Royal-Exclusiv / Vertex Cone Skimmer Club
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
slief
RC Sponsor
I cut the float from the ATO and marked one of the wires.
Pass the wires attached to the float, through the glued piece of plastic on the collection cup cap and glue.
This is what it should look like all glued.
In this pic you can see that I extended the wire attached to the ATO switch and also connected the interlocking connector to the other end.
The interlocking connector on the float.
Here it is in the collection cup.
Wire clips to hold the wire.
ALL DONE!
Great idea.. You might have given me a project for this weekend! I already have several float switches that my Apex uses. One is for high water levels in the sump which turns off one of my Alpha 300's pumps. I will probably add one to my cup and use the same program to shut one pump off in the event of an overflow. My only issue might be that I have a Aqua Driver SCH with a custom home made wash down that I fabricated. The wash down ring might get in the way but I can probably McGyver something and make it look clean.
Last edited:
n0rk
More is better-er!
Now comes the fun time of decisionmaking! About to set up a 130g system, heavily stocked full SPS, full ZEOvit... and I can't decide on a skimmer. I just sold my BK Supermarin 200 because it was far too overmatched for the system and just sitting around, so now I'm at a clinchpoint of deciding what the hell I want to replace it with for when I set up the new tank.
My choices are as follows:
BK Mini 180
BK Double Kone 180
BK Double Kone 200
Vertex Alpha 170
The Double Kones are quite markedly more expensive, but the Alpha and Mini are roughly the same price. In effect, this makes it a straight decision between the Alpha 170 and the Mini 180, but I'm open to suggestion if someone has a good reason that the Double Kone should be worth the extra.
Thoughts?
My choices are as follows:
BK Mini 180
BK Double Kone 180
BK Double Kone 200
Vertex Alpha 170
The Double Kones are quite markedly more expensive, but the Alpha and Mini are roughly the same price. In effect, this makes it a straight decision between the Alpha 170 and the Mini 180, but I'm open to suggestion if someone has a good reason that the Double Kone should be worth the extra.
Thoughts?
I would personally go with the Alpha 170. You are going to get by far the most bang for the buck going this route. Performance wise, the 170 falls between the Mini 180 and Mini 200 in performance. The "Double Kone" is not a double cone at all actually, just a wine glass shaped cone skimmer with a smaller neck versus the regular Alpha cone skimmers.
n0rk
More is better-er!
Aye, that was pretty much my line of reasoning Jeremy. The Double Kone always eluded me... it seemed like the Supermarin is itself closer to a true double than they are. Was just curious how performance-wise the new models stacked up against the known competition is all. The Alphas really impressed me so I've no hesitations there.
Cheers for the response
Alpha 170 it is!
Cheers for the response
Alpha 170 it is!Originally Posted by easygoer2
Woke up the other morning and my 200 is overflowing and I have done nothing to my system to cause this. Alot of micro bubbles coming from the output. Its sitting in 9 1/2" of water, the same as its always been. I even raised the skimmer 1" to see if that would help and it didnt. When I took the pump out everything looks fine but cleaned it anyway, but that didnt help. The impeller , everything looks good. Tested it in the sink and theres not hardly any water pressure just micro bubbles. Any ideas on what my next move should be? This skimmer is over 2 years old or right at it. Hate to see it sitting in the garage after spending the money I have on this. Could use some help figuring this out. Other people have had this problem so what did you do to fix it? Does it sound like the pump is bad, and if so who can rebuild it or buy a new one?
easygoer2
Randy, good talking to you on the phone this morning. Please keep us updated with what you find out.
Jermey, installed the adjustable nozzle 2 turns out and raised the skimmer 1" so my water level is now 8.5". Cleaned everything again and everything works great. 8.5" water level works better then the 9.5". In fact it is working better then it ever has, even when new. Thanks for the advise.
easygoer2
Woke up the other morning and my 200 is overflowing and I have done nothing to my system to cause this. Alot of micro bubbles coming from the output. Its sitting in 9 1/2" of water, the same as its always been. I even raised the skimmer 1" to see if that would help and it didnt. When I took the pump out everything looks fine but cleaned it anyway, but that didnt help. The impeller , everything looks good. Tested it in the sink and theres not hardly any water pressure just micro bubbles. Any ideas on what my next move should be? This skimmer is over 2 years old or right at it. Hate to see it sitting in the garage after spending the money I have on this. Could use some help figuring this out. Other people have had this problem so what did you do to fix it? Does it sound like the pump is bad, and if so who can rebuild it or buy a new one?
easygoer2
Randy, good talking to you on the phone this morning. Please keep us updated with what you find out.
Jermey, installed the adjustable nozzle 2 turns out and raised the skimmer 1" so my water level is now 8.5". Cleaned everything again and everything works great. 8.5" water level works better then the 9.5". In fact it is working better then it ever has, even when new. Thanks for the advise.
easygoer2
jefft321
New member
Skimmer Overflowing
Skimmer Overflowing
I have an Alpha 200. I have never felt that this skimmer has skimmed very well, and it has overflowed more times than I can count. When it overflows it spews water under the aquarium cabinet and onto outlets and my apex, it has shorted out some of the sockets and shut down my aquarium for a few days while I was gone and killed a few corals. Is there a solution to this problem? I have cleaned everything on the skimmer and there is not obstruction of the air flow, also nothing has changed in my aquarium as far as additions go. The skimmer sits in around 9.5" of water.
The overflow has been occuring over and over for around a year.
I am tired of dealing with this problem and I just want this skimmer to start skimming properly. Any suggestions?
It also seems strange to me that even with the outlet fully open the skimmer sometimes still overflows, and this occurs reguardless of feeding or additions.
Skimmer Overflowing
I have an Alpha 200. I have never felt that this skimmer has skimmed very well, and it has overflowed more times than I can count. When it overflows it spews water under the aquarium cabinet and onto outlets and my apex, it has shorted out some of the sockets and shut down my aquarium for a few days while I was gone and killed a few corals. Is there a solution to this problem? I have cleaned everything on the skimmer and there is not obstruction of the air flow, also nothing has changed in my aquarium as far as additions go. The skimmer sits in around 9.5" of water.
The overflow has been occuring over and over for around a year.
I am tired of dealing with this problem and I just want this skimmer to start skimming properly. Any suggestions?
It also seems strange to me that even with the outlet fully open the skimmer sometimes still overflows, and this occurs reguardless of feeding or additions.
If you were running the wedge pipe wide open and the skimmer was running just right then you've always been right on that fine line of overflowing. The more dissolved organics you have in a tank the higher the foam head will be on a skimmer, thus as your bioload increased of dissolved organics increased that foam head started to raise, overflowing the skimmer. You never want to run a skimmer with a gate valve or wedge pipe wide open, and have it at optimal running levels inside the skimmer. This is always a recipe for overflowing eventually, it's just a matter of time.
The adjustable nozzle allows you to adjust the airflow going into the skimmer. IN my opinion it's not a necessity, but it does help to adjust if you want to tinker with the skimmer a lot.
The adjustable nozzle allows you to adjust the airflow going into the skimmer. IN my opinion it's not a necessity, but it does help to adjust if you want to tinker with the skimmer a lot.
Enzel
In Memoriam
Hey Jeremy,
The adjustable nozzle in the pump, what difference does it make from losing it 2-4 turns and close almost tight? You mentioned that it adjusts the airflow, but could you explain that more a little bit? I noticed that when I close the nozzle to have it almost tight, the pump starts to pulse and the air hose (the clear one, not the red one) seems to suck a little bit of water but the water just goes up about 2 inches and then goes back, and that's the only reason why I have it open about 2 -3 turns
The adjustable nozzle in the pump, what difference does it make from losing it 2-4 turns and close almost tight? You mentioned that it adjusts the airflow, but could you explain that more a little bit? I noticed that when I close the nozzle to have it almost tight, the pump starts to pulse and the air hose (the clear one, not the red one) seems to suck a little bit of water but the water just goes up about 2 inches and then goes back, and that's the only reason why I have it open about 2 -3 turns
bayoupr
New member
Enzel, the more you screw the nozzle in the more water you draw. By screwing the nozzle in to almost tight you are choking off the air pulling in more water which is going to make it pulse. Mine does the same. 2-3 turns out is optimal. You can go more out but you will be pulling alot more air and less water.
Enzel
In Memoriam
That makes a lot of sense now. Thanks Bayoupr!
I have my skimmer in 9 1/2" of water and it tends to overflow once in a while. From reading Jeremy's post, I think I'm going to raise it to 8 1/2". Hopefully it won't overflow and skim a little better
Leaving The Club For Now
Leaving The Club For Now
Leaving SW and selling my Alpha 170 here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1997319.
Hope to be back in the club some day. Thanks to Jeremy B and all the others for the help here over the past years. :beer:
Leaving The Club For Now
Leaving SW and selling my Alpha 170 here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1997319.
Hope to be back in the club some day. Thanks to Jeremy B and all the others for the help here over the past years. :beer:
Enzel
In Memoriam
I just raised mine to about 8.5. Is there any break-in period if I raise it? I have no idea how to tell how open or closed my wedge pipe is because of how the skimmer is set up and the output is currently facing the wall.
This is what my skim looks like after raising it to 8.5 The bubble inside the neck seem pretty big. Does this look right or should I make any adjustments? The first link is a video
http://s581.photobucket.com/albums/ss252/xzelroo/?action=view¤t=M4H01189.mp4
slief
RC Sponsor
If the skimmer was already broken in, then there will be no break in period after raising it. The skimmate looks wet but thats the way I run mine. Nothing wrong with that at all.
As far as how open or closed the wedge pipe is, I made marks on my pipe to indicate where open is and where closed is. It makes adjusting it much easier.
All you need to do is pull the pipe out and note where open would be in relation to the output pipe. Take a sharpie pen and make a mark on the wedge pipe for open and closed and make a singel mark on the white piece that the wedge pipe runs through nearest the top of the skimmer.
When the open or closed mark is lined up with the mark on the white piece, you will know exactly where your adjustments are. You can also figure this out by rotating the pipe and keeping an eye on the water level in the skimmer. The key is finding the open position which will be the lowest water level in the skimmer when the wedge pipe is rotated.
As far as how open or closed the wedge pipe is, I made marks on my pipe to indicate where open is and where closed is. It makes adjusting it much easier.
All you need to do is pull the pipe out and note where open would be in relation to the output pipe. Take a sharpie pen and make a mark on the wedge pipe for open and closed and make a singel mark on the white piece that the wedge pipe runs through nearest the top of the skimmer.
When the open or closed mark is lined up with the mark on the white piece, you will know exactly where your adjustments are. You can also figure this out by rotating the pipe and keeping an eye on the water level in the skimmer. The key is finding the open position which will be the lowest water level in the skimmer when the wedge pipe is rotated.
Enzel
In Memoriam
Thanks! I'm going to try that with a sharpie. I already have one mark there which was what seemed to be the best water level when it was at 9.5.
I was worried about the skim being that wet but I guess it's ok then. I'll leave it wet since it's ok, but just in case I decide to move it later to have dry skim, what do I have to move to do so?
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