Using hob skimmer in sump

[lovefish77]

I have been using the reef octopus bh90 as hob skimmer and was thinking of changing to bigger tank with sump. I tried lowering water level in my display and using vinyl tubing on inlet to make it draw water from a lower level but it didn't work.

Any tips or thoughts?

Thx for ur help

 

[theMeat]

Bigger pump or put the skimmer body in the sump

 

[lovefish77]

Put skimmer body in water how? The pump is not submersible

 

[theMeat]

If it's an aquatrance pump pretty sure it's submersible

Was the skimmer body full of water when you tried to run it with lower water and the tube?

 

[lovefish77]

yes i primed it manually by filling from the top. But i could see water not going up the vinyl braided tube that i attached. But even if pump is submersible it is still the same head height for the pump to draw water, do i need to make serious modifications? not a handy man really lol

 

[theMeat]

As long as the skimmer is sitting in, and drawing from , the water height it is designed to it will work

 

[lovefish77]

ok, but the sump is not going to be filled all the way up, so the water level will be lower than the inlet pips by like 2" still. Does that matter?

 

[theMeat]

Put the skimmer down on a flat surface. Measure up to where the water level would be if it was hanging on your tank. That should be the level of water it sits in inside the sump. If the water is too high you could put something under it to lift it. If the water is too low and there's no way to make it higher it no worky.
With most skimmers if you can get to within half to an inch of where it's supposed to function, you can adjust with the valve and get it to work. If it's more than that you can try mods but your skimmer will likely not work well.
Or you could put a container inside the sump that the tank's overflow goes into, that your skimmer can hang on

 

[lovefish77]

so if you get a sump with a separate skimmer compartment that allows you to raise the water level, the chances are far better that it will make it work, correct?

 

[theMeat]

As long as you can adjust the water level in that separate compartment into the range you need, and/or lift the skimmer into the range you need, yup

 

[lovefish77]

ok will try another trick tonight in display tank and keep you posted

thx

 

[lovefish77]

crazy idea - how about i take out the inlet tube and letting the pump sit in the water and draw, will that work? here is a diagram just in case you wanna understand thing visually

https://www.google.com/search?q=ree...UICSgC&biw=1176&bih=463#imgrc=YMYxigBCVUwFQM:

thx

 

[theMeat]

Would thing it'l work. As long as the level the skimmer is sitting in is around the same level it would be drawing from. Maybe have to tweak the height a bit.

 

[lovefish77]

I think that will make it more powerful coz the pump is same as one they use in heavy duty in sump design. Actually having the bent intake tube weakens the flow of water going into the skimmer, makes sense?

 

[lovefish77]

Actually current sump I plan to use is 20 gallon long with no compartments at all, but once o know level skimmer is happy about I will keep water at that level in the sump

 

[theMeat]

yup, makes sense. That's why i was thinking to tweak the height of the skimmer to get the level inside the skimmer to produce good skimmate. Probably have to pick up the skimmer a touch, even with valve wide open.

Would get a few pieces of glass, and make the first section from tank overflow where skimmer is. So skimmer has a chance at dirtiest water. Then second section for fuge. Than last section for return pump. Would also make a bubble trap before return pump that can fit a piece of foam to keep macros out of display and return pump.
my .02

If you were to leave intake tube as is, What's the measurement from the bottom of the skimmer to water surface if hanging as should be?

 

[KathyC]

Some basic sump design info:
http://www.reefworkshop.com/DIY_sumpdesign1.htm

 

[lovefish77]

yup, makes sense. That's why i was thinking to tweak the height of the skimmer to get the level inside the skimmer to produce good skimmate. Probably have to pick up the skimmer a touch, even with valve wide open.

Would get a few pieces of glass, and make the first section from tank overflow where skimmer is. So skimmer has a chance at dirtiest water. Then second section for fuge. Than last section for return pump. Would also make a bubble trap before return pump that can fit a piece of foam to keep macros out of display and return pump.
my .02

If you were to leave intake tube as is, What's the measurement from the bottom of the skimmer to water surface if hanging as should be?

If left as in intake tube is like 4" from hanging arm. From bottom of pump to inlet is like 8" hope this helps

 

[lovefish77]

IT WORKED in the initial trial, producing bubbles yay with 6/5" depth of water
just needed to think out of the box

 

[KathyC]

Lovefish - can you post a pic of where & how you are installing this skimmer please?