recirc Coralife super skimmer

[rottface4]

I was wondering if anybody has made on mod to the coralife super skimmers. I have a CSS 65 or whatever it is, and I have been trying to find a way to improve the dwell time on it. In the past I have made some small nano-sized recirc and they all seemed to have much longer dwell time. The thought has crossed my mind to mod the CSS, which was given to me as a nice gift from a fellow RC'er (Electrobes), I was think about using the stock pump (for now), removing the screen covering on the venturi, and inserting the intake a few inches from the bottom of the skimmer, via a uniseal. Then I would drill a hole for either a gravity feed, or a small pump to input water into the tank. This mod seems like it would be effective, and the cost would be cheap (under ten bucks I am guessing).

I was wondering what the opinion of the more experienced DIY skimmer builders were. Or if they have any idea on how to improve the preformance on this skimmer.

 

[rottface4]

Would it be a good idea to T-off my return pump and have one part go to the skimmer and the return to the display? Or is there another more effective/efficient way?

 

[Dakafall]

i'm lookin' for a MOD for this same skimmer, somehow the "bubble-reducer" decided to shift on me, and plugged up the output and the skimmer emptied about half my tank onto the floor (which wasn't 2 bad since it was a 5.5g tank (skimmer over-kill i know ) but the some of the water hit the plug-in, etc etc)

i'm actually thinkin' of moddin' the collection cup so if the cup does get 2 full, it'll flow through a tub back into the tank, (i know, not the best idea, but at least it won't go all over the stand/carpet/plug-in)

 

[rottface4]

Dakafall - one thing I have know people to do to avoid this problem is put the pump on a floatswitch, and place the switch in the collection cup. this way once the collection cup fills up so far then is shuts the pump of, and you avoid a flood.

 

[rottface4]

I heard that some where on RC there was a really big thread on CSS and mods people have done to them. Does anyone have a link to that? or does some who can actually use the search function mind doing a search for it??? I would be thankful for any help.

 

[bckane]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6968329#post6968329 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rottface4
I heard that some where on RC there was a really big thread on CSS and mods people have done to them. Does anyone have a link to that? or does some who can actually use the search function mind doing a search for it??? I would be thankful for any help.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=624675&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

 

[AggieBrandon]

Why not put a small drain on the collection cup and then run some tubing to a milk jug or waste collector...then you won't have to worry about the skimmer collection cup getting too full you just have to make sure the waste collector gets emptied every so often

B

 

[rottface4]

AggieBrandon - That is not a bad idea. The problem i see with that, and the reason I do not do that is because the skimmer acts up sometime and overflows with very very very wet skimmmate, I have had this gone on efor a couple hours before and that could possibly over flow the extra jug as well.

 

[rottface4]

bckane - thanks for the link

 

[bigredwalk]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=563298&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

Look at this

 

[rottface4]

thanks bigredwalk

 

[kalare]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6977359#post6977359 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rottface4
AggieBrandon - That is not a bad idea. The problem i see with that, and the reason I do not do that is because the skimmer acts up sometime and overflows with very very very wet skimmmate, I have had this gone on efor a couple hours before and that could possibly over flow the extra jug as well.

Mine gets very consistant skim till the neck gets dirty, then it cuts back. If you're getting fluctuation in skimmate like that, your skimmer is most likely set optimally. Fluctuating water level? Put your hands in your tank too much? Oily or otherwise "dirty" foods? Any number of things can cause this. I suggest you look into that. Check out the "all things salty" forum for A. Calfo's thread on skimmer improvements.

 

[Deuce67]

Here is my CSS 220 with a Sedra 5000 recirc pump.

This is the skim I get