ErikS
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Posts posted by ErikS
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No kidding, I see local counties put sooooo much money in these schools for nothing, and they can't figure out a little cash for the zoo? That's just wrong...
Nah it's working out well for schools - last study I saw street sweeper's kid in Shanghi better educated than a CEO's kid in America........GO USA
Annoying is to think of how many millions get wasted by the Govt - probably waste more every minute of everyday.
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WAMAS does not have a frag saw and does not, at this time, have plans to buy one. The officers could look into it. But there would be a lot of things to consider, including liability and insurance, as well as how to make it available equitably across our geographically spread membership.
That would be one of my big questions, especially given what could go wrong.
Also the PAR meter - that's pretty much a non-starter.
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Bummer, I've had a couple pass 10 years but none make it quite that far - that's pretty old.
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Erik, try using some silicone grease on the uniseals/pump nozzles. It makes inserting & removing much easier. Then again, just putting the bottom plate in to soak works too. I'll admit I'm guilty of never cleaning my skimmers though. My QT system has an original design CS1 that hasn't been cleaned in at least 2 years (except the swabbie/cup).
Okay, I'll admit it........I have "issues"........I like a clean skimmer
I'll admit the only thing that really needs cleaning is the venturi - that seems to get a bit clogged every few months or so.FWIW - I did put silicone on the uniseals, helped getting them in.......not so much months later getting them out
Doesn't matter, easy enough to soak the whole plate. -
Other than the noise, anyone know which skims better?
While I'm not Mr. Skimmer aka SteveOutlaw I have had a few of them including higher end stuff like Deltec. You'd be hard pressed to find one that produces better than the CS1. Add in a Swabie & it punches way above it's weight. The swabie keeps the production up - you'd need to clean your average skimmer every other day to maintain the production. Yes, you can fit a swabie onto other skimmers but the CS1 & the Swabie go together like peas & carrots.
There's also the pump Sicce versus Hailea? I'll take Sicce thank you. The new models are pretty darn good.
I have one "bone" to pick with the CS1 & that's pump removal. Disconnecting the pump from the uni-seals is a b*tch, PITA. Did that once, never again. I simply put the entire bottom plate & pump into a bucket to soak/clean = good to go (the rest of it is fairly easy to disassemble).
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Even outside warranty it is fixable. If it is just corrosion and needs cleaning and resoldering it will just cost you postage. If the sensor has failed we can replace it for much less than a new unit. Was the brs pump ac or dc? If the pump shorted and caused the failure of both units then it may have exceeded the amperage rating of the switch and done damage to it. If you are experiencing any intermittent reliability issues I would highly recommend letting us take a look at it.
Thanks for the support. My plan at the moment is to keep testing for the week or so = make certain the sensor has solved the problem. Step two would be to buy another one (just the sensor) and send the old one in for an autopsy. If it's corroded that bad I would think I'd need to relocate it. It's always good to have a backup of something, I usually end up finding an alternative use
The BRS pump was AC, I did open it up & it was a simple low rpm/high torque AC motor - it looked faily cheap, Italian made IIRC. Thought about replacing it for a second but the shaft was pressed on & going the puller route seemed like too much trouble.
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Because near as I can tell it's way outside warranty........just trying to idenify the issue (what needs replacement).
The tubing isn't longterm, just trying to figure out if it is indeed the sensor - if it is I'll just order a replacement. Then I'll open it up & see if there's any corosion...........which is where I started - I was thinking the contacts had gotten coroded (like old school points in a distributer) = I could/should clean them.
Hope this didn't come across as negative - I highly reccomend this sensor, it's been the most reliable one I've ever owned.
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Open it up and make sure that the connections are secure.
That's my plan after I see if the sensor makes a diff - FWIW the skimmate sensor has a larger tube size...........but what reef keeper doesn't have 1.8 gillion different tube sizes around?
SImple matter of finding the right sizes to make a tube within a tube. -
So we don't get it mixed up I thought I'd start a new thread........
Happened again. Came home & found it making the sucking sound = low sump.
1) ATO light is on
2) ATO pump is not turning
3) no leaks
This time I see the light is on & the pump is not turning. Refill the water = good to go. Unplug the ATO pump & plug it back in = it's NOT burned out. Also, when I added the make up water the ATO sensor did go out.
My guess at this time is that there's an issue with the outlet (intermitent power).
Test plan - skimmate locker & ATO senor are the same, no? My plan was to switch the two boxes & see if the issue pops up again (apparently it's weekly or less).
If it doesn't happen again I know the sensor is bad & needs to be replaced.
Good plan? Bad plan?
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Nice close-up pictures. Well done........................
Not to be too much of a Debbi-Downer, ..........
How many "big fish" were around? .................
So, will corals still exist? Yes, most likely. However, the face of reefs is changing - actually, already has changed - and we are establishing a new baseline for what is considered "normal" in a human and development dominated world.
Thanks for the info, very cool to know what they are.
Yeah, we've changed the entire planet - just check the weather (here & England). How will it all shake out? Who's to say.
Can't say about the big fish, did see a couple 4' groupers in Cozumel.......but they were 1/2 tame.
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I see some synergy in this merge. As pointed out AI supposedly prints their own boards (never seen "made in......" on theirs), AI's lens tech is a bit better, EcoTech is far better at the UI end of things, and both offer decent customer service. If one were to guess I'd figure they had to merge the LED business given the competition - they're still some of the pricier options around.
Who knows, maybe they'll get better.
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The contacts on the switch, if I recall, are supposed to be pretty robust: Rated for 3A and 10 million cycles.
Which is why I never pay any attention to it
Still a mystery, working fine for the last week. -
I know the song. I have a Dart that I recently pulled out and need to rebuild - when I've got the time, of course.
...............................Mysterious.
Mysterious is right...........but then given the thought we give to systems (& their failure points) mysterious is correct.
It wasn't a outlet issue, the outlet in use is the GFCI - not tripped, tight outlet = not loose.
The best I can figure is that the switch at some point stayed in the open position & the pump burned out. Like the Avast model the BRS version is not designed for constant use. They'll fail if used constantly. I figure it ran until it failed & then from there the water level just kept getting lower. I'm also assuming there was some sort of leak/blockage of the ATO sensor tubing that caused it to stay both open (no power) and closed (power).....................
........but then who knows, what we do know is all devices are subject to failure - when & where is anyone's guess.
What I do know - like yours I have the original version.......but....the viewing is straight on (pretty much anyway)
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Answers -
a) yes, main system pump was sucking air. No leak, blockage, and top off tank had about 10 gallons remaining (of 20 total) . No beananimal (don't like it one bit) - it's an old school durso 1.5" drain w/ an 800gph (1262) pump = could block about 3/4 of it & it would still keep up. Sump is 3 chamber with final being over & down into the main return pump area = that's the area where the level will drop first. This is where the ATO sensor is located as well as where the make up water comes in.
b) Yes, I heard the sound & came into the sump room. What??? Sump is down 4 - 5" in the main pump section.........I guess about 2 or 3 days? (not terribly long). Look up & the sensor light is out (no power to pump). PVC section of the sensor is WAY out of the water, maybe 5". In my rush to get a pump & get topoff into the tank I did not examine the PVC section closely. While the tank was toping off enough to save the eheim (darn they're rugged) I did plug the ATO pump into a regular outlet = no movment, just grinding a "grinding gears" sound. Once I got things squared away I started messing with the ATO sensor. Just cleaned the PVC tube, checked it over & blew into it = it works!
Ordered the pump from Avast as I knew the old one was shot (see showroom above
) Posted this to check and see if my "Ron Popiel set it & forget it" approach was wrong..........maybe I should be cleaning/checking something?And yes I'm 99% certain there's no leaks.........my Dart (closed loop) is singing the song of a failing seal (not leaking) so I've checked in all the hidden spots.
Could it be some sort of anomaly? Yep, I seem to be the poster child for that - check the skimmer thread in this forum, it would seem I have the only Sicce pump that demands a daily shut off. It's been working flawlessly since I put it on a once a day on/off cycle
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Wait. Did the ATO pump stock on and empty the ATO reservoir (implied in the first post) or did it never come on (implied by y your asking about taped water and air pressure, which would keep the ATO pump off).
It seems unlikely that the tube could get dirty enough to trap water since the narrowest part should never see water (only air). Your moving the sensor and having to blow on the tubing to restore operation seems to be the only clue.
In my experience, the tubing rarely has holes along the length. In the original style devices (the only ones that I have right now), the tubing was held on (at each end) by a nipple that stretched the tubing slightly expanding its inside diameter. If the plastic loses resilience (its stretchiness) in this area, a slight shift can introduce a tiny air leak. I'm only guessing when I say that I suspected that it was more likely that something like this is what you experienced, than switch contact failure. However, it's still within the realm of possibility. Another unlikely scenario might be that the internal switch' vent was blocked. I'm pretty sure that the switch compares ambient pressure and the pressure in the tubing to actuate the contacts. If the tubing pressure is higher than ambient, the contacts are open. If equal or negative, the contacts are closed and power is applied to the ATO pump.
Sent from my LG-V510 using Tapatalk
Method of failure is vague due to the panic of coming home & hearing the main pump sucking air & not water.
What I saw was the light was out (no power to pump) and water level low. I filled it up & then checked the ATO pump (BRS top off peristalic) = dead. Took the sensor offline & played with it a bit blew in the end & it worked? I'm assuming that at some point it stuck in the on position & the pump ran until dead. What I saw was the off position.What you mention may very well be the truth - it hasn't been moved (or cleaned) since install..........if it needs some air movement it may have been clogged?
Funny part is that two weeks before we left I did a dissassemble/clean/check/tighten all the equipment except the ATO sensor
Given it's stone cold reliability who'd a thunk it -
Okay, update time. I did the test(s) & couldn't find any leak. Water was static in the tube & never moved. I removed the tubing just in case - where it connects to the PVC tube was so tight I had to cut it off. The box end was also snug but some wiggling got it off. I then tested the tubing in water w/ air pressure = no air bubbles.
So at this point I have zero clue aside from the status when I got home (light out, water level way down, ATO pump dead). Is it possible that the PVC tube got so dirty water got stuck inside (kept pressure) - heard of that? Seems like quite the long shot, I don't know as I was in a rush to add water.
Next vacation isn't for several months so I have some time to keep an eye on it.
Remains a mystery.........not unlike the CS1 that seems to like a power cycle daily for no reason we can figure
(it performed great, the locker is almost full.............BUT.......I'm very scared to open it & clean it 
I know what it's like after a week )On the upside I now have the new slim PVC tue & the ATO pump looks great...............really fits in with the "Avast Showroom" look I've been working on
Thanks again guys, I appreciate the support.
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What kind of camera did you take these with? I'm testing out my mask/camera next week in Roatan, but I'll also have my waterproof Panasonic with me.
Nikon AW1 w/ the 11-27.5mm kit lens. This was the 1st trip with this camera, I usually use a Nikon V1 w/ a housing - this is much smaller & easier to work with.
Second to last picture kindof looks like stylophora
That's what it looks like to me...........but I know nothing of caribbean corals (since we're not allowed to have them
)Nice pictures, thanks for sharing.
Thanks. I just found it facinating that coral have the rep as being delicate & requiring such great care.....here they are making a comeback wherever the tourists are actively tromping (even with the sunscreen slick - guess that never makes it down to them).
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So I guess he doesn't like paprazzi?
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Just got back from vacation & thought I'd share a few pics that demonstrate coral may be much hardier than we think.
Scenario - tourist "private" cruise line stop in Haiti (Labadee for those who know). This means it's an area trampled over by tourists darn near every day. It's in a small bay so the fossils don't have to deal with "waves". Turnover is so slow that you can see the suncreen sheen on the water. Coral however has found a way to survive and appears to be making a comback anywhere it's not contantly trampled.
Here's the location, pics are taken between the ladder & the rope you see to the right -
More urchins than you could shake a stick at, there were this type & the more familiar long spined type:
Nice feather duster, they were also fairly prevelent -
Nice hunk of some hard coral -
Close up of a fairly similar looking stony coral (nice polyp extention) -
Close of of an anenome (which were also fairly prevelent) -
I will admit that the thought crossed my mind "if they can live in this environment what the heck is my problem"
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Hi Erik,
My guess is a problem with the sensor tube. I sent you a new one in your order today. Let me know if that fixes the problem before digging into the switch. You can test it by submerging it in a glass of water overnight (or for several days) and see if the air level rises in the sensor tube. If you see it creeping up, then you have a leak in the tubing somewhere.
You didn't have to do that but thanks. Sounds like a good test.
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Hi Erik,
Pretty much exactly what Tom said. Sounds like the sensor tube or soft tube connection got an air leak. If you send me a picture of the sensor tube I can better let you know what might have happened. Also, how old is the switch box? Can you send a pic of the tubing connection at the switch?
Justin
Thanks guys, much appreciate it.
How old? Um, ah, I dun-know
A couple years maybe?Tubing seems fine, I will check it for leaks & see if I can find any. It has always been pretty tight on both end, tight enough that pulling on it makes one think "pull harder & it'll break". Tubing hasn't gotten brittle at all, still flexible.
I'm guessing it doesn't have to be black? I have some clear air line tubing, black stuff I have is RO tubing & fairly stiff (yeah, I know it'll look ugly).
Should I open up the box & check the switch? (see if there's any issue with the contacts?)
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Came home from vacation to find the main pump making a sucking sound - yikes (thanks eheim, still running just fine).
Anyway the issue is the turned out to be the ATO. Best I can figure is that it "stuck" in the on position & burned out the top off pump? I took it off the tank & at first it was "stuck" in the on position but a couple puffs & it was back to functioning as normal?
Ordered a new peristalic pump from you guys this morning (hopefully better than the BRS ATO version)...........but the $64,000 question remains the ATO switch
1) is there some routine stuff I'm not doing? I'll fess up I do nothing as it's a pressure switch = matters not if the tube is clear, right?
2) should I trust it or just order a new one?
3) I've not taken it apart but I gather it's solid state = nothing I can rehab/clean/check?
Thanks
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A filter sock on the skimmer output will solve micro bubbles.
The second thing is weird though. The fact that it works normally immediately after a power restart is interesting. Any chance you have an airflow meter to try on the intake side of the silencer? It almost sounds like air draw is slowing down, although I don't see how that's possible with a fixed speed ac pump.
sent from phone. please excuse brevity.
Thanks for the sock idea, I'll give that a shot.
I know, the skimmer thing is weird. It's why I waited quite a bit before asking.
I don't have an airflow meter but I notice no sound difference, makes the same amount of noise. I've checked it for everything physical (dirt, buildup, clogs, etc). This one I just do not get. I mean I get that performance goes up when it's a feed cycle - even though it's a recirc design the higher water level means the pump moves more water (effectively increasing the set water level)............that makes sense, but this one? No clue as I can't find any connection to an event or time frame. It's several days but not an exact, sometimes it's two & sometimes it's four days. I always clean the cup & swabie on Sat morning so it's not that either????? -
Okay so I've had the combo a few months & overall it's most excellent..........but I do have a couple of "issues". I use quotes because they have nothing to do with performance.
#1 - microbubbles. It's long broken in & still gives me a fair amount of micro-bubbles, quick remedies? Using the as supplied plumbing, outlet is pretty much right at the waterline.
#2 - the production just shuts down every several days (haven't logged it so not certain), I'd say less than a week. I run it non-stop & the swabie for a few minutes every six hours. It will run great for days & then the foam head just collapses (looks like when it hasn't broken in yet). Turn it off & right back on = bam, back producing as normal. In all my days with various skimmers I've not seen anything like this - it's not tied to anything, seems random. It's not feeding, or hands in tank, or anything I can ID.
Simple solution to #2 is to put it on a timer & do an on/off cycle everyday.........just curious if you had seen this before?
Number 1 is purely asthetics so not really important, just trying to figure out something.
Trying to see how many things can break at the same time
in General Discussion
I don't understand all the excitement, sounds like a normal "reef tank fix" to me...............it never seems to stop at one thing