Can I run my protein skimmer to a drain?

[dante411x]

Silly question I think. Is there any reason not to run my protein skimmer output into a drain instead of a collection cup? I have an external skimmer (MTC HSA 2000) and a floor drain that are very close to each other....

[YHSublime]

You could, if your skimmer overflows, then you'll pump all your water out via your skimmer, that would be a whoops.

[Djplus1]

Touching on the previous comment, I would skim dryer if you decided to do that. I have a waste collector with a float valve that effectively enables me to not need to empty the cup as often, but at least I have the switch to stop the skimmer from draining my tank.

[dante411x]

That's what I'm worried about. However, I run this skimmer about as dry as possible. I think I'll give it a few weeks with a collection bucket and if there aren't any accidents, it'll go down the drain and I'm going to be really really happy

[Scott_LM]

Be careful with the bucket.  If your skimmer were to overflow at least with the drain the house would be fine.  With the bucket, the skimmer overflows, then the bucket, then the carpet or hardwood is ruined and next comes a very unhappy wife.  Then comes more complaining about the large tank purchases, then general misery in the household.  

[John Ford]

I flooded my carpet because I thought I had it under control.. As my skimmer was going nuts my ato dumped my fresh water.

Without a way of shutting off your skimmer it's a bad idea in my opinion

[dante411x]

With those thoughts in mind, I think that output is going down the drain. As much as I would rather not have my return pump blow from running dry, it's way cheaper to replace that than the carpet. Or the house.

[monkiboy]

I flooded my carpet because I thought I had it under control.. As my skimmer was going nuts my ato dumped my fresh water.

Without a way of shutting off your skimmer it's a bad idea in my opinion

absolutely. no matter how reliable it skims the one day it decides to go bezerk and it drains nonstop into the drain you'll regret it. use a skimmate locker. if you really never want to deal with it, hook up a pump in the locker to pump it from the locker to the drain with a uniseal on the bucket/vessel/locker.

[dante411x]

Could I put a float switch into the bucket that will shut off the skimmer if the level gets too high?

[dante411x]

The way I see this happening, I put a float switch into the bucket (I'm talking a bucket the size of a 32 gallon trashcan) that the skimmer pump is plugged in to. Then I add a sump pump to the bucket with a hose going down the drain. If I ever see the skimmer stop working, plug in the sump pump and voila!

[monkiboy]

a float switch is likely to fail in sticky and thick skimmate. i'd try my hand at a pressure switch from avast or if you you're the DIY type make your own. less likely to fail in general but definitely under those conditions. and you're going to have a 32g trash can to collect skimmate? how large a system is this for out of curiosity? why not just use a superlocker add the uniseal and pump and done? if you have a controller, have the pump come on to drain the locker when the pressure switch triggers it. if it does it more than once in a specified time period it drains and will shut off the skimmer and send you an alert to notify you of overflowing skimmer.

[dante411x]

Total volume is 270 gal. No reason for it to be that much except that I think I'll never have to deal with it this way. If it's a 32 gallon trash can I figure I'll just plug the pump in to drain it whenever I do a water change. Mainly I just never want to deal with

[paul b]

I run mine to a 5 gallon bucket with a float switch that shuts off the pump if the bucket fills.  The bucket can and did fill a number of times expecially if something large would die or if, like in my tank, 24 urching all spawned at the same time.  My float switch is a home made job made from a GFCI receptacle.

[lnevo]

You will still need to clean your skimmer. I have a swabbie and a locker and after a month its so gunked up it needs a good cleaning. The locker lasts me about that long if i dont screw something up and overflow it..

[Geoffwehler]

Interested in a breakdown of a float switch made from a GFCI receptacle. Also. Not sure I understand the problem or the difference between overflowing into a cup vs into a bucket vs into a drain. The skimmer is external. Seems like overflowing is overflowing. Not good no matter where it goes. If the skimmer were in the sump. It would overflow back into the sump. Also bad but won't run the tank dry. So why not use the largest container possible with an external unit? At least buys some time to catch it. Like to see that switch PaulB. That sounds cool.

 

 

 

[Coral Hind]

Not all floor drains go to a sanitary sewer, where does your drain go? If it goes to a sump pump the salt might affect it eventually, plus the smell could be an issue as the pump would only cycle after the sump was full of days of skimmate. Some floor drains like the one in my mechanical room go to the drain field around the house and I would fear the nasty stuff from the skimmer would help to eventually clog the gravel bed of that drain field. Just giving you something to think about.

[steveoutlaw]

I would also point out that overflowing into a drain does not provide for any way to shut the skimmer off.  Plus, if you have a p-trap full of skimmate it is going to smell like........well, crap.  If you're looking for a bigger locker, get the 5g skimmate bucket that Avast offers and put a ball valve on the bottom and run a tube to the drain.  That way you can empty it when needed and still have the failsafe of the the pressure switch to cut off the skimmer if it overflows.  Better than having it go nuts on you and draining your sump.........and running your ATO reservoir dry........and screwing up your salinity.........etc., etc.

[lnevo]

Interested in a breakdown of a float switch made from a GFCI receptacle. Also. Not sure I understand the problem or the difference between overflowing into a cup vs into a bucket vs into a drain. The skimmer is external. Seems like overflowing is overflowing. Not good no matter where it goes. If the skimmer were in the sump. It would overflow back into the sump. Also bad but won't run the tank dry. So why not use the largest container possible with an external unit? At least buys some time to catch it. Like to see that switch PaulB. That sounds cool.

Overflowing with no way to stop will drain and drain and drain....

 

If you go to a bucket or a locker of some type with a way to switch off the skimmer then at least their is a limit to how much water can be pumped out.

[YHSublime]

OP, I see you're in Alexandria. Do you have a breakout box and an Apex? If you want to stop by (I'm right by ballston commons mall) I have a the switches from an old JBJ ATO you can use.

[Origami]

Silly question I think. Is there any reason not to run my protein skimmer output into a drain instead of a collection cup? I have an external skimmer (MTC HSA 2000) and a floor drain that are very close to each other....

Yes. If your skimmer production goes to high, you'll lose too much water, replacing it with topped-off water and crashing your salinity. Shortcuts like this almost always have really bad downsides to consider.

 

You could, if your skimmer overflows, then you'll pump all your water out via your skimmer, that would be a whoops.

 

Touching on the previous comment, I would skim dryer if you decided to do that. I have a waste collector with a float valve that effectively enables me to not need to empty the cup as often, but at least I have the switch to stop the skimmer from draining my tank.

+1 on all of the above.

 

 

That's what I'm worried about. However, I run this skimmer about as dry as possible. I think I'll give it a few weeks with a collection bucket and if there aren't any accidents, it'll go down the drain and I'm going to be really really happy

Bad, bad, bad way to look at it. One day, things will take an unexpected turn and you'll curse yourself for going directly to the drain.

 

 

 

With those thoughts in mind, I think that output is going down the drain. As much as I would rather not have my return pump blow from running dry, it's way cheaper to replace that than the carpet. Or the house.

 

 

Could I put a float switch into the bucket that will shut off the skimmer if the level gets too high?

 

See the Avast skimmate locker. When the bucket is full, it cuts power to the skimmer pump so it doesn't overflow. If you're worried about the skimmer overflowing in some other way, put the skimmer in a basin and monitor the basin with either a leak detector or an ATO switch that cuts power or flow off to the skimmer when the basin starts to fill.

[sachabballi reef]

 

 

 

 

See the Avast skimmate locker. When the bucket is full, it cuts power to the skimmer pump so it doesn't overflow. If you're worried about the skimmer overflowing in some other way, put the skimmer in a basin and monitor the basin with either a leak detector or an ATO switch that cuts power or flow off to the skimmer when the basin starts to fill.

+1 I love mine and it is hooked up to my apex....

[paul b]

To make an overflow switch from a GFCI, first of all I will say it is probably illegal.  But it is not dangerous.  Just use the GFCI that you plug whatever feeds the skimmer into .  Take a wire from the neutral "load" side of the GFCi and bring it down the height of the water you want the thing shutting off at in the bucket.  Then take a ground wire from the same GFCI and bring it down to the same place.  I put the ends of those wires into a small container like an old film container.  Film is like Scotch tape but pictures stick to it.  I put some stainless steel washers into the container for a weight but you can use a rock, quarters, your false teeth, old kidney stones or anything heavy.  I glue gun those weights into the container but make sure the tips of the wires are exposed in the container so that when the water hits them, it will trip the GFCI and turn off the pump.  Drill some holes in the container so the water gets in.  Of course you can just dangle the wires in the bucket but people will tell you it is dangerous and cause all sorts of things like global warming, electracution, locusts, plague etc so put it in a container so you can't touch it with your fingers (even though it won't shock you but I don't feel like argueing as I was an electrician for 40 years and I learned one of two things)

 

On the back of the GFCI receptacle you will see where the white or neutral is connected,  Use the one that reads "Load"

I have those water detecting GFCI switches all over the place even for the leak detector under my tank.

Test the thing by sticking the thing in water.  You can also use the hot wire from the GFCI but don't do that as it will make a spark when water hits it and it could "potentially" shock you.   Now you are going to hear all the reasons you should not do that.  But don't be a Sissy.  Be a Man and make the switch.

[Origami]

^^That's a pretty cool approach, Paul. If you add a reasonably large resistor in that path, I'll bet that you could still trip the GFCI and limit the amount of current that would flow through that leg (which might arguably be a safety hazard - you know, that spark might generate ozone which, as we know, eats holes in the ozone layer).

[paul b]

^{Tom it is the neutral, there is no currect flow}

[Origami]

^{Tom it is the neutral, there is no currect flow}

It's going to carry some of the return, though, when shorted, won't it (from the pump that's being driven on the other outlet)? Don't GFCI's require the hot and neutral to become imbalanced in order to trip? That imbalance is carried through the ground? (In other words, by potentially shorting the neutral and the ground, you're adding a second, redundant wire in parallel with the neutral back to the panel. That should share the return current back to the panel, then, no?

 

Edit: Ah, but I see now. It's neutral so there should be no hazard due to an open voltage. Brilliant and elegant. Love it.