Recently gave my skimmer a vinegar bath and its skimming like a beast again. Problem is my collection cup is filling up faster. I've looked into waste collectors are they a good idea. I've read they can be a mess if they overflow. What are your personal experiences using them?
Pros cons of adding a waste collector
- Thread starter Silkyslim
- Start date
- Location
- poughquag, ny
I bought one to add to my current tank, unfortunately my skimmer sits too low in my sump so I cannot use it.
Reasons I bought it include:
1. peace of mind if my skimmer overflows while I am out. In the past I have had skimmers that overflowed for no apparent reason that kept dumping microbubbles and foam into my system and splashing water everywhere. With a waste collector once the collector is filled if god forbid the skimmer goes nuts then it shuts off.
2. ease to empty the cup. I noticed on my current skimmer the cup sits very tightly in place, removing it can be a choir and difficult given that I may splash some skimmate when pulling it off.
3. The skimmate locker I bought has a carbon chamber on top to neutralize odors of skimmate. All my skimmers produced some NASTY stinky skimmate that at some points would make me gag from the smell. I remedied this by placing a bag of carbon on top of my collection cup, but with a skimmate locker you do not need this.
4. It looks cool, the one I bought is an avast and the way they show it connected to their skimmer looks cool.
I wish I could get it to work on mine without too much modifcation to my sump, but I can't and thus I will need to deal with the old way of emptying my skimmer.
Hope this helps.
- Location
- poughquag, ny
not how mine is done exactly but this gives you the idea
http://coralvue.com/waste-collector/
http://coralvue.com/waste-collector/
- Location
- Long Island NY
i say if you have the room its a no brainer. any safety net that brings piece of mind is worth the money when you think about the thousands spent already. plus its another tech toy that you can look at and go "OOOOO...AHHHH"
- Location
- Union Square, NY
A better idea is to plumb a solenoid into the collection cup and open the valve to drain the cup once a day. That eliminates the major possibility of a flood.
- Location
- poughquag, ny
personally this is easier http://coralvue.com/waste-collector/
and since i had a waste collector already and a spare ato it was a no brainer, ive had my share of wet floors and full cups of skimmate get emptied into the sump and then you really start getting a over flow
- Location
- north jersey
my diy costs only about $40. i use an ato set up from autotopoff.com mounted inside a 5 gal. bucket. i have the skimmer cup drain into a 1 gal. milk container sitting inside the 5 gal. bucket.
i normally drain the skimmate from the milk container every a couple of days but if it overflows, the 5 gal container will catch another 3-4 gal. before triggering the ato float and shuttting off the skimmer.
the end of the week i just replace with a new milk container....no cleaning smelly waste collector.
i normally drain the skimmate from the milk container every a couple of days but if it overflows, the 5 gal container will catch another 3-4 gal. before triggering the ato float and shuttting off the skimmer.
the end of the week i just replace with a new milk container....no cleaning smelly waste collector.
- Location
- New Jersey
The waste containers typically come with an automatic shut off similar to those used on an ATO.
I know the coralvue and avast have a sensor that automatically cuts power to the skimmer once it is filled.
I don't see a need for it at all. If you have an in sump skimmer any overflow will drain back into your tank. Secondly unless you have a swabbie for your skimmer you need to clean your collection cup and wipe it down when you empty the cup. Otherwise the skimmer is not performing at optimal potential with a dirty neck.
Jaa1456 has hit the nail on the head. For a skimmer to perform at its optimal, the neck should be wiped clean of any debris that can impede waste from traveling up the neck. A dirty neck will allow the skimmer to work but not at 100%
- Location
- north jersey
i'll try to get them this weekend.
- Location
- Deer Park,Long Island,11729
Thanks mike.
The reason I posted the question is in the event I'm not home and the skimmer overflows I'd like the waste to be collected elsewhere other than my sump.
I do clean my cup and skimmer neck regularly. Just want others opinions.
The reason I posted the question is in the event I'm not home and the skimmer overflows I'd like the waste to be collected elsewhere other than my sump.
I do clean my cup and skimmer neck regularly. Just want others opinions.
Last edited:
- Location
- Bellmore, NY
My bigger problem is I have no drain in my skimmer cup.i think the waste collector part is easy. I like the design MikeC posted. Pretty straight forward, but I do like some of the DIY or commercial products that have a carbon chamber vent for odor. I would like to plan something for that future extended vacation... I've already figured out how to ATO my ATO 
then the last piece is an auto feeder or a babysitter...much easier to find a babysitter who doesn't need to change and clean a stinky cup of fish poo
then the last piece is an auto feeder or a babysitter...much easier to find a babysitter who doesn't need to change and clean a stinky cup of fish pooSponsor Reefs
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