Best way to use skimmer drain?

[Justjim]

Im going away a bit and would like to use my drain on my reef octopus skimmer by removing the plug and adding a drain hose to go into a bucket. What’s the best place to get a grommet or hose setup?

 

[LilElroyJetson]

How long are you going away for?

 

[Waters]

Im going away a bit and would like to use my drain on my reef octopus skimmer by removing the plug and adding a drain hose to go into a bucket. What’s the best place to get a grommet or hose setup?

Not an answer to your question but be careful.......if your skimmer overflows and goes nuts for whatever reason, it will keep pumping water out of your sump until it either empties your tank, or the skimmer calms back down.

 

[dwest]

Not an answer to your question but be careful.......if your skimmer overflows and goes nuts for whatever reason, it will keep pumping water out of your sump until it either empties your tank, or the skimmer calms back down.

I run my skimmer drain line to an avast skimmate locker for this reason when I leave for more than a few days.

 

[homer1475]

+1 skimmate locker.

But I'm to cheap and made a drain with a gallon jug and a float switched hooked up to a BOB. If the jug gets full, it trips the float, which turns off the skimmer.

 

[dbl]

To answer your question, and assuming the drain hole is threaded, you'll need something like the adapter linked below, but in your correct size.

I would echo the comments on utilizing a float switch of some sort to shut the skimmer off if the container gets full.

https://www.amazon.com/Waterway-Pla...=8-3-fkmrnull-spons&psc=1&smid=A2LLS7SYKCBWI8

 

[Waters]

I run my skimmer drain line to an avast skimmate locker for this reason when I leave for more than a few days.

I never never heard of one of those....had to look it up. That will be my next purchase

 

[dwest]

I never never heard of one of those....had to look it up. That will be my next purchase

I especially like the simplicity and reliability of the pressure sensor shutoff. Been using one of those in my sump with my ATO for over 20 years with zero problems.

 

[ca1ore]

The only problem with pressure sensors in this application is false triggering from injector pressure rise.

 

[dwest]

The only problem with pressure sensors in this application is false triggering from injector pressure rise.

Have you had this happen in a skimmate locker?

 

[ca1ore]

Have you had this happen in a skimmate locker?

Yes. To be fair, I have an extremely large skimmer with dual 1" mazzei injectors that push a huge amount of air into the skimmate container. Any resistance in the venting of said locker builds pressure and triggers the switch - so I must be vigilant in cleaning the vents.

 

[BestMomEver]

Not an answer to your question but be careful.......if your skimmer overflows and goes nuts for whatever reason, it will keep pumping water out of your sump until it either empties your tank, or the skimmer calms back down.

Happened to me recently. I used a pitcher. Reef Octopus went nuts, which it never does, and dumped water onto the floor. Luckily I had two things in my favor.... my ATO cuts off it runs for over a minute and I have an Apex Leak Detection Kit. I was pulling into Reefapalooza when I got blasted with messages saying I had a leaky. Luckily, my daughter was across town and came home to see about it.

Two things.... I won’t use an outside drain anymore. If the skimmer overflows, then it overflows but from now on it’s going right back into the sump. Also, the LDK paid for itself many times over.

 

[dwest]

Yes. To be fair, I have an extremely large skimmer with dual 1" mazzei injectors that push a huge amount of air into the skimmate container. Any resistance in the venting of said locker builds pressure and triggers the switch - so I must be vigilant in cleaning the vents.

Thinking that I may want to run my skimmer without the lid when I’m gone. I’m not running nearly as much air as you though. Making me think... Thanks for the info.

 

[dwest]

Happened to me recently. I used a pitcher. Reef Octopus went nuts, which it never does, and dumped water onto the floor. Luckily I had two things in my favor.... my ATO cuts off it runs for over a minute and I have an Apex Leak Detection Kit. I was pulling into Reefapalooza when I got blasted with messages saying I had a leaky. Luckily, my daughter was across town and came home to see about it.

Two things.... I won’t use an outside drain anymore. If the skimmer overflows, then it overflows but from now on it’s going right back into the sump. Also, the LDK paid for itself many times over.

Does your LDK control anything or just alarm? Been thinking about one of those also. Boy, I am a big thread derailer today

 

[Waters]

Happened to me recently. I used a pitcher. Reef Octopus went nuts, which it never does, and dumped water onto the floor. Luckily I had two things in my favor.... my ATO cuts off it runs for over a minute and I have an Apex Leak Detection Kit. I was pulling into Reefapalooza when I got blasted with messages saying I had a leaky. Luckily, my daughter was across town and came home to see about it.

Two things.... I won’t use an outside drain anymore. If the skimmer overflows, then it overflows but from now on it’s going right back into the sump. Also, the LDK paid for itself many times over.

Which ATO do you have? I wonder if mine has the same cutoff feature......that is one less thing I would have to worry about if that is the case. I currently just have programming watching for a drop in salinity which shuts off the ATO.

 

[BestMomEver]

Does your LDK control anything or just alarm? Been thinking about one of those also. Boy, I am a big thread derailer today

It cuts everything off except the lights and wave makers. The return pump, ATO, skimmer, and pump for PhosBan reactor all shut off immediately.

 

[BestMomEver]

Which ATO do you have? I wonder if mine has the same cutoff feature......that is one less thing I would have to worry about if that is the case. I currently just have programming watching for a drop in salinity which shuts off the ATO.

I have the Autoaqua ATO/AWC. I had a Tunze ATO but I like this way better. Just to add.... the pumps for the AWC are only plugged in when I’m actually doing a water change. Otherwise, the pumps are disconnected and removed from the water.

 

[Waters]

I have the Autoaqua ATO/AWC. I had a Tunze ATO but I like this way better. Just to add.... the pumps for the AWC are only plugged in when I’m actually doing a water change. Otherwise, the pumps are disconnected and removed from the water.

Gotcha...thanks. I use a Tunze ATO now which probably doesn't have that same feature. I do continuous AWC from Monday through Thursday so my pumps are always ready to go.

 

[hexumjunkie]

Not an answer to your question but be careful.......if your skimmer overflows and goes nuts for whatever reason, it will keep pumping water out of your sump until it either empties your tank, or the skimmer calms back down.

Wouldnt it only empty it down to your overflow level?