SRO3000 ext plumbing

MikeTR · 12/08/2012, 04:28 PM

Using a manifold with a reeflo dart to feed skimmer. Need to go up and over the wall of the sump which I have my doubts if it will work or not. I could build a stand for the skimmer (I'd rather not) to sit up on, but then I'd have to cut the siphon tube a bit. Anyone with experience on this, see anything wrong with this situation?

shinninja · 12/08/2012, 06:32 PM

I dnt think you will have a problem. Will it be different than what you have in the picture? I had mine set up the same way for a while

shinninja · 12/08/2012, 06:34 PM

Is your return pump on the other side of that sump?

MikeTR · 12/08/2012, 07:09 PM

Return pump is just out of view to the right of the 2" ball valve. There's a 3/4" tee just behind the skimmer for the input. Here's a view before it was all glued and filled. I have yet to glue anything with the skimmer yet. My other question would be, is it possible to shorten the back siphon tube without having water squirt out of it?

shinninja · 12/08/2012, 10:39 PM

The only problem I would think of is the skimmer putting out micro bubbles, and the return sending the, to your display. The skimmer return looks real close to the return.

Which one is the back siphon tube?

MikeTR · 12/08/2012, 11:51 PM

Microbubbles should get eliminated as the water will dump into the 2nd chamber and has to flow down through a sponge to get back to the return. My other option is to have it dump into the same chamber as the return, into a 4" pvc pipe and just use a filter sock to eliminate the microbubbles. The back siphon tube is the tallest 3/4" tube which I assume is used to break the siphon if the water level rises above the return. So you don't see an issue with the skimmer surging/flushing or overflowing?

MikeTR · 12/08/2012, 11:56 PM

It's too bad I have to glue it all up to even test it. Mistakes with hard plumbing can be costly. I guess maybe I'm not understanding how the water gets forced out the skimmer return as opposed to just getting pushed up and into the collection cup.

wookie · 12/09/2012, 07:55 AM

I have the same skimmer and I was able to dry fit the out flow section for testing. Just use teflon tape at each connection for a tight fit. It did not leak so I left it. Been 2years like this. Also I would reccomend making silicone feet for the skimmer, the motor causes noise to resonate throughout the stand. Take hosehold slilicone and make like 1" diameter balls, let cure. This will eliminate the resonance.

shinninja · 12/09/2012, 08:38 AM

Im pretty sure if you do cut it and the water level is higher in the skimmer it will squirt out. Im guilty, i have never glued any of my three octopus skimmers piping. its still like that. No issues as of yet. Wookie is right about the resonance. I bought a thick rubber mat from home depot and cut it to fit under the whole skimmer and pump. Made a big difference.
As for the micro bubbles I have mine skimmer return dumping out to the furthest chamber and sometimes still get some microbubbles in the display. I think your sponge idea can work. I tried it and worked great. Only problem was the rate the sponge would get dirty. I have also used a small mesh sock with success. Now i use a home made "bubble catcher" and seems to do the trick. no need to ever change anything. set and forget.

shinninja · 12/09/2012, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeTR

I guess maybe I'm not understanding how the water gets forced out the skimmer return as opposed to just getting pushed up and into the collection cup.

Lets say your skimmers pump (the bubble blaster is off) or better yet non existent. all you have is the pump feeding your skimmer. Its just like an internal skimmer. It will push the water into the skimmer. At some point the water has to leave the skimmer otherwise it will flow through the top. So instead of flowing to the top the skimmer has that gate valve to adjust the height at which the skimmer water will stay. So if you turn on your "feed pump" to your skimmer the water will stay at a set height and just flow through the skimmer. All the bubble blaster does is make a billion bubbles.
I hope im not answering the wrong question.

MikeTR · 12/09/2012, 08:34 PM

Not sure if I'm doing something wrong here or if the height of the return pipe is the culprit. I tuned the flow to the min water level, but as soon as the bubble blaster is turned on the collection cup rapidly overflows, even with the gate valve all the way open and the feed reduced to a trickle.

MikeTR · 12/09/2012, 08:49 PM

I'm also going seriously consider building a stand for this just for the ease of being able to drain it for removal and cleaning.

shinninja · 12/09/2012, 09:51 PM

Do you think it may need to break in? I dont know why it might overflow.

I had it on a stand i brought from home depot for a good amount of time. Worked well. I have not cleaned mine since i bought it

MikeTR · 12/09/2012, 10:13 PM

I thought it may need some break in so that's why I put it at the min level. Dry fitting the plumbing was good enough for the test, but it had just a little bead of water on the edge of the return pipe so I'll have to glue it for permanent use. I'll try and put it on a box or something tomorrow and use the short piece of pipe for the return pipe to see if it makes a difference. Maybe the back pressure created by the height of the pipe is pushing the water up and into the cup? Not really sure because I can tune it to a certain level and it stays without the skimmer pump on.

shinninja · 12/09/2012, 11:12 PM

Possibly. Try it out and post your findings.

MikeTR · 12/11/2012, 09:00 PM

The added height of the outflow pipe was definitely the problem. Built a temporary stand for testing.. hook'd er up per the directions.. skims like a champ.

MikeTR · 12/12/2012, 08:10 PM

First skimmate of the season..

marty9876 · 12/12/2012, 08:57 PM

That's so wrong it's awesome!

12/08/2012, 04:28 PM	#1
MikeTR Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: SW FL Posts: 351	SRO3000 ext plumbing Using a manifold with a reeflo dart to feed skimmer. Need to go up and over the wall of the sump which I have my doubts if it will work or not. I could build a stand for the skimmer (I'd rather not) to sit up on, but then I'd have to cut the siphon tube a bit. Anyone with experience on this, see anything wrong with this situation?

12/08/2012, 06:32 PM	#2
shinninja Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 284	I dnt think you will have a problem. Will it be different than what you have in the picture? I had mine set up the same way for a while

12/08/2012, 06:34 PM	#3
shinninja Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 284	Is your return pump on the other side of that sump?

12/08/2012, 07:09 PM	#4
MikeTR Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: SW FL Posts: 351	Return pump is just out of view to the right of the 2" ball valve. There's a 3/4" tee just behind the skimmer for the input. Here's a view before it was all glued and filled. I have yet to glue anything with the skimmer yet. My other question would be, is it possible to shorten the back siphon tube without having water squirt out of it?

12/08/2012, 10:39 PM	#5
shinninja Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 284	The only problem I would think of is the skimmer putting out micro bubbles, and the return sending the, to your display. The skimmer return looks real close to the return. Which one is the back siphon tube?

12/08/2012, 11:51 PM	#6
MikeTR Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: SW FL Posts: 351	Microbubbles should get eliminated as the water will dump into the 2nd chamber and has to flow down through a sponge to get back to the return. My other option is to have it dump into the same chamber as the return, into a 4" pvc pipe and just use a filter sock to eliminate the microbubbles. The back siphon tube is the tallest 3/4" tube which I assume is used to break the siphon if the water level rises above the return. So you don't see an issue with the skimmer surging/flushing or overflowing?

12/08/2012, 11:56 PM	#7
MikeTR Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: SW FL Posts: 351	It's too bad I have to glue it all up to even test it. Mistakes with hard plumbing can be costly. I guess maybe I'm not understanding how the water gets forced out the skimmer return as opposed to just getting pushed up and into the collection cup.

12/09/2012, 07:55 AM	#8
wookie Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Dundee Posts: 124	I have the same skimmer and I was able to dry fit the out flow section for testing. Just use teflon tape at each connection for a tight fit. It did not leak so I left it. Been 2years like this. Also I would reccomend making silicone feet for the skimmer, the motor causes noise to resonate throughout the stand. Take hosehold slilicone and make like 1" diameter balls, let cure. This will eliminate the resonance.

12/09/2012, 08:38 AM	#9
shinninja Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 284	Im pretty sure if you do cut it and the water level is higher in the skimmer it will squirt out. Im guilty, i have never glued any of my three octopus skimmers piping. its still like that. No issues as of yet. Wookie is right about the resonance. I bought a thick rubber mat from home depot and cut it to fit under the whole skimmer and pump. Made a big difference. As for the micro bubbles I have mine skimmer return dumping out to the furthest chamber and sometimes still get some microbubbles in the display. I think your sponge idea can work. I tried it and worked great. Only problem was the rate the sponge would get dirty. I have also used a small mesh sock with success. Now i use a home made "bubble catcher" and seems to do the trick. no need to ever change anything. set and forget.

12/09/2012, 08:34 PM	#11
MikeTR Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: SW FL Posts: 351	Not sure if I'm doing something wrong here or if the height of the return pipe is the culprit. I tuned the flow to the min water level, but as soon as the bubble blaster is turned on the collection cup rapidly overflows, even with the gate valve all the way open and the feed reduced to a trickle.

12/09/2012, 08:49 PM	#12
MikeTR Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: SW FL Posts: 351	I'm also going seriously consider building a stand for this just for the ease of being able to drain it for removal and cleaning.

12/09/2012, 09:51 PM	#13
shinninja Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 284	Do you think it may need to break in? I dont know why it might overflow. I had it on a stand i brought from home depot for a good amount of time. Worked well. I have not cleaned mine since i bought it

12/09/2012, 10:13 PM	#14
MikeTR Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: SW FL Posts: 351	I thought it may need some break in so that's why I put it at the min level. Dry fitting the plumbing was good enough for the test, but it had just a little bead of water on the edge of the return pipe so I'll have to glue it for permanent use. I'll try and put it on a box or something tomorrow and use the short piece of pipe for the return pipe to see if it makes a difference. Maybe the back pressure created by the height of the pipe is pushing the water up and into the cup? Not really sure because I can tune it to a certain level and it stays without the skimmer pump on.

12/09/2012, 11:12 PM	#15
shinninja Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 284	Possibly. Try it out and post your findings.

12/11/2012, 09:00 PM	#16
MikeTR Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: SW FL Posts: 351	The added height of the outflow pipe was definitely the problem. Built a temporary stand for testing.. hook'd er up per the directions.. skims like a champ.

12/12/2012, 08:10 PM	#17
MikeTR Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: SW FL Posts: 351	First skimmate of the season..

12/12/2012, 08:57 PM	#18
marty9876 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 213	That's so wrong it's awesome!