Need some input on my SRO-1000INT

[wildman926]

Here is my SRO 2000. It was on my 110g, now my 150g. She works just awesome. Notice how tiny the bubbles are until they reach the neck in the collection cup. This is what gave me the idea on my SRO 1000, that it's pump was drawing too much air. Now it works just as good as my 2000. The SRO 1000 is on my 110g.

[ek9vboi]

Very interesting! I'll have to look at my skimmer again and try this mod. Wonder if CoralVue/Jeremy is going to reply...

[markster33139]

I have the older model SRO 1000 like pictured at the top of the post, does anyone know where the minimum water line should be, it's not printed on the body of the skimmer?

[Jeremy@CoralVue]

The neck is designed to house the larger (pea size and greater) bubbles. Smaller bubbles should stay within the neck. When you restrict the air inlet you draw more water which IME causes more turbulence within the mixing chamber and ultimately in the neck as well.

[Jeremy@CoralVue]

Originally Posted by markster33139

I have the older model SRO 1000 like pictured at the top of the post, does anyone know where the minimum water line should be, it's not printed on the body of the skimmer?

The min water level will be different for every user. This is why I don't care for the stickers on the body. Try to start out with pea size bubble and greater in the neck of the skimmer and make small adjustments till you reach your desired collection but keep the small (pin sized) micro bubbles within the reaction chamber. The neck is designed to house the larger more stable bubbles for DOC collection.

[wildman926]

Originally Posted by Jeremy@CoralVue

The neck is designed to house the larger (pea size and greater) bubbles. Smaller bubbles should stay within the neck. When you restrict the air inlet you draw more water which IME causes more turbulence within the mixing chamber and ultimately in the neck as well.

I agree with you about the neck, but only in the collection cup area.

Restricting the air inlet will allow you to draw more water, however, you use the gate valve to adjust the volume through the skimmer.

The videos prove what I stated, that this pump has too large of a diameter of a air tube, allowing too much air to be drawn in that the pin wheel impeller can not effectively chop up, nor that the body can handle. The abundance of air has no where to go initially, causing turbulence in the body. It can easily be seen in the videos.

The pump is out of balance concerning air to water ratio. A smaller air tube would correct that. Since I have restricted the air intake, it skims perfectly like my SRO 2000.

[wildman926]

Originally Posted by wildman926

Here are a couple of videos to show what I am talking about. Just click on each pic to view them.

This first one has the check valve on the silencer restricting air, from start up for a little over one minute. Notice the smooth transition from the body to the neck in the collection cup. I made this video after the pics above, just pulling the power cord. Notice the head of foam starting to foam. If I let it set for 30+ minutes, it would have a head of foam on it, depositing into the collection cup.



This next video which I ran for 2 min, I took the check valve off the silencer, and adjusted the skimmer to where it is about 2" below the rim of the top of the neck, and then made this video. Notice how the bubbles are huge as compared to the first video, and how the height of the bubbles fluctuates up and down due to too much air in the body. Also, notice the turbulence in the body, and how the extra air in the body pushes up very forcefully. This is what causes the overflowing. Once it starts to overflow, it does not stop until the sump level drops enough to affect the skimmer water volume. If I had left this as is, in short time it would start overflowing. This would never make a head of foam. I can make a video of that later if need be.

Notice in the first video, no turbulence in the body. But in the second video, it is clearly seen with full air drawn.

To watch the videos, just click on the image of the pic. Be sure to make them full screen by clicking on the bottom right icon.

Regardless, I would not own another brand of skimmer.

[Addiction2SPS]

The problem with mine is its a space saver and the valve is connected to a T and the directly connected to the body of the skimmer. Now that I think of it this may be the problem but how do I fix it?

[wildman926]

Originally Posted by Addiction2SPS

The problem with mine is its a space saver and the valve is connected to a T and the directly connected to the body of the skimmer. Now that I think of it this may be the problem but how do I fix it?

Don't worry about the gate valve. It is already as low as it can go.

Try to slow down the air drawn into the silencer like I have. Did you read any of my posts and watch the vids I provided in this thread showing why it overflows? You can see the turbulence in the body clearly by too much air drawn in.

[wildman926]

I will be adding a valve to slow tinker with the air draw to get as much air in, without the turbulance in the body. Something like these maybe -

[Jeremy@CoralVue]

Originally Posted by wildman926

I agree with you about the neck, but only in the collection cup area.

Restricting the air inlet will allow you to draw more water, however, you use the gate valve to adjust the volume through the skimmer.

The videos prove what I stated, that this pump has too large of a diameter of a air tube, allowing too much air to be drawn in that the pin wheel impeller can not effectively chop up, nor that the body can handle. The abundance of air has no where to go initially, causing turbulence in the body. It can easily be seen in the videos.

The pump is out of balance concerning air to water ratio. A smaller air tube would correct that. Since I have restricted the air intake, it skims perfectly like my SRO 2000.

I actually prefer the performance of when the pea size or larger at the point where the skimmer body meets the cup so the entire neck is larger bubbles. Like shown below. This allows for maximum water processing through a better water to air ratio. Yet, I can see the advantage of fine tuning the air draw as an added control mechanism to your skimmers performance. We have been testing some pumps out to see if it will have any effects on the pumps or the impeller life. The less air the less surface area so it would be less sensitive to chemicals.

[wildman926]

Originally Posted by Jeremy@CoralVue

I actually prefer the performance of when the pea size or larger at the point where the skimmer body meets the cup so the entire neck is larger bubbles. Like shown below. This allows for maximum water processing through a better water to air ratio. Yet, I can see the advantage of fine tuning the air draw as an added control mechanism to your skimmers performance. We have been testing some pumps out to see if it will have any effects on the pumps or the impeller life. The less air the less surface area so it would be less sensitive to chemicals.

That is exactly what I have found. That as long as the bubbles are less than pea sized, at the point where the skimmer body meets the cup, it is NOT turbulant in the body, and all bubbles go one way, UP. If you look at my vids, you can see the bubbles going both up and down with the air wide open, this is what is causing the overflowing conditions this model is having. Again, too much air for the water pumped in and/or the body is too small to handle it. I will put this pump on my SRO 2000 to verify which it is tomorrow.

[wildman926]

I did a modification today, in adding a John Guest 1/4" valve I had sitting around. I had to cut a piece of 1/4" tubing to slide down in the silencer with silicone dabbed on the tubing to seal it up. I let it cure, and the results are absolutely great.

The first video is of the valve wide open. The 1/4" diameter is slightly smaller, and does aid in reducing the turbulance, but still keeps the bubbles too large in the body. It also shows that the bubbles are still wanting to go downward, just not as bad. You can see this in the neck area, between the actual cup and body (big black ring).




This second video has the valve open the most it can be, which ended up with the bubbles just turning to pea sized right where the cup meets the body (big black ring). There is no turbulance in the body, and ALL bubbles are rising up.




Both videos, I let the skimmer run for quite some time to get the optimum adjustment on the gate valve, as if I were to leave it that way.

I hope this helps anyone having issues with this skimmer. I feel once this is done, and the riser tube cut so that the bottom of the output of the gate valve is 6" from the bottom (like what the skimmer should be sitting in), this skimmer will rock just like the SRO 2000 does.

[Addiction2SPS]

I think your on to something wilds man. I put a tube on top of the silencer and clamped the tube. I have finer bubbles now like my brothers sro2000. I will try this out for a few days.

[wildman926]

Originally Posted by Addiction2SPS

I think your on to something wilds man. I put a tube on top of the silencer and clamped the tube. I have finer bubbles now like my brothers sro2000. I will try this out for a few days.

The pics and videos are solid proof. I don't know what else can convince anyone what needs to be done to make these SRO 1000's work properly.

[wildman926]

Some pics of it running for 24 hours, and I really like the modification so far. I am on the fence on closing the valve more, to have smaller bubbles in the body, but for now, it is pulling way more than when I had it with less air using the check valve. You can see how much more is in the waste collector from my other pic. I went ahead and put my cheater Sharpie reference marks on the JG valve and back on the gate valve so I can adjust or put it back if ever moved. I am really pleased.

[sportzfish]

Originally Posted by wildman926

Some pics of it running for 24 hours, and I really like the modification so far. I am on the fence on closing the valve more, to have smaller bubbles in the body, but for now, it is pulling way more than when I had it with less air using the check valve. You can see how much more is in the waste collector from my other pic. I went ahead and put my cheater Sharpie reference marks on the JG valve and back on the gate valve so I can adjust or put it back if ever moved. I am really pleased.

This tip has helped me solve my overflowing skimmer problem. Thanks!

[wildman926]

Never one to leave things alone, always the tinkerer, I just did not like that huge valve on top of the silencer. I found another air valve that would be used on another pump, and with some tweeking, it fit some extra air line hose that I had saved after cutting it to length. I adjusted the air valve and actually gave the skimmer more air, as I had to close the gate valve a notch. It still allows all bubbles to go one way, up, and no turbulence.

The first pic is immediately after adjusting it, building a head of foam immediately.

The third pic is 15 min later, after removing said head of foam, and running a tad wet, which is ok with me.

The last pic shows how much has been removed in one day, as compared to the last post.

I am extremely happy with my results so far. This is on a 110g that is medium bioload.

[wildman926]

Originally Posted by sportzfish

This tip has helped me solve my overflowing skimmer problem. Thanks!

That is great to read! Just glad to help out is all.

Try to use as much air before the bubbles start to go down, as this is turbulence, and causes the overflow condition. You can see it in my videos. Look at the neck area, as that will be the first to tell you when there is too much air.

I am going to put this pump on my SRO 2000, hopefully tomorrow, and see if it is the pump with too much air to water ratio, or the body is too small to handle the pump. Either way, I want to know.

[Outdoorfishes]

I am going to try the air intake hack to see if this improve the overflowing on my sro-1000 int. After 4 months of trial ( lowering, increasing the skimmer height, running carbon ,etc..) I am getting tired of this. The water level is as per coralvue height recommendation. Very very frustrating.

Borrowed different skimmers (bubble magus, atb) from lbs/friend. Those skimmers run fine without overflowing after minor adjustment. Wish I could return the octopus.

[ek9vboi]

Originally Posted by Outdoorfishes

I am going to try the air intake hack to see if this improve the overflowing on my sro-1000 int. After 4 months of trial ( lowering, increasing the skimmer height, running carbon ,etc..) I am getting tired of this. The water level is as per coralvue height recommendation. Very very frustrating.

Borrowed different skimmers (bubble magus, atb) from lbs/friend. Those skimmers run fine without overflowing after minor adjustment. Wish I could return the octopus.

I would try try the lowering of the gate valve as it makes a very big difference. The adjustable valve is to make the skimmer perform better but won't necessarily stop it from overflowing.

[ek9vboi]

Thanks wild man, I'll be trying this mod today when I'm working on the tank.

[Justdrew]

I'm in the same boat with my 1000SSS. One day it is set fine skimming pretty dry, it will stay there for a day or so. Then the next day a cup full of clear water, overflowing like crazy. I'm ready to look for something else. Just don't know what.

Drew

[ek9vboi]

Originally Posted by Justdrew

I'm in the same boat with my 1000SSS. One day it is set fine skimming pretty dry, it will stay there for a day or so. Then the next day a cup full of clear water, overflowing like crazy. I'm ready to look for something else. Just don't know what.

Drew

I'm not sure if the 1000sss is anything like the 1000Int, but if it has an extension for the gate valve to be set higher then look into that. If not follow wildman's air intake mod. I plan to do the mod myself and will report a before and after as well.

[wildman926]

Originally Posted by Justdrew

I'm in the same boat with my 1000SSS. One day it is set fine skimming pretty dry, it will stay there for a day or so. Then the next day a cup full of clear water, overflowing like crazy. I'm ready to look for something else. Just don't know what.

Drew

Originally Posted by ek9vboi

I'm not sure if the 1000sss is anything like the 1000Int, but if it has an extension for the gate valve to be set higher then look into that. If not follow wildman's air intake mod. I plan to do the mod myself and will report a before and after as well.

I honestly don't think the gate height has that much influence on the overflowing. When I dropped mine down again to look like the picture, it did not stop the overflowing. Like Jusdrew said on his SSS, it will stay there for a day or two, and then overflow for no reason, and fill up the waste collector. BTW, the SSS has the gate valve as low as it can possibly go.

I have had 0 issues since slowing down the air intake using a valve. I still have it set to give as much as air as possible, but where it will not have turbulance in the body and overflow. I may slow it down further, but I am going to give it a week where it is at. It is pulling out gunk like never before.