skimmer cup drain tube

[lilchris]

Has anyone modded their skimmer to drain the skimmate from the collection cup? If so what type of valve did you use? I want to do it w/ my Euro reef. I want to make sure it will not crack when I drill the bottom. Post pic if have some

[jener8tionx]

I was thinking the same thing...it would help with my laziness!

[Turbovinny]

i did it to my octopus skimmer, just go to the store and get 1/4 elbow, valve, and hose. I would of went wider but the bottom of the cup only allow 1/4" elbow. I also used a stepping drill to drill the cup, just drill slow and it wont crack

[lilchris]

Cool thanks. THe only thing is that I have a Euro reef skimmer and I looked up a replacement cup just in case and it is 140 buck. Soo I don't know if I want to risk it. we will see if I have the nerve or not.

[Freed]

I did both of mine with threaded 3/8" JG fittings. Drilled the bottom side of each because of the close proximity of the large union flange you have to unscrew for removal of the cup. Going out the bottom of the cup, the fitting will interfere with the loosening of the union flange.

[RandyStacyE]

If you decide to tap into your cup, you'll find that worst case scenario (if your skimmer ever goes bonkers) you can overflow the waste container and possibly run your sump's return compartment dry (depending on your sump's size).

There’s another cool DIY out there that shuts off the air flow to the skimmer’s air inlet basically shutting down bubble production when the waste container is full. That might be something worth looking into in the future.

I believe they use a ping pong ball inside of some PVC for this. When the waste container gets full, the ball floats up and closes the venturi air inlet hose … hence stopping bubble production.

[lilchris]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11229248#post11229248 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RandyStacyE
If you decide to tap into your cup, you'll find that worst case scenario (if your skimmer ever goes bonkers) you can overflow the waste container and possibly run your sump's return compartment dry (depending on your sump's size).

There’s another cool DIY out there that shuts off the air flow to the skimmer’s air inlet basically shutting down bubble production when the waste container is full. That might be something worth looking into in the future.

I believe they use a ping pong ball inside of some PVC for this. When the waste container gets full, the ball floats up and closes the venturi air inlet hose … hence stopping bubble production.

Do you have any pictures of that?

[Freed]

I have mine run to PVC in the basement that goes to the main sewer drain. Can't overflow that!!! PRICELESS!!!

[john rochon]

huh?? if your overflowing your skimmer into the sewer line how is that NOT emptying your sump out?? you should always have the drain into a container IN the sump just in case. this will just overflow the container [collection cup] back into the sump

[Freed]

Why would I want to do that? This way I don't have to empty the cup every few days. Takes care of itself. Pulls out normal amount of skimmate and disposes into the sewer. My skimmer is on the outside of the sump/refugium so never overflows onto the floor this way.

[bori]

I just did this exact mod to my ER CS6-3. I drilled the bottom of the collection cup with a 1/4" wood boring bit (probably not recommended) but it was the only bit I had that was the right size for the quick connect bulkhead fitting (part #0605002 from Savko, $3.17) I installed. I taped the bottom (exterior) of the collection cup with duct tape and drilled slowly from the inside and down. I had to put 2 wood blocks between the collection cup and the neck for clearance while I drilled. The whole process took less than 10 min. but I was afraid I was going to break the cup. The only special thing I did was to let the bit cool off every so often until it went through. The bit also has a point on it prior to fanning out so it drills a pilot hole first. Sorry no pics but it works just fine. I put a regular airline hose from the cup to a bottle that I throw out when it's full. Depending on your model ER, you may of may not have room to work with. Mine was a tight fit, but works just fine. HTH's --Rob--

[dcs03tx]

I installed a 1/2" fitting in the side of my collection cup, about 1" up from the bottom. Works just fine.

[OceansWonders]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11234870#post11234870 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Freed
I have mine run to PVC in the basement that goes to the main sewer drain. Can't overflow that!!! PRICELESS!!!

What he is saying is that if you have your skimmer drain into your house drain and the skimmer goes nuts making foam you will empty your sump and have no water returning to the main tank or worse burn the retun pump up because the water has been drained or pumped directy down the house drain becasue of the skimmer overflow. Could ruin your heaters too if they become out of the water.

[Freed]

Really?

[minispider]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11235133#post11235133 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Freed
Why would I want to do that? This way I don't have to empty the cup every few days. Takes care of itself. Pulls out normal amount of skimmate and disposes into the sewer. My skimmer is on the outside of the sump/refugium so never overflows onto the floor this way.

that's how i set mine up...i had a couple of gallons spilled due to my cup overfilling and my back up gallon being full also....my salinity went down just a little due to the fact that my ATO was replacing the lost water with fresh water. and I tell you, 2 gallons on your floor go along way...now if for what ever reason it goes crazy it will go down into the sewer.

[RandyStacyE]

Here's a link to a DIY Auto Waste Container:
http://www.hawkfish.org/snailman/diywaste.htm

[RandyStacyE]

Skimmers do occasionally go bonkers for whatever reason. This doesn't matter much with in sump skimmers, worst case the cup spills back into the skimmer, but as soon as you tap into the collection cup you leave yourself vulnerable to all kinds of possible problems.

There’s obviously nothing wrong with tapping into the cup though and like minispider said … if you have an ATO system and your skimmer goes bonkers you could give the tank a decent dose of fresh water.

If this waste shut off does work … it would solve all types of unforeseeable problems.

[draleigh]

i second randy. i ran my skimmate to an external collection area and it is the ONLY over flow i have had in my tank. I adjusted the skimmer every so slightly and the damn thing went nuts. i came home and it was bubble madness in my display as my return pump was trying to pull what water was left in the sump.

I HIGHLY recommend that you take the time to just empty your cup and clean it.

[flyyyguy]

here is a little trick to drilling even the cheapest of skimmers cups safely.....


glue a piece of acrylic on the bottom of the cup where you want the hole. it not only makes drilling the hole much less risky of cracking, it gives you plenty of meat to tap it out so you can thread a fitting into it watertight

[effect]

Anyone done this on a asm g3? I will be doing this soon, Just would like a heads up

[RandyStacyE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11243275#post11243275 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by draleigh
i second randy. i ran my skimmate to an external collection area and it is the ONLY over flow i have had in my tank. I adjusted the skimmer every so slightly and the damn thing went nuts. i came home and it was bubble madness in my display as my return pump was trying to pull what water was left in the sump.

I HIGHLY recommend that you take the time to just empty your cup and clean it.

I really don't think there's anything wrong with anyone drilling the cup, just as long as you understand what can go wrong which one will likely find out on their own anyway :)

I just wanted to mention that DIY Waste Collector which could solve the problem. That DIY could be implemented with even a Tupperware container.

[majorp19]

I drain my skimmer cup into a gallon jug to reduce the frequency of emptying the cup as well as being able to leave it longer unattended while traveling. Here are the pictures of the device I built with PVC and a shutoff valve I bought from BRS. When the jug is full the Apex shuts off the skimmer and texts/emails me of the condition. No spillage and the most fluid I would collect would be a little over a half gallon. This amount could be adjusted to your own specs. See the pictures.

[jpatton]

I have avast marines cone skimmer that comes with a drain for the cup. I had it plugged for the longest time but have gone to having it drain into a 5 gallon bucket. I still have to pull the collection cup off weekly or so to clean the neck of the skimmer etc out so it probably only saves me emptying the cup and extra one time a week.

[Vinny Kreyling]

I know it can be a pain but there is another consideration -- a clean skimmer will perform better than a dirty one.
I clean mine weekly with the water change.

[mcgyvr]

yep.. nothing wrong with drilling for a drain tube..


Just go slow as acrylic can be brittle and crack with the stress from a drill bit breaking through the backside of a hole..
Step drills do work nicely for this application but a regular twist drill or even a spade bit typically used on wood will work just fine.. I've used all 3 at some point or another and have never had a problem.. Just go slow and be cautious right as its going to break through.. (slow RPM,etc..)

And having a float/relay (or optical,etc..) system like an ATO is a great way to prevent a flood during an overflow..

You can even use the air inlet on the skimmer and set it so that when the cup fills it starts sucking in water instead of air.. that will prevent a flood too (usually)

[sleepydoc]

Drain tubes should be standard on skimmer cups, IMHO. Some of the Reef Octopus skimmers actually come with float switch shutoffs pre-installed which is another great idea.

If you are drilling and/or tapping acrylic, I would definitely get a few scrap pieces to practice on. Often I upsize the drill bit a few thousandths of an inch to make the tapping easier and less likely to crack the acrylic.

As was mentioned above, any skimmate collection system should definitely have one (or more) backup shutoff mechanisms; Unfortunately, my reef octopus starts to overflow if I occlude the air inlet - so using that as a cutoff won't help me. I'm considering mounting a tube that will drain back into the sump if the level rises above the float switch shutoff level. That way a runaway skimmer won't flood the cabinet or living room floor, drop the salinity precipitously when the ATO starts running continuously to keep up with the skimmate, or drain the sump and burn out the return pump. Returning skimmate to the system isn't ideal, but that's where it came from in the first place, and it's better than the alternatives...

[mcgyvr]

My new Eshopps PSK-75H comes with a tube/fitting already attached to the cup.. (loving this skimmer BTW)
I just put the tube into the tank so any overflow will just go right back into the tank.

As stated not "ideal" but much better than all over the floor,etc...

I'm building a larger "skimmate container" now and will be installing a float/relay on it (and carbon filter)..
Nothing like the smell of a gallon of skimmate... oh.. puke..

[rocsec1]

I did this and used a large bottle for the overfill. I them put an apex leak detector under the bottle so if it overflowed my apex would turn off the skimmer. This worked, later I found a collection container (I think reef octopus) that had a sensor and a plug for the skimmer. The When the container fills the sensor turns off the skimmer.

[Capsle]

I have avast marines cone skimmer that comes with a drain for the cup. I had it plugged for the longest time but have gone to having it drain into a 5 gallon bucket. I still have to pull the collection cup off weekly or so to clean the neck of the skimmer etc out so it probably only saves me emptying the cup and extra one time a week.



I would not want to smell that bucket! Just my 6" cup is enough for me. [emoji37][emoji40]



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[slief]

I use a Magnum Quick Disconnect valve like the one below.
https://www.amazon.com/Marineland-Magnum-Disconnect-Double-PA0586/dp/B0002APYNQ/

Fortunately my skimmer came with a drain line so adding the 1/2" valve was a no brainier. The union valve allows for easy removal of the collection cup and simple draining by opening the valve. I have my drain line connected to a 1.5 gallon flat compact Nalgene container. If my skimmer didn't have a drain line and I was going to add one, I would drill and tap it for a 1/2" John Guest Valve push lock fitting.

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo347/shleif/Tanks/Sump%20rr/image_zps5tkylnc1.jpg
http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo347/shleif/Tanks/Sump%20rr/image_zpsp0w4gvhm.jpg