what can i do with a topfathom skimmer?
hello all
I have the worlds best skimmer(hard to keep from laughing when i wrote that).Just curious what could i use it for or how could it be modified to something useful. I know it makes a great paper weight or food holder. Surely theres something i can use it for with the right mods Tracy |
I own one. Pulls out the "stuff" like nobodys business. I did order a Genx needlewheel, I may make it a recirculating skimmer. Haven't decided yet.
I will mesh mod it though. I bought this off of a friend. He had it on a 120g. The thing spit out a cup of nasty black stuff everyday with a light Bioload. I get more of a tea color in the bucket, because all the solids seem to stay in the line and the cup. I have 1 small Sailfin, 4 Blue green Chromis and an Engineer goby. This is after 24hrs. Collection Cup. [IMG]http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/5348/1002640fq5.jpg[/IMG] Drain Line. IMG]http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8793/1002642ko8.jpg[/IMG] 5g Collection bucket. That is about 1/2 a gallon, And this is set dry. [IMG]http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/3492/1002645mb2.jpg[/IMG] These may not look pretty, but they work... |
[IMG]http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8793/1002642ko8.jpg[/IMG]
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i couldnt get mine to do nothing at all. i had the water line at the base of the cone where the manufacturers site said to put it. I did have a rio pump on it though. Thats why im asking what i can do to make it perform better its not being used now but since i have a new skimmer (custom built) i figured great diy project time.
Hoping others chime in also. I may make it a carbon container or something if no one else chimes in. Tracy |
What size Rio? Which Venturi are you using? How is it plumbed?
It took me a while to get it adjusted right, it is about half way up the cone. Works great. I have a friend that runs the big commercial ones in his Fish store. He says he has tried a lot of skimmers over the years, but these are set and forget. Very consistent. I have to agree with him. |
I have had a Top Phathon 100 for 3 years on a 125 gallon plus 30g sump. That is alot of water to skim. It has done exactly what it is supposed to do plus more. I came with a Rio pump also. No problems. Only clean it every 10 months or so. Pulls out the gunk like no other. Beleive me I have put high end skimmers on customers tanks and they seem to perform the same. I would put the water line just below the smallest portion of the neck or cone, just below where the cupwould sit in. Ive seen them all, but what ever.................
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ill dig it out of the closet i think its a rio 600 but im not swearing on it. The venturi is the one that came on it. when i say it did nothing i mean literally nothing. In over a month all it pulled out was maybe 3 inches in a gallon milk jug. I thought maybe its doing just fine very light bio load (1 cinamon clown 1 clarki clown 1 yellow tail damsel 2 3 striped damsels) in a 75. I bought the custom made one and have to change out the cup twice a day from the gunk it pulls out. If i can make it work ill do it and use it. Ill post some pics of it tomorrow.
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Mine is a Rio 2500. Lots of water and air equals lots of removal.
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Mine is a Rio 2500. Lots of water and air equals lots of removal.
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What size Rio? Which Venturi are you using? How is it plumbed?
It took me a while to get it adjusted right, it is about half way up the cone. Works great. I have a friend that runs the big commercial ones in his Fish store. He says he has tried a lot of skimmers over the years, but these are set and forget. Very consistent. I have to agree with him. |
mine has a rio 1700 on it that might be the prob too small a pump.
Ill see what else i have laying around and try a bigger pump on it. wonder how good say a mag 9.5 would work? |
[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11462375#post11462375 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by eznet2u [/i]
[B]What size Rio? Which Venturi are you using? How is it plumbed? It took me a while to get it adjusted right, it is about half way up the cone. Works great. I have a friend that runs the big commercial ones in his Fish store. He says he has tried a lot of skimmers over the years, but these are set and forget. Very consistent. I have to agree with him. [/B][/QUOTE] How did you double-post with 45 minutes between each post? o_O |
i just noticed that myself lol
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[url]http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg31/cpl40475/100_6555.jpg[/url]
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[IMG]http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg31/cpl40475/100_6555.jpg[/IMG]
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heres the pics i hope lol
[IMG]http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg31/cpl40475/100_6554.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg31/cpl40475/100_6553.jpg[/IMG] |
I dont see where the air is entering the intake of the pump. Is there some sort of air intake anywhere?
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none on the pump itself. As far as i can tell anyways i think the only air intake is on the pipe that connects the pump to the canister
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ohh yeah, now i remember these skimmers. Hmm, hopefully someone knows how to make a better venturi for it!
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im thinking about modding the crap out of it whether it be a diff pump or making it a recirc and maybe putting a baffle inside to help churn the water even more. Was hoping someone would chime in with some ideas on it although 3 or 4 ppl say theres works good i couldnt get mine to.Oh yeah the metal clamps have been replaced by plastic clamps
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I have a TF-300 that works great with the original venturis (and a very large pump), it is T'ed from a return pump running a pressure filter at ~20psi, on a 400gallon fish only system. Not quite the same as most home aquariums. I have seen some run off the little giant external pumps and those worked well too. Though I think that having a higher pressure pump would help alot.
Here is their pump recomendation chart [url]http://www.topfathom.com/pump.html[/url] I had tried using a MAG7 but it doesn't seem to produce very good bubbles even from a single venturi, I think it is mostly due to the low pressure pump. |
I would think that the venturi would need to be on the suction side of the pump to pull air in.JMO
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[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11470716#post11470716 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TWINPEAKS [/i]
[B]I would think that the venturi would need to be on the suction side of the pump to pull air in.JMO [/B][/QUOTE] The venturi can be on either side or both sides of the pump. |
It depends on the design of the venturi as well. The venturi that comes with this skimmer, is designed to be on the pressure/outlet side of the pump. It uses a restriction to cause a pressure change allowing intake of air.
The type of "venturi" that goes on the suction side of the pump is a much more open design than the ones with this skimmer. It allows the suction of the pump to pull in air, and through the impeller. I suppose it also depends on the type of pump/impeller used. |
wonder how good a carbon filter it would make or say a phosban reactor or anything else. I really dont need it as a skimmer now but hate not to use it somehow or another. Im also thinking about doing a re-circ mod on it. Just trying to come up with some diff ideas for it.
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