Modifying Coralife skimmers

[scopus tang]

I'm upgrading my sump and am considering upgrading the skimmer as well. I have a coralife needlewheel skimmer (the smaller one don't remember number off the top of my head). Since its less than three months old, I hate to buy a new one (unless I sell it with my old sump) ~ but I've been pretty frustated. I've read through the following info
Coralife SS mods
http://www.tylermerrick.com/content/css_notes.php
(originally posted by Veni Vidi Vici ~ thank you!)
I know that a lot of my issues are created by fluctuating water levels in the sump chamber because of evaporation (microbubbles and overflow of cup). What I was wondering is if anyone has drilled their collection cup and run tubing into something like an old milk jug to prevent overflow all over their stand? If so, what did you put in the hole to connect tubing to, and how did you seal the hole? Thanks.

 

[zeroc0o0l]

I havent done this mod yet but I seriously am considering.I just added this under my stand and dont want to remove the cup to change. I have read the same stuff you have and its seems to work on paper I would assume that silicone would do the trick or one of those small rubber gromits that fit around the clear plastic tube to take up the extra space of the hole One thing that a friend of mine did on his 125 CS and made a HUGE IMPROVEMENT was he added a small air pump on the inlet of the silencer and it pushed more air in creating a TON more bubbles and it looks like the skimate is DARKER and NASTY

 

[ameno]

I have the 125 CS and it came with a drain hole already in the bottom, I did have it set up to drain into a milk jug but at times the skimmer decides to go crazy and overflow,, when that happened I wasn't home, the milk jug filled and the wife saw the sump was low so added 2 gal. of water which ran thru the skimmer and on the floor, so I did away with that idea, and now I have a tube running from the skimmer cup with a valve at the end so that when the cup startes to fill I just open the valve and drain the cup into a jug. If you don't already have a hole you might could drill a hole and add a tube fitting that would seal onto the hole and connect tubing to that. another thing that I did that seems to help a lot was the pf4 ecomatt mod. were you sew it onto the empeller and make the skimmer run more effecent, I also cut the pump outlet tube and brought the pump up higher. but even still if the water level was to rise the skimmer tends to overflow, but not as bad now that I did the mod.

 

[scopus tang]

Originally Posted by zeroc0o0l
http:///forum/post/2557769
I havent done this mod yet but I seriously am considering.I just added this under my stand and dont want to remove the cup to change. I have read the same stuff you have and its seems to work on paper I would assume that silicone would do the trick or one of those small rubber gromits that fit around the clear plastic tube to take up the extra space of the hole One thing that a friend of mine did on his 125 CS and made a HUGE IMPROVEMENT was he added a small air pump on the inlet of the silencer and it pushed more air in creating a TON more bubbles and it looks like the skimate is DARKER and NASTY
Alrighty then, I get to show my ignorance here, Is the silencer the black tube thing at the end of the air hose that hangs out of the tank?

 

[scopus tang]

Originally Posted by ameno
http:///forum/post/2557790
I have the 125 CS and it came with a drain hole already in the bottom, I did have it set up to drain into a milk jug but at times the skimmer decides to go crazy and overflow,, when that happened I wasn't home, the milk jug filled and the wife saw the sump was low so added 2 gal. of water which ran thru the skimmer and on the floor, so I did away with that idea, and now I have a tube running from the skimmer cup with a valve at the end so that when the cup startes to fill I just open the valve and drain the cup into a jug. If you don't already have a hole you might could drill a hole and add a tube fitting that would seal onto the hole and connect tubing to that. another thing that I did that seems to help a lot was the pf4 ecomatt mod. were you sew it onto the empeller and make the skimmer run more effecent, I also cut the pump outlet tube and brought the pump up higher. but even still if the water level was to rise the skimmer tends to overflow, but not as bad now that I did the mod.

Ameno, were do I find more info on the pf4 ecomatt mod? I already modified the pump outlet tube as well by shortening, but I like the look of some of the other mods I saw on the mentioned site as well.

 

[ameno]

you might try doing a search on skimmer mod. and it may come up. but it is basically a mesh that you cut to fit the size of the impeller and attach it to the impeller, some people attach will small zip ties but I found it to work better just sewing it on. pretty easy. I bought mine from wattsupdoc. he had a bunch extra he was selling a while back, you may can check with him and see if he has any left, if not just send me a pm with an address and I'll send you a small piece big enough to do the mod. I got plenty extra when he sent me mine so I'm sure I could spare a piece

 

[scopus tang]

Originally Posted by ameno
http:///forum/post/2557843
you might try doing a search on skimmer mod. and it may come up. but it is basically a mesh that you cut to fit the size of the impeller and attach it to the impeller, some people attach will small zip ties but I found it to work better just sewing it on. pretty easy. I bought mine from wattsupdoc. he had a bunch extra he was selling a while back, you may can check with him and see if he has any left, if not just send me a pm with an address and I'll send you a small piece big enough to do the mod. I got plenty extra when he sent me mine so I'm sure I could spare a piece

Thank you.

 

[zeroc0o0l]

Yea sorry I should have explained that better. The silencer is that black tube thing at the end of the air hose. I was messing around one day with that the silencer cause it wasn't so silent at my house. I took a piece of small tubing and put it on the exposed

[hr]
and blew a little air in there. I could noticed a HUGE difference in the amount of bubbles seems to work pretty well on his skimmer.

 

[scopus tang]

Very nice, I'll check that out, easy enough to do. Thanks

 

[spankey]

Thanks for posting that link. I just web weaved my CSS 125 with spider line and that seemed to fine the bubbles up much better than stock.
I also learned to have the pump as high as possible. I raised mine up about 2 inches closer to the water surface and the skimmer flow inside is night and day. Much stronger!!!!
I wish there was a way to keep the bubbles in the skimmer longer but that would mean recirculation......
Spankey.