Skimmer mods!

[caferacermike]

Most folks wouldn't add another pump to feed it. The general methods are to tee off from your tanks suction side, this way some of the water goes directly to the skimmer, or tee it from the tanks return pump. It's along the lines of not adding so many devices to the tank as to make it over complicated or that extra pumps add extra heat. If it was me, I'd increase the size of my return pump (if needed) rather than add yet another pump to my sump. Think of the extra maintenance, extra cords (as if there were not enough already), heat, etc... Not to mention that I wouldn't add a Rio brand pump to anything due to the problems they seem to have.

As to why I wouldn't mod the inlet pump, mainly because I don't think I've ever heard of anyone modding both. I'd be concerned that you might not push much water into the skimmer if you modded it to much. If I was not making it into a recirc skimmer I'd consider doing it if it was the only pump. If it quit pumping water into the skimmer, at least I could still make it a recirc and use the pump for that. Might want to try the mods one at a time. If you build it into a recirc with a modded pump, you might find that it works so well you won't want to mod the inlet pump.

[dustint21]

Thanks Mike! I will not mod the feeder pump! As for using a T off of my return, I am only running a mag 7 and it matches my overflow prefectly! I have ball valves on both my return and overflow and the ball valves are both wide open! I dont have much of an income, cause I am only an E3 in the army! The rio is an extra pump I had laying around! I have been running a coralife SS65 with a rio 1100 for over a year with no problems! I know they arent the best, but you use what you got when your trying to feed the family and your reefing hobby! LOL! Thanks so much for your help!

[dustint21]

I got the mesh in the mail today! I cut up my needle wheel and slapped the mesh on with the zip ties! This is really worth the $7 and 10 mins it took to do it! The bubbles seem to be "finer" and make a nice foam at the neck of my skimmer! I will still try the recir. mod just cause I can! LOL! I will try to get some picks up tonight!