Euroreef cup drain - how to?

[Mihai]

Hi,

I'm thinking of installing a drain line in my euroreef skimmer's cup.
I assume I just have to drill a hole at the joint between the outer cilinder and the bottom of the cup (at at 45 degree angle), then install somehow a tube...

I plan to do this because my cup fills weekly and when is half way filled the foam starts getting out of the cup (through the vent holes) and I think it loses efficiency. Besides, it would allow me to take longer than 1 week long trips without having to stop the skimmer.

A few questions:
1) should I do it (install the drip line)? Any reasons not to?
2) If I do it - how large (inner diameter) should be the drip?
3) How do I get the drip line stuck there? I'm thinking to glue a quick disconnect connector and stick a 1/4 (or a 3/8) drip line there. This would allow me to replace/clean the drip line in case it clogs in an easy way.
However, how would I glue the quick disconnect connecter there? The cup is acrylic, the connector is ... (some kind of plastic - not acrylic, not PVC).
4) Is there a serious risk to mess up my cup? I plan to drill it with a regular drilling machine (hand-held) - can it shatter to 1000 pieces?

Thanks for your time and advice,
Mihai

 

[Anonymous]

A few questions:
1) should I do it (install the drip line)? Any reasons not to?

YES.
You prolly will lower the resale value of the unit, and you could crack it during drilling

2) If I do it - how large (inner diameter) should be the drip?

1/2 inch. Any smaller and the goo from the skimmer could easily clog the tube.

3) How do I get the drip line stuck there? I'm thinking to glue a quick disconnect connector and stick a 1/4 (or a 3/8) drip line there. This would allow me to replace/clean the drip line in case it clogs in an easy way.
However, how would I glue the quick disconnect connecter there? The cup is acrylic, the connector is ... (some kind of plastic - not acrylic, not PVC).

If you go half inch, just use a threaded elbow with a barbed end for the tubing so its easy to change. Of course, the best way to to this is to thread the hole, but a little silicone or some epoxy will fill any gaps.

4) Is there a serious risk to mess up my cup? I plan to drill it with a regular drilling machine (hand-held) - can it shatter to 1000 pieces?

Yes there is, specially if you haven't drilled acrylic before.
In reality it isnt that bad. I would drill either the cup side or bottom, not at any angle. The bottom is easier because it is flat.

I hope that makes sense - im still jet lagged!

 

[Anonymous]

I would drill the bottom too. Although I have drilled acrylic tubing without incident it is far easier to drill flat acrylic (and easier to patch if you do crack it).

Having said that, I wouldn't ever put an external collection cup on a ER skimmer, at least if it's one of the older models. Just imagine your skimmer overskimming (for whatever reason), filling your collection cup, and then your waste container with saltwater. And then keep filling and filling, and draining your tank. In a perfect world the waste container will shut off the skimmer's air supply when it gets too full. In ER skimmers this just makes it overskim more.

I hope this makes sense...I'm a bit jet lagged too

 

[Anonymous]

Having said that, I wouldn't ever put an external collection cup on a ER skimmer, at least if it's one of the older models. Just imagine your skimmer overskimming (for whatever reason), filling your collection cup, and then your waste container with saltwater. And then keep filling and filling, and draining your tank. In a perfect world the waste container will shut off the skimmer's air supply when it gets too full. In ER skimmers this just makes it overskim more.

THANKS MATT! I totally forgot about this. To deal with it, I have my skimmer on a float switch, and the float in the bucket the skimmer cup drains into.

I hope this makes sense...I'm a bit jet lagged too

Wuss!

 

[sediener]

Just get one of those waste containers with the pingpong ball autoshutoff... If your skimmer decides to go crazy at least it you will only dump the overskimmate water back into the tank (since all of the thick skimmate will be in the collector already)

I was thinking about doing the same thing to my ASM using a uniseal if I have enough room to make a 1.5" diameter hole in the bottom for the 1/2" PVC seal...

Let me know how it goes if you do it.

- steve

 

[Anonymous]

Just get one of those waste containers with the pingpong ball autoshutoff... If your skimmer decides to go crazy at least it you will only dump the overskimmate water back into the tank (since all of the thick skimmate will be in the collector already)

I tried this for a while - though you have to modify the waste collector.

I didn't like it because the overflowin of the skimmer cup can hit the edges of your tank, or the top of your tank, and drain onto the floor anyway.

 

[Anonymous]

Just get one of those waste containers with the pingpong ball autoshutoff... If your skimmer decides to go crazy at least it you will only dump the overskimmate water back into the tank (since all of the thick skimmate will be in the collector already)

I tried this for a while - though you have to modify the waste collector.

I didn't like it because the overflowin of the skimmer cup can hit the edges of your tank, or the top of your tank, and drain onto the floor anyway.

Yeah. How do you insure that it doesn't just trickle down the hose that leads to the waste collector (the outside of the hose) and end up on the floor anyway?

 

[Mihai]

I had no idea that I'm risking draining my water from the tank - what would make a skimmer go nuts?

Anyway, it seems to me that a fool-proof method would be to stick my air intake into the collection container (just shy of the top) - thus if the collection container fills up it either starts to suck muck from the container, or, more likely will just clog and stop sucking air - no more bubbles... am I missing anything?

[edit] Oh, and nobody told me how to fit (glue?) the drain tube to the cup (I'm convinced now that it has to be to the bottom - thanks for pointing this out).

M.

 

[Bdubbya]

You should be able to just screw it in. Drill a half inch hole and use a 1/2" threaded fitting and some teflon tape. That should do it.

 

[Anonymous]

I had no idea that I'm risking draining my water from the tank - what would make a skimmer go nuts?

Anyway, it seems to me that a fool-proof method would be to stick my air intake into the collection container (just shy of the top) - thus if the collection container fills up it either starts to suck muck from the container, or, more likely will just clog and stop sucking air - no more bubbles... am I missing anything?

[edit] Oh, and nobody told me how to fit (glue?) the drain tube to the cup (I'm convinced now that it has to be to the bottom - thanks for pointing this out).

M.

Plug the air intake to your ER skimmer with your finger. Watch what happens. In most skimmers this concept will work, but not with ERs.

 

[Anonymous]

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I had no idea that I'm risking draining my water from the tank - what would make a skimmer go nuts?

All kinds of stuff! What we do know is, it will go nuts as soon as you think it wont!

Anyway, it seems to me that a fool-proof method would be to stick my air intake into the collection container (just shy of the top) - thus if the collection container fills up it either starts to suck muck from the container, or, more likely will just clog and stop sucking air - no more bubbles... am I missing anything?

Yep! With a venturi skimmer like the ER, when you stop the air, the pump can pump more water and that usually results in the water being pushed up through the riser tube at an amazing rate.

[edit] Oh, and nobody told me how to fit (glue?) the drain tube to the cup (I'm convinced now that it has to be to the bottom - thanks for pointing this out).

I did! Thread it through or use some epoxy.

 

[ZooKeeper1]

I find the skimmer needs to be cleaned around the time the cup is full anyway. I know mine has some serious sludge build up. That could cause the loss of efficiency. Mine seems to work best with just a light coating of sludge in the throat.

 

[Mihai]

Thanks a lot guys; it seems that I need to postpone it until I have a realiable method of preventing the skimmer from draining my sump (perhaps with a switch).

One more (somewhat related) question: my euro-reef is making kind of watery skimmate. It's like a dark tea but with almost no thickness... I heard from some that it's supposed to be thick. I have no idea how to adjust it - I thought that by lowering the return as much as possible it will make thicker skimmate, but mine is as low as it goes... am I missing anything?

Thanks,
Mihai

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, sounds like you may have some other issue going on. I put mine as high as it goes. It's a bit wet, but still the color of like dark iced tea. Have you modified the pump to skimmer plumbing at all? Are there any restrictions in the airline? Any restrictions on the pump intake?

 

[Mihai]

The color is dark don't get me wrong. It's the viscosity - I thought it's supposed to be thick (say like honey or at least oil), but mine is also the consistency of tea. It also stinks a lot (probably good thing).

Nope, no mods, no obstructions on either lines. It foams a lot, toward the end of the week the foam (but not the tea) overflows through the top holes. Perhaps I need to go to the LFS and check out their skimmate?

M.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmm. I've never gotten thick skimmate. It's always watery. I think that should be fine. Why can't you just clean your cup more often man?!!! :lol:

 

[Mihai]

Hmmm... lazy? It's under the house, so I have to go there, drag it through the entire house to clean it, then take it back. If it rains or snows - not fun. I also plan to leave the tank alone for one month next year and the neighbors will feed them, but probably not more than that...

But mostly laziness - lots of good things came from this - just think "tv remote control", automatic sprinkler, kalk reactor, auto-top-off, etc.

.

M.

 

[Anonymous]

Just an idea--put your waste container in your sump. If it does go crazy and overflow, well, you're putting your skimmate back in your tank but you wouldn't be risking damage to your house/tank equipment. Maybe you could have an overflow spigot with a filter bag on it so if it did overflow it would catch all the really nasty sludge.

If this makes perfect sense and is the exact solution you needed, well, what can I say. If it doesn't make any sense at all I'm still claiming jet lag.

 

[Anonymous]

Float switches are about 35 bucks...

 

[dizzy]

Just as an FYI you can easily drill thin plastic without cracking if you get a Uni-bit drill bit. It has several drill bit sizes all in one. It has something like a 1/8" bit for the starter hole and is tappered to obtain the graduated sizes. It is available in different sizes. It is a sweet bit for drilling thin material in general. I know Lowe's sells them. They ain't exactly cheap but they cut through plastic like a hot knife through butter without snagging and tearing. In general the more pointed the bit, the better it drills in plastic without cracking. Stay away from the bits with the flatter angels.
Mitch