Skimmer ????'s PLZZZ HELP NEWBEE!

[wattsupdoc]

Bubbles, Bubbles, toil and trouble....

Boy its a beast! what do u think?Look like its doing a good job? Glued the two couplers in the top and the collocetion cup to the 2" but nothing else. went with an in sump design.. couple reasons i guess but may work best for me. Skimmate seems to be a little wet but maybe once i glue it all i can adjust that some. Gonna put a ball valve in prior to the inlet from the pump to control a little better. Can get pics of the inside befroe i glue it all. Got some of that good advise you,ve been so helpful with?

 

[wattsupdoc]

Not sure if i did the right thing here.The outlet was stubbed down into the bottom of the skimmer and 90'd out.I didnt understand what you meant by a slip cpoupling. I got a comperssion type and placed it on the outlet with the pipe short enough to slide up and down. However i dont understand exactly how this controls the water level .look at it in the pics and see what ive done. Does this look right? :notsure: Put the ballvalve on this to control the flow wich does make a difference in how it acts. Wondring if the ball valve in the inlet will allow me to slow the water flow and possibly inject more air at the same time. Water does swirl around and up the chamber quite nicelly. however the foam seems to be a little thin and sparse. Maybe it'll cure as it works some. The tote u see us going to be my sump. It'll fit nicely in the bootom and ill probably take the skimmer and place it next to the sump<but still pipe from the skimmer to it. Anything you know of i can do to creat more foam in there?Or do i need to? SORRY I know Im a pain but just about got it thanks to u!

My future reef will be forever indebted to u<as well as myself>

 

[turningtim]

Ok thats not gonna work well. The output has to come off the very bottom of the skimmer. The input from the pump should be raised a bit. How are you getting air in there? Is it a NW pump?

 

[turningtim]

Here ya go Charlie try this.......
If you don't have a ventri let me know. Easily made with pvc and a couple of cheap parts.
Tim

 

[wattsupdoc]

Yes its a NW has Rio 2500 for supply pump. Think the guy at the LFE told me to connect it wrong though. Ill plumb it like you show on the drawing then try it some more.Understand about the level now. I have a venturi that cam with the pump and also another part that injects air on the impeller . I do jkave a mag 7 that i got for the sump. I think thats what you have there. I can swap these out. I think i see what u did to make a ventruri for yours. Please explain though so i get it right if I change em as i probably will. Gotta take these kids to the lake , my sons itchin for it and these others may be leaving soon so.... THANX!
Charlie

 

[turningtim]

The mag 7 will be to much for the skimmer keep it for the return and should worl well with the 600gph OF I send you.
What is the gph of the RIO? Here is a diagram of the ventri system. Use semi rigid refrig tubeing. Dims are on there. let me know if you have questions
Tim

 

[kronnk7]

hi guys
I made it even easier I bought a coralife super skimmer from a store online. It was about $120 but it has everything you need with it. And it works perfect on 55 gal. Saltwater has enough other stuff to worry about make it easy when you can.

 

[turningtim]

No offense kronnk, But I'll put my skimmer up against anything twice that much.........
Besides its a lot more fun then just opening a box!
But to each their own!

Tim

 

[wattsupdoc]

I likes ta tinker wit stuff!...... Pluss this guys pretty awesome. And no better way to learn about something and what it does for u than to build your own... Oh, did i say that ive got that much in this one and its a brut of a skimmer.

 

[wattsupdoc]

Any body for a nice slice of dry skimmage?

Got it! Boy i got some frothy bubbly brownish skimmate now! Nuttin left but the gluein! Gonna build a venturi for it tomorrow when i glue it and then test that. Works awesome! TurningTim U DA MAN!

Noticed a couple things so far.Waterlevel in the sump effects the water level in the skimmer. Will remove the skimmer from the sump and then pump out to the skimmer. Prob solved I believe. More turbulance in to reaction chamber than i would like. Possibly adjust the inlet pipe down some to cut down on the upward force of water being slammed into the chamber <currently turned upward at about 30 degrees or so maybe not that far.>also may heat a peice of pipe and bend it so it curves around the chamer some. I think this will give the lowest amount of turbulance. When i do the venturi valve then I beleive that that will give me more air flow. May attempt to do the venturi in conbination with the valve that i have now. Prob seems to be possible premature repture of the bubbles. Will allowing the skimmer to run for a period of time in essence "cure" the chamber?