RedSea Reefer 300 Skimmer water level help

[camsoft]

Hi all,

I’ve returned to marine after a break of about 5 years. Just bought a second-hand 350ltr tank with a sump. Got all the equipment and just bought a brand new RedSea Reefer 300 Skimmer but it’s larger than I expected.

While it fits in my sump the water level of my middle chamber in the sump is far higher than the water level marker on the skimmer. I also don’t have enough headroom to raise the skimmer to the correct height using a stand. While I could just about get it to fit vertically on a stand the skimmer cup would be almost flush with the ceiling of the sump cupboard.

The skimmer is I believe correctly rated for my tank volume but seems too big to physically fit.

As I can't adjust the height of the cabinet and I can't adjust the sump water level height is there any way to adjust the skimmer to use a higher water level or do I need to return this skimmer and find a new one?

The water level in my middle chamber in the sump is 27cm.

I'm not in a position to change the sump as I would have to drain the entire tank to remove the central support for the cabinet in order to remove the sump.

Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and I can't wait to get back into this hobby again.

 

[kharmaguru]

Is there some plan that requires your sump to have that depth? If not, you could cut the last baffle to the correct height for your skimmer.

 

[griss]

Is there some plan that requires your sump to have that depth? If not, you could cut the last baffle to the correct height for your skimmer.

Agree, that a pretty deep sump. Mine is 7” or 17.78 cm and it’s tough to keep my eShopps skimmer adjusted.

 

[camsoft]

No plan. It’s the way the sump came. I’m unsure how I can change the water level in the sump though as the water level is determined by the glass dividers. Given the tank is now filled with 400ltrs not sure how I can retrospectively change this now. I assume to reduce the water level I would have to somehow cut the glass divider that is adjacent to the return chamber. I guess I could drain the sump but I can’t remove the sump without draining the entire tank to remove the central support.

 

[griss]

I keep looking at the picture wracking my brain and coming up empty. Sorry.

Do you know what skimmer the previous owner used?

 

[camsoft]

What you can’t see in the picture is that there are about 3 inches of headroom inside the cabinet. So if raised it does just fit but the top of the skimmer cup would be millimetres away from top of cupboard if at the correct raised height for my water level. One idea I did have this morning is that when I need to change the cup, just pulling out the stand which would lower the skimmer to the bottom of the sump in order to remove and replace the cup. I would need to turn the skimmer off but I would probably need to do this anyway right? Obviously, it would be much easier if the water level was lower.

The return chamber ironically is at roughly the correct water level for the skimmer but there isn't much space for skimmer and return pump and not sure that's the best idea in terms of efficiency.

Is it possible to cut the glass while in situ? I assume not.

 

[griss]

Yeah, sounds like raising the skimmer might be the way to go. Personally, I leave my skimmer plugged in when I clean the cup. But, the only reason I do that is sheer laziness

Can you post a picture of the return area. If the skimmer and pump will both fit in there, there’s no reason you can’t do that. Only potential negative I can think of is possible micro-bubbles getting returned to the tank.

 

[griss]

I would not try to cut the glass in situ.

 

[kharmaguru]

Is it possible to cut the glass while in situ? I assume not.

I have done this. How good it turns out really depends on prep. If I was doing it I would drain that sump, figure out how much I wanted to remove - say 3 inches - cut the silicone down each side to the required position with a blade or a guitar string, then make a little jig from wood scraps that can sit inside the sump at the right height for running my score tool, score the glass end to end as completely as humanly possible, snap it off, give it a debur with sandpaper, wipe away the dust and return to action.

The mind says all the steps, the reality adds in: bang my head, bang my elbows, run my arm raw on the narrow access, scream a few expletives. Wonder why I thought this was a good idea.

Assuming that was plan A and we're scrapping it, plan B might be to research some smaller skimmers.

 

[JohnL]

I’ve returned to marine after a break of about 5 years

Welcome back

 

[griss]

I have done this. How good it turns out really depends on prep. If I was doing it I would drain that sump, figure out how much I wanted to remove - say 3 inches - cut the silicone down each side to the required position with a blade or a guitar string, then make a little jig from wood scraps that can sit inside the sump at the right height for running my score tool, score the glass end to end as completely as humanly possible, snap it off, give it a debur with sandpaper, wipe away the dust and return to action.

The mind says all the steps, the reality adds in: bang my head, bang my elbows, run my arm raw on the narrow access, scream a few expletives. Wonder why I thought this was a good idea.

Assuming that was plan A and we're scrapping it, plan B might be to research some smaller skimmers.

Wow, you did that? I bet there was more than screaming of a *few* expletives

 

[camsoft]

I keep looking at the picture wracking my brain and coming up empty. Sorry.

Do you know what skimmer the previous owner used?

I don’t :-(

 

[camsoft]

Yeah, sounds like raising the skimmer might be the way to go. Personally, I leave my skimmer plugged in when I clean the cup. But, the only reason I do that is sheer laziness

Can you post a picture of the return area. If the skimmer and pump will both fit in there, there’s no reason you can’t do that. Only potential negative I can think of is possible micro-bubbles getting returned to the tank.

Just realised putting it in the return area would be a bad idea as this area is the first chamber to go down when water evaporates. I don't have an ATO yet so it would be hard to dial in the skimmer with the water level constantly changing.

 

[camsoft]

Welcome back

Thanks!

 

[camsoft]

I have done this. How good it turns out really depends on prep. If I was doing it I would drain that sump, figure out how much I wanted to remove - say 3 inches - cut the silicone down each side to the required position with a blade or a guitar string, then make a little jig from wood scraps that can sit inside the sump at the right height for running my score tool, score the glass end to end as completely as humanly possible, snap it off, give it a debur with sandpaper, wipe away the dust and return to action.

The mind says all the steps, the reality adds in: bang my head, bang my elbows, run my arm raw on the narrow access, scream a few expletives. Wonder why I thought this was a good idea.

Assuming that was plan A and we're scrapping it, plan B might be to research some smaller skimmers.

Haha, that's mad. I've probably got all the bits to attempt that but I'm not ready for that level of stress, not sure my heart could take it.

I might just squeeze this skimmer in on a stand and just remove the stand when emptying the cup.

 

[kharmaguru]

I might just squeeze this skimmer in on a stand and just remove the stand when emptying the cup.

That's probably the best short term plan if you want that skimmer. Remember it will overflow when you remove the stand so unplug it or open the valve up.

 

[camsoft]

Update, spoke to my LFS who I bought the skimmer from and he identified that my sump was the wrong way around and that if I rotated it the middle chamber would be lower. The previous owner of the tank has modified the sump so was using it back to front.

Anyway I’ve got at Aqua Oak cabinet and can’t remove the sump without removing the central support, which is supporting 365ltrs of water.

I took the plunge and cut some spare wood to height to use as a a temporary support that I could put to the left of the central pillar. I removed the central pillar and some panicking and cursing later managed to get the sump out and turned around and back in. Then I couldn’t get the central support back in , at this point I was half expecting the tank to collapse. Managed to get it in eventually by using a mallet and knocking it in sideways. Phew all done.

Tbh the middle chamber is only an inch lower than it was before but it’s a precious inch given the room I have. The skimmer is on the base of the sump and water level is still probably an inch too high but hopefully it’s workable.

Might try and get a very small stand for the skimmer.

Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[kharmaguru]

Update, spoke to my LFS who I bought the skimmer from and he identified that my sump was the wrong way around and that if I rotated it the middle chamber would be lower. The previous owner of the tank has modified the sump so was using it back to front.

Anyway I’ve got at Aqua Oak cabinet and can’t remove the sump without removing the central support, which is supporting 365ltrs of water.

I took the plunge and cut some spare wood to height to use as a a temporary support that I could put to the left of the central pillar. I removed the central pillar and some panicking and cursing later managed to get the sump out and turned around and back in. Then I couldn’t get the central support back in , at this point I was half expecting the tank to collapse. Managed to get it in eventually by using a mallet and knocking it in sideways. Phew all done.

Tbh the middle chamber is only an inch lower than it was before but it’s a precious inch given the room I have. The skimmer is on the base of the sump and water level is still probably an inch too high but hopefully it’s workable.

Might try and get a very small stand for the skimmer.

Thanks everyone for your help!

View attachment 32380068

Dang, I knew it looked strange but it just didn't click.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Egg crate is about 1/2" so stack em. & remove em when needed.