I-Tech Skimmer Club .

[SHOmuchFUN]

You could always just zip-tie some egg-crate together to make a stand. Much easier than buying and gluing acrylic, not to mention you don't have to drill the holes
That's probably what I'll do.

 

[jmsalt1]

Guess it's personal preference. Can't stand working with egg crate. I think the acrylic piece cost me a couple bucks at Ace Hardware. Had the PVC and aquarium sealant on hand. I think we tend to get creative with what we happen to have on hand at times.

 

[SHOmuchFUN]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14407935#post14407935 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmsalt1
Guess it's personal preference. Can't stand working with egg crate. I think the acrylic piece cost me a couple bucks at Ace Hardware. Had the PVC and aquarium sealant on hand. I think we tend to get creative with what we happen to have on hand at times.

With this hobby, there are 1000 ways to skin a cat

 

[Plato]

Looking foward to how the small will work with the tunze 9410 pump when it is avalible. I talked to Roger at tunze today, he said down to a few weeks befor they are in. John said it would be nice to have a dedicated pump avalibe specificly for the skimmer.

 

[mordibv]

My good camera is broken . Sorry about the quality .
I decided to post as this has not been shown yet . I have the small . Aquabee pump from my DAS . Still have to put the plastic clamps on .
. I am not finished. Just got this in today . This input tube into the bubble plate should be pulled out correct ? It came all the way pushed in. I hate to call John as it's 9 pm . The pipe moves freely so I would think pulled out until the 1/4 to 1/2 inch is just in the bubble plate chamber . Any thoughts ?

Thanks in Advance .

[/IMG]

 

[mflamb]

It's a little further into the skimmer than mine.

 

[karsco]

Mordibv,

I just hooked up my Aquabee tonight using the same method. I just pushed the white pvc part all the way to where it is flanged and turned on the pump. Works just fine, the Aquabee is putting out a lot more bubble production in my skimmer then my old Sedra 3500 was.

 

[mordibv]

Thanks everyone . I actually got a call from John . I was hoping for an email reply sometime the next day .Or some pointers from here . He gave me a quick run down . That's pretty awesome service . I have to get my sump level down to around six inches .

 

[karsco]

OK here are my pics of my small cone(forgive the quality). I recieved the Aquabee this afternoon and altered the pump cutting out a few steps. I cut the 1/2" pipe up to the venturi (per John's instructions). In step two where it calls for you to cut the union and the sand down the remaining pipe, I just got a 1" diameter piece of clear flexible tubing heated it up and connected it to the skimmer & pump. It is nice snug fit and it is working great. In the pic the skimmate was way to wet because I had the riser tube previsously set with my old Sedra pump, when I added the Aquabee it pulled a lot more air so I had to re-adjust the riser tube.

 

[mordibv]

Thanks Karsco ,

I took it back out and shortened the flanged pipe . I cut off a little over an inch for the pipe inside the bubble area . It looks better . I might drill a hole in the stand pipe holder and run the tubing though that . I may bypass the air attachment and use my old DAS valve to quiet things down a bit or add a silencer . Like John said . "Play with it ."

 

[flat broke]

The pictures look great guys. I got mine wet this evening with my modded Eheim 1250, and it's just not going to work. I can't restrict the pump enough to stop microbubbles without the pump cavitating and making a racket. The bubble/foam production was awesome with the bubble/waterline between 1/2 and 2/3rds of the way up the body with the exhaust wide open. But there is just too much throughput.

My next play will either be to try and throttle back a QO 2200 with an MSX pinwheel, or just buck up and buy the aquabee.

Are the folks with the restricted Sedras able to run them without microbubbles? I have baffles in my sump but since I run a shallow depth, they aren't as effective as they could be. Ideally I'd like to wait to spend good money on the Tunze, but I need to get my skimmer up and running as I've had my old unit out for almost a week now.

Chris

 

[mordibv]

Chris ,
Good luck with the second pump . I'm crossing my fingers for ya . I just hope three times not the charm . I remember a mention of micro bubbles with the Sedra pump . Baffles would solve the micro bubble issues .

 

[jmsalt1]

Tunnze Pump

Tunnze Pump

For those that are interested in some additional information regarding the Tunze pump that has been mentioned earlier in the thread as a potential pump under evaluation / consideration as a fit for the i-Tech 100, you can find it on their web site:

http://www.tunze.com/details.html?&L=1&C=US&user_tunzeprod_pi1[prodid]=9410.040

I do not know what if any modifications would be needed or if Tunze is doing something special for the i-Tech (wouldn't think they would but WDIK) . I sent an e:mail to John earlier so I will share whatever he sends to me with the others here reading this thread in an effort to relieve some of the pressure off his inbox.

Jeff

 

[flat broke]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14413312#post14413312 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mordibv
Chris ,
Good luck with the second pump . I'm crossing my fingers for ya . I just hope three times not the charm . I remember a mention of micro bubbles with the Sedra pump . Baffles would solve the micro bubble issues .

Normally baffles would help with microbubbles, but the exhaust from the skimmer was laden with bubbles as the water pressure was pushing the air/water mixture right out the exhaust. My sump water level is only 6.5" deep, so even with a double set of baffles, some of the bubbles were still getting through because the water doesn't have enough time to strip the bubbles as it passes under the "under" baffles.

I'll probably pick up the QO 2200 tomorrow or Wednesday and go from there. I could just buy the Aquabee 2000, but I'd like to hold out and see what happens with the Tunze.

Chris

 

[Plato]

jmsalt1
John said Roger @Tunze aproached him to use the skimmer. They tried the 9420 but was too much on the 100, were disapointed with air flow on the 200 and 300 so Tunze is tring to make emprovments for John. John will try the 9410 when they are avalable in a few weeks. That is what I am holding out for.

 

[karsco]

My 2 cents on the whole pump issue. I used the Sedra 3500 for a couple of days (with no modifications, and had a lot of microbubbles in my sump) it worked OK but not near as well as the Aquabee. I can't really see any pumps that would work much better then the Aquabee. The small cone and this pump work really well together. When I added the Aquabee yesterday I couldn't believe the bubble production.

 

[Wayner2]

Waiting on the Tunze too!

 

[jmsalt1]

Consistent with Plato's comments above, here is what I heard from John this AM regarding the Tunze pump and the i-Tech 100. As others have stated on the board, his prompt response to all my questions / inquiries is second to none.

"Unfortunately, there is no ETA on the 9410. I’m waiting for Tunze to make the pump available. Once I have one it will only take a few days to determine IF the 9410 is acceptable."

Just thought I would pass this along. Based on what I have heard, I would not hesitate to buy this skimmer and run it with the Aquabee.

Have a good day.

 

[Plato]

I am wating on John to open, only contact # I have is their store number and they dont open until 11. I want a 100. My plan is to use it with the 9410 or at least the Aquabee but in the mean time I have an old Tunze Hydrofomer skimmer pump from a DOC 9010. Pump specs are 1200 L/H water and 650L/H air. If John thinks this might work I'll give it a try. Now I just have to wate until they open.

 

[mightymizz]

Would like to say, A++ for John's customer service. I am new to both the cone type skimmer, AND this aquabee pump and John has really gone out of his way to answer my questions!!

This really is an easy skimmer to adjust once you find your sweet spot for the foam that you want. Solid build and great support. I'd really recommend one of these skimmers!!