Remora skimmer modifications

[robo100]

Hi,
I have a remora protein skimmer that is working just fine, however the collection cup fills up very quickly with brown yucky water. I have a bulkhead that I am concidering installing as a drain for the collection cup, however I am a little nervous about drilling the remora. Basically I would need to drill the hole in the collection cup and install the bulkhead, but I would also need to notch the remora so the collection cup can sit down lower. The drilling of the collection cup isn't that big of a deal because if I break it I can get a new one online for about $30.00 but if I break the remora I cant get a replacement. Has anybody tried this? I know the new remoras have a drain but mine was bought second hand and does not have a drain feature.

 

[moortim]

Welcome to RF robo100, sorry we left you hangin for a couple days. Drilling the plastic that a remora is made out of is very easy, to ease your mind about screwing up the main unit you can use a router, or if you know a local machine shop they could do that in about a minute. I have just used a drill and rub it on the side until it wore a groove in what I was cutting but I don't recommend that.

Tim

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF! I have never personally seen a Remora skimmer so I couldn't say for sure what you would need to do, but it looks like Tim has got you going on the right track...I wish you all the best and hope you enjoy your time here

 

[onehawksfan]

Doesn't the Remora have an adjuster knob/screw to get a more concentrated skimmate? (I've never used a Remora personally). Then you wouldn't have to worry so much about the cup overflowing, right? Oh yeah, how fast is "very quickly"?

 

[jsmkmavity]

if you have a hole saw you could use that. i would try gluing a small fitting that you could attach a small drain hose to. then you only have to drill a hole big enough to let the fluid flow out and the bulkhead wont be in the way. on thinner plastics a grinder tip on a dremmel or in a drill wont catch on the way thru and crack it so this is a safer option but takes a while longer to get a hole drilled.

 

[burning2nd]

i have a remora skimmer as well with the maxi 1200. is yours a pro with the mag?? theres a little black o righ around the out side, you should move the ring down makeing the catch cup go up, this will slow the water from collecting in the cup, i also get water in my cup, but i dont think its a problem
when set right i think this will slow here are 2 pis the first is when it was new,

the 2nd is this morning, after its bin cleaned allready (about 30 min ago)

my next question is, about the pre filter box, for the remora, is it worth it?

 

[robo100]

Yep thats my skimmer. I should have been more clear about the filling up quickly part. Basically I clean out the collection cup at night and by mid morning the next day the cup is full. The problem is that the foam from the skimmer will start pushing through the top breather hole in the lid if it's more than 3/4 of the way full of water. The foam will cover the top of the lid and run down the back, however I don't think that would happen if I could keep the water level low in the collection cup.

I have raised the rubber band all the way down the collection cup and it helped but it still is a problem. I noticed on newer remoras they have a drain and I thought this would be an easy thing to do.

I have to say I beleive the skimmer is working pretty well because the water is very brown. I think I will just go for the drilling and see what happens. I have a bulkhead and 3/4" line that I can run to a larger collection cup (2.5 gallons).

 

[burning2nd]

do you know anyone that has the prefilter box, how does that work is it worth it?

whats you saltinty?

 

[robo100]

do you know anyone that has the prefilter box, how does that work is it worth it?

whats you saltinty?

I have one. I don't know that it really helps that much. I have heard a lot of people say that it makes a 20% difference in skimming but I have not really seen that big of a difference. Saltinity? I keep mine at 1.024

 

[Al G.]

burning2nd,
My LFS uses the Fluval surface skimmer on their Remora. I haven't bought one yet, but I mean to. It's $9.99 and attaches to your MJ1200. It takes up less space in the aquarium than the prefilter box.

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=HG10240

 

[burning2nd]

cool, ill have 2 take a look. not that i need it but extra filterage is never a bad thing.