Euro-Reef DIY clone.

[bobn4burton]

Pikey,

Well what do you know...that recirculating skimmer you just posted is pretty much exactly what I had in mind. I read through your other thread...nice tank setup btw.

Couple more questions if you don't mind:

1. So you are using the sedra 5000?
2. Would you like the pump any smaller or bigger?
3. How many gallons do you think your skimmer could handle?
4. Does the recirculating skimmer seem to work better or worse than the skimmer in this thread (non-recirculating)?
5. Did you ever consider using your return water to feed your skimmer (or part of it--if your return flow is too much?)

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Rendos]

1. I am using a Sedra 5000 for the recirculating pump.
2. I would not change the Sedra pump, but think I will change to a lower GPH feed pump. I think the skimmer is exchanging water too fast.
3. I think tha skimmer would be good for about a 125 gallon tank or so.
4. I have not run the skimmer in this thread long enough to know the answer.
5. I did not consider it, but it sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[bobn4burton]

5. I did not consider it, but it sounds like a good idea to me.

I was thinking about running my drain pipe into a T with one side going into the skimmer feed and the other side into the sump through a ball valve. This works perfect with a skimmer like yours (mine soon too) that has a "non-valved" outlet. This way you can completely adjust the flow into your skimmer while keeping the water level, internal flow, and bubbles inside the skimmer all the same. I thought it would be very interesting to see what is the optimum flow rate through the skimmer by adjusting the ball valve. The recirculating skimmer design with an outlet controlled by pipe height (instead of a gate valve) allows you to keep all variables the same while only changing the skimmer water feed rate.

Using the return feed just eliminates one possible unnecessary pump.

Keep us posted on which skimmer you feel is more effective as you get more time with the original skimmer in this thread.

 

[ScooterGuitar]

Pieky, looks great, glad it's finally going! BTW, how did you mount/hook up the venturi to the Gen X?

 

[Rendos]

ScooterGuitar - I am using the venturi (air inductor) that came with the pump. I think it may work better if I could increase the size airline tubing allowing more air through the pump. I will try to modify it, but if that doesn't help I will change it to a Sedra pump.

 

[gatohoser]

Pikey,
Just a hint (dont know if you already did this or not) but one way to get more air into the venturi is to place the venturi as close to the surface of the water as possible without making a vortex (although i wonder if even that would be useful to a point) so that there is less back-pressure on the incoming air

 

[ScooterGuitar]

When you get time, can you take a pic of how it is installed (air inductor to pump)? I have the same thing, I must be missing something. I called the cistributor, or Gen X themselves ehr ein the US, said they owuld return my call in a few days, been a few weeks and no luck.

 

[ejamsrhere]

How are you likeing the uniseals? I haven't used them before, but I'm going to add a recirculating pump to my skimmer. It's a 4' external. do you have any leaking problems with them?

 

[Rendos]

Uniseals are a great invention. I am so glad I found out about these. The ones I used are not leaking and are easy to install.

 

[ejamsrhere]

what did you use to lube them? I think their website recomends windex... I don't think I'm putting that in my tank

 

[gatohoser]

water!

 

[ejamsrhere]

excellent!

 

[Rendos]

KY - really I bought it just for this purpose.

 

[traveller7]

This is not the lounge pikey ;>)

 

[Rendos]

hehe...sorry
By the way, how are the Blue Haddoni and Maroon clown doing? I miss my babies, but I know they are in good hands with you.

 

[Sullivmw]

Pikey,

Do you feel the transition from the 6" pipe to the flat piece, going into the union vs the gradual sloped piece like the Euro, does that hamper the performance ?

I am in the middle of designing a 8" tube, and getting a transition piece from 8" to a 4" seems impossible. So I was hoping to hear there would be no noticeable difference.

 

[Rendos]

I am sure it does make a difference, but how much??? I don't know. I look at GEO skimmers and George uses a flat piece of acrylic between the body and the neck to the collection cup. Mine is skimming like a champ, but would it skim better with the sloped neck??? I don't know. I do have 2 EuroReef 8-1's and my DIY is skimming just about as much since I switched the pump to a Sedra. The Gen-X pump just wasn't cutting it.

 

[Rendos]

Newest creation.

Newest creation.

Well, I am making another DIY ER clone. This one is 8" diameter tubing, 18" tall body, 6" tall collection cup. It will be connected with a 4" PVC union, but the plumbing place was out of them. I hope they get them in this week so I can finish it. I will be using a Sedra 9000 with needle wheel and air induction just like the ER's. Here is what I have done so far.

 

[bobn4burton]

pikey,

how do you drill the holes in your tube for the Uniseals?

 

[radone]

Lookin good Pikey, kinda looks like the one I got going, Got any measurements on that Sedra 9000 as far as intake/output size
How about body of the pump dimensions.

Thanks and it's lookin good also