Snail spawn and a skimmer

asylumdown · #1 01-12-2014, 06:08 AM

I've heard of those but have never looked in them seriously. Is it something that can be set up with an Apex? Do you not have problem with skimmer gunk making the float stick?

The ones I've heard about were in remote skimmate reservoirs, but I don't have space for an external vessel and my skimmer is normally rock solid. I don't think I've ever seen them put right in to the skimmer cup itself. Do you have any pics of how it's set up?

craigwmiller · #2 01-12-2014, 06:17 AM

No different hookup to the controller than any other float sensor. I have 2 others for min and max sump water level... Too high and I shutoff the ATO power port (just in case it got confused on) and also shutoff the skimmer so it doesn't go too crazy with the increased water level. Too low (super too low) and it shuts off the two return pumps and the one heater in that section (to ensure it doesn't overheat while dry).

Picture of the float in the skim cup: And no, it hasn't been affected -- running like this for 5 months now - got sick of over flows, and got off my lazy but

. I clean it every month when I take the skimmer cup off for a neck cleaning, and I test it at least every week. (I just lift it up like I did for this picture, and make sure it's super easy to lift up -- and that the skimmer shuts off... has never failed once)

asylumdown · #3 01-12-2014, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigwmiller

No different hookup to the controller than any other float sensor. I have 2 others for min and max sump water level... Too high and I shutoff the ATO power port (just in case it got confused on) and also shutoff the skimmer so it doesn't go too crazy with the increased water level. Too low (super too low) and it shuts off the two return pumps and the one heater in that section (to ensure it doesn't overheat while dry).

Picture of the float in the skim cup: And no, it hasn't been affected -- running like this for 5 months now - got sick of over flows, and got off my lazy but

. I clean it every month when I take the skimmer cup off for a neck cleaning, and I test it at least every week. (I just lift it up like I did for this picture, and make sure it's super easy to lift up -- and that the skimmer shuts off... has never failed once)

That looks like it was pretty simple to set up, how does it attach to the apex? Does that cable end in a 3 prong power plug, or one of the one of the Aquabus ports?

craigwmiller · #4 01-12-2014, 05:38 PM

I don't have an Apex, but from a quick google it seems you would connect it to a 'Switch Input Connector'. Check the manual for that text, you should see something like it. There is no polarity from a float sensor -- one direction it's OPEN and the other it's CLOSED, operating like an on/off switch.

Definitely not a power plug, this is DC, and the switch inputs are testing for connectivity only (very small voltage/current).