New Skimmer

[ldrhawke]

Let me be as blunt as I can and tell you they have no idea what they are talking about. I spent as much time on the phone with them as a human can tolerate to listen to their babble crap, and my conclusion at the end is that we were talking about 2 complitely different animals. They have no idea of the type of bubble sizes we are looking for, differences, etc. Even after you given them a mini lecture about it, they are too arrogant and know-it-all to pay attention to anything you said.

Gas Doc......

Between you and Mike, what have you found that works best and how are your air skimmers working? Last time Mike was looking for a way to improve mixing in the liquid end of the skimmer. We would all love to see latest photos of performance and hear your thoughts.....a mini lecture is fine

 

[dgasmd]

Gas Doc......

Between you and Mike, what have you found that works best and how are your air skimmers working? Last time Mike was looking for a way to improve mixing in the liquid end of the skimmer. We would all love to see latest photos of performance and hear your thoughts.....a mini lecture is fine

Although flattering, I know I don't know enough to lecture anyone on anything:lol: :lol: :lol:

I don't know what Mike has done with his skimmer. I haven't talked to him about it for a while. He was getting very small bubbles and excellent results last I spoke with him.

My skimmer still is producing "larger" bubbles than what I would like, but the volume of air in bubbles for the size of the skimmer is there. So, I am getting good production of skimmate. Very dark and nasty too. I still think it can be so much better of a performer if I coud get the same volume of air in but in much finer bubbles. That would really make it rock.

 

[ldrhawke]

Skimmate looks great.....did you ever get the air stone type straightened out? Which air stones are you using? Has anyone come up with a formula for optimizing air flow rates based on skimmer liquid volume? Obviously at some point you can put in too much air. Do you measure air flow rates?

 

[robthorn]

good info here guys and looks great but I am still so glad I ordered my euroreef 12-2 + . I just don't have the time anymore to mess with maybe

 

[dgasmd]

Skimmate looks great.....did you ever get the air stone type straightened out? Which air stones are you using? Has anyone come up with a formula for optimizing air flow rates based on skimmer liquid volume? Obviously at some point you can put in too much air. Do you measure air flow rates?

You can see the entire story about the stones here:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11317

I don't measure flow rates. What I did was to measure the entire skimmer from the bottom to where I was going to runt he water volume (neck). I took 13% of that from the top and made a mark. I filled with water to that mark and then started to open the air valve. That is how I know what percentage of air to water I run. Mine is running around 9-10% right now.

Robthorn:

Can't say that I blame you or disagree with you one bit :lol: :lol:

 

[ldrhawke]

You can see the entire story about the stones here:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11317

I don't measure flow rates. What I did was to measure the entire skimmer from the bottom to where I was going to runt he water volume (neck). I took 13% of that from the top and made a mark. I filled with water to that mark and then started to open the air valve. That is how I know what percentage of air to water I run. Mine is running around 9-10% right now.

Robthorn:

Can't say that I blame you or disagree with you one bit :lol: :lol:

I was wondering if you ever changed out the air stones to the finer bubble ones you were trying to get straightened out. It sounds like you didn't. It also sounds like you aren't too happy with the skimmer perfomance.

Any reason for running at the 9-10% rate and not the 13%? Were you getting too wet a skimmate at the higher air flow?

 

[dgasmd]

It sounds like you didn't. It also sounds like you aren't too happy with the skimmer perfomance.

Any reason for running at the 9-10% rate and not the 13%? Were you getting too wet a skimmate at the higher air flow?

I didn't change them because they kept sending me the same thing I already had. The performance in the skimmer could certainly be much much better. Even if I got the same percentage of air in it, if the bubbles were half their current size that would be an improvement in itself. I don't run 13% of air now because this is what the pump is maxed out at.

 

[mojoreef]

I am having a different experence the Alberto is. For me the skimmer was set about 8 months ago?? and I havent had to adjust it or fine tune it. I havent cleaned these stones over that period either. The bubble size is good and I am running about 15% air. I did get a new air pump awhile back as I had killed the first one with a little water accident, lol

But truely other then a dummy thing its been plug and play.


Mike

 

[ldrhawke]

I am having a different experence the Alberto is. For me the skimmer was set about 8 months ago?? and I havent had to adjust it or fine tune it. I havent cleaned these stones over that period either. The bubble size is good and I am running about 15% air. I did get a new air pump awhile back as I had killed the first one with a little water accident, lol

But truely other then a dummy thing its been plug and play.


Mike

Mike,

I assume you are using the fine bubble air stones? I assume the 15% air volume is based on the water /air bubble being 15% higher than the water level with the air turned off? My modified ER only has about 6% air volume based on that analysis.

What is the height of your water/air bubble level from the bottom of the skimmer? What is the height of the skimmer foam level above the interface water level before it runs over into the cup? Any thoughts on what you feel may possibly improve perfomance based on what you have observed in the skimmers you built? I f I remember, you had mentioned in one post you thought improving mixing of the air/water mix might improve performance.

 

[mojoreef]

I assume you are using the fine bubble air stones?

Yea pretty much, I know its not the exact way to do it, but the other way is a math formula about a page long, lol

What is the height of your water/air bubble level from the bottom of the skimmer?

On my skimmer thier is two section of 12 inch tube, each section is 2 feet high, my water level is at about 6 inches or so below the top of the top tube.

What is the height of the skimmer foam level above the interface water level before it runs over into the cup?

The foam/water interface is as mentioned above. From thier the foam has to go up 6 inches of 12 inch tube and then 2 feet of 8 inch tube before it goes over the top.

Any thoughts on what you feel may possibly improve perfomance based on what you have observed in the skimmers you built? I f I remember, you had mentioned in one post you thought improving mixing of the air/water mix might improve performance

You know as it sits right now I dont know if I would make any changes. I did make a small plumbing add, where I raised the input of the water into the skimmer to the top of the water level. This way I was getting a full counter current with the water volume having to go through the full curtain of air bubbles (placed at the bottom) before exiting the skimmer.

One of the big differences between this kind of skimmer compared to say a needle wheel style is the point of entry. Protien skimming is a two fold process, the first process is the mechanical stripping where the bubbles beat on the water mole (that has the protien attached) and then a chemical reaction where the freed protien then attaches back to a clean bubble surface. When you inject the water and the air into the skimmer at the same point you are limiting the amount of water moles that the air bubbles see and thus the mechanical stripping. Now recirc needle wheels do help this problem allwing a better bombardment rate.
I have found in using most other types of beckket and/or style over the decades to act more like a frieght train effect. With the style of pump required you dont get much dwell time, but instead create a trains worth of foam that takes about 50% of the protiens out but also take out anyother planktonic life with it.

Again just my thoughts from using most types.


Mike

 

[Reefrubble]

Mike, what do you think about the ultra fine bubble disc, From Aquatic Eco Systems? Ted

 

[boner]

venturi

Hey what kind of Venturi u gonna use ?