My deltec owns me!

[IamBIGGUN]

My Deltec MCE600 takes way too much to maintain, most of the problems are because of my setup. I was hoping to brainstorm with you and maybe solve my problem.

Because of space limitations I have the Deltec on my sump under my stand....this causes all of my problems. I need to work around this as I have nowhere else to put it.

I can get it set up to produce good foam and fill the cup but to empty it I need to pull the inlet, the outlet, push the cup down the whole way, tilt the skimmer to almost 90 degrees and remove the whole thing to even get the cup out. So I decided to use the overflow tube and put a hose from the side of it to a remote bottle.

The hole is about 3/4 of the way up the side of the cup because that is where it clears the body of the skimmer. It is a 3/8" hole with a nipple and 1/2" hose leading to the bottle.

I figured that when the cup filled up to that point the cup would overflow down the hose and fill the easily emptied bottle.

The problem seems to be (???) that once it gets to that level it bubble locks. That's my own made up term for what I believe is the surface tension of the bubbles in the cup stopping more bubbles from rising up into the cup and continuing the filling process.

If I pull the lid and squirt water into the cup to break the bubbles it foams like CRAZY for a bit and then stops.

Do you think I should put something sharp on the inside of the lid near the bubble inlet to burst them as they rise? That's the only thing I can think to do. If you think that's a good idea what do you think I should use?

Thanks for bearing with me in this long post.

Kevin

 

[the2ofus]

Hey Kevin,

Sorry to hear about the shrimp.

On the skimmer, mine is in the sump. I placed a valve in the overflow tube to the container. At times mine likes to "overskim" and overflow the cup. With it being in the sump, I tend not to be concerned, it'll stop shortly (i think) but the overflow goes back in the sump. The valve keeps from running water on the floor.

Hope that helps.

 

[IamBIGGUN]

I need mine t reach the overflow tube and to keep going as this is the only way I can empty my cup.

My wife was the most dissappointed about the shrimp.....she already named it

Kevin

 

[the2ofus]

If the tube had an elbow on the inside of the cup down to the bottom, it would create a siphon when the water reached the top of the elbow, siphon it empty and start all over again.

Still, how to clean it every once in awhile.

 

[the2ofus]

When mine didn't have a valve, it overflowed the 2 liter bottle on to the floor.

On yours, The siphon would start when the valve is opened, then empty the cup.

 

[IamBIGGUN]

ah. I see. I don't think that would work for me though.

The cup is the black box that sticks up the highest in the picture. Most of it is covered by the skimmer itself so I can't put the tube and valve in the bottom of the cup.

Kevin

 

[the2ofus]

No, use the hole you drilled and place an elbow on the inside of the cup facing down with a tube almost to the bottom. When the water reaches the point it runs out the tube, when you open the valve it would start a siphon and empty the cup.

 

[the2ofus]

my drain line is 1/2" OD - 3/8" ID so I can use a push in type 1/2" valve.

 

[IamBIGGUN]

But when the water reaches that level the bubbles stop rising because they are trapped between the lid and the skimmate surface so It doesn't fill up any more. I'm hardly getting any skimmate at all once the cup gets that full. It will fill the cup in a day or less and then stop dead at just below the drain level.....I'm assuming from what I refer to as "bubble lock". I never have to worry about overflowing my container unto the floor because I can't fill it in a month. ....... until I get this bubble problem figured out.

Kevin

 

[the2ofus]

And another skimmer is out of the question?

 

[IamBIGGUN]

I have an E.T.S.S super skimmer but I have nowhere to put it. Unless I drill the floor and put a sump in the basement........which at this point is out of the question.

Kevin