BobbyV's Marineland 300DD Starphire Project
- Thread starter BobbyV
- Start date
BobbyV
Established since 2008
Yes sir - more bubble contact time = more opportunity/potential to export.
Ted_C
Active member
theoretically - I would say - no - it doesn't change the nature of skimmate like that.. zero neck extensions versus 3 would still yield skimmate. It does increase your opportunity for export though. Read below to see my opinion.
Your contact time all occurs within the main skimmer body - once you create the skimmate (the bubble column) - it's no longer a function of contact time.
What I think is happening with multiple neck extensions is: you need more pressure within the skimmer chamber to push the skimmate higher over all of the extensions. More pressure equals more water being pushed into the skimmer and higher turnover.
so if one (or none) neck extension requires a 700 GPH pump on at full blast - then three neck extensions require a 1200 gph pump at full blast (guesses on the pump size - but it's only to illustrate what I think is happening).
In effect - Bobby is increasing the statistics that more water is being skimmed within the sump before passing it back to the display. If he's passing 1200 GPH through his main display with his return pump and processing 1200 GPH with his skimmer (rather than 750 GPH) then the water is cleaner as it re-enters the display - by a percentage.
BobbyV
Established since 2008
I agree with the increased GHP. I also mutually agree that these neck extenders increase the performance of the skimmer to provide more opportunity/potential to export.
Yes, I do increase power on the 5000 bubble blaster to compensate for the additional 6 inches of neck extenders.
However in support of the matter you will notice from that the picture the fine bubbles in the chamber do exceed the body itself and end higher up with in the neck extenders.
So in summary one would think that the neck extenders do increase reaction chamber space which then increases the void for more bubbles to be produced by turning up the power on the skimmer pump which then relates to more "bubble contact time = more opportunity/potential to export".
DavidinGA
Active member
Thank you for the post.
This tank is actually running amazing.
I am very happy with it.
I ended up increasing my sump so I would be able to accommodate a SRO 5000INT with not one but TWO 3 inch neck extenders for maximum performance.
The skimmer is absolutely 100% overkill.
Since I run bare bottom and perform about a 15% water change per week, I believe the SRO 3000INT would have been ok. (with no neck extenders)
However as you can see from the pictures - this is about 4 days of skimming.
I am very pleased with my investment.
My husbandry of good skimming, water changes and etc keep my ORP at about 420 to 430 on average.
:lolspin:
Since your sro5000 is overkill we should trade! I have a sro3000int on my 210gal that has a heavy bioload and sand-bed and it's just keeping up (I don't do water changes at all though). Think of all the electricity you could save by dropping down to the smaller bubble blaster pump with my skimmer! :bounce1:
24 hours of skimming:
BobbyV
Established since 2008
screamincamaro
New member
Which reactor are using on your carbon? BRS Deluxe or jumbo maybe? i'm looking for something more compact but easy to swap out.
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BobbyV
Established since 2008
I am running three normal sized BRS deluxe.
Two filled half way with normal grade GFO and one filled completely full with BRS ROX 0.8 carbon.
I change out the carbon during my weekly water changes.
I change out the GFO when needed.
I have about 340g of total water volume.
My carbon clogs up faster due to not using filter socks in my system.
However, I don't mind changing out carbon if it saves me the hassle of filter socks.
To keep it simple, I bought extra canisters.
I just fill up the canister with media and swap them out.
I actually over fill my sump by about three gallons so I can conveniently flush the reactor's new media and I obviously stop the flush once I measure at ATO sump water level.
"KISS"
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BobbyV
Established since 2008
Thank you for your message - I will post some pictures soon.
I think I have about 70 plus species of SPS in there now.
They are all thriving, some more colorful than others.
But then again, I have been running my phosphates a little high until about a month ago.
I have a bunch of branching rock I just added along the bottom and sides.
I don't know if I want to add multiple species of chalices or zoas.
I think chalices would look cooler - I am not really in the hobby to sell frags so the slow growing chalices may be more favorable for the long term.
I am going to add a 60 inch Royal Blue Led Strip along side of my 60 x 8 ATI to add the "pop" factor to my chalices once I start collecting them.
I think I have about 70 plus species of SPS in there now.
They are all thriving, some more colorful than others.
But then again, I have been running my phosphates a little high until about a month ago.
I have a bunch of branching rock I just added along the bottom and sides.
I don't know if I want to add multiple species of chalices or zoas.
I think chalices would look cooler - I am not really in the hobby to sell frags so the slow growing chalices may be more favorable for the long term.
I am going to add a 60 inch Royal Blue Led Strip along side of my 60 x 8 ATI to add the "pop" factor to my chalices once I start collecting them.
BobbyV
Established since 2008
The next holiday sale I will invest in a ReefBrite XHO Blue 60 inch.
I will attach it to the ATI fixture.
bmullikin1
New member
ah, you do still have a tank, looks great, looks like t5s treating you well, as i see fuzzy sticks.
