Skimmer layout...input needed

[marcor12]

On my 90 gallon DT, I have a 30 gallon sump/ref....
I bought the Skimmer from saltwaterpicaso...a MRC1...man this baby is huge, rated for a 300 gallon (barely fits in my stand...lol)
I got my hands on a mag24 pump to drive the MRC. I was going to use the mag as a return pump thru the skimmer then thru a GFO canister (Seaside Aquatics media reactor) and a TLF 150 for carbon. then return to the tank....good or bad idea?....thxs, lee:beer:

 

[marcor12]

no reply?...35 views...

 

[cardiffgiant]

I can't quite picture how you would do this. I'm not familiar with that skimmer, but does it have a venturi? If it's adding air to the skimmer, you'll need to let that drain into your sump and then give air time to escape before it's returned to the display. Or is the pump feeding the display, gfo, carbon, and then the skimmer is entirely gravity fed?

I've teed off lines from return pumps to feed carbon chambers and other parts of the system before, but I haven't seen anyone use the same pump for a return and a skimmer.

I'm intrigued, but I don't have helpful advice.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

you cannot impede the output of a skimmer- it must be free flowing or backpressure can cause water level in neck to rise and flood the cup

keep skimmer on a dedicated pump with nothing else in line

 

[BuffaloReef]

I'm not very familiar with that skimmer but a MAG 24 seems like a really big pump for a skimmer or return on a 90.

 

[oldimpala]

Gary is right...

I ran an MR-2, dual Beckett for a while. The MRC will start to "surge" if you impede the output, and it will overflow. Ask how I know. Think long, straight runs, and even attempt to avoid "hard" 90 degree bends in your PVC.

Run a separate pump for the carbon. Buy a cheap MJ-1200 or something.

If you're doing it to spray Ozone in the MR-1, don't. I never found a way (with many engineering attempts) to carbon filter the air and/or output water without annoying the skimmer or myself.

Lastly, the Mag-24 will work for a Beckett, but not well. You need an external pressure pump to do the job well. The difference in output will astound you.

Any questions on the skimmer, I'll be happy to help you out as best I can... I ran the MR-2 for a few years before selling it to another local reefer; it was a great piece!

-Andy

 

[marcor12]

With the mag24 pump...was going to pipe it into a manifold with gate valves ...plumbing in the mr1 skimmer returning to the sump....next valve a GFO canister returning to the DT...next valve to a carbon reactor returning to the DT...then a relief valve off the manifold for the remaining pressure returning to either the sump or DT

 

[belgian_waffleman]

That could work, I would have a 5th line for the actual return to the DT.The flow through the carbon reactor and GFO I don't think would give enough flow to the DT.

The Skimmer normally uses a Mag12 so there should be enough to spare for everything else.
It might be a challenge balancing the 5 different lines.

Waffleman

 

[EpicWin]

I actually tried this same idea with a different skimmer. Epic fail

 

[marcor12]

the skimmer is rated up to a mag24....the larger the manifold...less pressure from the pump?

 

[marcor12]

bought the larger pump and skimmer with intentions to go to a larger tank ...sooner or later....lol