skimmer problem!! plumbing help

davidryder · 02/24/2007, 09:53 PM

in the union where the input is (three white screws), i'm not getting a seal and it's sucking a ton of air through there, even though the needle valve is all the way off. any ideas? the screws have been tightened more than they should probably have been tightened, and i just can't get it sealed.

does anyone know if it is supposed to be sealed and/or why it is sucking so much air in from there?

thanks!

SDguy · 02/24/2007, 09:56 PM

Did you put the rubber gasket in between?

shag26272 · 02/24/2007, 09:57 PM

can you make a gasket? maybe a thicker one

DevilBoy · 02/24/2007, 09:58 PM

i dont think i understand where you are getting the air leaking from?

I do notice the air silencer is not on in that photo

davidryder · 02/24/2007, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SDguy
Did you put the rubber gasket in between?

lol that was it...

another question though... the hole that allows a 1/2" hose to drain the skimmate. if this hole is not plugged, it will overflow and shoot through it... at full blast. how should i fix that?

DevilBoy · 02/24/2007, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by davidryder
lol that was it...

another question though... the hole that allows a 1/2" hose to drain the skimmate. if this hole is not plugged, it will overflow and shoot through it... at full blast. how should i fix that?

David,
There should be a barbed threaded fitting that will screw into the collection cups threaded hole. Then just run a regular flexible tubing into some type of collection container and then the skimmate will just drip into the container

like this:

now run the tubing into a container.

davidryder · 02/25/2007, 10:14 AM

ok, i think the head created by the PVC going up and over the sump is creating the pressure... i'm breaking down my sump and am going to just put the skimmer in the sump!!!

DevilBoy · 02/25/2007, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by davidryder
ok, i think the head created by the PVC going up and over the sump is creating the pressure... i'm breaking down my sump and am going to just put the skimmer in the sump!!!

ok...

davidryder · 02/26/2007, 12:04 AM

ok, i got an email from Andy at MRC confirming my suspicions. the skimmer cannot drain uphill as it creates back pressure and hence the pressure on the skimmate outlet.

so, here is what i have so far:

^^^this is a shot of the right side of my sump. the gen-x pcx-40 pulls water after the water passes through the bubble trap.

^^^this is a shot of the left side of the sump. the drain from my overflow and skimmer are dumped here, the passes through the bubble trap.

^^^this was the fun part. this is the output from my mag 9.5. it splits here and one side goes to the overflow that came with the tank, and the other side goes up where it splits again to service two more jets i made from PVC.

^^^this is what the other side of the mag split is feeding. i think after the head loss, i'll be pushing around 700gph through with the mag.

so now all i'm waiting for is the silicon to cure, and i'll take it for a test drive lol

02/24/2007, 09:53 PM	#1
davidryder Claris or Elliot? Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nightopia Posts: 2,750	skimmer problem!! plumbing help in the union where the input is (three white screws), i'm not getting a seal and it's sucking a ton of air through there, even though the needle valve is all the way off. any ideas? the screws have been tightened more than they should probably have been tightened, and i just can't get it sealed. does anyone know if it is supposed to be sealed and/or why it is sucking so much air in from there? thanks! __________________ A rolling stone gathers no moss... Current Tank Info: 90g mixed reef, corner overflow (Mag 9.5), 25g refugium (Mag 5), 15g refugium, Orbit 260w pc, Pan World 50PX-X (Closed loop), AquaC EV-120 (now skimmerless)

02/24/2007, 09:56 PM	#2
SDguy Fish heads unite! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 23,384	Did you put the rubber gasket in between? __________________ Peter SDMAS member Marine tanks since 1989. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º> Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.

02/24/2007, 09:57 PM	#3
shag26272 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 3,088	can you make a gasket? maybe a thicker one __________________ .

02/25/2007, 10:14 AM	#7
davidryder Claris or Elliot? Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nightopia Posts: 2,750	ok, i think the head created by the PVC going up and over the sump is creating the pressure... i'm breaking down my sump and am going to just put the skimmer in the sump!!! __________________ A rolling stone gathers no moss... Current Tank Info: 90g mixed reef, corner overflow (Mag 9.5), 25g refugium (Mag 5), 15g refugium, Orbit 260w pc, Pan World 50PX-X (Closed loop), AquaC EV-120 (now skimmerless)

02/26/2007, 12:04 AM	#9
davidryder Claris or Elliot? Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nightopia Posts: 2,750	finished!! ok, i got an email from Andy at MRC confirming my suspicions. the skimmer cannot drain uphill as it creates back pressure and hence the pressure on the skimmate outlet. so, here is what i have so far: ^^^this is a shot of the right side of my sump. the gen-x pcx-40 pulls water after the water passes through the bubble trap. ^^^this is a shot of the left side of the sump. the drain from my overflow and skimmer are dumped here, the passes through the bubble trap. ^^^this was the fun part. this is the output from my mag 9.5. it splits here and one side goes to the overflow that came with the tank, and the other side goes up where it splits again to service two more jets i made from PVC. ^^^this is what the other side of the mag split is feeding. i think after the head loss, i'll be pushing around 700gph through with the mag. so now all i'm waiting for is the silicon to cure, and i'll take it for a test drive lol __________________ A rolling stone gathers no moss... Current Tank Info: 90g mixed reef, corner overflow (Mag 9.5), 25g refugium (Mag 5), 15g refugium, Orbit 260w pc, Pan World 50PX-X (Closed loop), AquaC EV-120 (now skimmerless)

02/24/2007, 09:58 PM	#4
DevilBoy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Wooster, Ohio Posts: 1,724	i dont think i understand where you are getting the air leaking from? I do notice the air silencer is not on in that photo