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Conceyted
09/07/2006, 12:49 PM
For the past few months I have been fighting with my ASM G3 skimmer. If i set the gatevalve too low the skimmer underskims. When set too high it overskims. Recently I adjusted it day by day until I found it to skim properly only to be awaken in the morning to the skimmer overflowing. Anything that happens out of the ordinary in the tank (and sometimes not out of the ordinary) the skimmer overflows. I would like to put a small sensor at the top of the collection cup to sense when water reaches that point. If the sensor detects water an alarm will sound(preferably) and it will shut the skimmer pump off. It seems like a great idea and I am surprised I have not seen one around yet. Does anyone know where to find one? I have seen alarms that will alert you via audible alert when water is detected but I want to go one step further and have it shut the pump off. Any help is appreciated.
Thanks

imtheonlylp
09/07/2006, 01:16 PM
why not just drill a small, 1/4" hole near the bottom of the skimmer cup, attach a drain (1/4") hose, glue it in place, drill a similar hole in the cap of a gatorade (or similar) container, insert the free end of the hose, and there ya go! overflow protection! :)

Conceyted
09/07/2006, 01:31 PM
I understand your idea for the drain but the second hose in the cap? you must mean the venturi... needlewheel skimmers don't work that way. if you block off the venturi it will up the flowrate of the pump and force the water intovthe collection cup overflowing it even more.

imtheonlylp
09/07/2006, 01:52 PM
no no...i wish i was at home, i would post a picture for you...let me see if i can explain it a little better:

1.) the skimmer collection cup: drill a 1/4" hole in the sidewall of this, near the bottom
2.) the 1/4" tubing: length is up to you, usually 12" is fine, just enough to get from the collection cup to your other container...insert one end of this into the hole you drilled in the collection cup - secure it with something like plumbing cement/glue/etc. - insert the other end into the cap of your overflow container (where you will have drilled a 1/4" hole as well)
3.) overflow container - some people use milk jugs...i used a 32oz gatorade bottle (its small, but holds a decent amount of skimmate)...drill a 1/4" hole directly in the center of the cap and insert the tubing..no need to secure as it will stay in by itself

i did this primarily to keep from having to remove my skimmer's collection cup each time i wanted to empty it..besides, its a little cramped in the space under my tank...so emptying the bottle is easier...of course i still have to remove the collection cup eventually and clean the riser tube for efficiency...hope this helps!

imtheonlylp
09/07/2006, 01:53 PM
something like this:

http://www.melevsreef.com/55g/55sump_left.jpg

Conceyted
09/07/2006, 02:07 PM
essentially just make a waste collector. I see what you mean but this would not fix my problem. the problem is not that the skimmer is producing too much skimmate, the skimmer malfunctions causing the bubbles to rise faster and break higher creating what is basically water overflowing into the skimmer cup. it isn't that I am not emptying the cup enough but that the skimmer goes haywire when it comes into contact with certain elements like aquastik etc in the water

thanks for your solution though, I just need to find this automated switch I was talking about above.

grupper
09/07/2006, 02:28 PM
You could add a float switch to turn off the pump when the water level gets too high. http://floatswitches.net/ seems to have some reasonably priced float switches. I'm not sure if you would need a relay to drive your skimmer pump or not. If you need a relay, then you could easily wire up the relay so that it turns on a buzzer when ever it turns off your pump. Of course, this solution requires you to do some wiring yourself.

Greg

Nathan
09/07/2006, 02:29 PM
This is what you are looking for:

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=UL1111

http://www.marinedepot.com/IMD/150/UL1111.jpg

It can be set to turn off when water level rises too high, or turn on when water level rises to a certian point.

-Nathan

Conceyted
09/07/2006, 03:27 PM
so basically a simplified autotopoff setup eh? the problem with the ultralife float is getting it mounted INSIDE a collection cup. Maybe i can wire something up using float switches from floatswitch.com

I really wanted to avoid having to build something on my own. The tunze setup looks nice but 200 dollars? jesus

Nathan
09/07/2006, 03:47 PM
I have an AquaC EV 180. The waste line goes into a 5g bucket and the ultralife float switch is simply hung over the top of the bucket. When the skimmer goes nuts and dumps water into the bucket the water level in the bucket rises and trips the switch which turns off the skimmer pump.

Conceyted
09/07/2006, 03:49 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8098451#post8098451 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nathan
I have an AquaC EV 180. The waste line goes into a 5g bucket and the ultralife float switch is simply hung over the top of the bucket. When the skimmer goes nuts and dumps water into the bucket the water level in the bucket rises and trips the switch which turns off the skimmer pump. thats probably what i will end up making. But more simplified and smaller i guess... I just dont have all the space under my stand for a bucket :-(