Is my skimmer too high?

[queloque]

Thanks for any response.

 

[phisigs79]

Your water level is

[queloque]

Your water level is

 

 

the water level is not. Just the angle of the picture. I have about 6 inches of height above the top of the baffle. After a power outage, water level goes up 2 inches.

Edited May 28, 2009 by queloque

[bamainva]

I would say if it is working and more importantly there won't be a flood if there is a power outage it is at the right level.

[queloque]

I would say if it is working and more importantly there won't be a flood if there is a power outage it is at the right level.

 

Thanks.

yeah, i've done a few power outage tests so it won't happen in the sump. I just didn't know if the skimmer pump sucks in more gunk at a much lower level or higher level.

 

I remember reading something where skimmers perform better at a certain level in the tank but I wasn't sure.

[bamainva]

Thanks.

yeah, i've done a few power outage tests so it won't happen in the sump. I just didn't know if the skimmer pump sucks in more gunk at a much lower level or higher level.

 

I remember reading something where skimmers perform better at a certain level in the tank but I wasn't sure.

 

Hmmm...wish I could help you on that one. I haven't seen anything on that. I had a skimmer about 6-7 inches up on a platform that performed the same as when i moved it to another set up and was only about 1-2 inches up on a platform.

[Origami]

Thanks.

yeah, i've done a few power outage tests so it won't happen in the sump. I just didn't know if the skimmer pump sucks in more gunk at a much lower level or higher level.

 

I remember reading something where skimmers perform better at a certain level in the tank but I wasn't sure.

 

A few thoughts:

* There's probably enough flow through the sump to keep the target compounds (the junk you'll be skimming out) in homogeneous solution (rather than separating out), so this should not be an issue. Skimming anywhere in the water column should be ok insofar as this is concerned. It's possible there may be a slightly higher concentration of hydrophobic compounds at the air-water interface, but I wouldn't make this the deciding factor.

 

* Assuming that you are able to independently adjust the water level in the skimmer (using a gate valve or some other means):

 

* The pump intake is off the bottom, so it is less prone to sucking in debris that settles there. This may reduce maintenance needs.

 

* The pump intake is far enough from the surface to keep it from creating a whirlpool and sucking air from the surface unnaturally. (You need to make sure that this doesn't change with evaporation.)

 

* The venturi input to the pump is not too deep, this should help air intake performance (that's a good thing). (It takes more effort for a pump to pull air down deep into the water than when it's higher up.)

[queloque]

A few thoughts:

* There's probably enough flow through the sump to keep the target compounds (the junk you'll be skimming out) in homogeneous solution (rather than separating out), so this should not be an issue. Skimming anywhere in the water column should be ok insofar as this is concerned. It's possible there may be a slightly higher concentration of hydrophobic compounds at the air-water interface, but I wouldn't make this the deciding factor.

 

* Assuming that you are able to independently adjust the water level in the skimmer (using a gate valve or some other means):

 

* The pump intake is off the bottom, so it is less prone to sucking in debris that settles there. This may reduce maintenance needs.

 

* The pump intake is far enough from the surface to keep it from creating a whirlpool and sucking air from the surface unnaturally. (You need to make sure that this doesn't change with evaporation.)

 

* The venturi input to the pump is not too deep, this should help air intake performance (that's a good thing). (It takes more effort for a pump to pull air down deep into the water than when it's higher up.)

 

 

Thanks a lot!!!

[Origami]

By the way, the last three bullets were supposed to be sub-bullets under the second one.... It looks like the board software removed the extra spaces preceeding the sub-bullets. You get the message though, right?

[six-line]

I have my G-3 in 10" of water and it skims awesome, I also have the gate value mod so I can tweak it to get the opium performance.

[queloque]

By the way, the last three bullets were supposed to be sub-bullets under the second one.... It looks like the board software removed the extra spaces preceeding the sub-bullets. You get the message though, right?

 

I got it. Thanks.

[queloque]

I have my G-3 in 10" of water and it skims awesome, I also have the gate value mod so I can tweak it to get the opium performance.

 

I would screw my skimmer up if I tried to install the gate valve mod.