Skimmer Cup

[discretekarma]

My G3 skimmer cup fills up pretty fast and gets water on the floor when I empty it. I've seen skimmers that have a tube going to a different collection bucket or something else. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this that may be willing to help me drill this. I'd like to do this soon.

[Brian Ward]

My G3 skimmer cup fills up pretty fast and gets water on the floor when I empty it. I've seen skimmers that have a tube going to a different collection bucket or something else. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this that may be willing to help me drill this. I'd like to do this soon.

 

I have an acrylic drill bit you can use. I'm pretty sure you just drill the cup and add the tube. Probably silicone the joint to keep it from leading. If I remember right Chip does this, give him a PM (flowerseller). Dan doesn't recommend it because people forget to clean the neck of the skimmer regularly. But a lot of people like it so he offers it as an option on his skimmers. Shouldn't be too hard.

[treesprite]

I like this idea. Mine is hard to get off and 3 or so times I've accidently had the thing suddenly pop off and end up in the sump skimmate and all.

[Brian Ward]

I like this idea. Mine is hard to get off and 3 or so times I've accidently had the thing suddenly pop off and end up in the sump skimmate and all.

 

If it's hard to remove, you may need to grease the connection. My Euro-Reef came with a tube of grease for just this reason.

 

 

 

Another thought, scott, are you skimming too wet? What is the color of your skimmate? Should be very dark, nearly black in color.

[shawns]

i'd feel more comfortable tapping the hole and dressing the threads on the fitting. i think that might leak less?

[Brian Ward]

i'd feel more comfortable tapping the hole and dressing the threads on the fitting. i think that might leak less?

 

 

 

Good call. Then you can use the snap together tubing fittings they have at Lowe's - AWI also uses these in their RO system.

[ErikS]

Be very careful drilling the cup/lid of an ASM skimmer. The body is made of clear PVC & pretty easy to drill but the cup & lid are made of some plastic. They crack/shatter easily.

[ctenophore]

Try using a unibit. I've found they drill fragile/thin plastic pretty well.

[Brian Ward]

Try using a unibit. I've found they drill fragile/thin plastic pretty well.

 

 

 

yes, definitely use a plastic-specific bit. i have 2 bits i bought from piedmont plastics - ridiculously expensive btw - these are specifically made for drilling plastic.

[ctenophore]

yes, definitely use a plastic-specific bit. i have 2 bits i bought from piedmont plastics - ridiculously expensive btw - these are specifically made for drilling plastic.

You can buy a small uni-bit at HD/Lowes for about $8. The bigger ones cost around $30.

[ErikS]

yes, definitely use a plastic-specific bit. i have 2 bits i bought from piedmont plastics - ridiculously expensive btw - these are specifically made for drilling plastic.

Unibit ^= plastic (acrylic) specific bit. A unibit is a stepped bit designed for a variety of materials, for creating a small hole & enlarging it. Sheet metal, especially painted is a classic unibit application. An acrylic specific bit is entirely different, it's designed not to grab the material upon exit.

 

In this case I'd likely try the unibit - the ASM cups are thin & fragile...............the rest of the babble was simply an FYI

[phisigs79]

I have thought of doing this as well but i have on issue with it. Sometimes my skimmer will react to something in the water and cause the cup to overflow. It goes back into the tank and just keeps overflowing (not a problem) But if you drip the cup and it keeps overflowing what keeps it from emptying out your sump and burning up your pumps,etc.?

[discretekarma]

My skimmer is dialed all the way down and is skimming VERY wet. Almost clear. I'm not sure why but I'm getting tired of going back and forth with the cup. I might try what someone recommended before to do a water change through the cup. Just turn in up and start a siphon until it stops. It's worked before. I just don't know why it's happening.

 

Would new fish cause that?

[Carl]

I have thought of doing this as well but i have on issue with it. Sometimes my skimmer will react to something in the water and cause the cup to overflow. It goes back into the tank and just keeps overflowing (not a problem) But if you drip the cup and it keeps overflowing what keeps it from emptying out your sump and burning up your pumps,etc.?

 

I've heard of - not seen - someone take the air intake from the skimmer recirulating pump - and put it in the 5 gallon skimmer collection bucket. So if the skimmer skims out 5 gallons of skimmate, the air intake will then be under water, and not produce bubbles, and skim any longer, until the 5 gallon bucket is emptied.

 

I do recall that Dan said this was a bad idea...but don't remember why.

 

-Carl

[ErikS]

I've heard of - not seen - someone take the air intake from the skimmer recirulating pump - and put it in the 5 gallon skimmer collection bucket. So if the skimmer skims out 5 gallons of skimmate, the air intake will then be under water, and not produce bubbles, and skim any longer, until the 5 gallon bucket is emptied.

 

I do recall that Dan said this was a bad idea...but don't remember why.

It would depend on the pump, but some pumps with needle wheels won't live long in an airless configuration.

[flowerseller]

PM'd

 

 

For new to skimmer people, I suggest they keep the collection containert inside the sump until they become acustomed to it and it's adjustment needs.

This way, if it fills to fast, it simply spills into the tank, not the floor. It won't hurt the tank since that's were it came from in the first place You're just back at ground zero, but with dry carpet.

Having the drain 1" off the bottom of a container with a hole slightly larger than the drain tube allows back pressure to stop excess foam production.

 

btw,

Build up on the neck of a skimmer is not such a big deal since it allows skimmate to collect/stick easier from the foaming action.

The neck does need to be cleaned, certainly not several times a week, but more like several times a month.

[Brian Ward]

My skimmer is dialed all the way down and is skimming VERY wet. Almost clear. I'm not sure why but I'm getting tired of going back and forth with the cup. I might try what someone recommended before to do a water change through the cup. Just turn in up and start a siphon until it stops. It's worked before. I just don't know why it's happening.

 

Would new fish cause that?

 

 

 

New fish wouldn't generally cause it. Clogged air intake would. Have you run hot RO through the air intake tube lately?

[phisigs79]

How about another idea. Drill the skimmer and attach a gate valve. While in use, keep it closed. When you want to empty open it up,empty and close. Still need to clean the neck once a week or so.

 

Did you put store water in the tank or your hands after you washed them? I have seen this happen after washing by hands and it takes a day or so to calm down

[treesprite]

Be very careful drilling the cup/lid of an ASM skimmer. The body is made of clear PVC & pretty easy to drill but the cup & lid are made of some plastic. They crack/shatter easily.

 

Do you know if this would be a problem on an Odyssea ps160 skimmer cup? I am thinking I could put in a piece of airline then put a little airline plug in it which I can take off whenever I want to drain.

[Rascal]

I have thought of doing this as well but i have on issue with it. Sometimes my skimmer will react to something in the water and cause the cup to overflow. It goes back into the tank and just keeps overflowing (not a problem) But if you drip the cup and it keeps overflowing what keeps it from emptying out your sump and burning up your pumps,etc.?

 

Chris:

 

I had the same concern. So what I did was just drill a hole in the lid and stick 1/4" airline in there so it goes all the way to the bottom of the collection cup. When I want to empty it but don't feel like taking the cup off I just suck on the other end of the airline to start a siphon and stick it in the sink. That way I have the convenience of a semi-auto drain when the cup needs to be emptied but I just don't have time to do it, without worrying about emptying the sump.

[treesprite]

Chris:

 

I had the same concern. So what I did was just drill a hole in the lid and stick 1/4" airline in there so it goes all the way to the bottom of the collection cup. When I want to empty it but don't feel like taking the cup off I just suck on the other end of the airline to start a siphon and stick it in the sink. That way I have the convenience of a semi-auto drain when the cup needs to be emptied but I just don't have time to do it, without worrying about emptying the sump.

 

Are you telling me that you risk getting skimmate in your mouth?

[Rascal]

Are you telling me that you risk getting skimmate in your mouth?

 

Only when I've been supplementing the fish food with garlic.

 

It's a long strech of airline - 3-4 feet, with no dips so there isn't any residual skimmate in it after it drains and I have plenty of time to get out of the way before the gunk starts coming out of the end.

[davelin315]

Only when I've been supplementing the fish food with garlic.

 

It's a long strech of airline - 3-4 feet, with no dips so there isn't any residual skimmate in it after it drains and I have plenty of time to get out of the way before the gunk starts coming out of the end.

Right... I always say the same thing when starting a siphon... and I get a mouthful about 1 out of 10 times... skimmate in my mouth... I think I'd welcome the taste of vomit!

[bprinehart]

Scott I did the exact same thing on my ASM:

 

Be careful as stated previously. The plastic of the cup is very thin. The tube then runs to a gallon milk jug. I clean the cup and riser every 2-3 days like clockwork, so the laziness thing doesn't come into play with me, but I can see how it could encourage some laziness. HTH.

Edited March 27, 2008 by bprinehart