MY Prizm Pro kicks butt

[Mr Bojangles]

OK! I just finished and did some fun things!

First we will start off with the skimmer pics running unmodified in a tank of FW and vinegar..... you can see the level of bubbles

next this is the original impeller, it is very flimsy....

next I used about 3 layers of gutter guard and 2 small zip ties to hold it together. You will have to put the head of the zip ties on the underside of the impeller and make sure that you trim alot of the GG off since there is not much room in the housing. I also sanded down the impeller blades with a belt sander, but a dremel or anything you can think of can do the job.

Now I also (don't have pic) replaced the airline going into the impeller with a larger one. If you look at the part that goes in there you can see it tapers down, I cut off the part that holds the airline, put a longer tub in, and zip tied it to the leftover plastic, now you can get more air (if needed)

As you can see from the pics how much extra bubbles you get. I am sure with different GG, or mesh the results will change.

 

[Joshua1023]

That's great! Thanks for the pics Mr. Bojangles.

 

[salty3]

Well today I had to take the collection cup off because it was covered in green gunk. This mod is awsome in 1.5 days I had 3 to 4 days worth of skimate. I highly recomend it to anybody with a prizim skimmer, this mod isnt just for the pro mine is deluxe and with the mod it works very well. Thanks agian.

 

[Fish_Freek]

salty3, which mod did you try....the scrubby pad or the gutter guard on your prizm deluxe? Found a spare impeller in my parts box, looks like i may have a project this weekend!

 

[salty3]

I tried the scrub pad, but im going to try a mesh like on the back of my hat very thin so you wont have to cut the impellar if it works

 

[Fish_Freek]

Sounds like a good idea, let us know what you find out.

 

[carlso63]

Somebody should try this mod on a Seaclown or even one of those $30 Jebo's to see if either of those could ever be made useful (other than as a doorstop...)

 

[Joshua1023]

I would try some vinyl window screening. I used some on the impeller of my CSS220 w/ good results because I didn't want to cut down the impeller right away. I doubled it up in this photo, but it was still hella thin.

As far as the SeaClone goes, I have one here at the house that my dad dropped off for me to tinker w/ after he picked up the modded Prizm Pro. It runs on a MJ1200. I think I will try the bio-ball mod on this to make it a needl-wheel. If I could make it even usable I could use it on my 29 gl qt tank. The good part is that MJ impellers are super easy to come by.

 

[salty3]

I tried it on my seaclone and it runs even worse now, however I'm useing a smaller pump than the recomended mj1200. With the mesh mod on and it taking in air my reagent pump doesnt want to pump.

 

[akaatomic]

I did the air line mod on my prizm pro deluxe last night. Within 10 minutes it was producing consistent foam. I siliconed 1/4" airline tubing into the cap and put a ball valve at the other end. I set the ball valve to get the foam to rise just to the top of the riser and haven't touched it since. The skimmer used to produce no foam, then run wet, then no foam, then wet, etc... now it actually works. It cost me less than $1.50. I don't think that I'll bother with the mesh wheel (at least not for a while). Thanks for the mod guys!

 

[Joshua1023]

Yeah, like I said, I'm not so certain the mesh mod is needed because the skimmer can't handle all the air it pulls. The only difference is that the bubbles produced are finer.

 

[Mr Bojangles]

that they are, I have never seen my Prizm work before until now. I have emptied the cup twice and its a good feeling

I on the other hand had to increase the air handling abilities of the skimmer, when the lil dinky tube was on I had a hard time getting alot of air inside the reaction chamber.

 

[carlso63]

I had a Prizm Pro on my 125 that I basically gave away when I moved because it never seemed to pull out much in the way of skimmate and everyone told me that it was too small and inefficient to do the job on a tank that size...

Had this thread been around at the time I might have been able to salvage it into a worthwhile piece of equipment - especially since I don't have a sump to put a "better" skimmer into!

Rats! :mad2:

 

[craz4wavz]

prism mod

prism mod

hello just updating last weekend i broke down my pro delux for a good cleaning. i took my impeller and used a dremel with a thin grinding wheel and with the dremel perpindicular to the impeller sliced even cosistent slices into the top. 3 per blade not quite halfway down. when finished, i lightly sanded or deburred the blade and reinslalled it in the motor. then to prolong the salt buidup at the base of the air supply i took a small dia. tip file and enlarged the whole. the skimmer produces a better foam. i can drive it a little harder also increasing flow but to much will dump micro bubbles into the tank. my next mod will be the air adjustment.

 

[firecrackerbob]

Craz- thats a good idea, i might have to give that one a try...

one Mod I have been experimenting with is to take the top off the skimmer cup and add some tubing to the exit top. I am thinking it might give it some extra reaction area for the extra air that seems to get sucked with the valve mod working good so far.. but im am thinking working on the impellor might be better...

 

[Joshua1023]

The modded Pizm has been up and running on my dad's 90 for about two weeks or so now. It has produced consistant foam and dry skimmate daily. No problems.

 

[God of thunder]

What purpose does the air intake modification serve?
Can i do this whith out that?

 

[GSMguy]

update pictures skimmate pictures?

 

[God of thunder]

Is this a spounge that you guys use on the impeller?
And do you need to cut the impeller so you can fit the spoung?

 

[Big Boy69]

""""First I removed the problamatic air control knob completly.
I figured I could use a standard air valve off of 1/4" tubing. I had to drill out the existing hole w/ a tapered bit for a good fit. I had the glass and tile bits lying around and that worked out well.""""

What exactly did you drill? I just seen this post now and want to try it on mine.