air skimmer for 300g setup

[rufio173]

Tommy,

Glad it's breaking in for you. I think that if you give everything a very solid warm or even hot water spray down and a good solid handwiping/ wash down, then you actually get foam formation much faster.

That PVC tubing did look pretty dirty to begin with, didn't know if you had given it a good solid washdown before you cranked that sucker up.

Peace,
John H.

 

[rufio173]

Plus, that is a lot of new saltwater in that tank there.

Peace,
John H.

 

[tommyp]

Yeah it was definately hand cleaned before use. Not the outside just the inside. martha stewart I am not. thanks

tom

 

[rufio173]

How's that skimmer still treating you? Is it really cranking out the skimmate now?

Peace,
John H.

 

[tommyp]

No not really. Only because I haven't been able to bring the foam height up. I have to pick up some new nylon bolts today to try to get the riser connection to seal properly. They have been on order for two weeks. Not the skimmers fault. It is producing a ton of foam just no way for me to get it out without it leaking everywhere. I bought a new tube of 12" pvc to mess around with so if i don't get this one sealed properly I will just make a new one that is more 12" less six inch acrylic. Like 5 feet of tube and then the collection cup on top. I can get a 6" od uniseal so I might just take five feet of 12" cap each end with 3/8" acrylic and put that uniseal on as the connection between the collection cup and the 3/8 acrylic cap. I should know tonight if i get the riser to seal properly. If i do then it should peachy.

so in short. The technology is prefect. my application of the technology not so good for now.

 

[tommyp]

Got it sealed up pretty nice. just a very little leak between the riser and the body and i can deal with that. I used neoprene washers on the bolt heads and they seemed to do the trick. I brought the water height up a bit but it hasn't started foaming yet. in a couple hours it should be peachy.

 

[tommyp]

Foaming like crazy now. It is like nothing I have ever seen. dry foam is starting just below the cup.

 

[Travis]

How is the skimmer doing? How about a new pic of it in action?

 

[tommyp]

Not a prob here u go!

It is starting to really work great. When I first had it running. It would skim and then not and bounce between about 8" high in the riser and where it is in the pic. I tried to raise the foam height and ended up pumping about 25 gallons of saltwater out of the tank. So I backed off and just let it work on its own for a few days. This week it has been super stable and I am adjusting back up to beable to pull more skimmate out. I really don't think it was totally broken in yet. I am hoping that the production that it is showing right now is here to stay. I am not sure what the best way to collect the skimate for this thing is. I am thinking I have to do a different collection cup. this one works but i think i could do better with a larger diameter tube, I dunno. maybe a funner who knows.

 

[tommyp]

Oh yeah I also took the bleeder valve off of it and I am running it stright connection to the airpump.

 

[Travis]

It looks like it is getting the job done well. Did you ever change the placement of the stones to horizontal or are you still running them vertically.

 

[tommyp]

Vertical, I still don't know how I run them horizontal and keep them spaced right. I might try if I make a new one.


Tom

 

[prcoverage]

who are you getting you 12' tub from and what price also can you take a pic of the lower half of your pump now please

 

[tommyp]

The tube fairy leaves it under my pillow. I got my first section off a guy on RC. then I bought a tube 13' from a local sewer suppy. then sold it to a couple people and ended up with a 5' section for my self that is just waiting for skimmer #2. But this one is doing a kickin job so I am in no rush. I might end up making one for the lfs.

A picture of my pump?

 

[tommyp]

or the skimmer?

 

[prcoverage]

thanks nicely made. looking for a 12" clear pcs also will keep looking

 

[causeofhim]

That is one heck of a skimmer! Kudos to you.

 

[tommyp]

thanks cause!

My air pump quit today. It won't take any pressure. It didn't seem like the diaphragm was toast. It still runs and will put out air without pressure but won't put any air through the stones? I will get a diaphragm kit, I hope that is the issue. If not yikes i might have to spring for a new airpump.

 

[Detri]

Did you check to see if the stones were cloged?

 

[tommyp]

No not yet,

I will tear it apart when I get home. I noticed it last night and it was too late to mess with it. other than pulling apart the air pump. I am not sure how I can unclog the airstones if they are clogged? I think you are supposed to clean them in acid? But it was a very abrubt stop in bubble production leading me to believe it was a pump issue.