What to do with skimmer on vacation?

[pseudorand]

What do you do with your skimmer on vacation?

I currently don't have a skimmer on my 120g. I designed a place for it, but I haven't bought one because I don't know how to empty it on vacation (say 2 weeks). I have everything else automated enough to survive that long without me. I don't really trust a neighbor kid to remember to empty and get it back together correctly. (These silly tanks of ours are complicated).

Are there any automated solutions for skimmer maintenance out there?

 

[Dolphins18]

Hey there, I drilled a small hole in the collection cup and ran a piece of airline tubing into a 5 gallon bucket, that way skim will just flow into the bucket. Hope this helps!

 

[ichthyoid]

A skimmate locker, lots of different brands. Or, make your own-

 

[pseudorand]

Wow. So simple and obvious!

How did you seal the hole? I know they make bulkheads for 1/4", but do they work on such a curved surface? Any tips on drilling a thick piece of acrylic without cracking it? What bit? Do I need to drill with water?

Now I just have to have the guts to drill a $500+ piece of equipment. Does anyone know if any of the brands sell replacement parts, just in case?

 

[SPR1968]

In both my tanks I have a 5 litre plastic container to collect the skim mate from the skimmer hose, and empty from there rather than the skimmer cup.

This container is located inside the sump compartment so if it overflows it won’t cause a flood.

The container also gives extra capacity for holiday periods and I also turn the skimmer down a little to more dry skim if I go away.

 

[ichthyoid]

The Bubble Magus Curve skimmer comes with a drain built into the cup. They also have neck cleaners available you can add as an option. With both, you should be good to go for weeks. Just test it beforehand! -

Bubble Magus ACS150 Cleaning Head - fits Curve 7

ACS 120 - 120MM diameter - Can be used for the curve 5 ACS 150 - 150MM diameter - cab be used for C6,C7,CURVE 7,HERO7 skimmer ACS 200 - 200mm diameter - can be used for C9 ,curve 9 ,hero9 ,BM200E skimmer Cleaning head also can be used for other brand skimmers if the neck...

premiumaquatics.com

 

[Conovan]

Wow. So simple and obvious!

How did you seal the hole? I know they make bulkheads for 1/4", but do they work on such a curved surface? Any tips on drilling a thick piece of acrylic without cracking it? What bit? Do I need to drill with water?

Now I just have to have the guts to drill a $500+ piece of equipment. Does anyone know if any of the brands sell replacement parts, just in case?

Most skimmers come with a hole already in them for outside collection. If you don't already have a skimmer I would just put that on my list of must haves when shopping.

 

[ichthyoid]

Fwiw, my skimmate container has a float valve in the center, where I hook up a hose from the skimmer pump. If the locker fills up, it shuts off air to the skimmer, which then stops producing foam so it will not overflow.

I also had an acrylic tray made to fit the inside of my stand. All equipment sits inside of the tray, sump, locker, etc. It also has a Neptune overflow sensor in the tray attached to an Apex controller. I get an email if there is an overflow. I can then shut down skimmer, ATO or anything else necessary via my phone.

I may also put an IP camera inside the stand at some point, so I can have ‘eyes on’. Just some things to think about.

 

[Dolphins18]

Wow. So simple and obvious!

How did you seal the hole? I know they make bulkheads for 1/4", but do they work on such a curved surface? Any tips on drilling a thick piece of acrylic without cracking it? What bit? Do I need to drill with water?

Now I just have to have the guts to drill a $500+ piece of equipment. Does anyone know if any of the brands sell replacement parts, just in case?

I cannot remember the exact bit I used, but like SPR1968 said, you can put a container inside the sump, just in case of an overflow. I drilled right thru the acrylic with no issues, but see how it could be a bit scary. Worst comes to worst if you got a crack a little silicone would do the job, though a small hole shouldn't cause that. I do not use any bulk head, and little to no skim leaks out around the piping. If you have someone watching your tank a cheap camera pointed at the tank would help with peace of mind.

I am sure most skimmers have replacement cups, but you may want to double check before purchasing/drilling.

 

[Spieg]

Wow. So simple and obvious!

How did you seal the hole? I know they make bulkheads for 1/4", but do they work on such a curved surface? Any tips on drilling a thick piece of acrylic without cracking it? What bit? Do I need to drill with water?

Now I just have to have the guts to drill a $500+ piece of equipment. Does anyone know if any of the brands sell replacement parts, just in case?

Many/most quality skimmers come with a drain port on the bottom of the collection cup. Usually they have a rubber stopper to plug the port if not used. As for drilling, I'd do it on the bottom where it is a flat surface (acrylic is very easy to drill... most any drill bit will work fine).

 

[DivingTheWorld]

This is the one I use. It’s not cheap, but it’s well made and includes a filter for smells as well as an auto shut off for the Skimmer if it fills up. It can easily go more then a month if needed on my tank.

Protein Skimmers

Shop Protein Skimmers and reactors on bulkreefsupply.com. Read reviews and compare protein skimmers and reactors.

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[ichthyoid]

I went the cheap route. Here’s one example with the built-in check valve I mentioned-

Medi-Vac Guardian Suction Canisters

Disposable, hard plastic canister system for collecting and retaining aspirated materials. Contents: ITHAT filter, shutoff valve; soft, pliable lid: float-valve assembly; spla

www.vitalitymedical.com

 

[Ashish Patel]

2 things you would need is shut off (for container) and relay or delay device (not sure the name). I keep my skimmer line very low (dry skimming) since only way it will foam is if power is cut off and then started. When I run my skimmer line high it tends to overflow alot. I never found a need to get any device but definately find it adviceable since ive had few foam episodes in the last few years. Since nutrient overload has never caused any issue for me I just let it be!

 

[Ashish Patel]

These are some low cost options

Coral Vue FW110 High Amperage Float Switch

The Coral Vue FW110 High Amperage Float Switch will operate for high water or low water level applications.

www.marineandreef.com