Plumbing a ETSS 600 skimmer to breeding set-up

[Rare Angels]

Guys/Gals

I have breeding setup that I am setting up that has a ETSS600 skimmer on it. I want to plumb the overflows directly to the skimmer pump intake to maximize my skimmer efficency.

Should I plumb directly from the overflow main line to the pump intake or should it go to a resevoir that feeds the pump. I am just worried about starving the pump if the drain rates would change for various reasons. Just wanted your thoughts and ideas

Any suggestions would be appreciated and helpful

Thanks for you time
Dave

 

[David M]

You have hit on something I think about a lot, wondering if traditional set ups are backwards What I mean is that like most people (I think) I have the tank drains emptying into 100 micron filter socks in a sump where I have bio mediea and the skimmer. I often wonder if the drains should not go to the skimmer first , then through mechanical to catch anything that passed the skimmer, and then on to the bio filter.

I guess it depends a lot on the required flow rate for your skimmer and the flow rate of the drains. In either case I think you should have the drains go into a settling tank first ( your resevior), then on to the skimmer. A bypass overflow would solve the problem if the skimmer can't keep up, I can't imagine how the total rate of drain would ever change significantly unless you are altering the supply rate at the main pump so I don't see how you could "starve" the skimmer pump.

I will be re-doing my filtration this summer and incorporating a large RK-2 skimmer, that's why I've been thinking maybe it should be first in line before any mechanical.

 

[GreshamH]

One problem with overflowing into your skimmer is the large unregular bubbles created by the overflow entering the skimmer will slightly decrease the skimmers over all proformance by collading and adhearing to the micro bubbles the skimmer produces. This will make them rise quicker, so they have less dwell time and less over all surface area.

 

[Dman]

Also an ETSS600 is rated for 600 GPM. You would have to push 600 GPM through the system first, too much and the catch basin for the skimmer overflows and too little and the pump/skimmer runs dry. Way too many things to go wrong with the scenario as I see it, simplest solution is to have the overflow from the tanks dump into the sump as close to the intake for the skimmer as possible. Then have the skimmer output dump as close to the system recirculating pump intake as possible.

 

[Rare Angels]

Thanks everyone for all the feedback. I will be doing the resevior thing and not directly to the skimmer pump. As usual you guys are a great help.

Dave