ETSS 500 Q: Water height in sump vs in skimmer

[jspauldi]

Hello everyone,

I was hoping for some advice on the setup for the ETSS 500 skimmer. Is there an ideal (resting) water height between the sump and the skimmer? Or asked another way, at what level should the skimmer be setup with respect to the sump water level??

A few details of the system...I have a wet/dry sump I'm using and have the skimmer return plumbed into one of the chambers with a bulkhead fitting (skimmer is not sitting in the sump because of space issues). Hopefully this picture loads up!

 

[mungus]

http://www.superskimmer.com/EvoInst Allweb.pdf

If you take a look at fig. 5 ( it's hard to read ) in between the two red lines is optimum water level. Just make sure the water level in the sump is below this level. You want to be able to use the gate valve to adjust the water in the skimmer up to those lines. You should also make sure the compartment it is plumbed to has a constant water level. It will work alot better. It looks like you might have to add a baffle to your sump.

Brian

 

[jspauldi]

Thanks Brian! I had looked at that PDF but like you mentioned...difficult to read. It makes more sense now. So if I understand this right...I adjust the working water level up to this range. Resting level should be below...got it!

I have the system up and running with just tap water (doing a leak test and waiting for my rodi unit to arrive). When I fired up the skimmer, it quickly filled up right over the collection cup and shot water out everywhere....oops! I'm thinking/hoping this was just a nature of fresh water vs salt water. BTW...I'm using a mag 9.5 as the pump.

 

[mungus]

It shouldn't overflow with a fresh water run. Make sure your gate valve is open all the way when you fire it up. The other thing it could be is the 2 90 degree adapters or the size of the plumbing on the output of the gate valve. (to small). If the gate valve is all the way open and it is still overflowing you are getting to much backpressure somewhere.

Brian

 

[jspauldi]

Ball valve was open all the way!

Thats a good point...I've got the two 90 adapters (1" bulkhead fittings) and also a screen on the end to help with buble conrtol. That would certianly cause some back pressure.

One thought I have is to raise the skimmer up a few inches to overcome some of the pressure. I've got room to raise it about 3".

 

[mungus]

One thought I have is to raise the skimmer up a few inches to overcome some of the pressure. I've got room to raise it about 3".

Give it a shot and see what happens. If it doesn't work you can give the guys at ETSS a call. There number is on the web site.

Brian