skimmer mod - need advice

[reedman]

OK all, here is the story. I have a Lifereef VS2-24 venturi skimmer (http://lifereef.com/frame.html) that I would like to mod to improve performance. My setup is in sump rather than external using a mag 9.5 for the feed. I am thinking I could drill the skimmer and install a needlewheel pump (as a recirc) and a feed pump (maxijet 400 for something like that) and this should improve performance considerably.

What are the thoughts on this? I am not sure of what size needlewheel pump to add, so if you have an opinion on that please speak up.

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

-Reed

 

[HarleyDude]

Here are some pictures of a MAG12 I modded with a home made needle wheel for a DIY skimmer I built. I did go back and add twice the number of "needles" from the pictures. What I did is cut the propellers off the MAG prop and put it in a drill press shaving the prop down to accept a 1/2" piece of PVC which I also shaved down a bit. I drilled a number of holes in the PVC piece and used weed wacker line for the needles. I cut them long and them cut them evenly after the end was placed on the prop. This absolutely cranks out the bubbles.

 

[DonW]

You need to know the overall air to water ratio in the skimmer. Anything over 12% is only going to degrade the performance. This is why the mesh mod is so hit and mis.

Don

 

[reedman]

Thanks for the inputs guys. I will have to check the air to water ratio and see if it even makes sense based on your comments Don.

 

[DonW]

Thanks for the inputs guys. I will have to check the air to water ratio and see if it even makes sense based on your comments Don.

I'm not sure how you come up with the calculation but it was easy to figure out with the old beckets. Escobal did the math a long time ago, dont ask me how but it seems pretty accurate after testing a bunch of different designs.

Don

 

[Skimmy]

there's several things you could do, depending on the size of the skimmer body & neck, just depends on wich way you want to go,
mesh mod works great when you do it correctly and on the right pump.


as for having to know the air/water ratio to mesh mod a pump and have it increase performance.... i've never done any such thing, and i usually double performance of a skimmer (measurement via dweyer air meter, not just skimmate produced). it certainly does work better on some pumps and skimmer bodies to be sure, but i think your skimmer is an great model to do it with. the only question is which pump is best to use..

thre are different generation models of that skimmer, does yours look like this?
let me know the exact size of skimmer reaction chamber and neck, and we'll figure out a good pump.

 

[reedman]

Mark,

Thanks for chiming in. that looks just like my skimmer...it's an older generation one.

chamber is 6" diameter 12" in height
neck is adjustable in height, but my measurements are 2.5" diameter, 7" height

right now I have a mag 9.5 per the site's recommendation.

Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated.

-Reed

 

[Skimmy]

the most restricting thing is the 2.5 neck,
you can only get about 500-600 lph of air through that, without it becoming too hard to control the foam...
let me give some thought as to which pump would be best
im thinking the aquabee 2000/1 mesh modded, and you could buy it ready to recirc too, or cut the plumbing and use it in sump...
http://stores.petorama.net/Detail.bok?no=51

does your skimmer have the key hole flange on the top plate of the reaction chamber for body access?

 

[reedman]

unfortunately this one is from before the keyhole flange days.

my only concern is making sure I don't put more into this thing than it would cost for a good replacement. I was looking at those AE recirc 135 that I can get for about $200.....but please give me your recommendation on the pump and any other mod that might be worth considering in your opinion...I am always open to various ideas.

-Reed

 

[Skimmy]

well, aquaeuro recalled all their skimmer pumps, so i would pass on that until they get their act together...
besides, everyone is modding the aquaeuro skimmers with the aquabee pumps i linked to above, they really are a great way to go..
another idea is the quiet one 3000, it's actually the same pump that ati used on their meshwheel skimmers, except sicci makes them for pentair w/ a different pump housing, but they still rock for modding and are like
$40!! but it might overpower your skimmer! i guess we could tone it down some if you wanted to try that idea first


http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...80723/cl0/pentairaquaticslifegardquietone3000

http://www.saltycritter.com/pumps/sicce-pumps.htm

little bit of price difference there

 

[reedman]

Mark, thanks very much for the advice. So I like the idea of the quiet one 3000 ($$$ is a little tight with a new child in the house) and the mesh mod looks pretty easy. Couldn't I just add a ball valve on the output of the pump to dial it back a little if necessary?

Once again, thanks for taking the time to help me on this.

 

[Skimmy]

no, you wouldnt want to put back pressure on the pump, you would be better off just changing the diameter of the meshwheel until it is small enough to not overpower the skimmer body with water/air, and if anything a valve on the water & air imput so you could dial in the right air /water combination.
yeah, i say grab a quiet one 3000 and bring it on down to barrier some weekend, and i'll walk you though the mod, there are some tricks to it...

 

[reedman]

Sounds good Mark. I'll pick one up and get a hold of you to find a good time to come down. Thank you very much!