my diy needle wheel dart pump

[Roland Jacques]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7228746#post7228746 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spazz
well just give him a minute to straighten them out before you make smart comments. you dont know until you try and i dont see anyone else trying to build one. so please refrain form the smart comments like this. it makes people not want to share there work on the thread. this is an informational thread. not a place to critisize and put down the work of someone.

That was not criticism, that was a funny joke.

The guy praises your good work time, after time, after time. The guy makes one funny little joke, and you think it was a put down or criticism? That was not criticism, this is. Hopefully constructive criticism. It is not criticism of your work, your work is outstanding. Most definitely not for yours or anybodyââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s, new or deferent ideas. Thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s why we are all here, trying and learning new things. Sometimes the weirdest things turn out to be the best ideas. But this is criticism for trying to make someone feel bad for bringing a little laughter into our life.

I no your serious about your work thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s very commendable. But it is good to try and see the humor all around us, and sometimes even in our work.

I for one think it is real cool that the Don King needle wheel is the best one yet especially because I sometimes have the same hair style lol. My apologies to Don King.

 

[KH971]

That skimmer is awesome, and i appreciate the intelligence and out of box thinking, that is displayed here. I wish I had the time to spend on constructing and trying out my own ideas. Please keep up the good work Bill.

 

[Beenalongtime79]

Bill, that's great that the new "random" NW works better for you. Please let us know if there is any change in its performance. It seems like from your description that everything is better (performance, bubble size, heating issues, and possibly wattage).
I just wonder what the long term consequences of an unbalanced wheel will have on the pumps in the next couple of months to years.

Please keep us all updated if something happens to them.

Peace,
John

 

[biggt 2k1]

Well I have decided that I am going to imploy some of these new technologies that you guys have shared. I have had a 6 foot section of 12" tube sitting in my garage for almost 6 months. I was planning on making it into a big airstone skimmer, but sheesh why bother! I am also going to try to prove that you don't need a cnc machine to build the NW for the pump either. I will be using a ampmaster 3000 for my build. If Spazz dosn't mind I can post my build on this thread, or just start my own since I will not be using a dart pump.

 

[spazz]

by all means post it here. thats what this thread is for. lets keep all the information in one area instead of spread out all over r/c. can you give us some ideas as to main body size, cup size, riser tube size, and such? it will be nice to see other skimmers built with this design.

 

[biggt 2k1]

Thanks Spazz.

Well the plan so far is to use as much of the 12" tube that I can minus 6" that I have reserved for another collection cup. So I figure the body will be about 55" tall with about a 9" tall cup. The body will have a sloped transition going to a 6" flange for the riser. I don't think that I am going to mess around with a twist lock because the skimmer is not going to be for me and I don't want to hand build one for someone else. I have a 30" piece of 6" tube that I will be usng for the risor. I will probably only use 12" or so of it, but I am open to suggestions. I just want enought riser to have plenty of clearance under the cup for the keyhole flange and enough height into the cup that it will hold a substantial amound of funk. I don't plan on having a box on the bottom like Bill's, rather I will just glue the tube right to the base plate. I have a nice chunky piece of 3/4" to use for the base. I will probably try to work in a bubble diffuser in the bottom seeing how well the one is working for Bill. What do you think for height on the 6" riser?

 

[zapata41]

bill, what size holes are in your difuser plate. i made mine today and dont feel that it is helping too much. my holes are 1/4" on a 1/2" grid, i also put a small countersink on the holes. the difuser fits inside a 12" tube and is 3/8" thick. did i ruin it by adding the countersinks or do i just have too many holes or too large of hole dia.

Tim

 

[biggt 2k1]

So I am curious, what size is that pvc rod? It looks to be about 1/16"? Where does one procure some of that stuff?

Tom

 

[landragon]

So since you gave the ok Scott...
I am planning on implementing some of this stuff into my minimonster. I have wanted to play with the diffuser plate for a long time and now am jumping in. I will build a skimmer with an 8" body, 30" tall, tapering to a 4" or 5" neck, 8" tall, to an 8" cup, 8" tall. I plan on going external, and using a Sedra for now, but going up to an appropriately sized larger NW as developments occur. I will use a 6"dia. x 3" tall diffuser can inside., with a 4" space underneath it to have the pump intake, the tank water inlet, and the skimmer drain. Not sure of the hole size on the diffuser yet. Hope to have it done by next tuesday. Got the top plate of the diffuser can glued on now ! hee hee.

 

[spazz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7234968#post7234968 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by biggt 2k1
Thanks Spazz.

Well the plan so far is to use as much of the 12" tube that I can minus 6" that I have reserved for another collection cup. So I figure the body will be about 55" tall with about a 9" tall cup. The body will have a sloped transition going to a 6" flange for the riser. I don't think that I am going to mess around with a twist lock because the skimmer is not going to be for me and I don't want to hand build one for someone else. I have a 30" piece of 6" tube that I will be usng for the risor. I will probably only use 12" or so of it, but I am open to suggestions. I just want enought riser to have plenty of clearance under the cup for the keyhole flange and enough height into the cup that it will hold a substantial amound of funk. I don't plan on having a box on the bottom like Bill's, rather I will just glue the tube right to the base plate. I have a nice chunky piece of 3/4" to use for the base. I will probably try to work in a bubble diffuser in the bottom seeing how well the one is working for Bill. What do you think for height on the 6" riser?

i think this is a very good start to a skimmer. just go slow and think twice and cut once. ha ha ha the 6a' riser is a must. and the taller it is the better. 12" should be fine for what your doing.

 

[spazz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7236113#post7236113 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by landragon
So since you gave the ok Scott...
I am planning on implementing some of this stuff into my minimonster. I have wanted to play with the diffuser plate for a long time and now am jumping in. I will build a skimmer with an 8" body, 30" tall, tapering to a 4" or 5" neck, 8" tall, to an 8" cup, 8" tall. I plan on going external, and using a Sedra for now, but going up to an appropriately sized larger NW as developments occur. I will use a 6"dia. x 3" tall diffuser can inside., with a 4" space underneath it to have the pump intake, the tank water inlet, and the skimmer drain. Not sure of the hole size on the diffuser yet. Hope to have it done by next tuesday. Got the top plate of the diffuser can glued on now ! hee hee.

please tell me your not going to use a sedra. the big problem with the sedra pumps is there not able to suck in very much air. if you notice that you cant find any information on the sedra pumps air intake anywhere on the net. its because it draws so much less air than the other brands of pumps out there. i would use a gen-x or ocean runner way before using a sedra. i have run air meters on the sedras and coldnt belive the little bit of air those drew in. 10 schf on a 9000 sedra. that is bad. i can get 18-20 scfh from a ocean runner 3700. not sure on the gen-x but i have heard its better than the sedras.

 

[spazz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7236047#post7236047 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by biggt 2k1
So I am curious, what size is that pvc rod? It looks to be about 1/16"? Where does one procure some of that stuff?

Tom

its just pvc welding rod. mc master carr

 

[p4ck37p1mp]

I have an unused OR3700 if anyone wants it, I ended up not needing it. Just PM me.

BTW Bill. You stink ... the cars, the huge reef, the monster skimmer.. One of these days I won't be envious, I'll get my own!! Good job.

 

[Pyrrhus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7237838#post7237838 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spazz
please tell me your not going to use a sedra. the big problem with the sedra pumps is there not able to suck in very much air. if you notice that you cant find any information on the sedra pumps air intake anywhere on the net. its because it draws so much less air than the other brands of pumps out there. i would use a gen-x or ocean runner way before using a sedra. i have run air meters on the sedras and coldnt belive the little bit of air those drew in. 10 schf on a 9000 sedra. that is bad. i can get 18-20 scfh from a ocean runner 3700. not sure on the gen-x but i have heard its better than the sedras.

At what head height was the measurement taken? Was it in operation on a skimmer? What kind of venturi?

 

[spazz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7237910#post7237910 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pyrrhus
At what head height was the measurement taken? Was it in operation on a skimmer? What kind of venturi?

24" main body 30" head hight, on a skimmer with the stock sedra venturi.

 

[dgasmd]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7230516#post7230516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dgasmd
Couple of questions:

1. Is the top of the skimmer's cup completely open? If not, can you show a picture of the lid? Are you planning on putting a drain to it? Are you planning to put an auto wash down like the RK2?

2. I noticed that you used the same diameter tubing for the air intake into the pumps and then used the very same diameter tubing to connect the L pump to the R one on the R side. Why not connect them in the middle so one pump doesn't get a disproportionate amount of air? Would it really make a difference?

3. How much water are you feeding the skimmer now?

4. I see int he background you have now those stadium lights over the tank, but before you were using the lumenarcs and sunlight. Why not change to lumenarcs only? They would seem to provide better spread even with the 1000 watters I presume you are using.

5. What lights are you using there anyway? They look pretty white.

Spazz:

Maybe you can answer some of the questions above?

 

[spazz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7230516#post7230516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dgasmd
Couple of questions:

1. Is the top of the skimmer's cup completely open? If not, can you show a picture of the lid? Are you planning on putting a drain to it? Are you planning to put an auto wash down like the RK2?

it has a lid but im not sure how he is venting the skimmer yet. i didnt see any holes in the lid when i was there last time.
i think he is waiting on me to make him a wetneck for the riser tube. but i wont build one of them until he has the riser tube size corrected. he is going to put an 8" riser on it. but he can do that until i get off my lazy butt and get the drawings done so it can be cut. lol

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7230516#post7230516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dgasmd
Couple of questions:
2. I noticed that you used the same diameter tubing for the air intake into the pumps and then used the very same diameter tubing to connect the L pump to the R one on the R side. Why not connect them in the middle so one pump doesn't get a disproportionate amount of air? Would it really make a difference?

not sure on this one either. i havent been since he got that done to answer that one but i do know there is 2 valves between the pump and the needle wheels. so it can be adjusted that way.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7230516#post7230516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dgasmd
Couple of questions:
3. How much water are you feeding the skimmer now?

it hink its about 1500gph. but i rember him saying he want to increase that to 2000gph.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7230516#post7230516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dgasmd
Couple of questions:
4. I see int he background you have now those stadium lights over the tank, but before you were using the lumenarcs and sunlight. Why not change to lumenarcs only? They would seem to provide better spread even with the 1000 watters I presume you are using.

i asked him the same thing. he said these give a better light concentration to the corals. i agree that the tank is very well lit. there are coral 4ft down that look great! he has 4 400w and 1 1000w lighting the tank.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7230516#post7230516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dgasmd
Couple of questions:
5. What lights are you using there anyway? They look pretty white.
Thanks,
dgasmd

not sure what bulbs he is running but i know some of them are 20k bulbs. i think the reason it is so white i becaure its industral lighting. it is driving the bulbs at the proper voltage. the 20k bulbs im running on my 120 are 400's and there pretty white when you look at the tank.
hope that helps ya guy. spazz

 

[spazz]

i got off the phone with bill earler and had to bungecord my mouth shut. he cleaned the cup last night. this morning the cup ahd about 4 gallons of skimmate in it! at that rate it should produce about 12-16 gallons a day!!!!! that blows big ugly right out of the fish room!!!! bill also said his corals are suffering a littl bit from the skimmer striping the water so fast. there showing sighs of bleaching. bit they should adjust in time. its just something you have to get use to when hooking up any high performance piece of equiptment. this is trully the ferrari of skimmers!!!!! pun intended!

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[Snarkys]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7238667#post7238667 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spazz
i got off the phone with bill earler and had to bungecord my mouth shut. he cleaned the cup last night. this morning the cup ahd about 4 gallons of skimmate in it! at that rate it should produce about 12-16 gallons a day!!!!! that blows big ugly right out of the fish room!!!! bill also said his corals are suffering a littl bit from the skimmer striping the water so fast. there showing sighs of bleaching. bit they should adjust in time. its just something you have to get use to when hooking up any high performance piece of equiptment. this is trully the ferrari of skimmers!!!!! pun intended!

<a href="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZSYYYYYYYYUS" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_1_11.gif" alt="Thumbs Up" border="0"></a>

LOL , i think we may be reaching the threshold of over skimming and stripping out every single nutrient in the tank : )

 

[JohnL]

This thread was automatically split due to performance issues. You can find the rest of the thread here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=831075