Protein skimmers
- Thread starter magooo2
- Start date
crustymonk
Member
awsome...thanks. It gives me some ideas
magooo2
Member
murph
Active Member
Yikes 400. You don't have to spend anywhere near that. Ya may even be able to come in under a hundred if you find a used tank or use rubermaid containers. The ones at the LFS are acrylic and most likely have wet drys incorporated so they are pricey and unnecessary IMO.
The pic is of mine. Vary basic and cheap. Just a twenty gallon long with a ten gallon slid down in to provide a place for the skimmer that has a constant water level. The advantages of a sump are almost to many to list in just one thread. Expanded water volume, consistent water level for skimmer and DT, place for heater and additional filtration, place to dose kalk, return can be plumbed out to eliminate power heads, simplifies water changes and on and on.
The pic is of mine. Vary basic and cheap. Just a twenty gallon long with a ten gallon slid down in to provide a place for the skimmer that has a constant water level. The advantages of a sump are almost to many to list in just one thread. Expanded water volume, consistent water level for skimmer and DT, place for heater and additional filtration, place to dose kalk, return can be plumbed out to eliminate power heads, simplifies water changes and on and on.
fraggle_a
Member
Its true. You can make your own sump with a limited budget if you have the determination.
Look at the sumps you see in stores.
Its basicaly a tank, with "Chambers" that force the water to pass through.
Like my old 5 stage Koi filter. (brushes, large mats, 1000Watt UV Sterilizer, Litag, finer Mat, Grav return to a refuge and more Litag and a waterfall back into the pond.
You have two types of Sump feed. Overflow: Which is dependant and only as efficient as the return pump.
and Syphon: a lot more dangerouse since a power out means a chance of 'flooding'.
Sumps dont have to be big ugly contraptions easily visible like our friend here. You can hide a sump if you want. It comes down to taste.
Look at the sumps you see in stores.
Its basicaly a tank, with "Chambers" that force the water to pass through.
Like my old 5 stage Koi filter. (brushes, large mats, 1000Watt UV Sterilizer, Litag, finer Mat, Grav return to a refuge and more Litag and a waterfall back into the pond.
You have two types of Sump feed. Overflow: Which is dependant and only as efficient as the return pump.
and Syphon: a lot more dangerouse since a power out means a chance of 'flooding'.
Sumps dont have to be big ugly contraptions easily visible like our friend here. You can hide a sump if you want. It comes down to taste.
murph
Active Member
Its true sumps ain't pretty but easy access is important to. If I had it to do over I would have placed my DT in a fashion that everything would have gone behind it rather than off to the side but live and learn I guess.
Maybe I could spray paint my sump camouflage so people don't see it.
Stick with the KISS principle (keep it super simple) IMO the LFS acrylic sumps stuffed under the cabinet is nothing more than a high dollar nitrate factory you cant reach to clean.
Maybe I could spray paint my sump camouflage so people don't see it.
Stick with the KISS principle (keep it super simple) IMO the LFS acrylic sumps stuffed under the cabinet is nothing more than a high dollar nitrate factory you cant reach to clean.
fraggle_a
Member
Ah see. Iv been planning my 150Gallon beast already.
Im going to run PVC pipes out the back of the tank down to a point, then switch to PVC Flex pipe, and put my sump on a "RollOut" soI can open the door to the cabinet and slide the sump out to do my maintenance on it.
Im a big DIY kinda thing if you haddent knoticed. LOL
Im going to run PVC pipes out the back of the tank down to a point, then switch to PVC Flex pipe, and put my sump on a "RollOut" soI can open the door to the cabinet and slide the sump out to do my maintenance on it.
Im a big DIY kinda thing if you haddent knoticed. LOL
fraggle_a
Member
Yup.
The addition of a sump gives a lot more room for convinient matters and adding "hardware".
Plus the extra water gives a little buffer in the tank.
Look at it this way.... Your average filter media is what? 1/2 in thick in those HOT boxes?
With a sump, you can use that 1/2 inch as a prefilter to remove 'big' chunks. Then you can basicaly setup your own filter media to suit your needs. Litag, Bioballs, Pads what ever your heart desiers. You can even put plants and other helpful materials in there if you desire.
You can also (if you wenrt living in Florida) put your heater in there, and place a UV Sterilizer in the return flow to the tank. All this and more can be hidden out of sight.
(i have an aquaintance who has his sump in the garage)
You can also put in a Really good Skimmer, or two alightly average ones, or if you were so daring... make your own!. (its not difficult to make your own....)
The addition of a sump gives a lot more room for convinient matters and adding "hardware".
Plus the extra water gives a little buffer in the tank.
Look at it this way.... Your average filter media is what? 1/2 in thick in those HOT boxes?
With a sump, you can use that 1/2 inch as a prefilter to remove 'big' chunks. Then you can basicaly setup your own filter media to suit your needs. Litag, Bioballs, Pads what ever your heart desiers. You can even put plants and other helpful materials in there if you desire.
You can also (if you wenrt living in Florida) put your heater in there, and place a UV Sterilizer in the return flow to the tank. All this and more can be hidden out of sight.
(i have an aquaintance who has his sump in the garage)
You can also put in a Really good Skimmer, or two alightly average ones, or if you were so daring... make your own!. (its not difficult to make your own....)
trex
Member
Just wondering if the bak pak 2 is a good protien skimmer and if i really need one. I have a 55 gal fo tank right now with a fluvol 304 and want to start adding live rock. The guy at my lfs said that if i add live rock that skimmer is neccisary and he recomended the bak pak. Any suggestion?
magooo2
Member
Thanks to all for the info on the sump... Can I assume with the overflow I would have to drill a hole in the bottom of my tank????
Thought so. The syphon doesnt seam like a great option. I could see my wife divorcing me the first power outage. On second thought....KIDDING
I will look into sumps while I am looking for my next tank. I cant really set up a sump with an overflow while this tank is up and running.
Thought so. The syphon doesnt seam like a great option. I could see my wife divorcing me the first power outage. On second thought....KIDDING
I will look into sumps while I am looking for my next tank. I cant really set up a sump with an overflow while this tank is up and running.
magooo2
Member
Since I could not get any additional info on the backpak series of skimmers, and It was limited to a h.o.t. style, I chose to go with the coralife skimer which can be utilized as a h.o.t. or an in sump skimmer. I have read many good things on this board about its ease of use and how well it functions. I have it already installed ***) and look forward to watching it during it's break-in period. I want to thank all who contributed and thanks to those who sent me the pics for the sump operation. I have decided it is truely the best option in the long run. I will be looking at larger tanks w / the predrilled hole for the sump operation. :happyfish
cabin7882
Member
I also have a bak pak and it seems to work well just getting the air flow adjusted just right is very annoying. I had problems with micro bubbles returning to the tank it's just very sensitive I think. Also when food is added or water levels are changes it needs to be adjusted. When I add food it gets louder and starts spitting out micro bubbles can't really figure out why but overall once you get it going it is a good skimmer.