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View Full Version : making a protein skimmer pump?


ackelley
Wed, 25th Oct 2006, 09:14 PM
When I got my skimmer it was missing it’s pump and looks like it will be awhile till they can send me the part. Is there a way I can feed the air into the 120 g/h spare pump I have siting in my sump? I tried a few things but the fluid flows where wrong and I ended up very wet. hehe Anyone know how to aspirate the hose?
Ram_Puppy
Wed, 25th Oct 2006, 09:40 PM
hmm...

what type of pump is it? external, internal?

I really can't think of any thing that doesn't involve messing w/ your pump some how.

I would suggest investing in a pump from a lfs, they have some that are only a 20 bucks or so, and make sure it has the ability to asperate from the get go.

either that or borrow a skimmer for a while.
ackelley
Wed, 25th Oct 2006, 10:03 PM
external pump
GaryP
Thu, 26th Oct 2006, 07:28 AM
The air is being fed directly to the pump? That sounds like a needle wheel. Maybe an Ocean Runner. Most skimmers have some sort of eductor that operates on a vacuum created by water passing through the eductor. The pumps only purpose is to provide the flow to create the vacuum and not to create the actual aspiration.

I guess I can't really give you a knowledgeable answer without knowing how your pump is set up.
matt
Fri, 27th Oct 2006, 07:33 PM
A 120gph external pump? I must be reading something wrong. Please post the brand of your skimmer. If it's a needlewheel skimmer, you'll need to buy a pump that has a needlewheel impeller and a venturi. Dependng on the size, that's $60-$100.
ackelley
Fri, 27th Oct 2006, 09:10 PM
No I had an external pump that was used for fountains of all things. I was hoping to use that to imitate a needlewheel impeller however, what I didn’t realize was it could never work. When I took them (the pump and the protein skimmer) to my fluids prof he pointed out the fact that the velocity would be reduced right off the head of the pump due to the expansion of the pipe. Not only that but the large volume of the canister would prevent any swirling motion from that small of a feed. So I got shot down once more and told I was an idiot for even thing such things might work. (he likes me I feel it deep down)