Running a external skimmer

[riche]

What are the pros and cons of running a external skimmer rather then running it in the sump?

Any pictures or ideas would be great.

I have a bashsea twisted skimmer and it can be ran either way and I'm trying to decided if I want to run it on the outside of the sump or in the sump

 

[KorL]

One thing I'm would be worried about if running an external skimmer, is if the waste container overflowed. That would be a nasty mess.

 

[sc50964]

Pros: saving sump space, avoid sending motor heat back to water, easier access and maintenance, no worries about not able to fit an oversized skimmer into a small sump

Cons: potential leak path, extra plumbing work, noise not damped out by sump water, salt buildup outside of the sump.

 

[mcarroll]

I'm not familiar with the skimmer you mentioned, but typically the main advantage to running a skimmer externally is that it requires a feed pump. This requirement separates the act of filling in the skimmer with new water from aerating the water inside the skimmer with bubbles thus giving you more control. (But how much extra and how useful is that?) The problem is that this feature typically costs a lot-usually exceeding the value of the feature itself.

 

[theblackpearl]

External skimmers have way more control(think recirculating skimmer).......con......if you dont check it and allow it to overflow you will have a mess......I usually check mine 3 times a day when Im walking by

 

[riche]

http://www.bashsea.com/products/standard-series/twisted-skimmer

This is the skimmer I picked up, its the 8-30. I know they can be run in sump but i was looking at the option of running it outside the sump, to give me more room in the sump and also its in the basement, so I dont have to worry about space

 

[Reef Junky150]

I've been running an external for9 years. Love it. Less heat from pumps. Works well. It's sitting on eggcrate in sump as to not make a mess of it floods but also I've never had it flood. It used to sit under my stand on the wood next to my old sump. Mine is fed from manifold of the return along with remote refugium and two reactors. I love how you can dial it in plus the down draft style of flow from inlet to it against the bubbles is more efficient. Just my .02

 

[Reef Junky150]

this is when it was under my stand before I built sump/filtration room.

 

[riche]

So you could run it off the main pump?

I'm going to be running a reeflo pump that's 3500gph, the tank is a 180 and the return are only about 6-7' total. I plan on a manifold to run my carbon reactor, UV light, ATS. So I could run the skimmer off the main pump? Or should I use the dct-12000 pump I have and use that just for the skimmer?

I'm going to be starting a build thread soon

 

[Reef Junky150]

Yes. I'm running a panworld that is my return, off the manifold it runs two reactors, my external skimmer, and return to remote refugium.

 

[Reef Junky150]

Use gate valves for finest adjustment. Just remember gate valves fun up so you occasionally have to adjust them as flow slows down.

 

[Fin]

You know how "sometimes" your skimmer goes nuts and overflows in your sump? It really sucks when that happens on an external skimmer and you are not home. I had an Orca 200 and it was a beast of a skimmer. Problem was, every 5-6 months - for some unknown reason - it would go nuts and overflow in the stand and eventually into the carpet. I don't think I will ever run another external skimmer. If you do, I would suggest installing a float switch in the skimmer cup that will shut down the skimmer pump(s) when the level in the cup gets too high.

This is how mine was set up - even with a drain line into a container in the sump. Problem was, the skimmer would overflow at a higher rate than the drain hole would handle.

 

[Reef Junky150]

You know how "sometimes" your skimmer goes nuts and overflows in your sump? It really sucks when that happens on an external skimmer and you are not home. I had an Orca 200 and it was a beast of a skimmer. Problem was, every 5-6 months - for some unknown reason - it would go nuts and overflow in the stand and eventually into the carpet. I don't think I will ever run another external skimmer. If you do, I would suggest installing a float switch in the skimmer cup that will shut down the skimmer pump(s) when the level in the cup gets too high.

This is how mine was set up - even with a drain line into a container in the sump. Problem was, the skimmer would overflow at a higher rate than the drain hole would handle.

That is not cool. I agree if you have it not over or above your sump having a failsafe. You just never know.

 

[salttanklife]

The problem I had this morning is my skimmer started overflowing overnight and it had nowhere to go but on the floor. My ATO keep putting water in to replace it. So waking up today my salinity went from 1.025 to 1.020. My last one that I had on my last tank was in the sump and when it overflowed, it went back into the sump

 

[JPSika08]

I always ran an external skimmer, due to space constrictions I bought an in-sump one. Main advantage I see with the external is that the water level of the skimmer is always the same regardless of the sumps water level. With the in-sump one, any change in the level of water within the sump, you have to tweak it.

Water level in the sump shouldn't change at any time, but last time I did a water change I forgot to turn the skimmer off, water level increased and the skimmer overflowed into the sump returning all the waste material into the system. If I could have my external skimmer again, I would do it without hesitating.

 

[riche]

Wonder if I should put it the external skimmer in side a tank like a 20 gallon and this was if it was to overflow it has somewhere to go?

 

[JPSika08]

Usually skimmer cups have a drainage tube, at least Reef Octopus skimmers do, in case of an overflow you can use this for waste or water to fall in a bucket or any recipient you want.

 

[Reef Junky150]

Usually skimmer cups have a drainage tube, at least Reef Octopus skimmers do, in case of an overflow you can use this for waste or water to fall in a bucket or any recipient you want.

Some have experienced the flooding into the cup to be faster than it can drain.

 

[JPSika08]

Some have experienced the flooding into the cup to be faster than it can drain.

I agree, if the flow is that high, I doubt that even a 20 gallon will suffice.

 

[kris2001]

I've been running an external for9 years. Love it. Less heat from pumps. Works well. It's sitting on eggcrate in sump as to not make a mess of it floods but also I've never had it flood. It used to sit under my stand on the wood next to my old sump. Mine is fed from manifold of the return along with remote refugium and two reactors. I love how you can dial it in plus the down draft style of flow from inlet to it against the bubbles is more efficient. Just my .02

Hi
How does your external skimmer get air to mix with sw....?(since you're running it from manifold)?

I'm doing the same for the next build