Help me figure out this system please!

[kungfukoi]

I recently got a 55 gallon deep showtank, with a wet/dry overflow sump system for $100!

The previous owner lost the skimmer, and is unable to give me any details about the tank.

I'm needing help backwards engineering this system so I can correctly intergrate a Protein Skimmer.

www.kungfukoi.com/reef <---The System

I've outlined the tank system pretty good on the above site. If you have any insite or can give me some pointers, please do!

I think once I get a skimmer intergrated as by design, i'll be ready to rock-n-roll!!

Thank you for your time,

kungfukoi

 

[kungfukoi]

Skimmer Replacements?!

I'm also wondering if anyone knows of a place that might sell skimmer replacement parts that would allow me to build the skimmer to my Specs?

Finding a skimmer to fit this damn tank has been a bitch.

Another question: I've been reading alot about Mechanical filtration, and wonder if it's for me!? I'm going to have 110 lbs of LR in my 55Gal, and wonder should I even have bio-balls? If not, I could take them out, and use that as my sump.. where I can place a larger Protien skimmer.

I just wish I knew how this system was designed to work. I'd just rebuild it as it was intended.

Thanks,

kungfukoi.

 

[fishfreek]

Looks like the system you have is a custom job with its wet/dry/sump built into the back of the system.

Looks like the skimemer you need is of a 'down draft' design. I might be wrong but thats what it appears to me from the photos on your site.

 

[kungfukoi]

Forgive my ignorance. Can you elaborate on the "Down Draft" design!?

I was planning on blowing some water through the tube via a PH. I figured I could either inject air, or use a air stone/pump.

Thanks for your time.

 

[fishfreek]

Well maybe I was wrong on that as I was searching for some down draft designs on the web and what I foudn dont corespond really to what your photos show as a spot for the skimmer to fit.

On your site you metnion maybe driving teh skimmer with a rio300. I worry that this will be an undersized PH for the job of driving the skimmer.

On your tank is the round spot for the skimmer open on the bottom? Is the water flow supposed to come up from the botom of the skimmer or is the skimmer fed from a different level?

 

[kungfukoi]

Yeah, it must have been a typo about the rio300, I meant rio800.

FIG.07 on http://www.kungfukoi.com/reef/ has my attempt at a flow diagraim.
Basically, the water overflows in 3 areas. (Ive colored the sections with blue to show the water level's). It flows into the first resovoir( second from the left, with the big white arrow pointing down), flows to the right, and is sucked down. From here it travels up the narrow collum and spills over into what I can only guess is where the Skimmer would go. It then flows down through the hole in the bottom of the chamber, and travels up the narrow collum and spills over onto the bio-balls. It then trickles down, and is drawn back to the tank with the two Rio 1100's.

Water also overflows into the Skimmer chamber, AND the Bioballs.

I'm only guessing with my Skimmer design. The area where the skimmer would sit is only 10.5" talls. Seems short for a skimmer. I wish I had a clue how the original design intended a skimmer to work on this sytem.

I suppose I could stand a skimmer out of the back of the tank.. but having it stand out another 16" + collection cup might be a bit unattractive.

Are there any reference anywhere of this type of back-in-tank overflow wet/dry systems!?

Thanks.

 

[kungfukoi]

I got to talking with someone and they suggested a "BackPack" skimmer.

So I got 2 questions.

1). What, if anything, do I need to be concerned with the Wet/Dry Sump? I have the bio balls, and wonder if they are more harmful then helpful to my soon-to-be reef. What kind of media for what benifiets do you recommend in such a sump? I'm sort of fuzzy on the necessities of a sump. Considering I'm wanting to start a reef.

2). What sort of BackPack Skimmer could you recommend?

Thanks,

 

[kungfukoi]

Revised thoughts about the system

*bump*

I've upgraded the diagrams on my site, in hopes it better shows the "flow" of how the system seems to flow naturally.

After some research, I'm changing my thoughts about the skimmer. I think now it actually goes into chamber C instead of chamber D. (what do you all think?)

http://www.kungfukoi.com/reef/backSumpChart.jpg

I'm still stumped. I suppose a downflow skimmer was the original design. Some sort of collection cup must have been at the top allowing an airstone and hose through. The original design doesn't seem very effecient, or wasn't for a reef tank. Dunno, I think I might just get a BackPack skimmer.

Any thoughts about the backpack skimmer? I'm looking for a small efficient skimmer. It'd be great if it could fit in the Sump. (4"deep), or it'll have to hang over the back.

I'm still curious about whither or not I should keep the bio balls in the system or not. Does the bacteria that forms on them, compete in great part with the bacteria on the LR? I don't figure they'd compete for O2. Plus with the trickle down, I get great O2 saturation. Unless you think otherwise, or have advice, I'm going to attempt to keep them.


Thanks again.