Tuning a Turbo Flotor

petesreef · #1 04/02/2006, 11:48 AM

Trying to find out if there is a ball valve that is easier to fine adjust. The regular home depot ones stick too much to get a good adjustment. I'm trying to fine tune my turbo flotor intake water. Any help would be great

dhnguyen · #2 04/02/2006, 12:59 PM

If you use a gate valve instead it would allow much better control.

D.

AZDesertRat · #3 04/02/2006, 01:04 PM

What are you feeding it with and is it the Multi or the Classic in sump? Mine is the Classic and I feed it with a MJ 900 with no valves. I removed the riser plugs and run the air intake wide open except for when I do water changes, then I valve the air back just a bit or it runs real wet.

petesreef · #4 04/02/2006, 02:36 PM

it's a T1000 , I gravity feed it from my overflow box. I tried even using the feed from my refug. and that still seems to pull out just water. I run the ocean runner pump on it. But have the hardest time getting more than just water.

petesreef · #5 04/02/2006, 02:42 PM

Does your air intake line have a valve on it . Maybe that's my problem. Mine is just the black 1/4 airline tube wide open. Any thoughts???

AZDesertRat · #6 04/02/2006, 04:01 PM

It is normally open put I do put an airline valve on it when it starts to skim too wet. How long has it been set up and running? It normally takes a week or two to become "seasoned".
Sounds like your water flow is too much. When you take the skimmer cup off and stop the air flow, how high is the water level in the main body. It should not be above the two dump tubes. Do you have the plugs installed in the two riser tubes? I have found it works better if you remove them and leave the tops open. Another this is have you used any water additives like stress coat or other chemicals? They go crazy for days after you add anything like that until it removes it all.

mnmnm1951 · #7 04/03/2006, 01:14 PM

Throw it away and buy something else.

I fought with a T1000 for 9 months. The RIO pump seized. The Oceanrunner pump snapped the Ceramic shaft on the third day - NO REPLACEMENT AVAILABLE! The T1000 is in the garage in a box. $20 plus shipping and you can have it. I will even throw in the OceanRunner Pump and you can try to find a replacement Impeller shaft.

Got it to produce some skimmate by removing the riser adjusters: Next day it was spewing water out the top and spouting like a geiser. TWO pumps to run a skimmer that barely works AND requires constant attention? Two pumps in the sump ads heat and they both need to be cleaned at lest monthly. I ran it with two Eheim 1060's. Ever price two good pumps? Two good pumps plus the cost of the T1000 and you can buy any AquaC, Euroreef, or any other good skimmer.

All skimmers have their little quirks. I doubled up with on a AquaC 180 and a Euroreef 180. The AquaC Injector is prone to clogging so I clean the injector weekly. The Euroreef is sensitive to Sump water height so I maintain dual sump topoff switches. But each one produces more skimmate in one day than an entire week of the T1000.

Instead of sucking the pollutants out of my reef the T1000 was sucking the enjoyment out of the hobby.

dhnguyen · #8 04/03/2006, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mnmnm1951
.... $20 plus shipping and you can have it. I will even throw in the OceanRunner Pump and you can try to find a replacement Impeller shaft.
...

Dude. Are you serious about this? If so I'll take it from ya.

D.

mnmnm1951 · #9 04/03/2006, 01:41 PM

dhnguyen,

Deal. I don't think we are supposed to sell stuff on these boards are we? I will dig around and find all the stuff. Should all be there though. Would rather let somebody who can get it to work put it to some use than let it rot in the garage.

email me: mnmnm1951@yahoo.com

djultra · #10 04/03/2006, 01:48 PM

mnmnm1951 if it falls through with dhnguyen I'll take that deal.

I've had mine running for a year now in sump on my 75 gallon reef with no problems. I could use another for my 65 gallon softy tank.

mnmnm1951 · #11 04/03/2006, 01:52 PM

dhnguyen,

Deal. I don't think we are supposed to sell stuff on these boards are we? I will dig around and find all the stuff. Should all be there though. Would rather let somebody who can get it to work put it to some use than let it rot in the garage.

email me: mnmnm1951@yahoo.com

dhnguyen · #12 04/03/2006, 02:03 PM

you have email

kirkm · #13 04/04/2006, 08:54 PM

Lowes has a cheap cpvc gate valve that provide better adjustment. It has two metal screws that should be replaced with nylon screws if it works well in your configuration. I used one for a while but found a valve on the air line on the water flow along with the HD ball valve gave me the adjustability I needed for the Turboflotor.

want2reef · #14 04/04/2006, 11:27 PM

Mine has been going strong for three years now. Just take it apart every month and clean it.

Sorry to hear about yours.

joedirt54 · #15 04/04/2006, 11:49 PM

When I ran one on my 75gal I cut the flow and added a small air pump to force air into the pump...it skimmed some really dark nasty stuff that way.

PeeperKeeper · #16 04/06/2006, 10:09 PM

I'm having problems with mine that just got set up a week ago too.

Mostly it overflows. I get clear water by the gallon or maybe some light green watery skimmate. If I threw out all the skimmate I get, I'd be replacing several gallons of salt water a day. It's been running for almost a week. I'm using the Ocean Runner and I have the pegs out or wide open. The water level is visible in the little window below the cup (sometimes up to the bottom of the cone). Where exactly, is the water level supposed to be?

I haven't tried to valve off the pump yet, but it's next on the list.

We did briefly try putting an air pump on it, but ended up leaving it off. Maybe we should try leaving it for longer.

I really hope I can get this thing running well and not have to mess with it all the time. Any tips would be much appreciated. You can email me at drlemanski@parmereyecare.com or post here.

Thanks,
Sundra

joedirt54 · #17 04/07/2006, 12:59 AM

just use a ball valve to cut the flow from the overflow to about 1/3 max...add a small to med sized air pump. The water flowing out the two tubes should be about 10-15% from max each. I think I had the top tubes turned about 1/2 to 3/4 shut.

What your doing with this is turning your so-so 150gal skimmer into a really good 20-75gal skimmer. Less flow, more air, and more contact time=good skimming. Dark brown, stout beer-looking skimmate.

Clean the collection cup every week...and heat some white vinager in the microwave and let the air intake from the pump drink about an ounce a week.

PeeperKeeper · #18 04/07/2006, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by joedirt54

Clean the collection cup every week...and heat some white vinager in the microwave and let the air intake from the pump drink about an ounce a week.

Wait, let me make sure I understand this. I think I've heard of people putting vinegar into their tanks, but before I do, I want to make sure that's what you mean. Are you telling me to just stick the air line in an ounce of vinegar while it's running on the system and let the vinegar go in the reef tank?

joedirt54 · #19 04/07/2006, 10:27 PM

yes, the idea is to let the pump pull the vinegar into the air induction to clean it out from time to time. It removes all the ca++ that builds up. That much vinegar into a 50-75+ gallon tank isn't going to hurt anything.

You only do this once in a while, when you notice a drop in production. It might be once a week or once a month. The idea is to do what you can to keep the air intake on the skimmer clean.

AZDesertRat · #20 04/08/2006, 12:59 AM

I've never heard of that one. I use a small drill bit that I ream the venturi tube out with once a month or so. Works like a charm. Its one of the ones with a hex end on it like you use with cordless screwdrivers so I can get grip on it.

want2reef · #21 04/08/2006, 08:21 AM

Az,

How long is the bit you use?

AZDesertRat · #22 04/08/2006, 10:24 AM

Its just a standard size. I pull the airline off the nipple and ream the nipple out with it. Sometimes the airline gets a salt plug in it so I usually blow through the airline before reattaching it.

joedirt54 · #23 04/09/2006, 12:26 AM

that method is fine...but if you really want to return the unit to new you need to get at the small holes that extend into the tube that draws water passed the needle wheel.

The added air from the air pump also keeps the verturi valve running strong.

If you cut the flow and add the air pump, the reaction chamber will look like a mini deltec.

compu_nut · #24 04/09/2006, 09:23 AM

what is the water level in your sump? it should only be 4" to 6" deep where the skimmer is. any higher and it will have a tendency to over flow. I have found that when i gravity feed mine i do not get consistant skim, I run a power head in the sump with 250 to 300 gph, and keep the air line clean, i use a turkey baister with RO water and flush it out weekly. It takes some tweeking but it will work good for you. Just remember to keep constant water flow to skimmer, constant water level in sump around skimmer, and keep venturi clean.

want2reef · #25 04/09/2006, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by joedirt54
that method is fine...but if you really want to return the unit to new you need to get at the small holes that extend into the tube that draws water passed the needle wheel.

The added air from the air pump also keeps the verturi valve running strong.

If you cut the flow and add the air pump, the reaction chamber will look like a mini deltec.

Mini Deltec? I've got to try the air pump thing.