Recirculating skimmer in basement below display tank and sump?

[JollyReefer]

Hi y'all,

I'm having trouble finding a suitable skimmer that will fit in my sump. So I'm trying to find alternative ideas for implementing a skimmer with my tank parameters. One idea is to pipe water down a tube in the wall to my unfinished basement. I know that recirculating skimmers require an additional feed pump that pumps the water into the skimmer. However, I'm unsure as to how the water is returned to the sump. Can anyone clear this up for me? Does the power/flow from the feed pump also push the water that has been processed by the recirculating skimmer back into the sump? If so, would this single feed pump be powerful enough to drive the unskimmed water from an upper level into my basement where I would hold the recirculating skimmer and then push the skimmed water back up to the sump in the upper level from the basement?

Thanks in advance!
Jon

 

[mcarroll]

It'll drain via gravity like a other skimmers so it'll need its own sump or it'll need to be above the rim of the existing sump.

If the distance to the sump is significant, you'll need to assure there's enough downhill slope in the drain line for it to work well....larger diameter drain plumbing is sometimes called for.

How big is your tank and how much space do you have in the main sump?

 

[Brew12]

Hi y'all,

I'm having trouble finding a suitable skimmer that will fit in my sump. So I'm trying to find alternative ideas for implementing a skimmer with my tank parameters. One idea is to pipe water down a tube in the wall to my unfinished basement. I know that recirculating skimmers require an additional feed pump that pumps the water into the skimmer. However, I'm unsure as to how the water is returned to the sump. Can anyone clear this up for me? Does the power/flow from the feed pump also push the water that has been processed by the recirculating skimmer back into the sump? If so, would this single feed pump be powerful enough to drive the unskimmed water from an upper level into my basement where I would hold the recirculating skimmer and then push the skimmed water back up to the sump in the upper level from the basement?

Thanks in advance!
Jon

Normally, an external skimmer is fed by a pump but gravity drains.

 

[JollyReefer]

Thanks for your replies. That's very helpful information. It sounds like it will only work if I include a separate sump in the basement that feeds back into the display. Interesting. Maybe I could feed my pump in the last chamber of my main sump into another sump in the basement where the skimmer processes the water and let's it drain into the basement sump where another pump feeds the water back into the display tank. Complicated but I think that should work. What do you think?

My display is 210 gallons. My main sump is 85 gallons with a 35-gallon fuge. I want to run it with the Triton method. However, I can't seem to find the core7 elements anywhere. They seem to be on a massive shortage right now.

 

[Brew12]

Thanks for your replies. That's very helpful information. It sounds like it will only work if I include a separate sump in the basement that feeds back into the display. Interesting. Maybe I could feed my pump in the last chamber of my main sump into another sump in the basement where the skimmer processes the water and let's it drain into the basement sump where another pump feeds the water back into the display tank. Complicated but I think that should work. What do you think?

My display is 210 gallons. My main sump is 85 gallons with a 35-gallon fuge. I want to run it with the Triton method. However, I can't seem to find the core7 elements anywhere. They seem to be on a massive shortage right now.

I wouldn't go that route, unfortunately. To make that work would require matching the flow exactly between the skimmer and the return.

You could gravity drain from the DT to the top sump. Then gravity drain from the top sump into the basement sump. Use a pump to feed the skimmer from the basement sump letting it gravity drain back to the same sump. Then use a pump to get from the basement sump to the DT.

 

[JollyReefer]

I wouldn't go that route, unfortunately. To make that work would require matching the flow exactly between the skimmer and the return.

You could gravity drain from the DT to the top sump. Then gravity drain from the top sump into the basement sump. Use a pump to feed the skimmer from the basement sump letting it gravity drain back to the same sump. Then use a pump to get from the basement sump to the DT.

Thanks a ton. Great idea!

 

[JollyReefer]

I wouldn't go that route, unfortunately. To make that work would require matching the flow exactly between the skimmer and the return.

You could gravity drain from the DT to the top sump. Then gravity drain from the top sump into the basement sump. Use a pump to feed the skimmer from the basement sump letting it gravity drain back to the same sump. Then use a pump to get from the basement sump to the DT.

Just one follow-up question. What if I used identical pumps? For example, I use one pump in the main sump to feed the skimmer in the basement sump and another pump in the basement sump to return to the display. Would those pumps deliver matching flow?

 

[Brew12]

Just one follow-up question. What if I used identical pumps? For example, I use one pump in the main sump to feed the skimmer in the basement sump and another pump in the basement sump to return to the display. Would those pumps deliver matching flow?

Unfortunately, no. The pump feeding the skimmer would provide much more flow than the one pumping back to the DT. One is working with gravity, the other is fighting it.

 

[Potatohead]

Just one follow-up question. What if I used identical pumps? For example, I use one pump in the main sump to feed the skimmer in the basement sump and another pump in the basement sump to return to the display. Would those pumps deliver matching flow?

No

Even if you use adjustable pumps or ball valves because of buildup in pipes and atmospheric pressure changes and what not, they will never stay matched and it will be a constant headache.

How big of a skimmer section do you have in the main sump? There are some pretty compact skimmers out there.

 

[JollyReefer]

Thank you again!

 

[mcarroll]

how much space do you have in the main sump?

How big of a skimmer section do you have in the main sump?

Well??

BTW, basement return pumps have to be massive....seems like it would be hard to justify a whole basement install just for the skimmer.

Between AquaC, Tunze and the other makers out there, you have some great compact skimmer options if you have any space in the main sump.

(Wait-what?? AquaC lists all their skimmers as "Sold Out" and the banner on their site says they've sold out to Cobalt!)

 

[Rick Krejci]

Rather than have 2 sumps, you could just do away with the upstars sump and only use a larger basement sump. Keeps any noise away from the display and may make maintenance easier. You do need a very large return pump to overcome that head pressure though.

 

[JollyReefer]

Rather than have 2 sumps, you could just do away with the upstars sump and only use a larger basement sump. Keeps any noise away from the display and may make maintenance easier. You do need a very large return pump to overcome that head pressure though.

Great idea!

 

[mcarroll]

How much space in sump for a skimmer? LxWxH?

(Last time in case you're not answering on purpose....in which case, you may freely ignore this post.)

 

[JollyReefer]

How much space in sump for a skimmer? LxWxH?

(Last time in case you're not answering on purpose....in which case, you may freely ignore this post.)

Sorry. It's a 17 x 12.5 inch chamber for skimmer. However. The sump was homemade and is eurobraced. So that chamber has a hole of only 9.5 x 8.5 inches at the top for an opening.

 

[Breadman03]

If you are looking at running lines to the basement, why not just relocate your entire sump there?

 

[Brew12]

Sorry. It's a 17 x 12.5 inch chamber for skimmer. However. The sump was homemade and is eurobraced. So that chamber has a hole of only 9.5 x 8.5 inches at the top for an opening.

You could probably get something along these lines to work if the control valve would fit under the Eurobrace.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/regal-200sss-space-saving-protein-skimmer-reef-octopus.html

 

[mcarroll]

Sorry. It's a 17 x 12.5 inch chamber for skimmer. However. The sump was homemade and is eurobraced. So that chamber has a hole of only 9.5 x 8.5 inches at the top for an opening.

Ok that gets me started, but how much vertical space do you have?

 

[mcarroll]

If you can find one of the larger AquaC Urchin Pro-S's that will work...not sure on availability based on the news posted on the AquaC website though and they hadn't been out long enough to find many used...unlikely.

So in lieu of AquaC, here's my first recommendation:

The only limit is that it requires 10-11" of water to sit in.....in your sump maybe that's doable.

Either model:


Comline® DOC Skimmer 9012

Recommended, depending on tank load, from 200 to 1,200 liters (53 to 317 USgal.) of sea water. Imme... mehr

9012.000

300.76 USD

Comline® DOC Skimmer 9012 DC
Recommended, depending on tank load, from 200 to 1,400 liters (53 to 370 USgal.) of sea water. Imme... mehr

9012.001

373.55 USD

 

[mcarroll]

Maybe give Roger@Tunze a jingle to verify any details concerning the 9012, but you can hypothetically run the skimmer in one of these attachments if your sump's native water level is too low:

Container 9404.500

Container for the cabinet filter with a variable level, for the functioning of the 9004, 9004.001 DC or any suitable skimmer on the market for a low water level.
Contains a Comline® energy-saving pump 900 and a post-filter.

Dimensions without post-filter (L x W x H): 190 x 190 x 270 mm ( 7.5 x 7.5 x 10.6 in.)