return pump with protein skimmer attachment.

[dannyny]

hey guys i am brand new to this but please excuse me if this is a stupid question.

why cant i split my return pump to my protein skimmer and return nozzle so i only have to run 1 pump in my sump? is this impossible? was just thinking about it and just trying to understand and keep electricity cost down.

thanks in advance

 

[JimmyR1rider]

A lot of skimmers have a needlewheel pump which is designed to aerate the water and is how the skimmer makes microbubbles in the reaction chamber for the proteins to bond to.

I have a Bermuda Aquatics that has what they call a schlitz injector. The injector makes the microbubbles not the pump so a regular return style pump can be used.

Skimmers require a certain amount of water movement. It's gonna be hard to balance the return flow while giving your skimmer it's desired flow.

I would plumb your carbon/gfo reactors off the return and do away with a need for those pumps instead of the skimmer.

 

[dannyny]

A lot of skimmers have a needlewheel pump which is designed to aerate the water and is how the skimmer makes microbubbles in the reaction chamber for the proteins to bond to.

I have a Bermuda Aquatics that has what they call a schlitz injector. The injector makes the microbubbles not the pump so a regular return style pump can be used.

Skimmers require a certain amount of water movement. It's gonna be hard to balance the return flow while giving your skimmer it's desired flow.

I would plumb your carbon/gfo reactors off the return and do away with a need for those pumps instead of the skimmer.

it's a little hard for me to comprehend what you wrote. i understand it would be hard to get the right flow for both i was just wondering if some pumps com with that option that i do not know about. thanks for replying. you have been a great help throughout

 

[JimmyR1rider]

it's a little hard for me to comprehend what you wrote. i understand it would be hard to get the right flow for both i was just wondering if some pumps com with that option that i do not know about. thanks for replying. you have been a great help throughout

No problem.

To simplify it a bit. Any return pump you're going to use only has a single discharge. If you want to plumb other things off it, you have to do the mods by using tees or wye's off the return line with their own ball valve.

It's either gonna be a needlewheel style pump or pump with a normal impeller(the fan lookin piece that gives you your flow). That's why I would plumb connections with their own ball valve- whether its the one that comes with the reactor or one you install on the pvc and run your reactors off of them. Reactors for carbon/gfo require far less flow than your tank so it's extremely easy to just gate them back to the correct flow.

Also most skimmers either come with the only pump you can use or call for certain pump sizes for the correct water movement so I wouldn't mess with trying to fenagle the skimer.

 

[dannyny]

thank you for explaining it more for me. i kinda understand.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

No problem You may be able to make it work what you're wanting to do but it'll be less headaches branching your reactors off the return than the skimmer

 

[CHEMCHEF]

This would work with a n AquaC type skimmer that relies on high water pressure to make bubbles, rather than an air intake (venturi) style skimmer.
If you plum a vetnuri type skimmer to a return pump. There will be no air intake, hence, no bubbles in the skimmer chamber. Just Flow.
BTW, most skimmers are venturi style. Very few rely on high pressure pumps these days due to heat and power consumption.
Instead of running a 70-150w pump. It's a a pump as low as 12w.
What brand skimmer do you have?

 

[dannyny]

This would work with a n AquaC type skimmer that relies on high water pressure to make bubbles, rather than an air intake (venturi) style skimmer.
If you plum a vetnuri type skimmer to a return pump. There will be no air intake, hence, no bubbles in the skimmer chamber. Just Flow.
BTW, most skimmers are venturi style. Very few rely on high pressure pumps these days due to heat and power consumption.
Instead of running a 70-150w pump. It's a a pump as low as 12w.
What brand skimmer do you have?

i do not have a protein skimmer yet. i am looking for one at the moment.

 

[Imbarrie]

There are some problems you will have to overcome before you can accomplish this.
It can be done however you have to be aware to some things.

Protien skimmers work the best within a specific flow measured in GPH. Say you get a protien skimmer that works off a normal pump such as AquaC. The specific requirement of a certain GPH is difficult to measure because you are splitting it with the tank return. If you just ran the skimmer you get a pump designed to handle that output.

Also, most return sections of sumps have a water level that fluctuates. The inlet pressure and flow to the pump will change as this level lowers due to evaporation. This will cause your skimmer to overflow or underperform.

So to accomplish this you need to adjust your skimmer based on the needs of the tank and skimmer and to maintain your return section spot on.

You will also need a skimmer that does not utilize a pump that atomizes the output. These are not the newest and best skimmers.

So most people dont do this for the reasons above.

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

A lot of the problems were addressed above. However with proper planning it can be done. Make sure your pump has a little more flow than needed for your whole system(pumps tend to reduce output over time..ie-dirt,buildup), secondly make sure it has its own ball valve(a way to increase and decrease the flow) to the skimmer. And thirdly I like flowmeters and have one in line to my skimmer so I can monitor it. Not neccasasry but a quick indicator of whats happening.

 

[dannyny]

What skimmer would u guys get if u were me.

50gallon main tank 20-30 gallon sump. Something good and I won't need to upgrade unless I upgrade tanks. I will be looking for used anyway so the retail price doesn't matter much.

 

[CHEMCHEF]

It depends on if you want to run it off the return pump. If so AqauC seems to be the go to pressure type skimmer.
If going venturi. Bubble magus, Reef octopus, ATI, Bubble king, vertex. There are many many good skimmers these days. I am running a Cadlights TIA 1150 on 55 gallon cube and love it.

 

[dannyny]

I think I will so a stand alone protein skimmer. Might be easier for a noob like me.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Do your research, until you're comfortable with terms and understand what you hear, buy a high grade skimmer and be done with it. You want to save money where you can. A $350 skimmer once will cost less than a $120 skimmer to start with and then a $250-$450 skimmer later.

 

[Imbarrie]

The skimmer is often overlooked but is one of the three crucial elements to a finely tuned tank.
The other two being lighting and waterflow.
A wise purchase early will save you money instead of buying one you are unhappy with.
I will advise you to stay away from AquaC. They are difficult to tune and very sensitive to inputs.

 

[dannyny]

i've been doing research all day today and i figure reef octopus would be one of the better ones and bubble magnus maybe the swc one as well but i dont see those often on the used market. i definitely want to buy used.

 

[rambler67]

Fyi for any skimmer you get make sure you have a constant water lvl for it. expectantly the reef octopus if the water lvl fluctuates just a little it throws of how the skimmer works.

 

[dannyny]

Fyi for any skimmer you get make sure you have a constant water lvl for it. expectantly the reef octopus if the water lvl fluctuates just a little it throws of how the skimmer works.

does this mean i need an auto top off?

 

[Imbarrie]

It means it needs a chamber devoted to the skimmer that is not in the return section.
Google Proflex sumps, that is a great image rich resource for how sumps are divided. The skimmer is in it's own compartment.

 

[rambler67]

It all depends on how you set up your sump if its baffled and the water lvl stay consent no but an ato is nice any way. and all depends on how much your water lvl drops in the sump over a day.