Skimmer mod question

[AndyL]

My thoughts on the matter are to use 2 pumps, or feed with a T off the drain from the tank.

Basically you'd be building a recirculating venturi skimmer. Flowthrough handled by one small pump (probably under 200gph) level controled by a gate valve, using the original input/outlets from the becket. Then you have to add a new inlet/outlet in the reactor chamber, for the recirculating needlewheel/venturi.

That's the easiest way I see to do it - Maybe someone else has a better suggestion.

Andy

[Willow]

Originally Posted by AndyL

That's the easiest way I see to do it - Maybe someone else has a better suggestion.

Andy

get an asm skimmer for a couple of hundred bucks and be done with it?

[danny zubot]

I guess I haven't done a very good job of explaining what I would like to do. Here is a pic of a similar skimmer to mine.


Now remove the entire injector housing and plumb a NW pump right to the skimmer body. Will that work? I have a stand pipe instead of a gate valve. My biggest concern is that the Mag 18 I'm using now must still provide 1200 gph flow even after the becket injector, will a NW pump at 500-700 gph still give me the same amount of foam?

[AndyL]

Well here's the basic design I'm suggesting:
http://www.deltecusa.us/proteinskimmers/ap600.php

Note your skimmer is taller, I could be wrong - but the reaction chamber should be 5" on the AP600. So theoretically should be able to skim as well or better than the deltec.

Reason I said use the n/w pump in recirc is by having it feeding the skimmer, what happens is by the time your bubbles hit the reaction chamber, many have merged, and you've lost the microbubbles that are the whole reason for getting a needlewheel to begin with. By having it feeding directly to the reaction chamber you get finer bubbles for more efficient skimming. By reducing the flowthrough you're allowing longer contact time - more efficient skimming.

Andy

[tbone]

check out asmskimmers.com and take a look @ their mods. u could try that out.
but u will need to order sedra pumps. not sure how big of a pump u'll need tho.

[Tom R]

You may be able to get a Sedra pump from Ocean Aquatics. They have a full line of ASM Skimmers.