JoeBlog Posted December 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 Have you tried to split the overflow so most of the water goes to the skimmer and some back into the sump. Yeah, but the problem may be that my return pump is too restricted. Almost all the water needs to go to the skimmer to meet the required flow. I may redo the return plumbing first to increase the flow so that there is more water to redirect. In the mean time, it is working sweet and already pulling out some crud. Reef, I'm hooking up the UV now. Can I run the UV vertical? There seems to be some loud spashing noises inside when I do this regardless of how much flow I push through it. I do have the input to the unit from the top. I may switch it to the bottom to see if that helps. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted December 30, 2005 Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 The uv should be feed from the bottom otherwise you will get air in it which will cause the noise. should be able to run it H or V i would only put 2000L thru the skimmer and the rest direct to the sump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skuzza Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 Mine is feed from the overflow return and i get big air bubbles going into the skimmer but it does nothing to affect its skimming.The flow rate is to much at the moment but it still works like clock work.Never had water level movement cause it to change its output.Gravity feed is the way to go.One less pump and Better skimming i think as it has to go through the skimmer first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Maybe after you figure it out Chimera, I will copy your design no worries bro! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazymranch Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 So, I am also trying to gravity feed a skimmer as well and I was hoping to learn how here. I am about to buy a skimmer and whether or not I can plumb it externally directly from the overflow to the skimmer and then into the sump will determine if I get an external skimmer or an in-sump or HOB skimmer. As you can see here, one of the overflows is plumbed with 25mm tubing. I have figured out that I can eliminate any air getting into the downflow (and eliminating the horrible sucking sounds) by closing the ball valve a bit, so I am not worried about large bubbles. If I can divert the flow from this weir to a skimmer, then would I need a pump to get the skimmed water into the sump from there? The weir currently flows into the far left chamber here where you can see the crappy Berlin Airlift presently in operation. As you can see, there is no room for an in-sump skimmer except perhaps an AquaC Urchin. My present thought, barring the external plumbing, is either the Urchin or a HOB that I will hang from the side of the sump. That said, I am still hopeful that I can plumb this externally. Any thoughts? Is this similar to what you are trying to accomplish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 I just decided I want a bioball tower in my system - I know I know, nitrate factories, but the fact is that for an octopus that can handle up to 50ppm NO3, its not that much of a problem - and the tower is used by most of the experienced octo keepers. As I understand it - gravity feeding the skimmer is the best way to run it - and this way it will have passed through the bioball tower too. If I can rig my skimmer to be gravity fed (which I'm not totally sure of) there should be enough flow for it (hopefully). The bioball tower will be roughly 1/3 full of water, and have some sort of spray bar at the top. Also, I will drill holes incase there is a blockage, and the tower can simply overflow into the skimmer compartment. You can hopefully see how this is incorporated into my plumbing design. Can anyone see problems with this? Im gonna make my pipes huge to make sure they can handle the flow. Is a pvc T good enough or should it be a bit more graduated? ie a 45 degree split to make sure some of the water goes to the fuge. This plumbing stuff is complicated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Yeah isn't plumbing fun! Couple of things, firstly dont want to comment on if you should or shouldnt have a bio filter, but if you going to why not put a wet/dry trickle filter tower in the return section? It would be a lot less hassle. basically all you do it glass off a corner with an outlet at the bottom fill it with bio balls and dump your return water into the top. Means you can also add carbon or filter wool easily if you want to. The other thing is do you have a tap at the start of all the return plumbing? i.e. so you can turn one tap and stop all return flow before it hits all this other plumbing? If you do why do you need the tap on the bottom of laguna 7 section? surely all water that isn't going to your skimmer or refuge is going here so I'm not sure why you would ever restrict it? (just trying to save you the cost of a tap!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Yeah, I forgot to put the ball valve on the first diagram- but there will be one just after the durso. I have a cannister filter for all the carbon filterwool ect, I'll put that in if the need arises. I'm gonna totally rebuild my sump - so I spose I could go with a w/d section, but from what the other octopus guys suggest a tower is much more effective. I'll build the tower out of some old pvc, so it shouldnt be too much of a hassle. That extra tap I thought might make things easier for flow adjustment in both sections, I think I can get ball valves cheap so it shouldnt be much of a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 i got plumbing for my new deltec ap902 skimmer today. i have a few ways i can plumb it up but thats not my worry - my biggest issue is lack of space!!! the ap902 is a BEAST. takes up so much room (1m high, half metre wide) now i wish i'd built my sump room larger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 i just drew each time i see the ap902 its one beast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazymranch Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 I have officially given up. I just ordred a CPR BakPak and an AquaC Urchin, both of which I wil run out of my sump. I will worry about plumbing a monster skimmer on my next tank upgrade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 6, 2006 Report Share Posted January 6, 2006 i plumbed up my ap902 today, works a treat. what a BEAST. i'll post up some pic's soon of the plumbing on my thread (specifically for joeblog and anyone else who was going to get one and got stuck on the gravity feed side of things) Cost me $80 on plumbing for it!!! crazy price when you look at what you get for it - a few 45 and 90 degree bends and some pvc piping - mind you $30 of that was a 25mm ball valve... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted January 6, 2006 Report Share Posted January 6, 2006 cant wait to see another great skimmer at work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 6, 2006 Report Share Posted January 6, 2006 interesting to see that the TOTM on RK was using the 902 but is now using a 100.. something. thats a fairly large skimmer for a 70g tank, the water clarity was impressive but i wonder if he would have noticed a difference between the two on a tank that size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted January 6, 2006 Report Share Posted January 6, 2006 Are you trying to say there's such a thing as overskimming? Overskimming is a myth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 6, 2006 Report Share Posted January 6, 2006 no not at all, just wondering if it made a difference (or a noticable one) its not something a person on a budget would do thats for sure, im just wondering if it would be worth the effort of going from overkill to massive overkill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted January 6, 2006 Report Share Posted January 6, 2006 Damn should have put that 902 on my tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 6, 2006 Report Share Posted January 6, 2006 but then you'd have to redo your little dog box sump room Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 Here ya go Joeblog, heres how I plumbed up my AP902. I think the trick is FAT AS pipe heading down then reduced to 25mm for the skimmer. No restriction on the outlet... http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/here-vp117345.html 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.