Help with external skimmer

[jbailey52]

Hi everyone... I am hooking up my my reef creations mr-1 skimmer. I previously had it installed in sump but was told the output needed to be above the water line. I am having trouble installing it under the tank, so I want to install it up at tank level, next to the tank. My tank is installed in wall so seeing the skimmer is no issue. My question is will about 4' of head on the supply hose from the pump to the skimmer be to much? Also same with the return to the sump?
Thanks

 

[acrylic51]

The issue isn't about head pressure somewhat.....The question is can the pump your using supply the correct amount of water flow to the skimmer......Without knowing what pump your referring to answering the question is rather impossible......

I am an ex user of the MRC beckett skimmer, and I think I was the 1 that told you that the return/drain of the skimmer had to be above water level in the sump, and that is correct, it cannot be submerged......Submerged you'll never tune the skimmer and it will not operate correctly because it will put back pressure on the skimmer.....
As far as your other question I'm assuming your worried about the drain line from the skimmer......Will not be an issue how long or far your line is from your sump.....I had roughly 4'-5' of drain off my skimmer without issue......

 

[jbailey52]

Ok great. Well I have the mag 8 for the skimmer that is recommended.. I also have a mag 12 I could use so what's my best bet for figuring which to use? Can one be TOO powerful?? Again at max I would say it will be pushing through 4' maybe 5' of 3/4" hose

 

[acrylic51]

I don't think the Mag 8 will be enough.....Figuring the Mag 8 was enough how it currently ran, but then figure head pressure into the equation.....And to be totally honest Mag isn't a pressure rated pump specifically and asking it to drive the beckett and added head.....Might be better suited to try the Mag 12 on the skimmer.....As far as issue with being to powerful....No.....Take a look at what a real pressure rated pump pushes that is recommended for that skimmer....

 

[jbailey52]

Ok. Thanks for the info. From the info I found and my email with MRC themselves they told me there were two pumps they recommended for the skimmer, and one of them was the mag 8. Well the mag 12 is way to much just for the return pump to my DT anyway so I will switch them and see why happens.

 

[acrylic51]

Correct....Mag and Blueline or PanWorld were the recommended pumps.....I'm just saying they recommended the Mag 8, but you also added in extra head for the pump to overcome.....Is the skimmer a standard or recirc setup.....My thing is I'd always rather have more pump than needed....You can always dial it down. Not enough pump.....well you know what I mean.......

 

[jbailey52]

Got ya. I just found a mag 24 at
My work yard from an old pond..... Is this way too big??!! Can it actually damage anything?

 

[acrylic51]

Mag 24 probably way overkill.....but wouldn't damage anything.....You see when you were tuning the skimmer you'd need to adjust the water flow to the skimmer......Basically whatever they say the feed rate is needed to the skimmer you have to come close to matching it.....That's why I keep re iterating that level with the sump the Mag 8 might suffice, but when you move the skimmer upward an away from the sump the same water flow you once had isn't the same in the new location, so you need to compensate for the increase....

 

[jbailey52]

Yea I figured. Well ill put a valve on the pump outlet and see what happens. I have the new updates injector assembly being shipped to me now (second time this has cracked from the air valve being tightened just a touch to much or accidentally bumping it) Instead of the air valve being screwed into the acrylic of the injector assembly, it should screw into something more stable, that is attached to the assembly

 

[acrylic51]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jbailey52 http:///t/394629/help-with-external-skimmer#post_3512634
Yea I figured. Well ill put a valve on the pump outlet and see what happens. I have the new updates injector assembly being shipped to me now (second time this has cracked from the air valve being tightened just a touch to much or accidentally bumping it) Instead of the air valve being screwed into the acrylic of the injector assembly, it should screw into something more stable, that is attached to the assembly
I know your pain.....Not a great design in that aspect.....I cracked mine during setup when I was moving a cord and snagged the valve pretty good.....The acrylic is just to thin for what it's supporting in that area....Not that the valve is heavy, but its a bulky piece suspended there in the thin wall of acrylic......
One thing I did find handy when I was tuning the water flow to the skimmer was that I had a flow meter inline so I could gauge the amount of flow being fed into the skimmer....Not a cheap thing to add in, but can and gives you a good idea as to what your feed rate is......