Feeding my skimmer by gravity

[Spatler]

Hi guys,

I don't know if anyone could help?

I have a Deltec APF800 which can be gravity fed. I just wondered if anyone here does this and if you ever have any problem with noise or getting things balanced?

I'm trying to get away from yet another pump in the sump generating heat. I also like the idea of the majority of the water going direct to the skimmer first.

Thanks for any help and advice. It will be much appreciated.

 

[Freds]

Back when Doug was distributing for Deltec here in the states he recommended that they be gravity fed rather than pump fed. The overflow is the most underused tool in a reef, I think. It skims all the nasty stuff off the surface and if gravity fed, dumps that all straight into the skimmer. When you don't gravity feed you are in essence mixing that concentrated surface film into the water column again and hoping your internal skimmer catches most of it.

I had an AP600, the dual version and the 851. I gravity fed all of them. I split the drain so air could escape and the skimmer would get 100% water. You could also run a herbie and just cut the return back. You'd be skimming 100% of your overflow, which would sick!!!!

 

[wishntoboutside]

I have done this a few times and have to say it worked great. I did put a T on it to adjust input some.

 

[Spatler]

Thats great thanks guys. I have a spare gate valve and its going on a new tank that im building. I just didnt see the point in yet another bit of electrical equipment. Only concern I have really is keeping everything balanced and quiet.

 

[Crowed]

I also did that in past when i had recilulating skimmer. Depends how much return flow you have you will need a T if skimmer cant handle it, but you should not hear any noise from it, actually you should have less noise feeding it like that, in skimmer instead in sump. Only noise what you will hear is hum from eheim pump and air sucking, ime.
-i even put post filter after it, just acrylic cylinder with holes in bottom and run skimmer outlet water trough carbon in it. That is two pumps less in system

 

[Ron Reefman]

That's how I feed both of my recirculating skimmer (one in each system). It works just fine as long as you have enough flow.

 

[ca1ore]

Feeding a skimmer directly from the overflow is absolutely the best way to do it as long as the flow is consistent. The skimmer gest first crack at all the surface skimmed proteins that way. I used to do this when I ran the MTC HSA1000 flow-through skimmer. Cannot do it with my MTC recirculater because it is very sensitive to input flow differences. Instead, I feed my ATS from the overflow now.

FWIW, I'm a BIG FAN or taking advantage of the potential energy in the overflow/drains.

 

[Spatler]

That's awesome. Thanks guys. I will be running a DC return pump which should help balance things out and will make sure I use a grate on the overflow to prevent any would be escape attempts not happen.

 

[fixmgood]

My skimmer,calcium reactor and refugium are all gravity fed,I have found that there is enough water coming off the overflow to satisfy the demand. All are controlled with gate valves.