Avast CS 1.5 External Skimmer (pending) on a budget

[necessary_evil]

I have/had a CS-1, when the recirc kit came out I bought the recirc plate. My stand is TINY, its a 54 corner so an external skimmer made the most sense in terms of saving space in my sump. The following thread will be trials and tribulations of making my CS-1 into a CS-1.5 external skimmer.

 

[necessary_evil]

Alright so I bought the recirc upgrade for the avast CS-1 skimmer. I want to make the skimmer external though. So any help would be great. esp if anyone else has this skimmer you'll have better insight hopefully.
Stock in these first two pics

 

[necessary_evil]

Heres what it looks like stock underneath the base plate, it doesn't fit well or at all under my stand.

With thin sched 40 I can re-route the output behind a support leg which reduces the foot print and allows it to fit in a good place under the stand, Next the output riser was too short, so I again sched 40 an make the riser higher.

Before I glue everything I'm going to use grey sched 40 instead of white.

 

[necessary_evil]

This is the space where it needs to fit in... like I said TINY!

But with a reduced foot print, it fits! Wooo

Now avast cs-1 owners how do I make it water proof? What I can see being the issues is the black input barb which is a not tapped(threaded) hole, (can I get a tap that big, should I glue it?) same with the two long black threaded rods that hold the bubble concentrating chamber on, they're not threaded though the base plate. How can I make them water proof. I've already figured out how to make the flange water proof.

Look it fits! Woo (again)
Note: This thread is a transplant from one I started on a local reefing forum, though I've made progress I haven't figured everything out. SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GIVE INPUT.

 

[psteeleb]

I'd start by considering making a custom sump to hold the skimmer

IMO the skimmer is not suited to be external, starting with the bottom flange not having a seal. Try to run it outside the tank using tap water and check to see where there may be issues. I'm sure you can make a seal for the bottom flange but there may be issues with the friction fit pipe connections also. The fix on the pipe would be to add some unions and glue the joints but space may be an issue

If you can take care of the potential leaks you would need to either raise the skimmer so the outlet is above the sump or drill a hole in the sump to take the skimmer return at the height it is by design. If you drill the hole you also need to make sure the water level in the sump is below it.

 

[psteeleb]

sorry - you added more pictures as I was typing. Elevating the skimer outlet won't work as it will keep the skimmer flooded leaving no space for the bubble column in the cone.

 

[necessary_evil]

I agree. Jason, since you have pretty much committed to this I would go all the way and pop a 1" uniseal in that sump so the output tube can run through instead of up and over. Put a union in there so you can remove for maintenance.

I hacked it a bit shorter so now the riser is below the level of the skimmer neck, will this be ok, or do I still need to reduce the riser pipe further?

The riser pipes on the old turboflotor came right to the skimmer neck.


Here's an updated pic, am I good now?

 

[necessary_evil]

sorry - you added more pictures as I was typing. Elevating the skimer outlet won't work as it will keep the skimmer flooded leaving no space for the bubble column in the cone.

I think I just addressed this, check the pic above, let me know what you think?
Thanks for the input :thumbsup:

 

[necessary_evil]

Sooo weeee! 4 holes tapped and 5/16 now replaces the 1/4 stock. The base plate is now threaded and ready for a good seal. As soon as I get grey for the riser pipe, glue and silicone everything together I'll start wet testing.
Difference in size

Sched 40 feed for the riser pipe, now I just need the riser pipe to be grey.

 

[psteeleb]

I think I just addressed this, check the pic above, let me know what you think?
Thanks for the input :thumbsup:

my experiance with the CS1 is you can not make that outlet pipe longer or the skimmer will overflow. I also had a turbofloter, it's a different and less effective design as it dosn't generate near the amount of bubbles the Cs1 does

like Jason and I indicated you will need to use the original lenght pipe and cut a hole in the sump or elevate the skimmer

 

[necessary_evil]

I'd start by considering making a custom sump to hold the skimmer

IMO the skimmer is not suited to be external, starting with the bottom flange not having a seal. Try to run it outside the tank using tap water and check to see where there may be issues. [Snip, see quote below] with the friction fit pipe connections also. The fix on the pipe would be to add some unions and glue the joints but space may be an issue

There is only one friction fit at the moment which is the output for the riser pipe, I was going to glue/weld that in place with a special solvent/chemical/glue meant for acrylic to PVC bonding.

"I'm sure you can make a seal for the bottom flange but there may be issues..."

As for the bottom flange I'm either going to try silicone at first see if cranking the screws down and letting the silicone dry will creat an o-ring esque seal, if not I'll just use weldon and make the bottom plate and flange a permanent union.

 

[psteeleb]

I'd just get some gasket material and cut it to fit

the silicone may work - I'd put a bead on there but don't tighten it all the way, leave a 1/16" gap until it drys, then tighten it up

glueing would be an aboslute last effort as it may or may not work and then your stuck with it

 

[necessary_evil]

the silicone may work - I'd put a bead on there but don't tighten it all the way, leave a 1/16" gap until it drys, then tighten it up

BRILLIANT! If i end up glueing/weldoning it I'll send it back to avast to be done :spin2:

 

[necessary_evil]

Worked with the silicone, I couldn't do the compression with the silicone, but I did it by cranking it down from the get go. So its water proof, or at least no longer leaking, I've got to test it under normal operating conditions this week end.

 

[necessary_evil]

Well it holds, leaks slightly but I think I can get that fixed. Look at the before and after bubble production.
Bad @$$

Creamy whiteout

The output height works perfectly as is, woo!

Now the problem

The airline silencer floods when the power is cut, how do I fix this?

 

[disaster999]

i have the same problem. the silencer is overflowing with water when i turn off the skimmer pump and the feed pump is still running

 

[Avast Marine]

Since the CS1 was designed as an internal skimmer, silencer location was not an integral part of the original design. A quick solution if it is causing a problem, would be to attach a short piece of tubing to the top of the silencer and run it into the lid of the collection cup.

 

[disaster999]

sorry necessary_evil for highjacking your thread...

The problem I have with the silencer is no matter what the configuration is, internal or external, with recirculation mod, the silencer will always be filled up with water when the skimmer is turned off. The water level inside the skimmer is higher than the silencer there according to physics, water will be pushed through the air tube and into the silencer filling it with water. Ive sent an email to you regarding the issue but I have yet to hear back from you.

With what you suggested, running a tubing into the collection cup, will only stop it from flooding the floor, but does not solve the issue of the silencer being filled with water. The only real solution is to rise the silencer higher than the water level inside the skimmer when its off.

 

[Avast Marine]

Disaster999, if you drill a small 1/8" hole in the bottom of the silencer it will solve your problem. Sorry i misunderstood the first time.

 

[pyton]

Several ways to get around this.

1. Move the silencer above the water line.
2. Make sure your skimmer output is open enough not to allow the water line to the silencer.
3. Move the silencer to hang over your sump and drill a small hole in the bottom of it.
4. Add extra tube from silencer to the collection cup.
5. Add extra tube from silencer to the sump.

I like #4 because it keeps the stink from the skimmate down.