Octopus Skimmer Mods - Page 21

Avast Marine · 11/13/2006, 08:48 PM

Roland, I thought it was the diameter of the neck that was the limiting factor.

Dan, thats the boot I have been using with no problems, I think it is a pressure thing as well but, am interested if you turn anything else up.

danskim · 11/13/2006, 08:53 PM

Oh, that's another good explanation.
I'm still a bit scared to use it

.
Not sure how I'd find out any info though..

Roland Jacques · 11/13/2006, 09:20 PM

dandy, It is the total volume of the neck. so you can go 2 ways, taller gets you a dryer foam wider =wetter foam. it a give and take more air needs more neck volume. wider is also more practical for height constraints... but if you have room.

Avast Marine · 11/13/2006, 09:25 PM

These are made from PVC, I don't know about the ones you get from Home Depot, may be PVC, PE, EDPM, Butyl? If you decide to get one let me know, we can split the shipping, I'm going to need to get couple things for my project anyway.

RichConley · 11/13/2006, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dandy7200
I decided to end my search for replacement elbow and collection cups for my nw200.
The new cup is almost done by cutting off the metric union and gluing a 3" union in place and building the cup on that.
I am just going to recirc this thing if I have to cut the inlet pump union off, so lets talk about pumps. Now that the eheim 1262 is starting to look like a real option with the ER impeller for under $200 I am thinking that it may end up being the best bet. It will essentially be a $AP701$ if I go this route without the annoying black flange. There is also the ER modded genx4100 and as I will be running this in sump at 10" deep (pump completely submerged) I can probablly live with the noise level. There is also the genx4100 with meshwheel option although that will requir some work and I sort of want to get this thing back up and running ASAP. I refuse to use the oct3000 at this point due to the fact the company has left me high and dry on this one. OR3700 might be a good choice as well. I'm leaning towards the ER4100 and the Eheim right now. Anything I am forgetting or advice/suggestions you guys might have would be greatly appretiated at this point, I want to get everything ordered by wednesday so I can do this next weekend.

Bigger neck.

Dont bother with the ER or Deltec pumps. They dont pull any more air than a properly modified OTP3000 (less actually)

danskim · 11/13/2006, 09:39 PM

Good find Dandy7200. Explicitly says, "inert."

Avast Marine · 11/13/2006, 09:52 PM

Rich, you must have missed the part where I said these octo fellas are not getting another penny out of me. I bought this skimmer cause I figured it was about as cheap as I could make one, so now I am going to go ahead and do just that and use the body of the nw200. I went ahead and ordered the ER4100 since the volute has already been modified and I wanted to save a little time, the new style pinwheel looks pretty good but, I will also order a standard impeller from PA to play with the meshwheel to see what that can do.
Roland, I am not sure I will extend the neck or not although since it is now schedule 40 if I want to make the change it wont be hard at all.

Avast Marine · 11/14/2006, 05:22 PM

OK, now McMaster sells cast acrylic by the foot

. Do you guys think a 11" tall neck would be way overkill? A 12" tall collection cup would hold a ton-o-poo.

Avast Marine · 11/14/2006, 05:28 PM

And a follow up question, If I use the 6" tube for a cup with a 3" neck would that eliminate the need for the ring on the lid? The ring is 6" on the 8" cup.

Roland Jacques · 11/14/2006, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dandy7200
OK, now McMaster sells cast acrylic by the foot . Do you guys think a 11" tall neck would be way overkill? A 12" tall collection cup would hold a ton-o-poo.

no real reason that i can think of not to go 11" (stock is 5" the recirc are about 7") i have a 10" neck on my 7' skimmer. so if it fits under your tank go for it.

i have some 5" if you want a little piece for your lid ring, just send me a self return box and ill cut you off a piece. it not going to make that much differance IMO.

Avast Marine · 11/14/2006, 10:01 PM

Thanks Roland, I may just take you up on that. I was thinking the price for a foot of 8" tube is $51 and the 6" is $26 and I might as well use all of the stock for the cup so the 6" x 12" collection cup should hold about the same as the stock 8" x 4" cup (just a guess, no math used here) so do I really need a 8" x 12" cup? That seems like super overkill and if I cut it down, what the heck am I going to do with a piece of 8" x 8" tube build a bubble master mini? lol

BigJPDC · 11/15/2006, 07:05 AM

Is this in practice anywhere? Are you saying to make a goal post out of the mod, with the gate valve in the middle?

thanks,
jp

Quote:

Originally posted by Lake75
Got the NW150 and did the gate valve mod same as the one sold by Marine Solutions. At first, I submerged the output under water surface and it was quiet. Then I read that this will cause backpressure on the skimmer, but after having tried to raise the output above water, I found the splashing sound was too much to bear. So I replaced the 90 degree elbow with a Tee according to other people's post. Now I can submerge the output w/o causing the backpressure (at least that's what I was told), but it still has a kind of trickling sound which is quite annoying. Other than using a filter sock, is there any good method to eliminate this?

Avast Marine · 11/15/2006, 10:45 AM

I keep the T output about 1/4" above the waterline and no trickle.

BigJPDC · 11/15/2006, 10:55 AM

OK, so just the tee, and not additional pipe up form the tee. I have done something similar with my overflow plumbing and it helped out a lot with bubbles.

dandy - I saw in your tank thread you used an elbow with a piece of tubing drilled through it - is that just as good?

thanks,
jp

Avast Marine · 11/15/2006, 12:36 PM

JP, if you look back at page 3 of this thread you can see the setup for the gate valve. I had the t as the output, I make that a ell and put the t after the ell. It will make sence when you look at the picture.

danskim · 11/16/2006, 10:09 AM

Ok the rubber boot/connector we got from Ace, assuming it's the same - Mine is PCX 56-150 by Uniseal.

I called them and found it out it was made from flexible PVC. The woman I spoke to said it wouldn't be safe for drinking water... but she directed me to their website's chemical compatibility chart, and that chart says it's fine with fresh and salt water. So... I am not sure...

http://www.pipeconx.com/perl/inside.pl?choice=chem

danskim · 11/16/2006, 10:10 AM

Oh ok.. I think I get it now. The chart probably means that those liquids won't corrode the connector, but it probably isn't inert (if what she said was true, that is).

BigJPDC · 11/16/2006, 12:47 PM

thank you dandy - that's exactly what I was looking for, and the weird thing is that I have posts before and after those pictures . . .

anyways, Roland's mod just above yours also looks like it would work to keep the hands dry and exit the water back into the sump, instead of splashing over those crappy foam rings. I might try that one first.

thanks again,
jp

Avast Marine · 11/18/2006, 07:36 PM

Taking advice......I went ahead and made the neck as big as I could.

I got my 1" unions cut down as well so when the genx4100 gets here monday I can drill the body and do the recirc. Now the question I have is where do you think the optimal place is for the feed? I bought 1/2" and 3/4" mpt to insert fittings. I am trying to decide which to use? 1/2" would be good to tee off the mag drive that I use to feed my rowa and carbon reactors or if you think the enlarged neck can handle it I have a genx2400nw laying around that I could use? I guess I could use both and then just cap the one I don't need. Also I was playing around with the uniseals I have since I have not used them before, I couldn't get the pipe in on the test piece so I put in in the microwave for 10 seconds, sprayed it with some silicone lube and the pipe slipped right in......no freaking possible way to get it out

Is this the best way to get the uniseals to work? The body is only 3/16" so I don't want to have to push real hard.

JCTewks · 11/20/2006, 08:49 PM

Dandy:
What model is that and is that the factory union on the body, or did you cut the factory union off? if that is the factory union....what size mated to it on the new neck?

Jeff

Avast Marine · 11/20/2006, 11:08 PM

I cut the factory union off my NW200 and glued a 3" union on. The OD of the neck tube is a hair over 3 1/2" and OD schedule 40 is 3 1/2". Glad I took Rolands advice on this one, I've got some pictures to share in a bit

.

JCTewks · 11/20/2006, 11:34 PM

Dandy...

How did you attach the new Union to the body? I am thinking of doing something similiar on my dnw 110....only I want to make the neck taller...much taller...like 12" to the bottom of the cup. I was wanting to just buy a union that would match the stock one and put a12"extension in. Are the factory unions metric? if so do you know where to get metric unions? thanks for the great info!!

Jeff

Avast Marine · 11/20/2006, 11:44 PM

lol I searched everywhere for a union, even tried to buy one from another member here and it didn't fit. The only way to do this is to cut it off and weldon a good ol american schedule 40 (or 80) union on it. The neck I built is just a throw together cheapo to test with, I plan to actually make a acrylic one in due time. What size is the neck OD on the dnw110? Alright I need to go get those pics done and post the full mod pics.

JCTewks · 11/20/2006, 11:57 PM

I am guessing that the neck is 2-2.25" I am using and experimenting with mesh wheel impellers on the OCT 1000 pump that came with it and I am really pumping the air in...the neck won't hold it. I actually had to reconfig the gatevalve so that the water level is about four inches below the top of the body and I can stilll over flow it if I run the air wide open. I was thinking that another foot or two of neck would solve the pronlem...as well as kicking up the dwell time.

Anyone who has not done either the GG mod or the Meshwheel mod needs to do it...NOW...the performance upgrade is amazing for a few dollar investment and about ten minutes of your time.

Jeff

Avast Marine · 11/21/2006, 12:16 AM

I needed a new pump and was happy what I was seeing with kentrob11's work with the genx4100 so that is the pump I chose. I bought mine from euroreef with the pre modded volute and their new pinwheel. Cut a few holes in the body for 1" uniseals...

The feed I used a 1" uniseal with a 3/4" threaded bulkhead, so I can feed with a nw pump if I choose, for now I am going to feed with a mj900.

Heres what I think of your metric union nuts china....you can hold my pump while I shoot my....picture

Ready to test in 11" water with internal level set to bottom of union, I am using this in sump so no more plumbing is needed

I like this pump

turbulent free and ready for some poo..

enter poo....

TBC...

11/13/2006, 08:48 PM	#501
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	Roland, I thought it was the diameter of the neck that was the limiting factor. Dan, thats the boot I have been using with no problems, I think it is a pressure thing as well but, am interested if you turn anything else up. __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

11/13/2006, 08:53 PM	#502
danskim Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ellicott City, MD Posts: 1,639	Oh, that's another good explanation. I'm still a bit scared to use it . Not sure how I'd find out any info though.. __________________ Dan The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. -Jacques Cousteau

11/13/2006, 09:20 PM	#503
Roland Jacques Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 2,848	dandy, It is the total volume of the neck. so you can go 2 ways, taller gets you a dryer foam wider =wetter foam. it a give and take more air needs more neck volume. wider is also more practical for height constraints... but if you have room. __________________ Roland

11/13/2006, 09:25 PM	#504
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	These are made from PVC, I don't know about the ones you get from Home Depot, may be PVC, PE, EDPM, Butyl? If you decide to get one let me know, we can split the shipping, I'm going to need to get couple things for my project anyway. __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

11/13/2006, 09:39 PM	#506
danskim Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ellicott City, MD Posts: 1,639	Good find Dandy7200. Explicitly says, "inert." __________________ Dan The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. -Jacques Cousteau

11/13/2006, 09:52 PM	#507
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	Rich, you must have missed the part where I said these octo fellas are not getting another penny out of me. I bought this skimmer cause I figured it was about as cheap as I could make one, so now I am going to go ahead and do just that and use the body of the nw200. I went ahead and ordered the ER4100 since the volute has already been modified and I wanted to save a little time, the new style pinwheel looks pretty good but, I will also order a standard impeller from PA to play with the meshwheel to see what that can do. Roland, I am not sure I will extend the neck or not although since it is now schedule 40 if I want to make the change it wont be hard at all. __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

11/14/2006, 05:22 PM	#508
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	OK, now McMaster sells cast acrylic by the foot . Do you guys think a 11" tall neck would be way overkill? A 12" tall collection cup would hold a ton-o-poo. __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

11/14/2006, 05:28 PM	#509
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	And a follow up question, If I use the 6" tube for a cup with a 3" neck would that eliminate the need for the ring on the lid? The ring is 6" on the 8" cup. __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

11/14/2006, 10:01 PM	#511
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	Thanks Roland, I may just take you up on that. I was thinking the price for a foot of 8" tube is $51 and the 6" is $26 and I might as well use all of the stock for the cup so the 6" x 12" collection cup should hold about the same as the stock 8" x 4" cup (just a guess, no math used here) so do I really need a 8" x 12" cup? That seems like super overkill and if I cut it down, what the heck am I going to do with a piece of 8" x 8" tube build a bubble master mini? lol __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

11/15/2006, 10:45 AM	#513
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	I keep the T output about 1/4" above the waterline and no trickle. __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

11/15/2006, 10:55 AM	#514
BigJPDC Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 959	OK, so just the tee, and not additional pipe up form the tee. I have done something similar with my overflow plumbing and it helped out a lot with bubbles. dandy - I saw in your tank thread you used an elbow with a piece of tubing drilled through it - is that just as good? thanks, jp __________________ Rock in the tank is money not in my bank. Current Tank Info: 65 RR AGA

11/15/2006, 12:36 PM	#515
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	JP, if you look back at page 3 of this thread you can see the setup for the gate valve. I had the t as the output, I make that a ell and put the t after the ell. It will make sence when you look at the picture. __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

11/16/2006, 10:09 AM	#516
danskim Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ellicott City, MD Posts: 1,639	Ok the rubber boot/connector we got from Ace, assuming it's the same - Mine is PCX 56-150 by Uniseal. I called them and found it out it was made from flexible PVC. The woman I spoke to said it wouldn't be safe for drinking water... but she directed me to their website's chemical compatibility chart, and that chart says it's fine with fresh and salt water. So... I am not sure... http://www.pipeconx.com/perl/inside.pl?choice=chem __________________ Dan The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. -Jacques Cousteau

11/16/2006, 10:10 AM	#517
danskim Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ellicott City, MD Posts: 1,639	Oh ok.. I think I get it now. The chart probably means that those liquids won't corrode the connector, but it probably isn't inert (if what she said was true, that is). __________________ Dan The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. -Jacques Cousteau

11/16/2006, 12:47 PM	#518
BigJPDC Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 959	thank you dandy - that's exactly what I was looking for, and the weird thing is that I have posts before and after those pictures . . . anyways, Roland's mod just above yours also looks like it would work to keep the hands dry and exit the water back into the sump, instead of splashing over those crappy foam rings. I might try that one first. thanks again, jp __________________ Rock in the tank is money not in my bank. Current Tank Info: 65 RR AGA

11/18/2006, 07:36 PM	#519
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	Warranty Voided! Taking advice......I went ahead and made the neck as big as I could. I got my 1" unions cut down as well so when the genx4100 gets here monday I can drill the body and do the recirc. Now the question I have is where do you think the optimal place is for the feed? I bought 1/2" and 3/4" mpt to insert fittings. I am trying to decide which to use? 1/2" would be good to tee off the mag drive that I use to feed my rowa and carbon reactors or if you think the enlarged neck can handle it I have a genx2400nw laying around that I could use? I guess I could use both and then just cap the one I don't need. Also I was playing around with the uniseals I have since I have not used them before, I couldn't get the pipe in on the test piece so I put in in the microwave for 10 seconds, sprayed it with some silicone lube and the pipe slipped right in......no freaking possible way to get it out Is this the best way to get the uniseals to work? The body is only 3/16" so I don't want to have to push real hard. __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

11/20/2006, 08:49 PM	#520
JCTewks Moved On Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Wilmington, Ohio Posts: 3,040	Dandy: What model is that and is that the factory union on the body, or did you cut the factory union off? if that is the factory union....what size mated to it on the new neck? Jeff

11/20/2006, 11:08 PM	#521
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	I cut the factory union off my NW200 and glued a 3" union on. The OD of the neck tube is a hair over 3 1/2" and OD schedule 40 is 3 1/2". Glad I took Rolands advice on this one, I've got some pictures to share in a bit . __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

11/20/2006, 11:34 PM	#522
JCTewks Moved On Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Wilmington, Ohio Posts: 3,040	Dandy... How did you attach the new Union to the body? I am thinking of doing something similiar on my dnw 110....only I want to make the neck taller...much taller...like 12" to the bottom of the cup. I was wanting to just buy a union that would match the stock one and put a12"extension in. Are the factory unions metric? if so do you know where to get metric unions? thanks for the great info!! Jeff

11/20/2006, 11:44 PM	#523
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	lol I searched everywhere for a union, even tried to buy one from another member here and it didn't fit. The only way to do this is to cut it off and weldon a good ol american schedule 40 (or 80) union on it. The neck I built is just a throw together cheapo to test with, I plan to actually make a acrylic one in due time. What size is the neck OD on the dnw110? Alright I need to go get those pics done and post the full mod pics. __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

11/20/2006, 11:57 PM	#524
JCTewks Moved On Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Wilmington, Ohio Posts: 3,040	I am guessing that the neck is 2-2.25" I am using and experimenting with mesh wheel impellers on the OCT 1000 pump that came with it and I am really pumping the air in...the neck won't hold it. I actually had to reconfig the gatevalve so that the water level is about four inches below the top of the body and I can stilll over flow it if I run the air wide open. I was thinking that another foot or two of neck would solve the pronlem...as well as kicking up the dwell time. Anyone who has not done either the GG mod or the Meshwheel mod needs to do it...NOW...the performance upgrade is amazing for a few dollar investment and about ten minutes of your time. Jeff

11/21/2006, 12:16 AM	#525
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	I needed a new pump and was happy what I was seeing with kentrob11's work with the genx4100 so that is the pump I chose. I bought mine from euroreef with the pre modded volute and their new pinwheel. Cut a few holes in the body for 1" uniseals... The feed I used a 1" uniseal with a 3/4" threaded bulkhead, so I can feed with a nw pump if I choose, for now I am going to feed with a mj900. Heres what I think of your metric union nuts china....you can hold my pump while I shoot my....picture Ready to test in 11" water with internal level set to bottom of union, I am using this in sump so no more plumbing is needed I like this pump turbulent free and ready for some poo.. enter poo.... TBC... __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.