New Skimmer for DaCube

[Krish]

Oh yeah, but they aren't really skimmers to me in comparison to what you guys built(LOL)

 

[mojoreef]

Wow how did I miss this thread?? great job boys it looks good!! It does look like it needs a bigger pump though, if you want you could come by and still mine to give it a test?? let me know


Mike

 

[DisturbedReefer]

Thanks for the offer Mike, however, I already have an Alita 80 on the way, should be here by the end of next week.

 

[mojoreef]

whats the stats on that one Todd?? cost, cfm, psi and so on??


Mike

 

[big t]

It was like 280, and does around 4.5cmf at 2psi.

 

[mojoreef]

Hmmm thats sounds good. Let me know how it works


Mike

 

[Krish]

It was like 280

Like $280? Wow! That's cheap for a custom built skimmer by a pro! You'd never find a skimmer that size, with the same great craftsmanship and efficiency, cost so little anywhere. It's very good to know that I got screwed buying my skimmer for $350 (over in the States) which could probably sit in your collection cup alone (LOL) Just Kidding...I'm happy with mine :doubt: I have no other choice, but to be

 

[big t]

Relax, that was for the air pump.

 

[Krish]

Relax, that was for the air pump.

Oh whew, you had me scared there!...SAY WHAT!!! An air pump! What in the hell are you guys using...A compressor!?(LOL)

 

[DisturbedReefer]

Here are a couple pictures of the skimmer after only running for a few days...
I will post some more once the new airpump arrives Special thanks to Don for the pump that is in temp use now, and of course to Tom for all of his technical know-how, I couldn't have even imagined this possible without you!!!

 

[jlehigh]

Looks like you need more crap in that tank Todd Very cool.

So looking at the Alita 80 it pushes 3cfm at roughly 2.5 PSI. So I think you will need to plan on bleeding allot of that off That's a big pump. Might want to make a box with quieting material to house it as well.

Hmmm I think it's time for a bigger tank already!!

 

[big t]

The alita 80 is only 39DB on the sound level, so it should be not too bad. I think that he can easily bleed air off if he has to and bleed it to outside the house, but I don't think he will. He is running .9 cfm right now and getting only 2-3% air volume w/ 13% being ideal.

 

[jlehigh]

I have a smaller Alita and the sound eclipsed my AquaSea 4700, but my ears are funny about different frequencies.

It's definately better to have more than enough pump and bleed of extra. I think the only issue you may see (not knowing from experience) but the 6" fine pore diffusors require about .5 cfm each to run. It seems overdriving them has created bubble size issues for some of the others. (are those 6" stones?)

I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out. You could bleed excess air OR add more stones

 

[big t]

Well he got the 9" stones and we shoehorned them in w/ custom fittings to get them to fit. I seriously doubt that any more stones could be added to this skimmer w/ out some serious mod's I.E. adding another hatch to the side. I am sure that 36" of airstone will be enough too .

How is your skimmer coming along? I think that I am going to have to build one for me once I get my system upgrade finished.

 

[tommyp]

Wow that alita is like double my lt19. Should have plenty of air. Great job guys!

Tom

 

[jlehigh]

Very cool. The 9" stones require .75cfm each so the Alita80 is the perfect choice That will be one efficient mean machine.

I had a free weekend (first in a loooong time) so I decided the skimmer wasnt ambitious enough. I cut out the wall above my tank, re-hung all of my L3's, Installed my VHO's, started to re-route/plumb my over the tank inlets from the closed loop, framed the hole in the wall with oak strips and started making cabinet doors to match the office furniture and bar top

Oh I also couldnt keep my hands out of the tank so I nuked the occasional mojano with Kalk and cleaned the tank up a bit..

I didn't quite get as far as I hoped but oh well.. I guess I'll try to weld a few joints tonight on the skimmer... This time maybe I can take some pics of the joints and you tell me if it'll get'r'done. I'm pretty picky/anal when it comes to these things. I confirmed that when I realized my joints were cleaner than those on my IAP tank..

 

[big t]

Sounds pretty ambitious to me. I wouldn't be too concerned w/ how super great your joints look. As long as they are mostly clear they will be fine. It will be pretty hard to get the bottom on w/ no bubbles, but as long as there is not path for water to leak out of you will be good to go.

I realized my joints were cleaner than those on my IAP tank..

No comment on that one.

 

[bradreef]

yeah well my euroreef have a sedra 3500 and it sucks in 25903424 cfm of air and is the best.

 

[Scooterman]

that is a lot of air brad, there is a point when you can get too much of a good thing lol, what did you do hop it up?

 

[mojoreef]

Brad is that the air from the air pump or just the hot air you blow?? hehehe



Mike