Do skimmer mods really makea difference??

[swpassion]

I have a Aqua Euro 250 skimmer, it has 2 590 gph needle wheel pumps and as of now is completely stock. I do have some mesh mod material but dont know if it would make that much of a difference adding it to the pumps and is a gate valve mod a worth while mod? If a gate valve mod is done how does it effect the water level in the skimmer as far as evaporation from the sump works? Basically does it hold the set water level in the skimmer regardless of water level in the sump?

Here is a couple pics, older pics, I have cleaned up the wiring, added a light and cheato and Purigen in the sump also the bio balls are gone.

 

[saline solution]

mesh mod + kill-a-watt = good skimmer

 

[swpassion]

What is "kil-a-watt"?????

 

[nikon187]

The gate valve mod is to be able to adjust the water inside your skimmer with precision, evaporation changes will still occur.

 

[scaryperson27]

Kill-A-Watt

 

[swpassion]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15020416#post15020416 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scaryperson27
Kill-A-Watt

How does a monitor improve performance??

 

[jmjohnson]

If you mesh the pump, the wattage may increase causing the pump to burn up. You will want each pump to remain within a certain watt range.

 

[tdawgnjlo]

Mesh Mod

Mesh Mod

How does someone go about doing a mesh mod on a skimmer. Are there certain pump that you should not do the mesh mod on?

Do people do mesh mods on pumps that already have a needle wheel impeller?

Thanks

 

[troylee]

Re: Mesh Mod

Re: Mesh Mod

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15021675#post15021675 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tdawgnjlo
How does someone go about doing a mesh mod on a skimmer. Are there certain pump that you should not do the mesh mod on?

Do people do mesh mods on pumps that already have a needle wheel impeller?

Thanks

all the time..mesh chops the bubbles up alot more and provides alot finer and dense bubbles.......which equals better skimming performance over all.......the standard is pretty much 3 layers of pf4 enkamat........ now depending on the pump some of them you will have to add a back up disc to hold the mesh on....pumps that have a disc with blades on the impeller you just sand the blades off leaving a nice smooth flat disc, once that is accomplished you cut 3 layers of mesh the same dia. of the back up disc and drill 4 sets of hole around it like 1/8" just enough to get the smallest ziptie you can find through it or a heavy duty fishing line to attach the mesh.....now where the killowatt meter comes in is, i would reccomend taking a reading of the watts used before the mod, and after you mesh it, because sometimes this will increase heavily and and cause alot of heat on top of premature pump failure......if you see the watts are alot higher from the stock reading of the pump just simply trim the mesh a little and it will reduce the watts untill you get a happy number....... there are some variables on it if your running the pump in sump and your watts increased 15 or 20 i would'nt really sweat it just keep a eye on it for a couple days and see if it gets real hot or not........but running them external it can be a problem and get the pump super hot really fast.......i think some of the best info you can find around on this and modding pumps would be the diy. red dragon thread, here on r.c.....................
hth,
troylee..........