If I was to use a skimmer in a closed loop......?

[KenT]

how high above the tank does the water line in the skimmer need to be in order to allow the water to leave the skimmer as fast as it enters?

I have a new tank coming, a little larger than what I have now but diff. dimensions. Dealing with a sump/sumps, water pumps, drilling holes in the tank is really a PITA. I have been trying to figure out if I can use my skimmer in a closed loop. Can it work?!

[Danables]

yeah it will work but you'll have bubbles and bubbles of bubbles! plus a closed loop is to get rid of powerheads and add to the turn over of your tank i would just add a sump its the only way to go.

[KenT]

I forgot about the bubbles:sad1:

[Leopardshark]

In order to prevent any flooding in case of a power failure, you must have the water level inside the skimmer, the same as the water level in the tank, but higher is always better.
Talking about bubbles, you would have zillions. You better start thinking about adding a sump with some baffles in order to help you in that matter.
HTH
Marco

[zooqi]

Taller the skimmer less bubbles get to the tank if you do it right because by the time the bubbles move against the water and then with it to the top they will change to bigger bubble snd come out from the top of the pipe before they go to the tank.
Here is an example of a tall skimmer (http://www.saltwaterheaven.com/skimmer.html)
There is something can be added to it so the air comes out before it goes to the tank. Just a few more pieces of PVC.

[OrionN]

With a skimmer, the close loop is no longer a close loop.
Minh Nguyen

[Frick-n-Frags]

Also, would your closed loop be fed by an overflow box?(also not a closed loop) Because the whole premise of FOAM FRACTIONING is to catch the hydrophobic organics at the air/water interface(ie surface).

IMO NOT surface skimming cuts the efficiency of the skimmer way down to becoming just a phytoplankton filter.

[reef10]

This looks like a standard HOT skimmer. I have the Knop skimmer. The outflow pipe should be large enough to handle the full flow from the pump. The water level is adjusted by lengthing the outflow pipe up or down. Mine have a pvc extender that allows for this adjustment. Just look at various HOT skimmer design and search on Knop to hear the issues with this design.

[Wazzel]

Sure it can be done. It is done all of the time with small tanks. What do you think all of those HOB skimmers are? I think others have given some good advice. Pull the water from the surface and find a way to deal with the micro bubbles. You could build a baffel boxe/bubble trap to deal with the bubbles.