Plumbing to the skimmer

[dskrezyna]

Does anyone have their intake going directly into the skimmer? (instead of the intake area, if that's possible and practical of course) :notsure:

 

[fbm]

Intake, what do you mean?
Do you mean the return from the display tank? If so I doubt you would want too, wouldn't have no force behind it.

 

[turningtim]

Are you saying to bring the drain directly into the skimmer rather than drianing into a sump chamber? I assume (we all what happens then) you are trying to decrease "blow-by"?

 

[dskrezyna]

I watched a video of an experienced reefer at reefvideos.com and if I recall correctly he had the intake go directly into the skimmer (not into the inatake area of the sump). I can imagine it being effective since all the water would be going directly to the skimmer but Im not sure how much more effective it would be. Or if that would be too much force going directly into the skimmer?

 

[fbm]

I don't see how this would work at all. You need force going through you skimmer not gravity drain. And that is all that comes from you display tank is gravity drain. How are you going to force the water up the skimmer with enough force to do any good?

 

[hurt]

Most recircualting skimmers are direct fed. They don't have to be, and instead some people feed them with a small MJ. Recircualting skimmers work most effectively at low turnover rates 2X-3X, and by directly gravity feeding the skimmer at the base/under water, it slows the flow down a bit making it easier to obtain this flow.

 

[turningtim]

I think it all depneds on the skimmer in question. I run a DIY recirc style skimmer that I run directly off of my OF. But not all of the draining water passes through the skimmer. Some where I picked up a chart for counter currant skimmers and the most efficient flow rate through them for tank size.
I flow about 100 gph through my skimmer and seems to be very effective. Again from memory the "dwell time" (contact with bubbles) is what is most important for this kind of skimmer. It takes some protiens more time to attach to the bubbles then others.
Honestly i don't know about other styles b/c I've never used them.
I will say the down side to this design is size. Mine is about 40" tall and does not fit under the stand. I have it tucked in a corner and won't trade for the world.
I have read on here that 1.5x the skimmer pump size should be fed to a in sump skimmer. This is to be the most effective to reduce blow by.......

 

[fishy.....]

I have a Turboflotor 1000 and supposedly it is direct fed from the tank (gravity fed) if it is in the sump. I plan on setting it up this way.

 

[acrylic51]

Very effective way to run a skimmer.....You want to feed the skimmer the rawest, dirtiest water possible and that would be directly from the overflow or drain line off the tank.....As stated earlier you don't push all the drain water through the skimmer the rest is dumped to the sump.....This is usually done with recirc skimmers, which increase contact time in the skimmer body, which in turn increases the skimmer efficiency.