HOB Protein Skimmer overflow into cup?

[Sean W.]

Hi everyone, I am thinking about getting a HOB protein skimmer for my 55 gallon tank, I don't currently have a sump and I am not convinced a sump is worth the effort to shoehorn into my setup the way it is now. Mainly because I don't want to/ cant drill my tank and I only have 2 3/4" between the tank and the wall, I just don't have enough space for an overflow box, and it's not feasible to move the tank further from the wall.

I found this HOB Protein skimmer called the Bubble Magus QQ1, it only needs 55mm between the tank and the wall, so it's the only protein skimmer that I have found that would actually fit on my tank.

It is rated for a 25 gallon tank, but I have very light stocking and feed as little as possible, so I think it will still be effective, and certainly better than nothing.

Now, my question:

Can I just drill a 1/2" hole in the side of the collection cup and run some tubing down into a larger collection cup, so I don't have to empty it as often? I cant see why not...? This will also likely keep it more dialed in once I find the sweet spot because I wont be constantly removing the collection cup to clean it.

 

[Webslinger]

yes, but make sure the collector is large enough, if the skimmer overflows with water

 

[PicassoClown04]

This will not destroy the integrity of the cup in any way, just make sure you don’t crack the cup while drilling and that your tubing is water tight! Sounds like a good idea actually... I’m getting tired of emptying my skimmer cup every week. Make sure you take the cup out every so often and scrub it with a toothbrush, it gets really gunky in there!