Skimmer & Sump FW Test

Flatfish · 03-23-2003, 04:04 PM

Here are pics of the test results. It started out a little tough as I did run into back pressure problems. The set up of letting the water flow directly out of the bulkhead fitting on the return side and venting the return stand pipe pushed the water into the neck of the collection cup. But it didn't over flow so I was close. I go the idea that if I plugged the output standpipe and plumbed the return bulkhead so that the return opening was low in the sump that the downhill water flow contained in the pipe on the far side of the bulkhead would create enough of a siphon (suction) to relieve some of the back pressure of the outlet rise. It worked and worked well. There are two small issues that I can identify:

1) The skimmer performance is not dependant of the height of the water level of the sump. An auto top-off will take care of this.

2) There are some funky start up issues when the outlet is *completely* dry. The start up will push water out the top of the skimmer as it pushes the air out of the outlet. This only occurs when the outlet is completely dry so just turning it on and off is not a problem. I likely can control this by metering the startup pressure of the pump to gradually add pressure and not pressurize all at once. I just have to remember to do this.

Here are the pics:

1 of 4 - The test setup

Flatfish · 03-23-2003, 04:05 PM

2 of 4 - The red line is where the water level is. Notice the down pipe in the sump. That's the key.

Flatfish · 03-23-2003, 04:06 PM

3 of 4 - Before water level change:

Flatfish · 03-23-2003, 04:07 PM

Now I'm off to fix a few leaks.

4 of 4 - Water level about 2.5 inches lower:

Doug1 · 03-23-2003, 05:25 PM

I realize the test was for leaks and such but even on FW I thought the Beckett would foam more

Flatfish · 03-23-2003, 05:42 PM

I thought so too. There's a lot of air being injected but the bubbles are quite large. I was dissapointed with this. I did a test by grabbing my kent venturi and attaching it to the same pump and looking at the output under water. That ouput was just as dissapointing. Seem that as the bubble left the end of the venturi they quickly reformed back to much larger bubbles. This was in addition to the initial output of the venturi not being all that great either.

I had to write off the lack of small bubbles it the fact that I'm using fresh water. The water was also very cold. If was about 40 degrees out and the water coming out of the faucet was about that cold.

Maybe someone who's done more of these tests can chime in?

Geoff · 03-23-2003, 06:21 PM

i think it is both the fact that you are using FW and the fact that the water does not have any BOM in it. the bubbles have no reason to stay apart.

looks great.

G~

Doug1 · 03-24-2003, 09:10 AM

Prolly right Geoff, they arent used on FW for a reason

Flatfish · 03-24-2003, 08:31 PM

Thanks Geoff and Doug. Really looking forward to the assembly and fill now that everything is falling in place.

Geoff: que es "BOM"?

Geoff · 03-24-2003, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flatfish
Geoff: que es "BOM"?

Bio-Organic Material

G~

Doug1 · 03-27-2003, 12:07 AM

Kinda like DOC dissolved organic compounds
Any idea when it gets salty and fired up?

Flatfish · 03-27-2003, 10:17 AM

I'm looking at this weekend to bring all the equipment in house and start the fill. There are a lot of details still to happen. One hitch is that this new setup (see my website) will consolidate the contents of a 30g and 55g currently in operation. The return pump, a 30RLT, is in operation on the 55g and it will be the skimmer pump. The pump in the photo is a 55RLT and will be the return pump on this new setup. So I have a few logisticical issues. I am on the hunt for a temporary pump (I possessed several but I gave them to Aaron a year ago to sell at a PNWAS meeting, which they did.) We don’t have a LFS here so I am scrounging. I do have an Ehiem 1250, but I don’t think that will be enough pump. I’ll try it anyway.

So bottom line is I’m likely looking at the weekend after next for the skimmer if I can find a pump and I have no major set backs in the final piecing together of this system.

Thanks!

Joe

Doug1 · 03-27-2003, 10:53 PM

Kewl, good luck on it , and tell Aaron to post , w miss him, I will come get my beer

galleon · 03-28-2003, 05:43 AM

Hmm... maybe your water level is riding too high in the Beckett chamber. With the water level that high in the skimmer, you could have enough water in the Beckett housing to keep the thing from pulling air. It should foam pretty well with freshwater: that's what its designed to do.

"The skimmer performance is not dependant of the height of the water level of the sump. An auto top-off will take care of this."

This is because you're using a Hartford loop to take the skimmer water to the sump. The height of the upside down u-tube from the skimmer is maintaining the water height in the skimmer.

Flatfish · 03-29-2003, 12:08 PM

Thanks galleon. True. Though the water level in the beckett rises to just below the air intake holes which in normal. I did do a test on the beckett alone by hooking a garden hose to it, and dunking the the output side under water. If shoots out losts of bubbles, they're not overly small though. I also am assuming that this thing is operating upside down and could have an affect on how it "looks" with FW.

At the current water level in the skimmer the water level in the beckett down tube should be a couple of inches below the beckett output. It could be that this is not enough room and creates back pressure on the beckett affecting the output.

I'm gonna keep playing until I get it right. I made some mods to the sump and put a union in the beckett down tube so it can be easily removed. I'm going to do more tests today.

--joe