? on octopus 110 recir skimmer

[ibew]

when I installed this skimmer I decided to gravity feed it and instead of using the pipe they provided I used my own 1inch and installed a T and a ballvalve just before inlet of skimmer I didn't like there style of adjustment of water flow to the skimmer but I have the ball valve fully open and the water level is just staying close to the top of the neck it says that your only supposed to feed it 1.5 times of the total volumn of the tank well the tank is a 60 gal with a 10 gal sump my overflow is 600 gph and you would think if the ballvalve to the skimmer is open all the way there should be at least 250 GPH going both ways off of the T am I right or wrong is that enough or not

 

[joncat24]

Unless you have a flowmeter, there is really no way to tell. I would just get a maxi jet 400 and put it in your sump and run it into the skimmer feed. I understand why people use the gravity feed, it just seems easier to control using a seperate pump.
Your flow with the gravity feed has too many variables to be steady and consistent, which is a big factor in operating a skimmer, as far as output and backpressure are concerned, anyway.

 

[saltycrab]

I dont understand the 1.5 rule and think it makes no sense. First of all running off an overflow is less consistent than a return. Second the ball valve will give you much less ability to control the flow than a gate valve but that is probably less important unless you are talking about controlling the water level in the skimmer. What I would try to do is cut back the ball valve close to all the way to slow the water flow through the skimmer significantly. This will give the water much more time in the skimmer body. This is important because it takes upwards of 2 minutes for the proteins to separate out. If there is not enough dwell time in the skimmer body than you will only produce light tea colored skimmate.

 

[ibew]

first off thanks for the help and info wish I wold have known this earlier.
Joncat unsure how I would hook up a MJ 400 being that feed pipe is 1inch also why can't I feed it more water the skimmer doesn't know I have a 60 gal

I think that is why they have a 1inch pipe if you have a bigger tank also your right about the overflow not being consistent flow of water if you watch it for awile you can tell just by the sound and you can see the water in the neck of the skimmer vary with sound alittle.now for the big ? If I leave it the way it is how will it effect the way the skimmer works meaning the varying water flow also your right a gate valve woud have been better but I had a ball valve laying around this is the last time I gravity feed a skimmer boooooooooooooooo

 

[ibew]

first off thanks for the help and info wish I wold have known this earlier.
Joncat unsure how I would hook up a MJ 400 being that feed pipe is 1inch also why can't I feed it more water the skimmer doesn't know I have a 60 gal

I think that is why they have a 1inch pipe if you have a bigger tank also your right about the overflow not being consistent flow of water if you watch it for awile you can tell just by the sond and you can see the water in the neck of the skimmer vary with soundd alittle.now for the big ? If I leave it the way it is how will it effect the way the skimmer works meaning the varying water flow also your right a gate valve woud have been better but I had a ball valve laying around this is the last time I gravity feed a skimmer boooooooooooooooo