DIY Skimmer Fine Tuning - Pictures P2 - Updated 3/16/06

[noteworthy]

http://themantledmonster.thereeftank.com/spics.html


I've changed a few things about it to make it easier on myself. Piping is quite differently and I didn't see the need for reverse flow because it will level off with my tank water if the power cuts out.

I will have pictures soon.

 

[greenmaji]

what reverse flow thing?
If it is what I think your talking about its for the output right? thats to keep the water in the skimmer at the hight of the 90 in the vertical ouput plumbing.. its part of the design.. it keeps you from having to adjust the water height and you can just pump and adjust air input for foam production! no wonder youve had trouble tuning this thing... :?

 

[noteworthy]

no no no... a reverse flow adapter was in the design. It keeps the water from going back through the pipe the wrong way. I just left them out.

The skimmer is a real beast. I'm almost finished finding leaks.


I've found everything is sealed except for the base. The store sold me a base with a slight leak on it.

PVC Cement is good stuff.

 

[noteworthy]

Well I have it running today. Still fine tuning it but for running 10 minutes it is starting to get a darker foam. With the added height of the skimmer I can run the Mag7 full speed without adjustment. Water output was adjusted to make the bubbles rise high enough for capture into my collection chamber.

We'll see how it goes for the night.


The problem that was leaking was the new toilet flange that I bought. The pop-out had been pushed too far at the store. PVC cement fixed the problem.

 

[greenmaji]

ahh.. so it was just a part..
and the toilet flage leaked.. ugh..lol
from looking around at diffent skimmers for sale.. your right about the mag7 its about right full bore for this project..
sounds like its going along pretty well...
and I want pics of that PVC monster

 

[noteworthy]

Pictures of tank and skimmer.


Sorry the pics are so dark. They looked fine on the video camera.

And a picture of whole tank:

 

[greenmaji]

Where is the rest of it?

 

[noteworthy]

The pvc design they have is just extra pipe and reverse flow connectors for the sump. Also they made multiple returns into the main tank, but I only made one return. Since I'm not using a sump my design only needs pipe to the main tank.

It is working beautifully. The cup is already full of a tea like skimmate.

Also notice in the design picture you posted that the venturi is before the valve. It must be after the valve or you'll shoot water out the air line. A major flaw.


I was careful to make my pipe discreet and not something that would be an eye sore.

 

[greenmaji]

hows it skimming?

 

[noteworthy]

Good so far. I'm still fine tuning it. It is a bit darker now and not as fast.. but the cup is halfway full. I still need to fix the cover for the collection cup.


What could I use slide over 4" pipe snuggly and put acrylic on. I can't clean my lid at the moment.

 

[greenmaji]

do a little reaserch.. I think there is a size of acrylic tube that just happens to slide into the iner diamiter of 4inch pvc.. there are 2 sizes of pvc that this happens to be the case with..
me personaly.. I would want a much collection cup diamiter in a design that I would do myself (I like the idea of the foam comming out and not having to make contact with the sides or top of the collection cup, it would seem to work better in my mind) but my ideas get complicated.. lol

 

[noteworthy]

I scrapped a toilet flange from my last skimmer and cut 1/2" of it for a skimmer top.. works great. Now I can clean the top. The tube is covered in skimmate but the actual water is a bit wet. still working on that.

 

[greenmaji]

have you tried adjusting the valve to the output water on the skimmer a tiny bit at a time to change the skimmulate consistancy?
btw.. keep an eye on SG while your getting wet skimulate.

 

[noteworthy]

Yes I am slowly adjusting the output to have a higher water level in the skimmer. It is almost perfect. Yeah. I found a full gallon of light tea colored water a few days ago while still adjusting it.

 

[noteworthy]

Well something odd happened this morning. I woke up to find my tank drained 3 inches. The skimmer had pulled in tank water for no reason that I can see? I found the gallon jug under my stand overflowing with salt water.


What would cause the skimmer to do this? It has been running solid for a couple of weeks with no problem then it went into hyper drive.

 

[greenmaji]

the output pipe being under the water..
the level of the water in the main tank fluctuating..
feeding or putting your hands in the tank with the skimmer running..

the three main reasons a skimmer can go "nuts" from what Ive read.. (I plan on avoiding these by system design)

 

[noteworthy]

Well I'm trying some different things with the skimmer. I thought I'd update you guys... My air intake was too much so I had to clamp it more to get microbubbles. Also my output was going at the top of the tank. I now have removed the elbow to go across the top of the water and added half a foot of of 1" pipe that goes inside of 1 1/2" pipe.. I'm trying to let teh micro bubbles disperse more before going into the main tank.

I'm still having a microbubble problem that is released into the main tank but I think the pipe extension going into the main tank that forces the water to go to the bottom before rising back up to the tanks surface will help in this problem?

Do you guys have any advice. To tune the skimmer I set it to the lowest air intake on the venturi by clamping the hose the most I could. Then I closed off the water output enough just to make it run over the top of the collection cup. Finally I closed off the pump intake just a little to make sure that bubbles were collecting at the top of the cup and water wasn't pouring into it.


Any ideas/suggestions?

 

[greenmaji]

you might want to try making a bubble trap.. HTH

 

[Reefin' Dude]

Also notice in the design picture you posted that the venturi is before the valve. It must be after the valve or you'll shoot water out the air line. A major flaw.

sorry, but this is not entirely correct. what you are saying will only occur if you have to close the valve enough to lower the flow extensively, and this is only true if the pressure created by the closed valve is greater than the pressure created by the pump. if a decent pump is used than this can be fairly difficult to achieve if the skimmer is designed properly. if you were to put the valve before the venturi than the venturi will not be working efficiently. it needs the full pressure from the pump in order to draw the air in fast enough to form tiny bubbles. the lower the pressure gradient in the venturi valve the larger the bubbles in the reaction chamber.

BTW-that valve is used to shut off the flow of water if i needed to remove the pump for any reason. it can also be used to fine tune the flow, but should not be necessary if a large enough skimmer drain is used.

a good rule of thumb: a proper venturi valve will add 7' of head pressure to a pump. use this point on a pumps curve to figure out the proper exit pipe diameter for the skimmer.

HTH,

G~

 

[greenmaji]

Reefin' Dude...

WELCOME TO AA!!
Your sumation of the situation makes alot of sence.. not to mention very impressive.. your thoughts on Protine skimmer design is much appresiated. (I had a heck of a time reaserching the subject myself)
I hope you deside stay and share.

Ive talked to noteworthy in chat recently and he has done some more adjustments and if Im not mistaking moved it to a diffent tank.. It might be time for him to update this thread..