new skimmer... a LITTLE overkill...

[Flobex]

well... first thing is first, could a 3/4" bulkhead keep up with a sump that has a mag 12 pulling water to a skimmer, and a mag 5 pulling water back to the tank? or would it just suck all the water out of my sump....

i got a HUGE beckett skimmer from pete... its base is rougly 10"X11.5", and its 38" tall...
is this so overkill on my tank that its just not even rationally possible to run on it.... my tanks a 20 gallon/with a 20 sump/fuge...

this beast will skim the salt out of my water :P

[hobogato]

if i were you, i would sell it and buy a smaller (more appropriate size) skimmer and some other cool stuff for your tank - unless you are planning to upgrade to a bigger tank that would be a better size for the skimmer. just my opinion tho.

[edit] upon further thought, just the water volume up in the skimmer tube may cause you all kinds of overflow problems in your sump if the power ever goes out.

[Flobex]

^yea i figured i may have to do tat...

also, i feared that problem too, it would just dump water everywhere....

i was thinkig of making my 58 gallon a FOWLR with a few bigger aggressive fish, but i think its still just to big :(

what could i expect to get for a skimmer this size, and what kind of skimmer would you reccomend i get?

[Flobex]

^oh, ok i see. thank you...

so... anyone need a skmmer?

[cpreefguy]

I really like the ASM skimmers. They make one appropriate for your tank, called the mini, about $100

[Flobex]

thanks sean, ill check that one out.

[Ping]

Sounds like you have a good excuse to get a bigger tank. ;)

[alteredego]

you should bring the skimmer over and hook it up to a 600g...... you know, just to see how it works. :skeezy
we can see how much shark poo we can pull out of the water.

[carlinsa]

flo..........................use the skimmer run it on a timer. let it run for a couple hours a couple times a day. cause when you upgrade down the road you will just wish you had it.

[hobogato]

i agree with carl except the volume of water in the skimmer will be at least 5 gallons (4.8 if you keep the water level 15 inches up the tube). some of that water (at least 1-2 gallons) will have to go into your sump/fuge when the skimmer is not running. if there is a power failure, that could potentially overflow your sump, and then when the power comes back on, your pumps may run dry and burn up. (worst case senario of coarse). just make sure your sump has room for that water and the water that drains from your tank overflow and plumbing during a power failure will not overflow your sump. if you cant use it now, but you ever plan on getting a big system, just keep the skimmer until then.

[Flobex]

Ping-i would, but i graduate in 2008, so its pointless to get a bigger tank, when im gonna have to ditch it in a few years... not to mention the cost :P

Alteredego-i'll rent it out to ya :P

Carl- Thats a good idea, do you know of any pump that could take that abuse? how long do you think a mag 12 would last on a timer like that...


Ace- well i guess this gives me a reason to have my dad modify my stand, and make it taller, so i can accomodate a taller sump that your gonna make me :P and maybe eveen make it talll enouugh to put this beast under it :P

i'd only need a few inches of space above the skimmer right... ive never had a skimmeer, so i guess im jumping in DEEP on that aspect... i stilll gotta figure what goes where...

thanks for all your help!!

this will actually make things really nice to upgrade in the future,when i move out. ill just have to get a bigger tank, because my stand is biger than my tank, my skimmers plenty big enough :P all i'd need to upgrade would be the return pump, and the lights.

[Flobex]

ok so now, when i do run the skimmer for a couple times a day, the water will go back into the sump when the skimmer shuts off, i was thinkng about doing an auto top off, but that may not be possible now, with changing water levels... i did have an idea, to run the top off system on the same timer as the skimmer, so when the skimmer shuts off, the top off system turns on, and vice versa... but is this just asking for trouble?

[caferacermike]

Flobex I'd be leery of that idea. Timers are notorious for not being correct. Mine need adjustments about once a month as one speeds up almost an hour each month. You'd need 2 timers since your top off would click on instantaneous as it could take awhile for the skimmer and sump to settle.

[Flobex]

maybe a digital timer... would that be more reliable? i could get the coralife digi thermometer, and hook them up, so the top off comes on like 10-15 min after the skimmer shuts off... i could do that with the single timer right? that way if the time chages, it'll be on the same timer...

[carlinsa]

get yourself a nice timer dont go cheap. test it out on a weekend when you know you will be there all weekend to watch it all an see how it all works.

[hobogato]

i think you could just run the skimmer continuously as long as you have it adjusted to skim really dry. that way it wouldnt take as much water out of your system as you skim.

[Flobex]

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=11379&N=2004+113351

the single digital timer... i can control them both... is that a good relliable timer? what kind would you reccomend?

[Flobex]

i think you could just run the skimmer continuously as long as you have it adjusted to skim really dry. that way it wouldnt take as much water out of your system as you skim.

i'll have to try it out, when i get it all setup, and see how that works, and to see if it doesnt pull out to much water... but first i need to learn how to calibrate it... :P

[Flobex]

well.... just got my 58 out of storage, and i decided, im gettting all this overkill equipmet, i might as well use this tank, plus it wont cost much more.... so im gonna go with the 58...

it will be a FOWLR, and for fish, i have been looking around live aquaria, and i came upo with this...

1 yellowstripe maroon clown
1 yellow tang
1 flame hawkfish
1 auriga Buterfly fish

will these be compatible? on the compatibility chart at live aquaria, it says so, but i am a little nervous, about the YS maroon being too aggressive for the butterfly... also, can i keep the maroon happy without an anemone?

lastly, is this a good number of fish? could i add more? or am i maxed out??

[GaryP]

You can get a good digital timer at Home Depot for $11. It even has a battery back up in case the power goes off. Of course that will the last of your concerns in a power outage.