Self Cleaning Skimmer...anyone DIY one?

[Anonymous]

This is an RK2 skimmer. It has 3 nozzles that are fed by a freshwater source that turns on automatically via a sprinkler valve and timer. The nozzle on the top is fed by the circulation pump to clean the inside of the riser tube. Hardly any maintenance!

This looks fairly simple to DIY, even on a smaller scale, and I'm wondering if anybody has tried it. There are nozzles that fit RO tubing...

 

[Anonymous]

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[Len]

Looks simple enough to DIY. The Deltec self-cleaning system - constant rotating spray nozzles with brushes to scrap the sides of the collection neck - looks DIYable as well.

However, I don't know if I'm too lazy to DIY such a thing or not lazy enough to manually clean my skimmer cup (a simple task).

 

[Anonymous]

I would think it would be beneficial simply to increase the efficiency of the skimmer--and I just happen to have some John Guest nozzles laying around. I think I'll try it out at some point.

 

[jimmyj]

That looks like a great DIY project,
couple of questinons
(I'm guessing you might have answers since you've already looked into this idea)???

Does it need to be / matter if it's freshwater or saltwater feeding the spray nozzles?

How often should it be run? ie, multipule times a day, daily, weekly?

Could you use one of these to control it? http://www.top-off.com/viewitem.php?it_id=19

 

[Anonymous]

It does look like a great DIY.

Do the spray nozzles spray the inside of the top of the riser cone?

I'd think tha's the part that needs cleaning most, but the picture looks like they spray on the outside.

Len/anyone: do you have any pictures of the Deltec rotating cleaner? I've heard of it but never seen a photo. No clear ones on their website either.

 

[Anonymous]

However, I don't know if I'm too lazy to DIY such a thing or not lazy enough to manually clean my skimmer cup (a simple task).

I just have my imaginary pool boy clean out the skimmer when he has spare time. Seriously, that looks like a fab DIY project and would be nice on a big system.

 

[jimmyj]

I'm making a simple version of this for my PM bullet today and tommorow (just a single nozzle spraying into the top of the riser tube, manually actuated by turning a ball valve).

Again, how much does it matter if it's fresh or SW flushing the skimmer? I was going to try it by just plumping it off a SW line.

Will update.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't understand how you can spray the inside of a riser tube without having the freshwater and the caked on skimmate going back into your system.

I can't tell how it works from the picture.

Louey

 

[mr_X]

the riser tube....is it that clear tube that you see the filthy froth come up inside before it overflows into your cup?
how often do you think that needs cleaning?
maybe mine is out of adjustment, because i don't really get any buildup there, certainly not enough to warrant self-cleaning attachments.

 

[Anonymous]

Just for clarification:

There are 3 nozzles on the sides of the collection cup that spray the outside of the riser tube. These are fed by a freshwater source via a sprinkler valve that turns on automatically. This water will run out to the waste collector or drain and not ever mix with tank water.

There is one nozzle in the top of the collection cup, that points straight down into the inside of the riser tube. This nozzle is fed by the skimmer circulation pump (saltwater from tank). There is a ball valve to turn it "on" manually whenever desired.

I assume that to do a cleaning one would simultaneously turn this ball valve "on", and also cut off the air intake to the eductor for a short time. When the eductor begins sucking air again, the skimmer will overflow for a short time, flushing out the gunk.

 

[Anonymous]

the riser tube....is it that clear tube that you see the filthy froth come up inside before it overflows into your cup?
how often do you think that needs cleaning?
maybe mine is out of adjustment, because i don't really get any buildup there, certainly not enough to warrant self-cleaning attachments.

That's the riser tube all-righty. I wish I had a pic of the skimmate from one of these downdraft ETS skimmers. It just one day it's like chocolate frosting. It's also laborious to unscrew all the nylon nuts on the flanges to the cup and the lid to remove it and clean inside.

If you don't have a thick buildup of skimmate in the riser tube then your skimmer isn't working very efficiently, IMO.

 

[Anonymous]

the riser tube....is it that clear tube that you see the filthy froth come up inside before it overflows into your cup?
how often do you think that needs cleaning?
maybe mine is out of adjustment, because i don't really get any buildup there, certainly not enough to warrant self-cleaning attachments.

That's the riser tube all-righty. I wish I had a pic of the skimmate from one of these downdraft ETS skimmers. It just one day it's like chocolate frosting. It's also laborious to unscrew all the nylon nuts on the flanges to the cup and the lid to remove it and clean inside.

If you don't have a thick buildup of skimmate in the riser tube then your skimmer isn't working very efficiently, IMO.

This is the skimmate buildup from one day. This ETS skimmer services approximately 400 gallons of water lit by 6 1000W MHs. There are about 200 lbs of live rock in the system (very gross estimate), hundreds of coral fragments, and NO fish or other invertebrates. The tank is not fed anything at all. Thus, this buildup is composed of coral slime, dead bacteria, waste from animals in the live rock, detritus from algal dieoff, etc. Imagine if this tank was full of eating fish. 8O

 

[Anonymous]

And the riser tube back to clean again. To remove, clean, and replace the collection cup and scrape the riser tube takes about 10 minutes total.