Help with In-Line Skimmer Plumbing

[CharAznable]

I have a 150 gallon tank on my first floor that is plumbed into a sump tank in the basement. I have an external water pump returning the water back to the display tank. I was planning on adding an Octopus Recirc 200 Protein skimmer to use externally because I am using my sump as a refugium and DSB. Originally I was planning on getting a feed pump to feed the skimmer from the sump. But the store I am buying the skimmer from suggested using it inline so that I wouldn't need a feed pump. I hadn't previously heard of this option so I am trying to gather info on how to plumb it.

1. The return pump Tees off right beneath the tank. Before that it is a single tube to preserve the head pressure. If I were to tee off of the returns for an in-line skimmer should I tee it off in the basement or on the first floor beneath the display tank?

2. How should I plumb off from the tee to get good pressure for the skimmer without overwhelming it? If I put a single valve and close it off to maintain head pressure it will produce too much pressure in the skimmer won't it? Should I do two valves?

3. Should the skimmer return go into the tank, the return line or the drain line?

Does anyone knoe of any good online sources for information about In-line skimmer plumbing?

[hoosierpat]

I think they were referring to running it off of one of your drains, not using your return pump to feed it. In which case you would run one of your drains into the feed inlet. This is probably the most efficient way to skim as you're getting all of the raw water before it is touched by any of the other filtration.

If you are going to feed it with your return pump, I would tee off of the single tube in the basement. You can cut the pvc and shorten it a little bit, then add in a tee. You would want the tee to be oriented so that the top of the "T" is vertical and the bottom is horizontal. This will preserve as much head pressure up the the display as possible. I would then put a ball valve on the branch that is going to the skimmer so you can control the flow rate into the skimmer as you don't want it to be blasting through. A gate valve would be even better, more precise.

I don't have an online source but Delbeek and Sprung's The Reef Aquarium Volume 3 has some good information on plumbing and is a good overall reference book.

[CharAznable]

I looked up Gate Valves and the info said:

Gate valves are best suited to full open or full closed operation. Do not freeze.

[Douglas LEHMAN]

Hello
That's the way we did it in the old days, drain the water straight into the skimmer (think air stones) skimmer the would empty into a filter box (sump?) and then back into the aquarium. I'd split one of the drains (gate valve) into the skimmer, should work well!

[CharAznable]

I have two 1.5" drains. Would it be too much to have one go directly to the sump instead of splitting it?

[mnestroy]

Below is a photo of how u want to plumb it, you don't want to give it 100% in case your flow is to great for the skimmer to handle alone.

You'll want to put a T so that any extra flow has a path.

[JRaquatics]

I have mine tee'd off of my return. Works Great. I have the output off of the skimmer returning to the sump.

[mnestroy]

Originally posted by JRaquatics
I have mine tee'd off of my return. Works Great. I have the output off of the skimmer returning to the sump.

Hmm but I think his goal is to feed it via gravity and not need to utilize a pump. I have mine setup like in the example I posted (kinda) I have a hang on overflow and drilled a hole on the side and its fed directly from overflow.

Plus what do you do with your water that comes out of the skimmer? If your putting it back into sump to be re-skimmed then you not skimming out the dirtiest water in your tank.

[JRaquatics]

Originally posted by mnestroy
Hmm but I think his goal is to feed it via gravity and not need to utilize a pump. I have mine setup like in the example I posted (kinda) I have a hang on overflow and drilled a hole on the side and its fed directly from overflow.

Plus what do you do with your water that comes out of the skimmer? If your putting it back into sump to be re-skimmed then you not skimming out the dirtiest water in your tank.

I am using a Dart for my return. My turnover rate in my sump is very high so clean water is instantly diluted. I think feeding a skimmer from the overflow is overrated. Yes you get unskimmed raw water but I feel you get more control over your skimmer when pump fed and like to keep things as simple as possible. Its just what works for me.