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DYI fitting reactor to internal skimmer


n8n

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Good morning, I'm not here to debate vodka, reactors, fug. Anyways so when people run bio reactors it is optimal to have the output of the reactor ( that is creating white junk ) feed directly to skimmer intake so skimmer can eat the white stuff. Reef dynamics ( who is now past ) designed their solutions like this. It's super easy to hook into external skimmers designed with fittings but internal that does not have a threaded intake can be tricky.

 

The skimmer is aquamaxx cones 2. What I did is I got some pvc I had laying around the house and compared the intake size to the extrernal size of pvc. What I found is the intake is about the size of the outside of a 1 inch PVC fitting. I later learned I could easily disassemble the pump and remove the intake..... Either way you go to Home Depot and take a part to see what fits. I found that 1 1/4" pvc fittings fit snug around my skimmer intake and I even found a T with a 1/2 threaded side to easily connect to reactor.

 

Fabrication.... So first I cut the sides of the T down because I didn't need it as long using dremel. I next drilled a hole in the PVC offset for the air valve. The air valve can be carefully removed from skimmer pump and inserted through the hole in pvc once the fitting is in place. The air valve is basically preventing the T from falling off.

 

Here is pic of end product maybe 30 minutes total fabrication time. Took way longer to hassle with getting skimmer out of sump and positioned and cleaned ...

 

I made zero modification to the actual skimmer so it can easily be tossed and return to original configuration if it doesn't work. I think the pvc cost was less than $5.

 

19162700759_358663d844_b.jpg

 

19161257488_5081d581bc_b.jpg

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does it work? are you satisfied with it? Thank you for sharing.

I do not really understand the question. Does the PVC T stay on the skimmer? Yes the air hose going through where I drilled it is holding it on. Is the output of the reactor going into the skimmer? Well when I put my hand next to the open side I can feel a sucking pressure so I'd have to say yes. Does the reactor work better? Dude I just fabricated this thing last night we will have to wait and see. Does the skimmer operate? About as good as before it seems like.

 

Hopefully that helps

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(edited)

Am I satisfied ? This is my first skimmer. I don't have a lot of opinion and the grass is always greener on the other side.

 

Personally if I had it to do all over again probably I would do an external recirculating skimmer that was not dependent on depth that had a threaded intake that I could bolt the reactor back onto. I'm also curious about multi speed dc pumps and self cleaning necks. All of this has to do with my skimmer not it's fitting.

 

How is my skimmer doing? It's sucking stuff out of the tank. Maybe 1/2 quart in two days. Is that good ?

 

 

Nathan

Edited by n8n
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Am I satisfied ? This is my first skimmer. I don't have a lot of opinion and the grass is always greener on the other side.

 

Personally if I had it to do all over again probably I would do an external recirculating skimmer that was not dependent on depth that had a threaded intake that I could bolt the reactor back onto. I'm also curious about multi speed dc pumps and self cleaning necks. All of this has to do with my skimmer not it's fitting.

 

How is my skimmer doing? It's sucking stuff out of the tank. Maybe 1/2 quart in two days. Is that good ?

 

 

Nathan

It sounds good. however, depend on the skimmate dark or light? If it is dark then it is very good. Light is more stuffs. I refer not so dark and not so light ether. kind in between like green tea.  

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The color and quantity is obviously dependent on bio load, skimmer model, no how wet or dry its configured so my results will probably be different. Here is some pics of how it is since I added this mod yesterday.

 

19379843715_3469dc7b98_b.jpg

 

 

18757315494_45428fddc0_b.jpg

 

I could probably darken it by tuning down skimmer and lighten it tuning it up. All the carbon dosing / vodka / bio pellet / reactor stuff I've read tend to suggest wet skimming rather than dry.

 

I debating buying a new skimmer hopefully moving the reactor output from a couple inches away to directly feeding into skimmer improves things.

 

I'm have about 110 water volume including sump with aquamaxx cones cs2. I'm limited on space, there is a RLSS R8 on sale at quantum with more than twice the air and water speed than what I have now but not really sure if it will in the end make much of a difference or if there is something better that will fit in the space. I have 10" l x 17.25" w x 24.5" h. Baffles set to 9.5" can go beyond 10 inches if that portion is above the 9.5" baffles.

 

Nathan

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It sounds good. however, depend on the skimmate dark or light? If it is dark then it is very good. Light is more stuffs. I refer not so dark and not so light ether. kind in between like green tea.

 

6 days about 1.5 quarts dark brown stuff. Haven't cleaned skimmer or anything since I did install. Seems like it's working.

 

Nitrates: 3

Phosphates: 0.01

 

Softcorals, polyps, zoas, anemones, and fish.

 

Feeding a little bit more than previously with new addition.

 

Nathan

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The color and quantity is obviously dependent on bio load, skimmer model, no how wet or dry its configured so my results will probably be different. Here is some pics of how it is since I added this mod yesterday.

 

19379843715_3469dc7b98_b.jpg

 

 

18757315494_45428fddc0_b.jpg

 

I could probably darken it by tuning down skimmer and lighten it tuning it up. All the carbon dosing / vodka / bio pellet / reactor stuff I've read tend to suggest wet skimming rather than dry.

 

I debating buying a new skimmer hopefully moving the reactor output from a couple inches away to directly feeding into skimmer improves things.

 

I'm have about 110 water volume including sump with aquamaxx cones cs2. I'm limited on space, there is a RLSS R8 on sale at quantum with more than twice the air and water speed than what I have now but not really sure if it will in the end make much of a difference or if there is something better that will fit in the space. I have 10" l x 17.25" w x 24.5" h. Baffles set to 9.5" can go beyond 10 inches if that portion is above the 9.5" baffles.

 

Nathan

Great! That is kind of color i would like for mine. so with the mod your skimmer is working great so far. congrats.

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(edited)

It actually more than I recall closer to 2.25 qt in 6 days. Here is color:

 

19345986768_0194c2bed7_b.jpg

Edited by n8n
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9 day update, decided to empty locker and clean neck. It's pulling out more junk then before mod. I think 4.25 qt of brown stuff in 9 days is good for 93g cube. So maybe safe to say I'm removing 1/2 qt a day? Not really sure how this compares to others.

 

Last night I fed the beast in my tank two silversides and saw overnight jump in skimmate. I also run filter sock that is replaced every 2 days.

 

19416147408_16c2d665f4_b.jpg

 

Nathan

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I would skim drier than that. I run a reef dynamics BP reactor with output going straight to my skimmer intake. That's just too much skimmate in one day, IMO.

 

 

--

Warren

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