EuroReef Club

[rm41400]

Correct. IMO The only way to get 100% of your ER's performance is through that GV mod. Otherwise, I feel like sometimes the performance is reduced.

All the riser tube/gate valve does is create back pressure which in turn cause the water/bubble level to rise in the body of the skimmer. In reality the gate valve will not increase performance. It just makes it so much easier to get it dialed in to the sweet spot you want. Prior to the mod it just skimmed too dry for me stock.

The alternate way of dialing in this skimmer to its sweet spot is by adjusting the water level in your sump along with raising or lowering your riser tube.

Trust me it is a very very simple concept once you get the skimmer and tinker with it for a few weeks.

 

[crab0000]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6543723#post6543723 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Codeman00
I thought the Tee had to be below the skimmer body neck for the skimmer level to be adjustable? Is that correct or not because that's not what the picture shows.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6544028#post6544028 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rm41400
I dont think it mattters too much where the t is. The higher the T the higher the bubbles will be in the skimmer with the gate valve fully open. So make sure that the bend in the T is NO higher than the lowest point you want the water at. I would not go higher than the above picture.

What he said

 

[otterpop510]

got it, thanks alot everyone. when i buy my ER i'll definitely come back as to the nuts-and-bolts how-to of doing the gate valve mod and if there is any other easier mods to do to get optimum efficiency from my ER skimmer. have a great weekend everyone.

 

[DerekW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6553995#post6553995 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by otterpop510
got it, thanks alot everyone. when i buy my ER i'll definitely come back as to the nuts-and-bolts how-to of doing the gate valve mod and if there is any other easier mods to do to get optimum efficiency from my ER skimmer. have a great weekend everyone.

I think you can buy them with the mod already, or as an add-on, the RC models have it already

 

[CamBarr]

hey guys just had a couple of questions for you ER experts I'm running a ER 5-3 and I have been for about a year it skims ok, the skimmate production is not consistent or dark and I usually don't get very much???

i have posted some pics of my water level and also a general pic

the tank its running is a 40 gal lps and softy tank med stock???
I think it should be producing more???

let me know what you guys think cb

 

[rm41400]

Couple things. You should be cleaning your skimmer cup more often including the neck. That will reduce production. Also your pictures show that your are pobably skimming too dry and sometimes not even collecting skimmate.

I would do one of two things.

Do the gate valve mod
or

Raise the water level in the sump where your skimmer sits so that when you raise the riser tube as high as it goes you get overflow in the cup. Now maintain that water level in the sump. Then lower you riser tube so that the bubbles in the cup are just short of overflowing into the cup. If you set it like that you will be skimming wetter but should get out more junk.

It might help though if you could post a picture of the cup cleaned and the riser set all the way up with the water level like it normaly is.

 

[CamBarr]

yes I usually do skim a bit dry but recently I have been trying to skim more wet ill post a couple of pics of my water level and i also just cleaned my cup as far as water level in the sump goes what is the correct height???

 

[CamBarr]

ok got some pics of the skimmer cleaned and also the water level in the sump I think I may need to raze it up a bit???

thanks guys

 

[CamBarr]

ok added some water to my sump and i cant get the bubbled to overflow this is how high i can get the water in the skimmer???

whith the gate valve mod would i be able to get it higher in the skimmer

 

[Lunchbucket]

w/ the gatevalve mod you will have the water in your skimmer at whatever height you want.

man seeing that makes me want my old ES5-2 back. it was one of the original 16 shipped to PA. it was such a good skimmer for me i really enjoyed it. glad the bro-in-law has it so i can buy it up if he gets a bigger one.

Lunchbucket

 

[CamBarr]

what the heck it 3:33 what are you doing up
lol

 

[CamBarr]

think i may get the gate valve mod

 

[rm41400]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6564148#post6564148 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CamBarr
ok added some water to my sump and i cant get the bubbled to overflow this is how high i can get the water in the skimmer???

whith the gate valve mod would i be able to get it higher in the skimmer

Is the riser all the way up in this picture? When compared to my setup the water in my skimmers neck/collection cup is within a .5" from overflowing in the cup. In your picture its a lot lower which will cause you to skim very dry. Like Lunchbucket said if you do the GV mod you can set the level to whatever level you want.

I will try and get some pictures tonight. It looks like everything else as far as skimmer performance is good though. I think they reccomned the water level to be 7"-8" on mine. znot sure on that model.

 

[rm41400]

<a href=showthread.php?

thanks guys [/B]

One more thing. On my setup with my GV dialed in. All that discolored foam in this picture from the bottom of your collection cup up would already be in my cup. Do the GV mod! I used a 1 1/4" on one of mine and it works as good as the 11/2".


http://savko.com/PartList.asp?pgid=1&ptid=1&pid=6

 

[CamBarr]

thanks for the help guys I may have to go with the gv mod the riser tube is all the way at the top in the pic provided???

 

[rm41400]

Here are some pictures of my CS 8-2's running in my 40 gal sump.
They have the gate valve mods installed. The skimmer to the left is about a days worth of skimmate and the one on the right is about two days skimmate. I run them very wet. As you can see I dont let junk accumalate in the neck of the skimmer.

 

[Lunchbucket]

cam you asking me what i was doing up? it was 5:30am and i am supposed to train a client at 5:30 but they cancelled

Lunchbucket

 

[Lunchbucket]

2 skimmers...wow! nice

 

[fishfiend00s]

Does one pull more then the other it appears that way according to the pic.

 

[jeffbrig]

I think he cleans them on an alternating schedule...