ETS 800 skimmer
- Thread starter ReefEnabler
- Start date
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
wow, thats some nasty gunk there
I just spoke to Gary at AEtech. He said mag18 nos way, but possibly the mag36, but I'm a bit wary of putting a 380watt pump in the water, so I think I might just shell out for the iwaki 55.
I know it uses all 1" fittings. Should I use a 1" bulkhead in the sump, or would it be a good idea to upsize to 1 1/2 or possibly 2" bulkhead???
Thanks guys you've been a huge help. At first I was a bit dissapointed to have ended up with this skimmer, but after learning more about it I'm really looking forward to seeing how it does.
I'm not seeing what JR meant when said they're more maintenance. the part about set an forget totally makes sense to me, is it just hard to clean this skimmer or something?
Ryan
I just spoke to Gary at AEtech. He said mag18 nos way, but possibly the mag36, but I'm a bit wary of putting a 380watt pump in the water, so I think I might just shell out for the iwaki 55.
I know it uses all 1" fittings. Should I use a 1" bulkhead in the sump, or would it be a good idea to upsize to 1 1/2 or possibly 2" bulkhead???
Thanks guys you've been a huge help. At first I was a bit dissapointed to have ended up with this skimmer, but after learning more about it I'm really looking forward to seeing how it does.
I'm not seeing what JR meant when said they're more maintenance. the part about set an forget totally makes sense to me, is it just hard to clean this skimmer or something?
Ryan
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
ok:
Ordered the Iwaki 55 and a 1 1/2" bulkhead for it (cant hurt to oversize it)
The only unfortunate thing about this is that the iwaki is going to have to pull from the return section of my sump... definitely not ideal but theres just no way to put a bulkhead anywhere else due to the way I designed the fishroom.
thats my return barracud. the rear plumbing line is for the snapper for the 3 misc tanks. the iwaki will go smack in the middle for lack of a better place.
Ordered the Iwaki 55 and a 1 1/2" bulkhead for it (cant hurt to oversize it)
The only unfortunate thing about this is that the iwaki is going to have to pull from the return section of my sump... definitely not ideal but theres just no way to put a bulkhead anywhere else due to the way I designed the fishroom.
thats my return barracud. the rear plumbing line is for the snapper for the 3 misc tanks. the iwaki will go smack in the middle for lack of a better place.
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
already got one 
and just ordered the small waste collector. I wanted smaller since I wont be able to elevate the skimmer itself very high at all and I might have to elevate the waste collector above the bulkheads... we shall see.
so do you guys think its OK if the iwaki is drawing the water from the return section?? should I worry about much stuff staying in the tank because of that, or will it not really matter given how powerful this thing is?
and just ordered the small waste collector. I wanted smaller since I wont be able to elevate the skimmer itself very high at all and I might have to elevate the waste collector above the bulkheads... we shall see. so do you guys think its OK if the iwaki is drawing the water from the return section?? should I worry about much stuff staying in the tank because of that, or will it not really matter given how powerful this thing is?
JRaquatics
New member
Could you prop up the sump and place a bulkhead on the floor of the first section and plumb it to were the pump will fit? I still stand behind what I said about the skimmer output being higher than the sump (water) level for optimal performance and tuning. As maintanance is concerned the bio balls should be cleaned often for optimal performance, this is what shreds air into the water. Junk like slime buildup, objects from your refuge, snails, worms, etc all end up clogging the balls.
Look in the used forums and ebay, you can usually find a cheap iwaki pump.
Look in the used forums and ebay, you can usually find a cheap iwaki pump.
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
JR, already bought the iwaki pump from MD yesterday. It will come tomorrow.
Unfortunately raising my sump is not an option.
This ugly grey tank is NOT my sump, its just a rock curing bin.... but its exactly where my sump will go.
notice all the crap on the back wall... my return drain plumbing will come out about a quarter of an inch above the sump wall as it is, lol. (return drain is not pictured, i just got that done yesterday)
the 3 parallel pipes are the 1" drains from Frag, Fuge, and mixing tank. The P-trap is for a waste drain, which is plumbed to the mixing tank (also my water change tank)
going to have to take off the bulkhead by the filter sock as it is because it wont fit. oh well.
so I guess I should ask again:
Will it be OK to run the iwaki from a bulkhead in the return section? it would go right behind the barracuda in the sump shot above.
I've heard 2 alternative ideas but I don't know if either will work:
1) Run a hose on the INSIDE of the sump from the Iwaki bulkhead. Run this hose over the baffles, to the part of the sump where the display tank drains. not sure if it will work, isn't that technically feeding the pump with a small siphon????? if it works, sweet
2) T off the 2" drain line right before it enters the main sump. Use a "sub sump" that is 6x6x6" (elevated higher than the sump by some), and then drill the bulkhead for the Iwaki into that subsump. I already have a 6x6x6 tank, but this method seems risky to me:
I'd have to change my electrical switches so that the Iwaki and Barracuda switched off at the same time, otherwise the Iwaki would run dry after a few seconds maybe. I would also have to put the iwaki on some kind of 'startup timer' so that it doesn't turn itself back on until 10-15 seconds AFTER power is restored, to give the barracuda a chance to get water flowing through the drain again.
thoughts?
thanks,
Ryan
Unfortunately raising my sump is not an option.
This ugly grey tank is NOT my sump, its just a rock curing bin.... but its exactly where my sump will go.
notice all the crap on the back wall... my return drain plumbing will come out about a quarter of an inch above the sump wall as it is, lol. (return drain is not pictured, i just got that done yesterday)
the 3 parallel pipes are the 1" drains from Frag, Fuge, and mixing tank. The P-trap is for a waste drain, which is plumbed to the mixing tank (also my water change tank)
going to have to take off the bulkhead by the filter sock as it is because it wont fit. oh well.
so I guess I should ask again:
Will it be OK to run the iwaki from a bulkhead in the return section? it would go right behind the barracuda in the sump shot above.
I've heard 2 alternative ideas but I don't know if either will work:
1) Run a hose on the INSIDE of the sump from the Iwaki bulkhead. Run this hose over the baffles, to the part of the sump where the display tank drains. not sure if it will work, isn't that technically feeding the pump with a small siphon????? if it works, sweet
2) T off the 2" drain line right before it enters the main sump. Use a "sub sump" that is 6x6x6" (elevated higher than the sump by some), and then drill the bulkhead for the Iwaki into that subsump. I already have a 6x6x6 tank, but this method seems risky to me:
I'd have to change my electrical switches so that the Iwaki and Barracuda switched off at the same time, otherwise the Iwaki would run dry after a few seconds maybe. I would also have to put the iwaki on some kind of 'startup timer' so that it doesn't turn itself back on until 10-15 seconds AFTER power is restored, to give the barracuda a chance to get water flowing through the drain again.
thoughts?
thanks,
Ryan
Last edited:
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
hey guys, a little update:
so I have my Iwaki 55 pump and ETS 800 skimmer all ready to go, and my tank and system are plumbed and I finally got salt in the water.
Started up the Iwaki55, and the skimmer immediately started working. it wasn't 5 minutes before some skimmate was procuced (mostly just hair and dust crap that was inside the tanks). Obviously not a real test or anything since theres no real nutrients in my water, but it was cool to see it fire up so quickly.
But one problem I already can see: microbubbles!!
The water level in my sump is about halfway up the skimmer outlet. Unfortunately that is the only possible way the skimmer fits on my system. absolutely nowhere else to try and move it to. Cannot move it up or down. According to my manual (and AEtech), its fine as long as the waterlevel is not above the red gate-valve knob.
But the amount of microbubbles pouring out of the skimmer is insane... its like pure concentrated microbubbles. I have 3 baffles in the sump after the skimmer, but the microbubbles are so intense that it doesn't even matter. the microbubbles make their way into my display tank in a matter of seconds.
Does it sound like something is wrong?? Should the ETSS be producing microbubbles in the outlet?
I checked inside the skimmer, and there is a 90 degree elbow on the inside of the outlet, and it is oriented downwards, which I imagine is to try and keep bubbles from getting into the oulet.
Any tips/trick appreciated.
Ryan
so I have my Iwaki 55 pump and ETS 800 skimmer all ready to go, and my tank and system are plumbed and I finally got salt in the water.
Started up the Iwaki55, and the skimmer immediately started working. it wasn't 5 minutes before some skimmate was procuced (mostly just hair and dust crap that was inside the tanks). Obviously not a real test or anything since theres no real nutrients in my water, but it was cool to see it fire up so quickly.
But one problem I already can see: microbubbles!!
The water level in my sump is about halfway up the skimmer outlet. Unfortunately that is the only possible way the skimmer fits on my system. absolutely nowhere else to try and move it to. Cannot move it up or down. According to my manual (and AEtech), its fine as long as the waterlevel is not above the red gate-valve knob.
But the amount of microbubbles pouring out of the skimmer is insane... its like pure concentrated microbubbles. I have 3 baffles in the sump after the skimmer, but the microbubbles are so intense that it doesn't even matter. the microbubbles make their way into my display tank in a matter of seconds.
Does it sound like something is wrong?? Should the ETSS be producing microbubbles in the outlet?
I checked inside the skimmer, and there is a 90 degree elbow on the inside of the outlet, and it is oriented downwards, which I imagine is to try and keep bubbles from getting into the oulet.
Any tips/trick appreciated.
Ryan
JRaquatics
New member
This is normal. You may want to consider investing in some small filter socks and hang them from the gate valve.
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
Thanks guys!!
In the short term then I just won't worry about it. I'll get some filter socks just in case.
I think the reason its so bad for me is that I have too much flow in the sump. There is a Barracuda in there for the display, frag tank, and fuge. About 50% of the Barracuda simply recycles into the sump, but its still at least 4 or 5000 gph in the sump.
Hopefully filter sock helps.
In the short term then I just won't worry about it. I'll get some filter socks just in case.
I think the reason its so bad for me is that I have too much flow in the sump. There is a Barracuda in there for the display, frag tank, and fuge. About 50% of the Barracuda simply recycles into the sump, but its still at least 4 or 5000 gph in the sump.
Hopefully filter sock helps.
Similar threads
