how to shut down return pump when skimmer cup full

[khoivo1]

just wonder any one here know how to diy floatswitch into skimmer cup so incase skimmer cup water getting too high then it will trigger to turn of the feed pump off ,,,prevent from flood,,,anythead would be great too thanks
also i have A>C controller 3 and floatswitch ,,just don't know much how they all work together and program into A.C 3 ,,

[Donw]

Float switches don't work well in skimmers. The foam will lift the switch and makes the switch hard to clean. Opticals work real well in a skimmer when used in conjunction with a small relay and you AC.

Don

[khoivo1]

my skimmer is 12" diameter,,,so i will install the float switch on close to the side of the cup ,,foam never get to there,,since i skim it wet,,,just wonder if its possible to turn skimmer feed pump off if i do so? thanks

[dreaminmel]

Is there a reason you couldn't just drill a hole in the skimmer cup for drainage and run tubing to a bucket or plumbing drain?

[Donw]

Yes just get a breakout box for your AC they are cheap. Then connect the float directly to the box.
Don

[kcress]

A drain is a far better idea..

[Donw]

I would only drain a beckett. If a NW goes nuts it will just overflow the bucket or drain the tank if your going to the sewer. If you have an ato you'll then have a freshwater tank. Maybe a drain that goes back to the sump if the bucket overflows.

Don

[james3370]

our local club had our last meeting at a well known hatchery (name w/held). they have individual skimmers on their "banks" of about 6-10 150g tanks. i noticed the skimmers were drilled in the bottom of the collection cups & had what looked like uniseal bulkheads. from there a piece of flexible pvc extended up thru & about 2/3rd the way to the top of the collection cup. that ran back to the return tank, so if the skimmer were to get to the point of overflowing, it would drain back to the tank

i'm actually thinking about doing that on mine...even though it'll be in-sump

[khoivo1]

hi,,i have bk skimmer and i hate drill anything to it and also my tank is in the living roon so no where to run drain line to and no room to put a bucket under the tank,,,,i remember reading somewhere there are some people doing it with floatswitch to turn off the pump if skimmer cup getting full,,,i know people had done this but i can't find it now,,,
i guess i will just try to figure out something thanks

[IronMdnX]

You could maybe use a float to cut off the air supply to the skimmer. You would just be cycling water then no foam.

Drain is still better.

[troylee]

if you run the airline from the venturi into one of the vent holes in the cup it will shut the pump down when the nog level reaches it.....it might suck a little waiste back in the pump but when the air is cut off it will shut down the pump....also works as a great silencer....there was a thread that even said by doing this it skimmed better because the pump sucked moist air instead of dry.....not really sure about that part but the pump will shut off.....

[coralfragger101]

I drain my cup to a waste container and then have a horizontal float switch in the waste container. If the waste container fills then my controller shuts down the recirculating pump. That way water will still travel through the skimmer and won't become stagnant but with no air being sucked into the recirculating pump - it doesn't skim.

[khoivo1]

yeahhhhhhhh that is a good idea ,,,do you have neptune controller?? how do you program it,,,?? and instruction how to install and wire floatswitch please,,thanks

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15054197#post15054197 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralfragger101
I drain my cup to a waste container and then have a horizontal float switch in the waste container. If the waste container fills then my controller shuts down the recirculating pump. That way water will still travel through the skimmer and won't become stagnant but with no air being sucked into the recirculating pump - it doesn't skim.

[THE ROOK]

You could purchase a single float kit from Aquahub. Drill a hole in the lid, insert the float, then simply plug the skimmer into the relay box. When the float trips the the pump will shut off.

You may be able to install the float with no drilling. The Aquahub mold-a-bracket could be made to hook over the side of the cup.

[coralfragger101]

I don't have a neptune so unfortunately I can not tell you how to do yours. I have the ReefKeeper Elite.

Undoubtedly the programming would be different. Basically you would plug the skimmer pump into an outlet of the controller and program it to be ON unless the float trips and then you want it OFF.

The float switched I used is similar to the ones on this page, left hand side called horizontal float switches.

http://www.fluidswitch.com/index.htm

[khoivo1]

so i would plug the switch into outlet #1and the pump in out#2
program it to turn #2 off when #1 outlet is on right?
the switch doesn't come with power supply,,,so i have to get 6v or 9v or 12v power supply or regular supply??

[coralfragger101]

With the ReefKeeper I have switch outlets. The switch itself didn't need a power supply. Those types of switches use a different type of connection to the controller. You don't plug them into an electrical outlet.

[Donw]

[QUOTE]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15054195#post15054195 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by troylee
if you run the airline from the venturi into one of the vent holes in the cup it will shut the pump down when the nog level reaches it.....it might suck a little waiste back in the pump but when the air is cut off it will shut down the pump....also works as a great silencer....there was a thread that even said by doing this it skimmed better because the pump sucked moist air instead of dry.....not really sure about that part but the pump will shut off..... [/QUOTE

That only works with becketts and recirc NW and will cause a flood with a internal NW.

Don

[Donw]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15056260#post15056260 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by khoivo1
so i would plug the switch into outlet #1and the pump in out#2
program it to turn #2 off when #1 outlet is on right?
the switch doesn't come with power supply,,,so i have to get 6v or 9v or 12v power supply or regular supply??

This is what you need to connect a float to your AC. You could use an old apple printer cable if you wanted to save some money the wiring diagram is on Neptunes web site.

http://akamai.f3images.com/IMD/250/NS5413/NS5413_99.jpg

[cherubfish pair]

aquahub.com has snail guards for their float switches. They will keep the foam from interfering with the float.

[shikhyung]

There is a thread I can't not relocate, however, what he drilled a hole in the collection cup, and fed to the air intake of the skimer pump. What happend is when the water raise to level in the collection cup (where it is drilled) it will overflow to the air intake, will cause the pump still in action but never produce foam till the water in the collection cup is drained.

[khoivo1]

i can't finding any wiring diagram on neptune website for brakebox,,,can someone help me??
thanks

QUOTE]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15057514#post15057514 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Donw
This is what you need to connect a float to your AC. You could use an old apple printer cable if you wanted to save some money the wiring diagram is on Neptunes web site.

http://akamai.f3images.com/IMD/250/NS5413/NS5413_99.jpg [/QUOTE]

[manderx]

i just used an old ps/2 cable off a dead mouse. just needed to dremel out a plastic bit from the ps/2 connector.

[cherubfish pair]

This thread about the Reef Keeper Lite has this picture.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=14855451#post14855451

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/9086switch2.jpg