Got LifeReef ??? Show us your LifeReef Sumps, Skimmers, and Anything else you may have by LifeReef.

[Member No 1]

Hey #1, how did you whip that up?

Red 3/4" PVC + Lathe
I'm a Progressive Tool & Die maker by trade. Now GM, so I don't get to play with all the cool toys in the shop. So I have to do stuff like this to keep myself sane!

 

[markstubb]

So i didnt like the varios 6s as much so i ordered a fluval sp4. Will see how that is compare to the varios as its a ac and pressure pump compare to dc pump.

What didn't you like about the varios6? Mine seems just fine

 

[scuzy]

What didn't you like about the varios6? Mine seems just fine

Maybe it's me I'm just not seeing as much bubbles as it was with my bubble King. Heard it just runs better with a pressure rated pump. So giving the AC pump a try.

 

[markstubb]

Mine seems fine - do let us know what you think

 

[scuzy]

Well the sp4 fluval didnt perform as well as the varios6. Just ordered a dcp10000 and see if its better.

If the dcp10000 is right ill eventually put a red dragon 100w on this bad boy.

 

[MJNTWise]

My 36" external just waiting to the DT to show up so it can get hooked up.

I might be wrong....But the way you have it set up, it might not work...the drain is too high....the way you have it set up the water level will be the same height as the 90....Just my thoughts...
Matt

 

[markstubb]

Yeah, how would it drain with the exit pipe going so high like that?

 

[markstubb]

Well the sp4 fluval didnt perform as well as the varios6. Just ordered a dcp10000 and see if its better.

If the dcp10000 is right ill eventually put a red dragon 100w on this bad boy.

dang. A red dragon. Why not a varios8?

 

[MJNTWise]

Yeah, how would it drain with the exit pipe going so high like that?

My thoughts exactly......

 

[Don Lidtke]

I might be wrong....But the way you have it set up, it might not work...the drain is too high....the way you have it set up the water level will be the same height as the 90....Just my thoughts...
Matt

Hmm... that’s a good point and if so I am screwed because the skimmer won’t fit in the sump area.

I was thinking this is a pressure feed system, for some odd reason, so the return is pushing the water out but you’re right it’s gravity feed. Good grief, now what are my options?

 

[MJNTWise]

Can you raise the skimmer anymore?

 

[Don Lidtke]

Can you raise the skimmer anymore?

This is the setup I currently have so I should have room to raise it up. I will have to look into changing the pump with the added head height as well.

 

[markstubb]

Hmm... that’s a good point and if so I am screwed because the skimmer won’t fit in the sump area.

I was thinking this is a pressure feed system, for some odd reason, so the return is pushing the water out but you’re right it’s gravity feed. Good grief, now what are my options?

well, there are two options.

first is to raise the skimmer (and quite a ways) as the return should be slightly underwater, but not much more than that. Well, at least on my "normal" skimmer. I don't know what the requirements are on that beast.

Second option is to plumb the output into a pump and pump the return back. You'd need to tune it with the gate valve, but I'm guessing you'd have to tune it even more with a DC pump. The other option is a basin of some sort that the skimmer empties into and then you pump back from that. Would be a good place to put a fuge maybe? You'd need a float sensor at the top to make sure it'd alarm you if the pump failed and the fuge/basin filled up.

 

[markstubb]

And by slightly underwater, I assume you know what i mean - the return should be more or less a gravity return.

 

[legionofdoon]

Yeah, how would it drain with the exit pipe going so high like that?

The top one is the intake pipe

 

[Don Lidtke]

well, there are two options.

first is to raise the skimmer (and quite a ways) as the return should be slightly underwater, but not much more than that. Well, at least on my "normal" skimmer. I don't know what the requirements are on that beast.

Second option is to plumb the output into a pump and pump the return back. You'd need to tune it with the gate valve, but I'm guessing you'd have to tune it even more with a DC pump. The other option is a basin of some sort that the skimmer empties into and then you pump back from that. Would be a good place to put a fuge maybe? You'd need a float sensor at the top to make sure it'd alarm you if the pump failed and the fuge/basin filled up.

My first thought was to add a return pump but the balance of not pulling too much water out could be tricky.

The idea of a basin sounds interesting, a 5/10 gallon aquarium would work. That would solve one of my concerns with cup overflows so I am going to look into that.

I really appreciate you guys pointing this out!

 

[legionofdoon]

You can adjust the water height in the skimmer with the gate valve, I'm running mine in about 8 inches of water and with a DCP 8000 and my gate valve is most of the way closed. My exit is at the water line. Try running it as is with a bucket or something first to see if it'll work.

 

[MJNTWise]

I would raise it...less things that could go wrong....

 

[MJNTWise]

After looking at the pic.... can you make another hole lower in the wall..

 

[Don Lidtke]

After looking at the pic.... can you make another hole lower in the wall..

I have thought of that as well but there’s electrical and network cables in the walls that with my luck they’d get damaged or cut.