How do you adjust your skimmer?

[trido]

Ive had it! I just removed my gate valve mod from my ASM G-3. It seems like every other week it clogs or needs adjudstment so bad that either isnt skimming at all, or is overflowing and causing me greif. Yes I use a bottle brush to clean the sponges out of it. Two weeks ago I modded it to recirc, direct feed from an overflow and did the brush wheel impeller. Now it skims like crazy. Unfortunately,last week when I was gone my bag of carbon sprang a leak and has plugged the gate every day since Ive been home from vacation despite a large siphonage/ water change and manually removing AMAP by hand. This was the last straw. I figure I dont need it to by so hypersensitive since Ive done all the mods on it lately. What do you think?

 

[spaulr]

I have an aqua C 1st gen ev-90 that I bought years ago. Finally being used. Just when I think I have it dialled..I wake up in the moring and the 1 gallon milk overflow jug is full and the skimmer is almost overflowing. Im going nuts too.

 

[Anonymous]

I use a modified riser pipe. I think I got the best of both worlds. I swaped out the stock riser on my ER for on of thoses service couplings. The I continued like a gate valve mod.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a riser tube on my ASM and I don't like it either. I need to modify it but not sure how yet. It's not skimming like I would like it to.

 

[Anonymous]

Try the mod I did Crissy. The coupling (look at water level) is about $8 for the 1.5" size. It has a couple on inches of adjustment to it. I got it a Lowes.

 

[Anonymous]

Better pic of coupling.

 

[Anonymous]

I'll do that Mark. Thanks for the tip. 8)

 

[trido]

I have a riser tube on my ASM and I don't like it either. I need to modify it but not sure how yet. It's not skimming like I would like it to.

If you feel kind of handy you should look in the DIY forums. There are two easy mods you can do for your sedra that will double the skimmers performance.

 

[Anonymous]

I've got a Tunze 9010. Set and forget, never needs adjusting. Quietest protein skimmer on the planet, too. Have I mentioned that it's super easy to clean?

 

[bleedingthought]

I have a gate valve mod but no gate valve. Sort of like Waz's, but simpler.

 

[Anonymous]

I use a modified riser pipe. I think I got the best of both worlds. I swaped out the stock riser on my ER for on of thoses service couplings. The I continued like a gate valve mod.

That's called a Hartford loop. One of the best plumbing inventions ever. You're using the same principle as Bernoulli's tubes to force the water level in the skimmer to remain constant. I've used them on skimmers that are reef sized on up to ten foot monsters and I haven't found a way that worked better for me.

 

[Anonymous]

I use a modified riser pipe. I think I got the best of both worlds. I swaped out the stock riser on my ER for on of thoses service couplings. The I continued like a gate valve mod.

Service coupling? Is that what they're called? I use those thigamajigs all the time. They're good for standpipes. They're good for attaching to the tops of drip trays. They're good for what you're using 'em for. I just can never tell people what the hell they're called.

 

[Anonymous]

I use a modified riser pipe. I think I got the best of both worlds. I swaped out the stock riser on my ER for on of thoses service couplings. The I continued like a gate valve mod.

Service coupling? Is that what they're called? I use those thigamajigs all the time. They're good for standpipes. They're good for attaching to the tops of drip trays. They're good for what you're using 'em for. I just can never tell people what the hell they're called.

I think they also go buy repair couplings.

 

[Anonymous]

I use a modified riser pipe. I think I got the best of both worlds. I swaped out the stock riser on my ER for on of thoses service couplings. The I continued like a gate valve mod.

Service coupling? Is that what they're called? I use those thigamajigs all the time. They're good for standpipes. They're good for attaching to the tops of drip trays. They're good for what you're using 'em for. I just can never tell people what the hell they're called.

I think they also go buy repair couplings.

Yep. They are fantastic for when you accidentally put a shovel through a dock pump line (sheepish grin).

 

[Anonymous]

I use a modified riser pipe. I think I got the best of both worlds. I swaped out the stock riser on my ER for on of thoses service couplings. The I continued like a gate valve mod.

Service coupling? Is that what they're called? I use those thigamajigs all the time. They're good for standpipes. They're good for attaching to the tops of drip trays. They're good for what you're using 'em for. I just can never tell people what the hell they're called.

I think they also go buy repair couplings.

Yep. They are fantastic for when you accidentally put a shovel through a dock pump line (sheepish grin).

Or bust the main water line to your house by hitting it with the lawn mower, but I wouldn't know any thing about that.

 

[bleedingthought]

So Waz, do they go directly on top of where the riser tube used to be? Or do they fit inside, just like the riser would?

And considering that my water level where the skimmer is is higher than yours, I'm trying to figure out if there's a way I could do something like this but up higher. The only beef I have with the way mine is at the moment is that I have to get my hands in the water to adjust it, if necessary.

 

[Anonymous]

I use a modified riser pipe. I think I got the best of both worlds. I swaped out the stock riser on my ER for on of thoses service couplings. The I continued like a gate valve mod.

Service coupling? Is that what they're called? I use those thigamajigs all the time. They're good for standpipes. They're good for attaching to the tops of drip trays. They're good for what you're using 'em for. I just can never tell people what the hell they're called.

I think they also go buy repair couplings.

Thanks!

 

[trido]

I JUST did that to my ASM G-3. It has a 1 1/4 riser pipe that is adjustable. I used it and simply added a 90 street and a "T" after ward with a pipe back to the water. Its the same principal without the repair coupling as the ASM is adjustable without it.

The repair coupling is desinged to aid in repair of buried pipes without having to dig a long hole and pulling the pipe upward out of the ground to get a standard coupling on. Great invention. I never considered using them on my tank though.

 

[Anonymous]

So Waz, do they go directly on top of where the riser tube used to be? Or do they fit inside, just like the riser would?

And considering that my water level where the skimmer is is higher than yours, I'm trying to figure out if there's a way I could do something like this but up higher. The only beef I have with the way mine is at the moment is that I have to get my hands in the water to adjust it, if necessary.

It all just slips in place. The outer part of the riser on my skimmer was a standard size and plugs in to a standard elbow.

 

[Anonymous]

I have two repair couplings on my durso's - they are now impossible to adjust.

I run a hartford loop/gate valve combo on my skimmers.