. and 36in. becketts. Put them up near the collection cup or above operating water level.

I disagree on the Mag 18 for such a large skimmer. Like Brad, my 32in. never ran up to its potential on a Mak4. I like the Iwaki 70 idea. Plus the main tube would then run a higher foam head and lower water level, depending on the consistancy of foam desired.

The beggining of my injection chamber is level with the top of the reaction chamber. The only thing i see wrong is i cant get the bubbles to go from the injection tube(2.5") to the reaction chamber(6"). So if i shorten the reaction tube down to 3 feet you think and then shorted the injection toube to maybe 4 feet this should work better? Also it would seem my injection housing is filling with water quite quikly is this normal?

Oh, I went back and looked again. Is the beckett where the coke can is pictured? If so, that should be plenty high.

Brad, you could be right...i was under the impression a mag 18 was a pressure rated pump...?
lol, yes it was a 1/2 horse spa pump, but i also used it on a 50" Quad injected skimmer.

I hadnt seen the pic of his skimmer, but if i just take a beckett on its own, it doesnt need anymore than a mag 18.....but the skimmer design would play a large role in the correct pressure to run it. ( such as is in Tarolisol`s case)

I have never used one for that application, but I know jamie uses a mag 18 on a beckett skimmer that i had built ,and he is using...it stands at 43" high and is dual becketts....while i would say it is a bit under powered, it is working just fine at litterally half the flow...but by the same token it is being run like a normal beckett skimmer, And Tarolisol cant with that design.

Sorry Tarolisol, i hadnt looked at the pic, i just did...

With a normal beckett skimmer the water height would be at the base of the reaction tube.

The problem in yours i believe, is that the reaction column is too high for for that pump, when the column is partially filled with water ( wich it would need to be in your case being that tall of a chamber to get foam to the cup) it is creating WAY more back pressure on that pump, than if the water were at the base of the column.


You can check if this is the problem, just let the water flow out of the skimmer reaction tube until its at the base of the column...then look at the beckett...it should be operating normally, less spitting (a little is normal)...and better flow and bubbles down the injection tower.

So yes, you do need a bigger pump, Or you need to cut that one down...if it is contact time you are worried about, then atleast leave the injector tower as is, and cut the other.

And yes, its normal for the beckett housing to fill with water, as a beckett itself is not watertight.
But the reason for it filling real fast, is because of the "spitting" and the back pressure...this will be corrected with the changes made.

Marc.

bigger pump
 

tarolisol
fyi i have a 48" tall skimmer with the same size tubing for the chamber. the difference between mine and yours is I didn't use the bigger acrylic tubing for the injector - i used 1" schedule 40 tubing.
I had use the following pump configurations with the results from:
Not good/ good/ better/ best:

mag 18 and mak 4 to dual injectors - best
mag 18 to single injector - not good
mak 4 to single injector - good
iwaki70 to dual injectors - better
iwaki70 to single injector - best

The spa pump mentioned here ... what model is it ... who retails it ? ... any and all relevant info appreciated

I have a mak 4 running my Beckett right now ( upgrade in performance from my old Mag 18 for sure ) ... however I do have it setup so that I can run dual Becketts if necessary and pump model/price was always a concern.

OK so ive removed my skimmer and am going to cut down the tubing. Given the the injector tubing is 2.5" and the other tubing is 6" what does everyone suggest i cut the hight of each down to. Maybe 4 feet high with the 6" and 4.5 feet with the 2.5". Now is that hight from floor level or the hight of the tubing siting on the little little box below it. Also does the skimmer need to be above the water level in the sump to work or can it sit on the floor floor level.

I would cut it so you would have a 32 " beckett that is the total height and and maybe add a second beckett injector to it . and run a mak 5 on it. oh ya


mike

Well if i was going to run a mak 5 i dont think i would have to shorten it.

Steve ... down boy. :razz: :lol:

You can use a hottub pump on aquariums. Generally they retail second-hand for $100 or so.

The problem is ... well take a look at the power usage of any pump you find. You'll end up paying for that pump again and again every 2 months or so ...

mak 5
 

if you have a mak5 , i would try it without cutting it. then if its not sufficient, from your test with your mak5, u'll have a good idea how much to cut at the point.

try it but you still might have to shorten everything.

you would cut it down till your 6" is say 4 foot from the ground and cut your becket tube the same length. some pictures showing the water hight in both tubes would be good and I would say run your water level a max of 3 feet from the ground if you do cut it down.

Steve

I don't know how to fix it as a beckett but how about turning it into a venturi type? Wouldn't have to cut it down and 'I think' it would work pretty good with some easy changes.

Dave

So my water level is 3 feet from the ground then i guess the bubbles should rise the rest of the way up right?

they should, if not after you get it working you could slowly raise the water hight to a point where it is good. I think Brads water level is about 1 foot down in the large tube.

Steve

Ok so its all cut and is drying, ill test it again tommorow and let everyone know, from the bottom of the box to the top of the 6" tube (not including the collection cup or tube leading to collection cup) it is 46" and the 2.5" is 48". So my fingers are crossed.


Also another question my skimmmer sits outside my sump and both sit on the floor, so the skimmer put water back into the bottom of the sump. Is this ok or should the water be put in above the water level in the sump?

If you put it in under the water it can start a siphoning effect in your skimmer causing you water level to hunt.

Steve

Still a bit high for the mag 18 i would guess, but should work ok now.

As i mentioned earlier, You can always tell if it is too much, by seeing how the beckett is performing with the water level lower.....or at the base of the skimmer....if your getting smaller bubbles, no spitting out of the beckett, more stable foam, (just doesnt make it to the cup)...those are all indicators that the pump cant handle it.

This is going to create the same problem that youre trying to correct.

I have placed them a few inches under the waterline with no problems.

It completely depends on where you are running your water level inside the reaction tube, if this is always higher than the water level inside the sump, you will be ok.
But, your water line inside the skimmer reaction tube will be a MINIMUM of your waterline inside the sump...if you unplug the skimmer, you will see where this water line wants to naturally sit at.

Normal beckett skimmers are designed to always have there water exit above or at the water line...so water doesnt build up higher than the base of the reaction tube.

Man, I hate to tell u to drill a higher hole and to make a stand for the skimmer, but im thinkin that youll have to unless that is where you need your water level inside your skimmer....and that the previous problem doesnt occur when waters at this height. :neutral:

Hope it is all well,

Marc.

Ok well i need help again i cant get my skimmer to work. So ive shortened it raised the out take just above water line. Im getting tons of foam in the down pipe but very little makes it around to the reaction chamber. What should i do. Go smaller again?

Post a picture of it working.

here are pics of it trying to work :confused:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...4080_IMG_2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...4081_IMG_2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...4082_IMG_2.jpg

:biggrin: That is one big skimmer :biggrin:

Hello,

Im guessing the beckett tube is pressurizing because of the design of the bends in the bottom of the box.
I didnt see that in the skimmer previously, It is keeping all the bubbles on the wrong side.

I bet if you removed the two 90 elbows and let the water inject into the box, you would get all the bubbles you need.

P.S.....your scarin me with that duct tape. :lol:

Marc.

bigger pump
 

Sean
thats hardly enough bubbles being generated to consider it to be skimming. I think an airstone will generate more bubbles than that. What do you have for a pump on that thing? I'm thinking at a minimum you want to use an Iwaki 70 or Mak5. If you want a monster beckett skimmer, you need a monster pump to go with it. There's really no short cut with that type of combination.
And what type of valve do you have to control the air intake to the beckett?
my 2 cents
cwlee

Ok so pressure is bad, this might be my problem. The entire down tube i belive is almost air tight. the beckett is wrapped with tape and pushed into the whole.

Oh and the duct tape was used to see if there was any air entering the tubes makeing the micro bubbles, im just to lazy to take it off :cool:

Well like the guys figured sean. There is too much pressure on the injector. Your skimmer tube is too tall :lol:

OK so what should i do to fix this problem?

bigger pump or smaller tube sounds like.

Personally, I'd change the desgn as I mentioned before to model off a Aquamedic Turbo 5000.
http://www.aquadirect.com/store/cust...cat=204&page=1

I have that skimmer it kicks ass and is super simple. Wai's had it on his display coral tank, I think Big Als has on on the sales floor. (it has two pumps mine only has one)

You can come see mine if you like.

Dave

So what is the method of air induction on that turbofloater?