JoeBlog Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 I just bought a new skimmer (Deltec AP902) and before I plumb it up, I wanted to ask how others are feeding their skimmers? In Anthony Calfo’s Reef Central skimmer performance thread, he suggests to direct feed from the overflow. I’ve done this before, but it can be a PITA with (1) trying to match the overflow to the optimal skimmer flow, (2) adding extra turbulence within the skimmer and (3) adding relatively larger bubbles to the skimmer when we just paid all that money trying to achieve as tiny bubbles as possible. On the up side, I like this idea since there is one less pump and all the surface skimmed water is going through the skimmer. An alternative is to run the overflows into a specific reservoir for the skimmer pump so that as much of the protein/nutrients as possible are getting to the skimmer. I am leaning towards the latter since my return pump is a Laguna 7 and the optimal flow rate for the ap902 is something like half of its output. The skimmer should get here soon and I would like to hear other’s experiences on plumbing their skimmers before I make my final decision. Cheers, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 As you know, Im in the same boat (getting the same skimmer, been pondering the same question) My idea for the new skimmer has always been to gravity feed it (current design is overflow to refugium, refugium to sump and sump back to display with an insump skimmer in the sump) I plan to T off the current (40mm) overflow pipe then just before the skimmer, reduce it to 25mm (size of the skimmer input) through a 25mm ball valve then into the skimmer. This should have enough water in the pipe behind it to keep it happy with it's requirements (return pump is doing about 4,000lph, recommended flow rate through skimmer is about 3,000lph) Where it gets T'd off, any excess water (approx 1,000lph or 25% of the volume) will go to the refugium and the refugium overflow will go direct to section 2 of the sump (section 1 [before baffles] will have fluidised rowaphos reactor and zeovit reactor, section 2 [after baffles] only has return pump) There will also be a ball valve just after the T piping that goes to the fuge. Benefits are lower flow rate through refugium, fuge pods returned from sump to display without being interrupted by mechanical filtration and ability to separate the fuge off as a QT. Can anyone see any issues with the above? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeBlog Posted December 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 Thanks Chimera- That sounds like an excellent plan and something that I was considering for a gravity feed as well. One problem that forgot to mention previously when I was running a gravity feed (and probably the biggest problem that I faced), was that I didn't get a constant flow through my overflows. I would get surges from time to time (not the loud gargle surge, but a subtle surge that you wouldn’t even notice unless it was running through the skimmer) and it wreaks havoc on the water level in the skimmer, thus greatly reducing the efficiency. This is probably the main reason for my leaning towards the skimmer feed pump in the “bucket†alternative. A few others that I have talked to recently have had this problem as well. I don’t know if this is a function of how I’ve set up my Dorsos (dual 1â€), but they seem to work fine in every other regard. Do others have this problem as well? If so, how have they remedied it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 I could only see the 'surges' being attributed to either a cheap/faulty pump or mismatched plumbing sizes. My overflow water level stays exactly the same (give or take a few mm) My concern is also having a PITA situation whereby I need to finely adjust the ball valve to get the right flow into the skimmer. Left wide open I would imagine I could push 4,000lph through a 25mm pipe without a problem so the fuge wouldnt get any flow to it. Im not entirely sure what the AP902 looks like as I dont have it yet Im also adding another 3 foot sump to the system as I want to 'sit' both my calcium reactor and new skimmer in it (should they leak, the water stays in the system) I know that this will be a PITA as I will need to somehow join the two sumps together - probably by a bulkhead in each sump joined by a pipe so water flow between each! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 i find to get best performance it is better top split the overflow and put most thru the skimmer . You do get better skimming and save power. i use a feed pump as it is too much work to gravity feed it. still get excellent skimming. i dont think the surge will be a problemb for the skimmer to handle. keep the plumbing simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 i have heard that to keep the blue ball value at about 2oclock as with the air flow rate if i put to much water through i start getting a grrrrrrr grrrrrr sound mine is the AP701 really happy with it. its on a direct flow T off with ball values going to the sump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0pius Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 Is the ap series the external version of the deltec range, if so can you have the skimmer pump the water straight back into the tank or does it have to go in a sump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 yes its external. not possible unless a separate pump (eg: return pump) is feeding the skimmer. you cant have the skimmer gravity fed from overflow then gravity feed back to the display! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0pius Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 agreed, but it is possible with another pump though, to send it straight back to the display Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 i have heard that to keep the blue ball value at about 2oclock as with the air Not so, the blue ball valve is to control the water outflow, the water level should be about halfway up the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 ohhhhhh learn somethink everyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 why not chimera?? for the price i thought that they would have thought a way to negate gravity. hmmm brians antigravity skimmers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 they did for outerspace tanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 Hey guys trying to sort out my sump plumbing and thought I'd try a diagram. This way I was thinking I can independantly control the flow to both the skimmer and the fuge, and have a back up one into the return section incase there is too much flow, or I want to stop flow in a section for some reason or another. I just realised a ball valve after the durso will be required too. My skimmer (that just arrived thx Brian ) is this beast - Can I use this as I have in the diagram? Anyone have any suggestions? Only thing is now I have to make another sump as my old one isnt big enough - this time I'm gonna go way bigger - I want as much room for crabs ect in the fuge (and a pet cray) , along with room for my new skimmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 ??? is that your old one brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 Yup, it just arrived today. I have a bigger pump that I could stick on - I have a 3500lph, the one on there is 2000lph. Hmmm, I spose I could see if it could handle the flow, any negatives to this idea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 just play as long as it work to your liking and its doing what it meant to go for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 i'd say the pump on it is fine , you would have to make some type of venturi if you were you chang to pump on it. the air goes in the top of the black thig (you can twist it to change the amount of air that goes in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 Yeah I just found that thing - thats why I was having problems Good thing I rechecked to box - I found another peice. The clear bit of straight tubing - does this just sit in the outflow? Im geussing thats where the sponge would have gone? With the venturi as it is I dont think I'll be able to use the skimmer like in the diagram? (the airtake clips into the intake of the pump) can I rig up a verntui after the pump? Actually if I use my other pump - I can put the venturi on the outtake - and then I can have the skimmer as it is in the diagram. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 alot of venturis hav ethe air intake after the pump, the one ou have sucks in the air straight into the motor. the clear pipe is to adjust the height of the water level Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeBlog Posted December 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2005 For those interested, here is a thread that I found in the Deltec forum on RC that addresses my concerns with the Dorso. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=736465&perpage=25&pagenumber=1 This is a direct link to the embedded thread on how I am going to try to plumb my gravity feed. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=727683 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostface Posted December 29, 2005 Report Share Posted December 29, 2005 i had my ap850 plumbed straight from the overflow. was basically impossible to get a constant water level in the skimmer, and once or twice the water actually raised enough to almost fill the collection cup with tank water. the safest / easiest option would be to have a seperate feed pump for the skimmer, in the same sump compartment as the overflow return pipe. at least you know it will be constant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted December 29, 2005 Report Share Posted December 29, 2005 I could not disagree more, it's most certainly doable. its all down to the plumbing design/pipe sizes etc versus return pump flow rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeBlog Posted December 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 I could not disagree more, it's most certainly doable. its all down to the plumbing design/pipe sizes etc versus return pump flow rate. Well, it is beyond me. I tried to plumb it up as presented in the links I previously posted and there were still an incredible amount of VERY LARGE bubbles entering the skimmer. Also, the water level would rise and fall about an inch or two cyclically. :evil: I’ve ditched that whole design for now (the main reason being that I just want to get this beast up and running) and will try a gravity feed again at a later date. I'm currently running it as presented by Ghostface have a seperate feed pump for the skimmer, in the same sump compartment as the overflow return pipe. at least you know it will be constant. Maybe after you figure it out Chimera, I will copy your design. 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted December 30, 2005 Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 I have run a ap850 and ap902 gravity feed and it was never a problem. Have you tried to split the overflow so most of the water goes to the skimmer and some back into the sump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.