DAS skimmer club

[petedoc]

Thats the way I do it and it is both simple and effective. Some people like to use fiter socks before the skimmer, but I think they are pita.

 

[painkiller1009]

Feeding via overflow helps the skimmer get pure "dirty water" and also cuts down on the energy and heat transfered by the feed pump.

 

[platax88]

I feed mine directly from overflow and i FINALLY have undetectable Trates after running my ex-2!

 

[painkiller1009]

^^^ditto^^^

 

[bill37]

How often do people completely dismantle and clean their DAS skimmer?

 

[Bud's Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13073832#post13073832 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bill37
How often do people completely dismantle and clean their DAS skimmer?

I've had my EX-2 running about 9 months and have only emptied and cleaned the body one time and that coincided with moving it from one system to another. Even if I hadn't moved it I would have cleaned it eventually since it had a film of green algae coating just about the whole cylinder. I've not taken the pumps off to clean them at all and don't know if that is even something that should be done occassionally.

 

[bill37]

Thanks Bud.

 

[mikeu]

Because of the way the Aquabee pumps work, it's a good idea to clean them on a periodic basis. There is a flap inside the pump that needs to be able to move freely for the pump to operate effectively. The pumps should be soaked in vinegar, ezclean, muriatic acid or something similar to ensure optimal operation.

 

[md fishes]

I am feeding my DAS EX-2 from my return. So I put a T in the return line. One end of the T goes straight up to my return. The end that feeds my skimmer goes straight down. Then what the skimmer can't handle goes out the side of the T. However, I am getting air in the line before the ball valve entering the skimmer.

Did I do something wrong?

 

[md fishes]

To help can someone please post pictures of how they T'd off their return lines? I read about 20 pages of this thread but i couldn't find any pictures of T'd return lines to the sump and the skimmer.

Thanks!

 

[shag26272]

I would like to see this also, Im thinking of doing the same thing.

 

[Bud's Reef]

Are you feeding the skimmer with the return line or the overflow? I feed my EX-2 from one of the overflows which is Td so that what the skimmer can't handle goes straight to the sump. I have pictures of my set up in my build thread. You can click on the Little Red House to see it.

Do you have pictures of what you are doing, I'm having trouble picturing it from the description?

 

[md fishes]

Yes, the skimmer is fed from the return line.

The water goes from the tank return to the T. One outlet of the T is facing down. That portion of the T feeds the skimmer. The other outlet of the T is facing to the side. That outlet takes all the water that the skimmer can't handle and diverts it to the sump.

I looked at your build thread and it appears that you are feeding your skimmer with a pump b/c your line that feeds the skimmer comes from the sump. Am I correct?

 

[Bud's Reef]

Sorry, I don't have the pictures in there that I thought I had. On page three of my thread where it shows the plumbing coming down the wall there are two gate valves, the one on the left goes to the refugium and the one on the right that has nothing on it is the line that goes to my skimmer. Both of those have tees that also go over to the sump.

Here is a link to the picture I thought was in there http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showpost.php?p=186945&postcount=51

 

[Bud's Reef]

Ok, so if you are feeding your skimmer with the overflow like I am, then the air bubbles, assuming no small leaks, would be coming from your tanks overflow. What kind of overflow do you have? Do you hear gurgling at the tank level as the water and air go into the overflow? Even with the durso in my overflow, I initially got bubbles going into the skimmer as well but after a few days they subsided. How long has yours been running?

 

[md fishes]

I've had it running for about 2 days.

I have the stock aga overflows.

I see that you have you line that feeds the skimmer loop to the bottom of your skimmer then back up to the inlet. I have mine coming vertically in without looping it around like yours. Is that my issue?

 

[Bud's Reef]

I doubt it. You might just have some residual air in the lines that needs to move through. Try turning off the skimmer pumps and open the valve all the way so you get maximum flow through the skimmer and see if that flushes out some of the air. Do you hear gurgling at the tank? Is it sucking air at the overflow?

 

[reef2]

do u guys think my ex2 will keep up with a 240g with 100g sump?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

PUMP

PUMP

One of my pumps is making a distressing sound like it is on the way out the door.
Anyone have an E-X pump they are willing to part with?

 

[hyolee]

I used the Herbie method in conjunction with directly feeding the skimmer. Emergency drain on the left. Main drain on the right going straight down, restricted by a gate valve to reduce noise, with the horizontal T feeding the skimmer. Here's my pic: