Coralife Super Skimmer 125 mod plans

jener8tionx · 12/21/2008, 04:03 PM

My Coralife Super Skimmer 125 works, but like most people, it's hard to get it tuned. Most of my frustration comes from the "red knob" that is a valve to control flow. The problem is that this knob is too sensitive and if the pump pressure changes because it is dirty, the water level in the tank fluctuates or something blocks the inlet, it needs to be readjusted. This is mostly due to bad design and I know that the best fix might be to get a new skimmer, but I came up with an idea.

What if I chopped the outlet tube at the Tee and added a 1" repair coupling with Tee and 90 degree elbow. That way I could adjust the water height with the repair coupling. Any suggestions? Will this work?

I will also add a filter sponge to the outlet to minimize micro bubbles.

Photochopped plans:

NanoReefWanabe · 12/21/2008, 06:59 PM

that would likely be even harder to tune then the little red dial...sliding the pipe up and down will be nowhere near as accurate as a valve...

i would do a gate valve mod like those to the ASM skimmers..which will also control the flow via back pressure...but be less sensitive then the lousy factory dial....

jener8tionx · 12/21/2008, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NanoReefWanabe
that would likely be even harder to tune then the little red dial...sliding the pipe up and down will be nowhere near as accurate as a valve...

i would do a gate valve mod like those to the ASM skimmers..which will also control the flow via back pressure...but be less sensitive then the lousy factory dial....

I was thinking about a gate valve but thought this would be more accurate. I haven't had much experience though. Thank you for the input.

reefergeorge · 12/21/2008, 10:29 PM

Just my thoughts, but with a gate, or ball valve you are working with pressure. If the pump output changes at all the water height also does.
When you have a riser like he does. It doesn't matter what the pump is doing. The water level will always be the same.

laszlo805 · 12/22/2008, 12:05 AM

i am going to try this thanks

xJake · 12/22/2008, 02:15 AM

Being able to change the height of the water level without using a valve is a great feature to have. It's actually easier to adjust as you simply slide the drain up and down and the water level stays at the level that the drain is at. It doesn't rely on pressure (as reefergeorge said), and therefore doesn't go up and down with changes in the pump's output but instead stays rock steady wherever you set it.

Awesome mod idea! I will have to steal this for the coralife skimmers in the marine lab. I hope you don't mind.

jener8tionx · 12/22/2008, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefergeorge
Just my thoughts, but with a gate, or ball valve you are working with pressure. If the pump output changes at all the water height also does.
When you have a riser like he does. It doesn't matter what the pump is doing. The water level will always be the same.

This is what I thought, but I am a skimmer newb.

jener8tionx · 12/30/2008, 12:31 PM

OK, so I got back from vacation and cut the old riser tube off!!

Then, I dry fit the PVC to the old stem. So far I have noticed that the inside diameter of the ABS tube is LARGER that standard 1" PVC. Also, you will see that I used a couple 90's to kick the riser tube back. This is because the old stem was too close to the glass for the repair coupling to fit. I need to go get a 1" union and epoxy it to the old stem. Here is another pic:

...yes, this is for my 20L!!!!!!

x2uranium · 12/30/2008, 01:27 PM

As another mod. I have the 65g version on my frag tank.

I drilled the venture larger, and used a larger diameter hose, along with drilling out the actually pump housing larger, makes mean bubbles now.

jener8tionx · 12/31/2008, 09:16 AM

OK, I got everything glued. I also made a mistake. I was going to put a 1" union on the stem, and so I cut off a bit more of the stem. Problem is, the union is too large to accommodate HOT mode, so I just had to make the PVC a bit higher, not a huge deal. Here is a pic of the skimmer ready to go in its highest and lowest settings. I will wait until tomorrow to let all the glue dry before testing it.

jener8tionx · 12/31/2008, 09:14 PM

OK.....so the 1" repair coupling was causing too much of a restriction and I will have to use a larger size. Good thing I glued it all together before testing! This will be fun!

One Dumm Hikk · 01/01/2009, 01:22 AM

Yeah, it sucks gluing it and then having to get it apart. Good luck with getting it apart without breaking anything.

Any plans on modding the pump any?

rfd515 · 01/01/2009, 07:21 PM

I just put a ReefOcto 3000 NW pump on mine out of necessity and it negated the water level issue with the stock pump. I'm sure its too much of a pump for it but it works. I'll probably gate mod mine in the next couple weeks and ditch the crappy red knob

spankey · 01/01/2009, 08:22 PM

Google search Coralife Superskimmer mods. I did when I had my 125 and I did the wire thread mod with fishing string on the prop. HUGE improvement and turned the bubbles to froth.

That was the only mod I did to it and it rocked.

Check it out.

saltaholic · 01/01/2009, 09:46 PM

Here try this. Has worked flawless for me haven't touched it for awhile. Keep in my mind my sump level stays constant because of a automatic top off system.

saltaholic · 01/01/2009, 10:00 PM

Here try this. Has worked flawless for me haven't touched it for awhile. Keep in my mind my sump level stays constant because of a automatic top off system.

jener8tionx · 01/03/2009, 10:37 AM

So I go the PVC off with a bit of sawing and prying. I tried 1 1/4" pipe just snug fit and it was too small also. So, I went up to 1 1/2". This should work just fine. The nice part is that the 1 1/2" pipe fits over the old stand pipe fairly snug.

I cut the Tee and the coupling down just a bit to allow a lower adjustment. I also got a reducer for the drain so I could use a sponge on the output to minimize bubbles in the DT. It is drying right now, I will post an update once it's in action.

saltaholic · 01/03/2009, 12:00 PM

From the looks of the picture your riser might be too high you might not be able to keep the water level in the skimmer in check. I had this problem when I did mine. If you look in my picture you can see the level of where mine starts to dump. Witht the gate valve completly open water level in skimmer is only about a inch below collection cup. In other words when water level in skimmer is where I want it, the gate valve is only a turn or two closed, barly restricting the water to get to the level I want inside the skimmer.

jener8tionx · 01/03/2009, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by saltaholic
From the looks of the picture your riser might be too high you might not be able to keep the water level in the skimmer in check. I had this problem when I did mine. If you look in my picture you can see the level of where mine starts to dump. Witht the gate valve completly open water level in skimmer is only about a inch below collection cup. In other words when water level in skimmer is where I want it, the gate valve is only a turn or two closed, barly restricting the water to get to the level I want inside the skimmer.

The repair coupling lets the adjustment go a bit lower and a bit higher. I think it will work, but I will report back after trying it.

xJake · 01/03/2009, 03:36 PM

Wow! This mod turned out great. I guess I've got my new project for the lab for next semester. Thanks for all of the info/documentation. I think that I might even just throw a filter sock on the output to make things easier - rather than the sponge.

So, two questions:

You said you used 1.5" PVC, did you use standard pipe to fit around the ABS or did you use a coupling (or other fitting)?

How far down did you saw into the ABS drain? Did you leave part of the original pipe, or did you completely remove it down to the pipe-insert at the bottom?

jener8tionx · 01/03/2009, 07:18 PM

Quote:

You said you used 1.5" PVC, did you use standard pipe to fit around the ABS or did you use a coupling (or other fitting)?

See the pic above. I epoxied the 1.5" PVC around the ABS stand pipe. Then I used PVC solvent to glue the 45 degree to the ring of 1.5" PVC.

Quote:

How far down did you saw into the ABS drain? Did you leave part of the original pipe, or did you completely remove it down to the pipe-insert at the bottom?

Almost all the way off. Again, see the pic. I left about 1"

jener8tionx · 01/03/2009, 07:21 PM

saltaholic was right, my setup was still too high. I cut down the top 45 degree and bottom of the repair coupling and now it's in business. I'm going to keep the bubbles low for the night and raise it up tomorrow. So far it is very quiet and there are minimal micro bubbles. All set up and running:

xJake · 01/03/2009, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jener8tionx
See the pic above. I epoxied the 1.5" PVC around the ABS stand pipe. Then I used PVC solvent to glue the 45 degree to the ring of 1.5" PVC.

Almost all the way off. Again, see the pic. I left about 1"

Ah, okay. I see- I should've looked more closely at the photos. Once again, awesome mod! I'll be sure to post mine if I ever get around to it. Keep us updated on how it works out for you.

jener8tionx · 01/22/2009, 07:09 PM

Update: Skimmer is working great. Skimming exactly where I want it. I did drill out the venturi using a 1/8" bit. It didn't take out much plastic,but greatly improved performance.

fishview · 01/22/2009, 09:07 PM

Thanks for the update. I am planning to do the mod this weekend. It should prevent overflow accidents. Did you try to raise the pump so that the inlet is just 2" below water? It produces more bubbles in my skimmer, and the water line is in the middle of the neck.

Thx,
Peter

12/21/2008, 04:03 PM	#1
jener8tionx Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: N. Mesa, Az Posts: 524	Coralife Super Skimmer 125 mod plans My Coralife Super Skimmer 125 works, but like most people, it's hard to get it tuned. Most of my frustration comes from the "red knob" that is a valve to control flow. The problem is that this knob is too sensitive and if the pump pressure changes because it is dirty, the water level in the tank fluctuates or something blocks the inlet, it needs to be readjusted. This is mostly due to bad design and I know that the best fix might be to get a new skimmer, but I came up with an idea. What if I chopped the outlet tube at the Tee and added a 1" repair coupling with Tee and 90 degree elbow. That way I could adjust the water height with the repair coupling. Any suggestions? Will this work? I will also add a filter sponge to the outlet to minimize micro bubbles. Photochopped plans:

12/21/2008, 10:29 PM	#4
reefergeorge Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St Louis MO Posts: 4,222	Just my thoughts, but with a gate, or ball valve you are working with pressure. If the pump output changes at all the water height also does. When you have a riser like he does. It doesn't matter what the pump is doing. The water level will always be the same. __________________ $35-50 for a <1" frag of some stupid named thing that came from a colony you bought for $40-60 wholesale and chopped into 20-40 pieces? No thanks. "JasonH" Current Tank Info: 125 aggressive reef, DIY led lighting, swc cone skimmer, 33 gallon sump, posiden Ps3 return.

12/22/2008, 02:15 AM	#6
xJake Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,385	Being able to change the height of the water level without using a valve is a great feature to have. It's actually easier to adjust as you simply slide the drain up and down and the water level stays at the level that the drain is at. It doesn't rely on pressure (as reefergeorge said), and therefore doesn't go up and down with changes in the pump's output but instead stays rock steady wherever you set it. Awesome mod idea! I will have to steal this for the coralife skimmers in the marine lab. I hope you don't mind. Last edited by xJake; 12/22/2008 at 02:21 AM.

12/30/2008, 12:31 PM	#8
jener8tionx Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: N. Mesa, Az Posts: 524	Update OK, so I got back from vacation and cut the old riser tube off!! Then, I dry fit the PVC to the old stem. So far I have noticed that the inside diameter of the ABS tube is LARGER that standard 1" PVC. Also, you will see that I used a couple 90's to kick the riser tube back. This is because the old stem was too close to the glass for the repair coupling to fit. I need to go get a 1" union and epoxy it to the old stem. Here is another pic: ...yes, this is for my 20L!!!!!!

12/31/2008, 09:16 AM	#10
jener8tionx Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: N. Mesa, Az Posts: 524	Update OK, I got everything glued. I also made a mistake. I was going to put a 1" union on the stem, and so I cut off a bit more of the stem. Problem is, the union is too large to accommodate HOT mode, so I just had to make the PVC a bit higher, not a huge deal. Here is a pic of the skimmer ready to go in its highest and lowest settings. I will wait until tomorrow to let all the glue dry before testing it.

12/21/2008, 06:59 PM	#2
NanoReefWanabe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 6,639	that would likely be even harder to tune then the little red dial...sliding the pipe up and down will be nowhere near as accurate as a valve... i would do a gate valve mod like those to the ASM skimmers..which will also control the flow via back pressure...but be less sensitive then the lousy factory dial....

12/22/2008, 12:05 AM	#5
laszlo805 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: oxnard Posts: 73	i am going to try this thanks

12/30/2008, 01:27 PM	#9
x2uranium Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pittston, PA Posts: 1,257	As another mod. I have the 65g version on my frag tank. I drilled the venture larger, and used a larger diameter hose, along with drilling out the actually pump housing larger, makes mean bubbles now.

12/31/2008, 09:14 PM	#11
jener8tionx Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: N. Mesa, Az Posts: 524	OK.....so the 1" repair coupling was causing too much of a restriction and I will have to use a larger size. Good thing I glued it all together before testing! This will be fun!

01/01/2009, 01:22 AM	#12
One Dumm Hikk Moved On Join Date: May 2008 Location: Phenix City Alabama Posts: 739	Yeah, it sucks gluing it and then having to get it apart. Good luck with getting it apart without breaking anything. Any plans on modding the pump any?

01/01/2009, 07:21 PM	#13
rfd515 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Lee's Summit, Mo. Posts: 197	I just put a ReefOcto 3000 NW pump on mine out of necessity and it negated the water level issue with the stock pump. I'm sure its too much of a pump for it but it works. I'll probably gate mod mine in the next couple weeks and ditch the crappy red knob __________________ semi-professional racecar driver and amatuer tattoo artist Current Tank Info: Oceanic 30 cube and 20H nanos

01/01/2009, 08:22 PM	#14
spankey Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Eastern Pa Posts: 2,671	Google search Coralife Superskimmer mods. I did when I had my 125 and I did the wire thread mod with fishing string on the prop. HUGE improvement and turned the bubbles to froth. That was the only mod I did to it and it rocked. Check it out. __________________ 75RR. 6x54w T5. Vortech, Reef Octopus Recirc Skimmer, RKL Controller.. On a restocking Frenzy ;0

01/01/2009, 09:46 PM	#15
saltaholic Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: York, Pa Posts: 1,088	Here try this. Has worked flawless for me haven't touched it for awhile. Keep in my mind my sump level stays constant because of a automatic top off system. __________________ Joe -Duu it! Current Tank Info: 37gal oceanic cube... When I own a home I will put a hole in the wall and stuff it with a big glass box ;)

01/01/2009, 10:00 PM	#16
saltaholic Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: York, Pa Posts: 1,088	Here try this. Has worked flawless for me haven't touched it for awhile. Keep in my mind my sump level stays constant because of a automatic top off system. __________________ Joe -Duu it! Current Tank Info: 37gal oceanic cube... When I own a home I will put a hole in the wall and stuff it with a big glass box ;)

01/03/2009, 10:37 AM	#17
jener8tionx Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: N. Mesa, Az Posts: 524	update So I go the PVC off with a bit of sawing and prying. I tried 1 1/4" pipe just snug fit and it was too small also. So, I went up to 1 1/2". This should work just fine. The nice part is that the 1 1/2" pipe fits over the old stand pipe fairly snug. I cut the Tee and the coupling down just a bit to allow a lower adjustment. I also got a reducer for the drain so I could use a sponge on the output to minimize bubbles in the DT. It is drying right now, I will post an update once it's in action.

01/03/2009, 12:00 PM	#18
saltaholic Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: York, Pa Posts: 1,088	From the looks of the picture your riser might be too high you might not be able to keep the water level in the skimmer in check. I had this problem when I did mine. If you look in my picture you can see the level of where mine starts to dump. Witht the gate valve completly open water level in skimmer is only about a inch below collection cup. In other words when water level in skimmer is where I want it, the gate valve is only a turn or two closed, barly restricting the water to get to the level I want inside the skimmer. __________________ Joe -Duu it! Current Tank Info: 37gal oceanic cube... When I own a home I will put a hole in the wall and stuff it with a big glass box ;)

01/03/2009, 03:36 PM	#20
xJake Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,385	Wow! This mod turned out great. I guess I've got my new project for the lab for next semester. Thanks for all of the info/documentation. I think that I might even just throw a filter sock on the output to make things easier - rather than the sponge. So, two questions: You said you used 1.5" PVC, did you use standard pipe to fit around the ABS or did you use a coupling (or other fitting)? How far down did you saw into the ABS drain? Did you leave part of the original pipe, or did you completely remove it down to the pipe-insert at the bottom?

01/03/2009, 07:21 PM	#22
jener8tionx Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: N. Mesa, Az Posts: 524	saltaholic was right, my setup was still too high. I cut down the top 45 degree and bottom of the repair coupling and now it's in business. I'm going to keep the bubbles low for the night and raise it up tomorrow. So far it is very quiet and there are minimal micro bubbles. All set up and running:

01/22/2009, 07:09 PM	#24
jener8tionx Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: N. Mesa, Az Posts: 524	Update: Skimmer is working great. Skimming exactly where I want it. I did drill out the venturi using a 1/8" bit. It didn't take out much plastic,but greatly improved performance.

01/22/2009, 09:07 PM	#25
fishview Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Morganville, NJ Posts: 93	Thanks for the update. I am planning to do the mod this weekend. It should prevent overflow accidents. Did you try to raise the pump so that the inlet is just 2" below water? It produces more bubbles in my skimmer, and the water line is in the middle of the neck. Thx, Peter