Good protein skimmers
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meowzer
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///forum/thread/387043/good-protein-skimmers/20#post_3402638
http://***************.com/aquatic-supplies/T3155_000.html
So would this work in place of the float??? I don't see how it would work with both?
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///forum/thread/387043/good-protein-skimmers/20#post_3402638
http://***************.com/aquatic-supplies/T3155_000.html
So would this work in place of the float??? I don't see how it would work with both?
acrylic51
Active Member
I used the Tunze on my 240.....Again my initial point was and you gave a very good scenario; if the power were to go out and the optical was installed it is a safety to shut the RO/DI unit off.....If you run an RO/DI with just a float switch and the power were to go off, and just your float valve hang open.....Water will continue to pump and has no where to go......
prh123
Member
Flow switches made for tanks are all plastic, in my experience could not handle high pressure from RO, in time they will fail when you need them, water everywhere. If you need to automate solutions for like 100% travel jobs, you just test them when you can, keep a new one around, maybe just swap them out every six months so you don’t have a single point of failure.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by psycho http:///forum/thread/387043/good-protein-skimmers#post_3402608
Well the only reason I put in the auto fill is I'm gone for 3 to 4 days in a row as that is what my job requires..... My tank goes through about 4 to 5 gallons of water in that period I'm gone due to evaporation..... Would it be best to have those kind of salinity swings due to water evaporation ???? Or risk maybe the plastic float valve sticking? My significant other is there when I'm not and he is pretty knowledgable, he keeps a check on my aquarium..... So not sure which way to go there....
Hi,
If you are away, an Auto top off is worth it 100%....Instead of hooking the RO unit to the tank to auto fill, put you RO water into a tub or like I did a 37g plastic trash can (mark it FISH ONLY) Then I used egg create as a top to keep it flat and then covered it with a table cloth so it wouldn't look ugly. LOL...visitors thought it was just a table next to the tank. I filled the can and it lasted about a week for my 90g. That way if a malfunction should occure the worst that happens is a slow drop in SG and nothing dies.
I had a malfuntion and was very glad it wasn't hooked to a main line.
Originally Posted by psycho http:///forum/thread/387043/good-protein-skimmers#post_3402608
Well the only reason I put in the auto fill is I'm gone for 3 to 4 days in a row as that is what my job requires..... My tank goes through about 4 to 5 gallons of water in that period I'm gone due to evaporation..... Would it be best to have those kind of salinity swings due to water evaporation ???? Or risk maybe the plastic float valve sticking? My significant other is there when I'm not and he is pretty knowledgable, he keeps a check on my aquarium..... So not sure which way to go there....
Hi,
If you are away, an Auto top off is worth it 100%....Instead of hooking the RO unit to the tank to auto fill, put you RO water into a tub or like I did a 37g plastic trash can (mark it FISH ONLY) Then I used egg create as a top to keep it flat and then covered it with a table cloth so it wouldn't look ugly. LOL...visitors thought it was just a table next to the tank. I filled the can and it lasted about a week for my 90g. That way if a malfunction should occure the worst that happens is a slow drop in SG and nothing dies.
I had a malfuntion and was very glad it wasn't hooked to a main line.
acrylic51
Active Member
What I'm saying is an optical sensor would be more reliable..... Everyone knows bottom line there is nothing 100%, buy we also no relying in a float switch which can get caked with Ca easily; an plumbing it to your sump is not good or common practice!!!! Period regards how long it's been running flawlessly!!!! Most people that want precise control over topped accurately use some sort of metering pump like I mentioned Tunze or Litemeter III or a dozing pump. Why???? Because you have a set;control amount of topoff water to begin with, and even if a malfunction would occur it woul only be "X" amount.
Why do most people that run topoffs have a reservoir remotely that they pull from? Again even if your float switch doesn't fail..., let's say the ASOV on the RO/DI unit fails and I have seen that happen.... That float valve will not shut the water supply off. It will allow the water to continuously build pressure in that small little line, an Wham!!!! The line bursts, there by sending water everywhere, and the RO/DI is still pumping water.
Why do most people that run topoffs have a reservoir remotely that they pull from? Again even if your float switch doesn't fail..., let's say the ASOV on the RO/DI unit fails and I have seen that happen.... That float valve will not shut the water supply off. It will allow the water to continuously build pressure in that small little line, an Wham!!!! The line bursts, there by sending water everywhere, and the RO/DI is still pumping water.
psycho
Member
Ok well I don't mind spending some money on a control sensor if will also work in a power outage,.... That was my main question and I'm not sure if it was answered... Will it sut off and keep water from running into sump if power goes out? I have a 4 gallon holding tank that came with ro/di unit... It has a shut off valve as well... I just need to know it the control sensors are designed to shut off water supply in the event of a power outage or will it allow water to fill into sump ?
prh123
Member
I agree, I had two oak corner cabinets to the left and right of a six foot tank, so I would fill a 50 gallon rubber maid with RO, circulate it with a power head 24/7, add calcium and buffer, and put a small power head on a hose “clamped” to a float switch in the sump. You still will not like the quality of the float switch (plastic), maybe just replace it every six months there cheap, they failed after a while (don’t remember timings). This works, less drama. I got the RO to work after I flooded a kitchen hard wood floor, I just had to reduce the facet pressure. When I was young and dumb, I would let salinity swing, and bought a larger sump for what you said, 3-4 days gone, cover the evaporation. It’s not that dramatic the change in salinity. Yes, I saved the floor I was home at the time.
prh123
Member
Prizm skimmer deluxe, ran OK, I just limited air with a plug from power head air adjustment, brought water up to top “O” ring, not one inch below, the flow is night and day. Did anyone else have to do this?, the water is sparkling and air rated, the results night and day. Yes, it still skims, have air bubbles nothing dramatic, don’t care. Why not skim allot of your water each hour, its just a mini reef (10 gallan 1/2 circle).
“Flow Adjustment”
Initially, adjust the flow with the Flow Regulator so that the water level in the Reaction Chamber Throat is approximately 1" (2.5 cm) below the O-ring, and there are no air bubbles in the water returning to the aquarium.
Due to various aquarium conditions, the above setting may produce a wet instead of dry foam causing "over skimming," and wasting a lot of seawater.
The performance of skimmers are affected by changes in the aquarium water chemistry, which occurs regularly due to feeding, addition of supplements, changes in salinity due to evaporation, changes in the bio-load, and general tank maintenance.
Monitor the performance of the Prizm Pro Deluxe, making small adjustments to the flow as necessary. During approximately the first three days after installation, the Prizm Pro Deluxe may remove a lot of relatively light-colored waste. As the Prizm Pro Deluxe cleans up your tank, less, but more concentrated material will be skimmed off. The daily amount removed will generally stabilize, and the ideal flow setting for your aquarium will be established.
“Flow Adjustment”
Initially, adjust the flow with the Flow Regulator so that the water level in the Reaction Chamber Throat is approximately 1" (2.5 cm) below the O-ring, and there are no air bubbles in the water returning to the aquarium.
Due to various aquarium conditions, the above setting may produce a wet instead of dry foam causing "over skimming," and wasting a lot of seawater.
The performance of skimmers are affected by changes in the aquarium water chemistry, which occurs regularly due to feeding, addition of supplements, changes in salinity due to evaporation, changes in the bio-load, and general tank maintenance.
Monitor the performance of the Prizm Pro Deluxe, making small adjustments to the flow as necessary. During approximately the first three days after installation, the Prizm Pro Deluxe may remove a lot of relatively light-colored waste. As the Prizm Pro Deluxe cleans up your tank, less, but more concentrated material will be skimmed off. The daily amount removed will generally stabilize, and the ideal flow setting for your aquarium will be established.
psycho
Member
Ok I'm gonna look into the control sensor . My ro/di unite came with a 4g holding tank.... What I can do is let the holding tank fill up completly withbwater then shut off watervsource from main valve where it connects to laundry room water supply... Buy this sensor control, hook it up and run it imposes of the float vale.... IF a malfunction did happen to occur while I was gone it would only be for the 4g that would bebstored in the tank.... And not 100's of gallons right? That seems to me the most safest way to do any top off system... What do y'all think???
psycho
Member
I looked around online and found the octopus protein skimmers .....I'm just heein and howin ..... I know the 100g rated skimmer would be fine if not more then enough on my aquarium, ... But I mean for $20.00 bucks more I can get a 150 rated... Which also gives me room to upgrade to bigger aquarium comfortably later down the road. .... I may put in 20 more bucks and get the slightly overkill one, never know in a few years I may upgrade and this would be handy to have bigger skimmer.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by psycho http:///forum/thread/387043/good-protein-skimmers/20#post_3402921
I looked around online and found the octopus protein skimmers .....I'm just heein and howin ..... I know the 100g rated skimmer would be fine if not more then enough on my aquarium, ... But I mean for $20.00 bucks more I can get a 150 rated... Which also gives me room to upgrade to bigger aquarium comfortably later down the road. .... I may put in 20 more bucks and get the slightly overkill one, never know in a few years I may upgrade and this would be handy to have bigger skimmer.
Hi,
You think like I do ...the more filter the better. In skimmers it kind of isn't that way. If the skimmer is too large it won't skim enough for your tank because it is geared to need more yuck to kick in, and won't skim enough to keep your tank clean, too small and it won't skim enough either so you can't skimp....So in the end....get the size that is for your tank. I love my octopus skimmer, I think it's a good investment and if you upgrad later....plan on another skimmer.
Originally Posted by psycho http:///forum/thread/387043/good-protein-skimmers/20#post_3402921
I looked around online and found the octopus protein skimmers .....I'm just heein and howin ..... I know the 100g rated skimmer would be fine if not more then enough on my aquarium, ... But I mean for $20.00 bucks more I can get a 150 rated... Which also gives me room to upgrade to bigger aquarium comfortably later down the road. .... I may put in 20 more bucks and get the slightly overkill one, never know in a few years I may upgrade and this would be handy to have bigger skimmer.
Hi,
You think like I do ...the more filter the better. In skimmers it kind of isn't that way. If the skimmer is too large it won't skim enough for your tank because it is geared to need more yuck to kick in, and won't skim enough to keep your tank clean, too small and it won't skim enough either so you can't skimp....So in the end....get the size that is for your tank. I love my octopus skimmer, I think it's a good investment and if you upgrad later....plan on another skimmer.