Via Aqua Skimmer Club - Page 17

luke33 · #**401** 11/01/2007, 06:59 PM

Looks very nice, i'd go with the smaller diffuser and i'd cut it down an inch shorter. If your input still fits in there that is. I think it will work very well. Especially if you can really pull the air with the pump.

jck9 · #**402** 11/01/2007, 08:22 PM

you dont think i should try and get maybe 4" tube? if you think the 3 1/4" tube will work than ill use that. ill probably cut it down a little bit after i get the plumbing for the pump. could you post a pic of the o-ring and where it goes? i know its for the collection cup but not sure where. do you think i could find one at home depot or lowes? that company has not emailed me bac. you were right about them not wanting to deal with customer service. thanks luke

luke33 · #**403** 11/01/2007, 08:26 PM

email www.aquastealth.com and see if they have an extra, they will most likely pass it on for a few bux. I think 4" will be better so you may want to just wait as your not going to want to do this again ; )

jck9 · #**404** 11/01/2007, 08:58 PM

i dont even see that they sell skimmers.

luke33 · #**405** 11/02/2007, 07:11 AM

Click on chillers and scroll to the bottom.

jck9 · #**406** 11/02/2007, 09:43 AM

thanks luke. i emailed them. we'll see what they have to say.

jck9 · #**407** 11/02/2007, 02:08 PM

heres what i got now. the bubble diffuser is 4 1/2" diameter and about 2 3/4" tall.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...48__Small_.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...51__Small_.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...50__Small_.JPG

i think its better this size. now i have to wait till payday to go buy some uniseals and plumbing

luke33 · #**408** 11/02/2007, 03:07 PM

Well, the good thing is uniseal's and plumbing is cheap! PA has them, the shipping is what gets ya. Remember to get an extra one or two and one for the feeder pump as well.

jck9 · #**409** 11/02/2007, 04:16 PM

i was going to use the stock inlet for the feed. so i need 1 for into skimmer from recirc pump, 1 for into diffuser from recirc pump, 1 for out of skimmer into recirc pump. if the outlet and inlet of my pump are 3/4" should i use all 3/4" plumbing or step up to 1"? i was going to do the venturi either 3/4" - 1/2" - 3/4" - 3/4" into pump or 1" - 1/2" - 1" - 3/4" into pump. which sounds better to you?

luke33 · #**410** 11/02/2007, 06:36 PM

If you go 1"-3/4" to 1/2" then your air injector right after you'll get some really good air.

jck9 · #**411** 11/02/2007, 07:55 PM

after the 1/2" should i go to 3/4" stright into the pump or go to 1" then use a reducer bushing to 3/4" to thread onto the pump? what about the intake of the recirc pump? sorry if this is confusing. basically everything needs to end up being 3/4" at the pump. thanks alot for all your help.

luke33 · #**412** 11/02/2007, 10:26 PM

You want the 1/2" to go straight to the 3/4" and you'll have to dremel out the 3/4" just a bit to fit the 1/2". You want the 1/2" to go dang near all the way to the hose adapter(almost touching it). This has always been my favorite venturi and most effective and easy......this is the input to the skimmer. The output just go with the 3/4" all the way, as easy as you can.

danorth · #**413** 11/05/2007, 01:06 PM

I have my sights on one of these SK-388's. I need a killer skimmer that is cheap. I am open to mods and will slice and dice with the best of them, but will need some guidance if I can't figure it all out from this thread. I just emailed aquastealth too to see if they have more of the big ones. I have a stuffed 135 and if ever a tank needed to be better skimmed it is this one.

If anyone is selling one, let me know please. Also good job to luke33 for the pics of damn near everything one could ask for as well as to all of the others that added to this thread.

luke33 · #**414** 11/05/2007, 01:11 PM

Its a great skimmer to mod, you'll be happy with the after affect. The only thing you will need to buy would be a new pump as teh via aqua pump tha comes stock won't pull much air. FWIW, the pump i'm using is 1300gph so it will take quite a bit of flow easily. I do have it recirc'd differently now so i'll post some pics when i get time.

plack · #**415** 11/05/2007, 02:54 PM

Questions ?
I have modded my sk-388 by mesh modding the original pump and making a venturi and removing the tube inside glued to the bottom.

I have not tried the buuble diffuser.

Could you explain what difference a bubble diffuser would make as I see jck9 got one.

I would gather since I glued the bottom back on I would have to cut it out again?

I also would guess you would need to route the input from the pump underneath this with or without a 90º tee By cutting a hole in the center of it or ?

How could you get it in and in place without a very large hole in the bottom like 4 1/2" square or even bigger?

How big are the diffuser holes and how tall of the bottom and how big around?

I also see you are using a bigger pump ever thought of at what point it gets too big for it?

:-)

Paul

luke33 · #**416** 11/05/2007, 03:05 PM

Paul, the diffuser will act as a turbulent killer basically and you can get away with using a larger pump with more air. The turbulence is what makes the skimmer foam over some of the time. I don't use a bubble plate in my 388. I great pump for this skimmer would be a quiet one 4000 but it would have to be a recirc. The output of the pump is plumbed to the bubble plate and in order to add one you would have to cut a very large hole off the bottom.

plack · #**417** 11/05/2007, 04:05 PM

Ok Thank's

danorth · #**418** 11/06/2007, 12:10 PM

Okay big Luke, found a sk-388 for a heck of a deal, will know if I got it though my brother in a couple of hours.......can you make a list of the things to buy and do?

So far I see:

1. cut the bottom out and remove that bubble tube (does the bottom need to be patched closed?)
2. mesh the prop and trim the blades?
3. add a pipe and put a plastic air fitting into it and attach a hose for air.

Now I have seen one of these in person and it physically fit inside a 10 gallon tank, so I am planning on trying to just add the overflow into the 10 gallon tank and then get a topoff on it from a bucket or 5 gallon tank and then back up it goes.

luke33 · #**419** 11/06/2007, 12:26 PM

Well, if your going to run it as a in sump nw with the stock pump you'll need to get a 1" or 3/4" male threaded fitting and a 1/4" hose adapter and some hose from lowe's or hd. I think it's a 1" input. You can take the piece that comes stock. You then should get a piece of mesh(enkamat pf4) from ebay for 5bux shipped to you. When you cut off the bottom piece you need to superglue it or cauk it back. I alwasy suggest completely regutting it as teh inner tube is 1/2" and will only allow 10scfh to pass through it. The best mod you could do is use the stock input on the skimmer as a feeder and recirc the thing with a better pump. Thats what i did and its quite a beast.

luke33 · #**420** 11/06/2007, 12:29 PM

Ooh yea, it wont fit in a 10g....sorry man!

danorth · #**421** 11/06/2007, 12:49 PM

Well once I have it in hand, I will start. I am not sure how the recirc works to be honest. and I don't want it to not fit in a regular tank. So I may have to settle for less, unless there is a way to do the recirculate thing without making the thing need twice the room. I will have to see what the smallest tank it will fit in once I have it here.......

I have to tell you though, what time you've put in on this thing could be done as a service/package for others.

Check out what I put together roughly 2 years ago for a How-To on modding a software for gps units. I've sold nearly 1000 on the nose for $6 each. All it is is a email, 3 text attachments and a powerpoint demo with screen shots on how to do it. Takes seconds to send out, but has made some good $$$ for hobbies.

I see what you have done as something that could make some $$$, even if you don't do the work yourself, but sell a kit of parts needed with a ppt How-To with pictures step by step. Could help pay for your hobby as well!

luke33 · #**422** 11/06/2007, 01:04 PM

Yea, i've put alot of time into perfecting this guy but i've done the same thing with alot of the cheaper skimmers to see how well they perform. My main purpose is to keep reefers reefing, as this is a 100% turnover hobby, mostly due to improper set up and expenses, so as an alternative you CAN have a cheap skimmer that will skim a large tank. Unfortunately after the first of the year i think i will be moving on to a different skimmer and parting ways with the 388. Thats why i've never put any how to mod this guy together as i'm not looking for money, only guidance as i'd rather give that away for free ; )

danorth · #**423** 11/06/2007, 01:23 PM

Damn, I'm always looking for money! It's in my blood and my 8-5 doesn't cut it. Well I better get this thing going ASAP before you move on and forget how it all goes together. Once you retire the 388, it should go in a hall of fame or something, get it bronzed!

luke33 · #**424** 11/06/2007, 01:30 PM

Yea, i may just keep it, not totally sure yet. I do know one thing. It took a long time to do all the mods yet i could do them all in an hour or less now! lol

danorth · #**425** 11/06/2007, 02:40 PM

Okay, I got a new 388 for $50 off craigslist. Now I've been reading through these threads and see that a 1000 gph or near to is good. I have many pumps at home. I have needle wheel from a Catalina Aquarium 2300 that I put into a 2200 (800 gph) but also have a 3000 (1000 gph). So I may do some experiments as well with the chop and patch to connect the other pumps. I won't have it in hand though until Thanksgiving. So luke, I will be stock piling the parts needed as I find them and will post when I actually have something to talk about!