Apex Optical Sensor in Skimmer Cup

[kelleymc]

How is everyone adding an Apex optical sensor to your skimmer cup? Did you trim the lid for the cord? I'm trying to figure out the best way of doing it. I have a Red Sea 300 Reefer. Thanks!

 

[Coolcasino]

The new optical sensors are held with a magnet. No need to drill or run wires.

 

[V A R I A N T]

A float switch may be a better choice in this application. The skimmer cup is a messy place and has the potential to cause a sensor to misread. Cleaning the sensor could become an undesirable chore.

 

[kelleymc]

The new optical sensors are held with a magnet. No need to drill or run wires.

The wire is on the optical sensor side, not that magnet side. The wire will be in the collection cup.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

The wire is on the optical sensor side, not that magnet side. The wire will be in the collection cup.

I decided to not use an optical sensor after about a month of using one. Crud would build up on it and it would go all wanky unless I cleaned it every few days. This was even with the skimmer cup not even close to 1/4 of the way full. Just the stuff from the foam going past/over it on the way into the cup was enough to get it dirty.

I decided to switch to a float with a long stem and just took a soldering iron and made one of the vent holes slightly larger for it to fit. I now have it wired to my B/O box and setup to turn the skimmer off/alert me when the cup is full. Works great and I do clean the stem and float off when I dump the cup. But even then, it doesn't really have as much on it as the optical sensor did.

Edit: When I ran one, I just took a Dremel and ground the lid down a little so the cable would not push the lid up. I then routed the wire to the top of the lid and fastened with a small zip tie through some vent holes. This created a drip loop, so any liquid did not run down on the outside of the cup.

 

[kelleymc]

I decided to not use an optical sensor after about a month of using one. Crud would build up on it and it would go all wanky unless I cleaned it every few days. This was even with the skimmer cup not even close to 1/4 of the way full. Just the stuff from the foam going past/over it on the way into the cup was enough to get it dirty.

I decided to switch to a float with a long stem and just took a soldering iron and made one of the vent holes slightly larger for it to fit. I now have it wired to my B/O box and setup to turn the skimmer off/alert me when the cup is full. Works great and I do clean the stem and float off when I dump the cup. But even then, it doesn't really have as much on it as the optical sensor did.

Edit: When I ran one, I just took a Dremel and ground the lid down a little so the cable would not push the lid up. I then routed the wire to the top of the lid and fastened with a small zip tie through some vent holes. This created a drip loop, so any liquid did not run down on the outside of the cup.

Great idea, thank you!

 

[Coolcasino]

The wire is on the optical sensor side, not that magnet side. The wire will be in the collection cup.

Could slide the wire thru one of the collection cup vent holes or drill one out. It is a better idea to use a float switch... like Reef Octopus uses on their skimmers. Drill out one of the vent holes or drill one out. Then connect it to an Apex BOB. I have the Elite 200s and it comes with the float switch on the lid but I tapped it for an male fitting and use it to recirculate my CO2 reactor. I do have a skimmate collector and thats where I installed the float switch connected to my BOB. When that fills it turns the skimmer down to 20% and sends me a notification.

 

[kelleymc]

Could slide the wire thru one of the collection cup vent holes or drill one out. It is a better idea to use a float switch... like Reef Octopus uses on their skimmers. Drill out one of the vent holes or drill one out. Then connect it to an Apex BOB. I have the Elite 200s and it comes with the float switch on the lid but I tapped it for an male fitting and use it to recirculate my CO2 reactor. I do have a skimmate collector and thats where I installed the float switch connected to my BOB. When that fills it turns the skimmer down to 20% and sends me a notification.

Nice, thank you!

 

[Mortgaged Reefs]

I decided to not use an optical sensor after about a month of using one. Crud would build up on it and it would go all wanky unless I cleaned it every few days. This was even with the skimmer cup not even close to 1/4 of the way full. Just the stuff from the foam going past/over it on the way into the cup was enough to get it dirty.

I decided to switch to a float with a long stem and just took a soldering iron and made one of the vent holes slightly larger for it to fit. I now have it wired to my B/O box and setup to turn the skimmer off/alert me when the cup is full. Works great and I do clean the stem and float off when I dump the cup. But even then, it doesn't really have as much on it as the optical sensor did.

Edit: When I ran one, I just took a Dremel and ground the lid down a little so the cable would not push the lid up. I then routed the wire to the top of the lid and fastened with a small zip tie through some vent holes. This created a drip loop, so any liquid did not run down on the outside of the cup.

I would love to see a picture!

 

[V A R I A N T]