Change pump in skimmer?

[scoop]

I have an Excalibur SV-1 in sump protein skimmer on my 30 gallon tank. It seems to work pretty well, but the pump is a Rio 800 which causes all kinds of problems. I have to take the skimmer out and clean the pump every time I turn it off, it never re-starts correctly.

Anyway, my questions is: Is it possible to replace the Rio with a maxijet 1200? If yes, how do i do it? If not the maxi, is there another small pump I could use to replace the Rio? (The sump is on the back of the tank and is only 4" wide, so I can't use something very large.)

[leveldrummer]

bump, cant help you but i can bump you up. good luck.

[Geoff]

do not know what to tell you. needle wheel skimmers are all purpose built. they take a pump and modify the impellor. the problem is that the pumps that other manufacturers are using are all modified also, and the pumps are not sold elsewhere with the needle wheels in them.

there are two versions of the Rio 800 pump. there is a new UL listed version. this may be more reliable than the one you currently have. the needle wheel impellor is compatable with both versions so that will not be a problem.

this is the best i could come up with for ya. i am just not able to find small needle wheel pumps.

G~

[scoop]

Geoff, Thanks for trying to find out, that is what I was afraid of. I saw some posts in a search from way back about some piece that people were trying to get from another skimmer that they could use to modify the SV-1, but I didn't really understand it. I was hoping there might be some other way to use a better pump. I will check which Rio's I have, the last 2 were purchased in the last 4 months. I guess the Rio's will have to do for now!

[Geoff]

i am not sure how well the skimmer would perform if you just went with a regular venturi pump. most small pumps have venturi holes. a Maxi-Jet 1200 would be the correct flow. you could give it a try. you could aways drill holes in the impellor of a Maxi-Jet and make your own needle wheel pump. that is pretty much all that is necessary to make a needle wheel impellor. drill some small holes in the impellor blades.

G~