Preview of 'PegLeg', the new 2011 AVAST Cone Skimmer DIY Kit

ctenophore · 11/26/2010, 07:48 PM

Fresh out of our CAD application's rendering tool, this is what the new pump-underneath version of our CS1 DIY cone skimmer kit (nicknamed 'PegLeg') will look like:

We've moved the pump underneath the cone body, which adds a few inches to the height requirement (22" now) but drastically reduces the sump footprint to only 10"x9".

Also, we changed the old gate valve to a bottom drain pipe with a custom built micro-adjustable valve. Much better water level adjustability this way, and you don't have to put your hand in the water to adjust the skimmer. Note that the silencer has been moved off the cup flange and onto the hartford loop pipe, which makes removing the cup a little easier.

One other change not easily seen is the cone to neck flange connection has been improved from a two-piece acrylic + PVC assembly to a single PVC ring that is milled to fit over the cone. This means an easier & cleaner fit during assembly.

These are available for Preorder, as they are in final production and we plan to ship them on or around Dec. 8th. Order yours now to take advantage of the black friday sale going on until Monday at midnight! (coupon code 'thanks15')

Christian_S · 11/26/2010, 07:56 PM

I think the skimmer needs a bigger collecting cup JMO

ctenophore · 11/26/2010, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christian_S

I think the skimmer needs a bigger collecting cup JMO

It has a drain, which allows it to be used with our skimmate Locker. A bigger cup just adds to the cost, for little benefit since the Locker also doubles as a skimmer shutoff safety device.

Christian_S · 11/26/2010, 08:53 PM

but how about if I don't want to use the skimmer locker ??

so if I want the skimmer, do I need to buy the skimmer locker has well ??

thanks

ctenophore · 11/26/2010, 09:14 PM

No, locker is definitely not required. If you don't want to use the drain, it comes with a plug.

austin93 · 11/29/2010, 03:33 PM

What is your reasonable expectation for tank load? I run a 150g sps system with probably 200g total volume. Would this be suitable or should I wait for the larger iteration? I realize it says 100 to 200, but sometimes this number doesn't imply fully sps or heavy stocking. Thanks.

ctenophore · 11/29/2010, 04:23 PM

Hi Austin,

I think it depends on how many large fish you have. A 150 sps tank is certainly within capability of this skimmer, but with e.g., 5 large tangs requiring several sheets of nori per day, maybe that's stretching it. Similarly, a big group of anthias being fed 3-4x per day may also be a stretch.

With a Swabbie you could get away with more as that would keep the skimmer running at peak efficiency longer than without.

Hope this helps.
Justin

Snafu-2112 · 12/14/2010, 09:41 PM

I'd still recommend a larger collection cup. The cost of buying an auto-shut off "davy jones' skimmate locker" is far more than a larger collection cup should cost.

Avast Marine · 12/15/2010, 12:28 AM

Thanks for the feedback. The CAD rendering was not perfectly scaled. Here is a picture of the final product showing actual size of collection cup.

Picture also shows the locker and swabbie which are simply accessories for our skimmer (and many others) and are not in any way required.

Eel-byte · 12/16/2010, 08:55 AM

Do you plan on updating the instructions on the website? Also I'm running a 120g mixed reef and planning on having around 6-10 fish. Is this skimmer a good fit for this tank bio load?

Avast Marine · 12/16/2010, 04:00 PM

Assembly instructions along with a new video should be up very shortly. This skimmer will have absolutely no trouble keeping up with your tank load.

Eel-byte · 12/16/2010, 04:07 PM

Cant wait, ordered mine today!

Haddonisreef · 12/05/2011, 08:57 PM

I also just picked one up and what's the best depth to run it in?

ctenophore · 12/06/2011, 07:49 AM

7" is what we've found to work best.

Haddonisreef · 12/06/2011, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctenophore

7" is what we've found to work best.

Awesome I'll make a riser!

Haddonisreef · 12/21/2011, 07:34 AM

So made the riser and shortened the out put line and still will over flow! What should I do I'm about ready to sell it!

Der ABT · 12/21/2011, 01:25 PM

how long have you had it running, they need to break in...literally we have a local that was at wits end trying to do everything, he let it run for a week and next thing you know it was working perfectly and he is beyond happy he didnt sell it.
he just took the top off and let her run.
he had just put the tank up and had so many known bubble-crazing agents in there that it may take a week. Putty, new tank, filter socks, new skimmer, dry sand- Adding some mysis might help balance it out (only half kidding- mysis is known for shutting down skimmate production)

here is his update with it working
Quote:
Happy to report the skimmer is working great now!
If anyone has the same problem I recommend first raising as high as you can without the base being out of the water. Then, taking the "T" that the gate valve is attached to off the outlet pipe. Then angle the outlet pipe so it's not going straight up and the water output is a little under water. That will help with the back pressure and drop the level of all the foam. Let it run like that for 24 hours and it will build up a nice thick bubble mass that will eventually go into the cup. Once all the stuff is out of the tank you can start to lower and stand the output pipe back up.
Right now I have the skimmer lowered all the way and the gate valve back on. It's all the way open but it's on
Thanks for all the help everyone
End Quote

Hope this helps seriously this skimmer is well worth keeping...best of lucky happy holidays...Justin or Dan may chime in with better advice

Haddonisreef · 12/23/2011, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Der ABT

how long have you had it running, they need to break in...literally we have a local that was at wits end trying to do everything, he let it run for a week and next thing you know it was working perfectly and he is beyond happy he didnt sell it.
he just took the top off and let her run.
he had just put the tank up and had so many known bubble-crazing agents in there that it may take a week. Putty, new tank, filter socks, new skimmer, dry sand- Adding some mysis might help balance it out (only half kidding- mysis is known for shutting down skimmate production)

here is his update with it working
Quote:
Happy to report the skimmer is working great now!
If anyone has the same problem I recommend first raising as high as you can without the base being out of the water. Then, taking the "T" that the gate valve is attached to off the outlet pipe. Then angle the outlet pipe so it's not going straight up and the water output is a little under water. That will help with the back pressure and drop the level of all the foam. Let it run like that for 24 hours and it will build up a nice thick bubble mass that will eventually go into the cup. Once all the stuff is out of the tank you can start to lower and stand the output pipe back up.
Right now I have the skimmer lowered all the way and the gate valve back on. It's all the way open but it's on
Thanks for all the help everyone
End Quote

Hope this helps seriously this skimmer is well worth keeping...best of lucky happy holidays...Justin or Dan may chime in with better advice

So bought it used so shouldnt need break in time? I have been running it w/o cup with no change (been 2 days) Its running on a trough w no sand and the refigum did have new sand before i put the skimmer on, so when i get the new tank going w new sand will the skimmer continue to overflow!

ctenophore · 12/23/2011, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haddonisreef

So bought it used so shouldnt need break in time? I have been running it w/o cup with no change (been 2 days) Its running on a trough w no sand and the refigum did have new sand before i put the skimmer on, so when i get the new tank going w new sand will the skimmer continue to overflow!

Try letting it drain to a bucket for an hour or so. You have something in the water that is causing lots of foam production. Lots of things can cause this, new sand only being one. New filter socks, some chemicals & food, etc. It will calm down after you let it process & remove whatever is in the water. Simply leaving the cup off just recirculates whatever is causing the superfoam. Hope this helps!

Justin

necessary_evil · 12/25/2011, 10:21 AM

Pictures always help, I just finished building mine and i modified a few things and it works spectacularly. Lets see what you got and I might be able to be helpful

mojo~ · 12/26/2011, 10:29 AM

i wouldnt worry after about a week of running it should start to slime up and start kicking in. All skimmers new or used have to break in. The peg leg is no different. Its a great skimmer.

Mojo~

Haddonisreef · 01/02/2012, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by necessary_evil

Pictures always help, I just finished building mine and i modified a few things and it works spectacularly. Lets see what you got and I might be able to be helpful

Here's what I have and it's still overflowing

Avast Marine · 01/02/2012, 10:03 AM

The elbow you have submerged is causing back pressure. I assume it is there to prevent splashing after you raised the skimmer. Instead try cutting your white pvc riser pipe (the 1" schedule 40 piece that goes up to silencer) down so the output of the tee is at your water level.

Haddonisreef · 01/02/2012, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avast Marine

The elbow you have submerged is causing back pressure. I assume it is there to prevent splashing after you raised the skimmer. Instead try cutting your white pvc riser pipe (the 1" schedule 40 piece that goes up to silencer) down so the output of the tee is at your water level.

Thanks for the quick reply! I'll do that after I get the kidos breakfast!

Haddonisreef · 01/02/2012, 06:42 PM

Well she is now performing as expected! Thanks again!!

11/26/2010, 07:48 PM	#1
ctenophore RC Sponsor Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Rockville MD Posts: 707	Preview of 'PegLeg', the new 2011 AVAST Cone Skimmer DIY Kit Fresh out of our CAD application's rendering tool, this is what the new pump-underneath version of our CS1 DIY cone skimmer kit (nicknamed 'PegLeg') will look like: We've moved the pump underneath the cone body, which adds a few inches to the height requirement (22" now) but drastically reduces the sump footprint to only 10"x9". Also, we changed the old gate valve to a bottom drain pipe with a custom built micro-adjustable valve. Much better water level adjustability this way, and you don't have to put your hand in the water to adjust the skimmer. Note that the silencer has been moved off the cup flange and onto the hartford loop pipe, which makes removing the cup a little easier. One other change not easily seen is the cone to neck flange connection has been improved from a two-piece acrylic + PVC assembly to a single PVC ring that is milled to fit over the cone. This means an easier & cleaner fit during assembly. These are available for Preorder, as they are in final production and we plan to ship them on or around Dec. 8th. Order yours now to take advantage of the black friday sale going on until Monday at midnight! (coupon code 'thanks15')

11/29/2010, 03:33 PM	#6
austin93 Don't Panic! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Trenton, MO Posts: 757	What is your reasonable expectation for tank load? I run a 150g sps system with probably 200g total volume. Would this be suitable or should I wait for the larger iteration? I realize it says 100 to 200, but sometimes this number doesn't imply fully sps or heavy stocking. Thanks. __________________ DON'T PANIC! Current Tank Info: 30 Rimless

12/15/2010, 12:28 AM	#9
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	Thanks for the feedback. The CAD rendering was not perfectly scaled. Here is a picture of the final product showing actual size of collection cup. Picture also shows the locker and swabbie which are simply accessories for our skimmer (and many others) and are not in any way required. __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

12/16/2010, 04:00 PM	#11
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	Assembly instructions along with a new video should be up very shortly. This skimmer will have absolutely no trouble keeping up with your tank load. __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

12/26/2011, 10:29 AM	#21
mojo~ Skimmer Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IN Posts: 5,647	i wouldnt worry after about a week of running it should start to slime up and start kicking in. All skimmers new or used have to break in. The peg leg is no different. Its a great skimmer. Mojo~ __________________ Mojo~

11/26/2010, 07:56 PM	#2
Christian_S Moved On Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: El Monte CA Posts: 116	I think the skimmer needs a bigger collecting cup JMO

11/26/2010, 08:53 PM	#4
Christian_S Moved On Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: El Monte CA Posts: 116	but how about if I don't want to use the skimmer locker ?? so if I want the skimmer, do I need to buy the skimmer locker has well ?? thanks

11/26/2010, 09:14 PM	#5
ctenophore RC Sponsor Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Rockville MD Posts: 707	No, locker is definitely not required. If you don't want to use the drain, it comes with a plug.

11/29/2010, 04:23 PM	#7
ctenophore RC Sponsor Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Rockville MD Posts: 707	Hi Austin, I think it depends on how many large fish you have. A 150 sps tank is certainly within capability of this skimmer, but with e.g., 5 large tangs requiring several sheets of nori per day, maybe that's stretching it. Similarly, a big group of anthias being fed 3-4x per day may also be a stretch. With a Swabbie you could get away with more as that would keep the skimmer running at peak efficiency longer than without. Hope this helps. Justin

12/14/2010, 09:41 PM	#8
Snafu-2112 Moved On Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Mandeville Posts: 61	I'd still recommend a larger collection cup. The cost of buying an auto-shut off "davy jones' skimmate locker" is far more than a larger collection cup should cost.

12/16/2010, 08:55 AM	#10
Eel-byte Premium Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Duluth, Mn Posts: 1,508	Do you plan on updating the instructions on the website? Also I'm running a 120g mixed reef and planning on having around 6-10 fish. Is this skimmer a good fit for this tank bio load?

12/16/2010, 04:07 PM	#12
Eel-byte Premium Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Duluth, Mn Posts: 1,508	Cant wait, ordered mine today!

12/05/2011, 08:57 PM	#13
Haddonisreef Registered Member. Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Where ever she needs me Posts: 2,902	I also just picked one up and what's the best depth to run it in?

12/06/2011, 07:49 AM	#14
ctenophore RC Sponsor Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Rockville MD Posts: 707	7" is what we've found to work best.

12/21/2011, 07:34 AM	#16
Haddonisreef Registered Member. Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Where ever she needs me Posts: 2,902	So made the riser and shortened the out put line and still will over flow! What should I do I'm about ready to sell it!

12/21/2011, 01:25 PM	#17
Der ABT Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 304	how long have you had it running, they need to break in...literally we have a local that was at wits end trying to do everything, he let it run for a week and next thing you know it was working perfectly and he is beyond happy he didnt sell it. he just took the top off and let her run. he had just put the tank up and had so many known bubble-crazing agents in there that it may take a week. Putty, new tank, filter socks, new skimmer, dry sand- Adding some mysis might help balance it out (only half kidding- mysis is known for shutting down skimmate production) here is his update with it working Quote: Happy to report the skimmer is working great now! If anyone has the same problem I recommend first raising as high as you can without the base being out of the water. Then, taking the "T" that the gate valve is attached to off the outlet pipe. Then angle the outlet pipe so it's not going straight up and the water output is a little under water. That will help with the back pressure and drop the level of all the foam. Let it run like that for 24 hours and it will build up a nice thick bubble mass that will eventually go into the cup. Once all the stuff is out of the tank you can start to lower and stand the output pipe back up. Right now I have the skimmer lowered all the way and the gate valve back on. It's all the way open but it's on Thanks for all the help everyone End Quote Hope this helps seriously this skimmer is well worth keeping...best of lucky happy holidays...Justin or Dan may chime in with better advice

12/25/2011, 10:21 AM	#20
necessary_evil Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Saint Petersburg, FL Posts: 136	Pictures always help, I just finished building mine and i modified a few things and it works spectacularly. Lets see what you got and I might be able to be helpful

01/02/2012, 10:03 AM	#23
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	The elbow you have submerged is causing back pressure. I assume it is there to prevent splashing after you raised the skimmer. Instead try cutting your white pvc riser pipe (the 1" schedule 40 piece that goes up to silencer) down so the output of the tee is at your water level. __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

01/02/2012, 06:42 PM	#25
Haddonisreef Registered Member. Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Where ever she needs me Posts: 2,902	Well she is now performing as expected! Thanks again!!

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