Converting a skilter 250

[pgreco]

can anyone share or point me in the right direction. I would like to convert my skilter 250 into a more efficient skimmer.(i.e. adding an airstone in the unit) has theis been done b4?

 

[krusk]

you mean the Skilter 240
You want to mod the unit because it's too lound and it does not run very effeciently
There is 2 modification that I have done in my skilters
1. Additional equidments required.
Air Pump, Air Line Tubes, Wooden Air Stone, Air Control Valve and Mini Air Line Connector.
I have modify my first skilter 240 using the below method (cost about $25 more)
This is how you do it
Drill a hole on top of your waste collector cab. The location of the hole should be in the center of Air Champer. Now connect the air pump to Air Valve control using 1 air line tube. Next, connect 1 air line tube to air valve's outlet and other end of the air line connect with the mini air connector. The mini air connector place on top of the waste colector cab(where you poke the hole). Next cut 6-7" air line tube connect it to wooden air stone and the other end of the miniair connector. Place the wooden air stone into the champer. Turn on the filter and the air pump. Use the Air Valve control to adjust the amount of air going in the champer.
2. Additional equidments required
Air line tube
Cut 3" long Air line tube about 4-5 of them
Place those 3" air tube in the bottom part of the impeller(where water and air entering the champer) ben the air tubes to make sure they have curve (increase the water spin that will increase the air + water contact time), just making sure that the air line tubes have some angle pointing up(this will help the air bubbles stay in the champer.
Both methods work well for me
I prefer the second method !!!!cheaper!!!!!!!
I hope you can follow through the direction. Post back on your progress
Krusk

 

[deucey]

Hey Pgreco, I too have a Skilter 250, not a 240, and I have modified mine....it is a very similar approch as Krusk had. First you will need the wooden air stone, air pump, and an adjustable air valve, and some air line of course! What you want to do is take the collection box off and remove the impeller and lift tube from the filter box, now put the air line on the wooden air stone and insert the air stone in the filter box.....now you should have slots at the bottom of the lift tube and impeller assymbly you took out of the filter box! all you need to do is put the lift tube and impeller assymbly back into the filter box and let the air line come up and out of the filter box similar to the one that is on there from the factory! Now run the air line out of the filter box and give yourself about 6" of line outside the box and put the air valve in the line...then connect the line to the other side of the valve and run it to the pump! LEAVE THE FACTORY AIR LINE IN PLACE AND CLOSE THE VALVE COMPLETLY, DO NOT REMOVE IT BECAUSE IT WILL CAUSE THE FILTER TO BE LESS EFFECTIVE! Now turn on the air pump and adjust the valve to the best skimming position.....I HOPE THIS HELPS AND IF YOU DESIDE TO DO IT THIS WAY AND I AM NOT CLEAR ON SOMETHING WRITE ME BACK I WILL HELP ALL I CAN....

 

[pgreco]

Okay guys, i went out and bought an air pump and did what you said but all i am getting is bubbles in the chamber that never rise. I tried adjusting the air valve several times with no luck. Maybe i need a stronger air pump?

 

[krusk]

let's it run for couple days
there is bubbles in the champer right?
how long have your tank been setup?
maybe there is nothing to skim.

 

[pgreco]

the tank has been set up for over a year, yes there are bubbles in the chamber, some of which are escaping but i may put a piece of pvc to help confine them. Nothing to skim, so i guess the tank is in pretty good shape?

 

[krusk]

if it been setup for over a year
it should have something to skim
how long is the skimmer been running?
how much bubbles are in the champer?

 

[pgreco]

the setup has been running since friday, there are bubbles in the chamber but there are also many bubbles outside the chamber

 

[krusk]

did you stop the Air Intake from the skimmer manufacture? The AirLine about 6" long with the white cab
completely shut it off

 

[pgreco]

krusk,
it is completely off. i get bubbles in the chamber and even at the top of the chamber but none pour over into the collection cup. also the bubbles look very clean.

 

[krusk]

good
very good, it's took mine about 1 week or more to get chunk in the colection cub
it seem like your mod is working
no noise PERIOD (our major concern)
do I recommend to get his filter/skimmer in the future? NO definitly not
I/we mod this unit because we can not simply return the product. We can't really expect good skimmer for what we paid for.

 

[pgreco]

ok krusk one more question b4 i dissappear for a week. where should i position the airstone in the chamber, toward the top or bottom(i'm assuming the bottom)

 

[krusk]

yes the bottom to increase contact time between air and water

 

[krusk]

oh 1 more thing
when you getting sick of cleaning the wooden stone
try the second method, works like champ for me
good luck