Skimmer Thread

[masterswimmer]

Jonathan, If you want to quiet down the venturi I modded a CSS similar to my Lifereef skimmer. What I did was take the vinyl tubing that comes off the venturi and secure it into the collection cup cap. This also serves a second function, it will keep your venturi perfectly clean. No need to service it anymore. I'll attach a pic (rudimentary at best) for you to get an idea (not that it takes a rocket scientist to figure it out).

Closeup of collection cup:

This mod silenced the venturi completely and keeps it clean as well.

HTH,
swimmer

 

[Jonathan]

good idea. does that restrict the air intake at all

 

[masterswimmer]

good idea. does that restrict the air intake at all

No restriction. It's just drawing the air from the moist, humid collection cup. The high humidity is actually what is cleaning the venturi.

swimmer

 

[regal]

Jonathan, If you want to quiet down the venturi I modded a CSS similar to my Lifereef skimmer. What I did was take the vinyl tubing that comes off the venturi and secure it into the collection cup cap. This also serves a second function, it will keep your venturi perfectly clean. No need to service it anymore. I'll attach a pic (rudimentary at best) for you to get an idea (not that it takes a rocket scientist to figure it out).
swimmer

What about the nasty hydrogen sulfide gas inside the cup. I know the stuff collected at the bottom of my cup stink so bad. You don't want to suck it into the pump and put it back in the tank water, rigth? esp if for any reaon, you collection cup overflows and the dirty sewage water will get suck back into the tank.

 

[masterswimmer]

What about the nasty hydrogen sulfide gas inside the cup. I know the stuff collected at the bottom of my cup stink so bad. You don't want to suck it into the pump and put it back in the tank water, rigth? esp if for any reaon, you collection cup overflows and the dirty sewage water will get suck back into the tank.

My collection cup has an external overflow (note in the pic). So I'm not concerned about collection cup overflows.

Lifereef skimmers have been using this system for over 10 years now. They've been proven on tanks for a long time. If there was an issue with hydrogen sulfide being recirculated into the tank there would be a lot of reefers getting away from Lifereef skimmers. I know house uses this skimmer as well with no issues.

swimmer

 

[regal]

My cup overflow a couple of time b/c the drain got clogged with junk. Another time, the skimmate got really wet when I switched to a different salt and overflowed the cup even the drain is not clogged. Fortunately, I just washed it so it is not that dirty.

 

[masterswimmer]

My cup overflow a couple of time b/c the drain got clogged with junk. Another time, the skimmate got really wet when I switched to a different salt and overflowed the cup even the drain is not clogged. Fortunately, I just washed it so it is not that dirty.

So the issue now sounds like collection cup overflows, not the venturi mod? That could definitely be another issue for all of us :Thinking: . Damn, just something else to lose sleep over

swimmer

 

[Jonathan]

well my DAS EX-1 is kicking butt. I am loving the performance of this thing. At first the bubbles in the neck were very turbulent but I think that was just the skimmer breaking in, and now they are very tiny bubbles in the neck uniformly going up. I only have a one fish right now and all my rock has been cooked since march and i have gotten 2 full collection cups of skimmate so far. Its doing a great job. I'll post pics once I get the photo software loaded on my new laptop.

But the noise........ I need a silent skimmer and while this one is not loud, our place being a loft and the back of the stand being open and not against a wall is a problem. So unfortunately I think I'm going to have to get a tunze 9010 b/c it is totally silent. I am thinking about a h&s 110 or 90, but I think even that would be too loud and I would still hear water splashing out of the output.

So its for sale if anyone is interested

 

[Jonathan]

Heres a pic that might explain why the back of the tank isnt against a wall and that the back of the stand is open, so that you know what I'm talking about. The hallway behind the tank leads right into the bedroom.

 

[cali_reef]

What part of the DAS is making the noise? the pump or the water draining into the sump?

Your skimmet is way to wet for normal skimmimg, are you doing that to break in the skimmer?

 

[Jonathan]

cali_reef,
I added a filter sock to my return line a few days ago without soaking/cleaning it first and the skimmer overflowed for a few minutes. Thats why it looks so watered down. I just didnt feel like emptying it. It is set pretty dry actually, the cup gets darker and just a tad fuller each day.

The noise is coming from 3 things.
-The pump has a hum to it.
-The water splashes/gurgles out of the return.
-The venturi has a loud sucking noise when you pinch off the airvalve to fine tune the air intake.

All of these I would have expected from the skimmer or any skimmer and its not operating abnormally, its just how a skimmer sounds and is. I just didnt anticipate having to put the tank infront of the staircase, I planned on putting it against a wall so the sound wouldnt carry as well. I also didnt realize how much the high ceilings would affect the noise carrying.

If you look in the picture of the tank/apartment. The room at the top of the staircase has a sort of window cut out on the left wall. That cutout looks down into our bedroom (weird right? but i guess its to keep good airflow for the A/C). So tiny apartment+high ceilings+stand not against a wall+open back+bedroom not being sealed off from living room=a skimmer that is audible from the bedroom which doesnt make my girlfriend too happy.

 

[herman]

1. pumps hum - not much you can do about it
2. extend the outlet from the skimmer and add a 45 degree elbow on the end.
3. get a silencer

That should make it bareable for the GF

 

[Jonathan]

herman,

I know theres nothing I can do about the pump humming. There are actually 2 45 degree elbows on the output so that it enters the water at an agle to reduce the noise, unfortunately there is still some noise
As far as a silencer, I dont know how to make one effectively. I've contacted finsreef to see if the new silencers were available and I've gotten no response.

The 9010 will be a sacrifice in skimming from the DAS, but I know for a fact that it is completely silent (I had a 9005), and that is what is most important right now. Plus I won't have many if any sps, so water doesnt have to be super overskimmed.

 

[spykes]

i dunno but my aquabee does hum as well.

 

[cali_reef]

Check the pump and needle wheel make sure nothing is stuck, they do make a buzz noise but I don't think they are loud by any means. You should hear a Mak-4 or a other external pumps with a cooling fan.

The water splashing noise can be reduced with a filter sock or cut the tip to an angle and have some of it submerged.

You should try running the DAS pump without the valve and see it that helps with the air noise, it should help your skimming power too.

 

[spykes]

yeah like a small hum but i thought german pumps are suppose to be like RD pumps =D

 

[Jonathan]

I'll post a pic of how I have the outlet plumbed and please advise if I can do a better job to make it quiet. I'll take the pump off and check the impeller too. Though I think its just normal pump noise, really its not very loud, its just noticeable, and unfortunately in this situation I dont want anything that is.

 

[cali_reef]

yeah like a small hum but i thought german pumps are suppose to be like RD pumps =D

The only pump I have used that is quiet like the RD is the velocity T-Series but the ceramic impeller gets really hot and need constant cleaning, not worth the low noise level in a high Ca SPS tank.

 

[cali_reef]

I'll post a pic of how I have the outlet plumbed and please advise if I can do a better job to make it quiet. I'll take the pump off and check the impeller too. Though I think its just normal pump noise, really its not very loud, its just noticeable, and unfortunately in this situation I dont want anything that is.

Please do and I will try to get a pic of a wedge shaped outlet pipe too.

Why did you put a gate valve on the outlet of the drain pipe? I see you also put a ball valve on the feed pump and it is partially closed. The DAS EX skimmers are designed to use the inlet feed to control the skimmer water level, I would think the proper amount of feed water should maintain that level and use of a gate valve to manipulate that level means you don't have the optimum water flow through the skimmer(this is under the assumption it is actually designed and manufactured properly:lol2:, but my experience may suggest otherwise).

 

[Jonathan]

cali reef,
I did add a gate valve to the outlet pipe. The ball valve came installed from the factory. I have a maxijet 900 feeding it (240 gph) and its cut slightly back as you noticed. I gotta run, girlfriend says I cant fiddle anymore tonight.