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nipat;40583 said:
I used to notice that when I closed the skimmer valve, the pearling came quicker
and pearled more. So I cranked up the CO2 to compensate. Then I tried closing
the valve again to see if the more amount of CO2 in the situation when the skimmer
stopped working harmed the fish/shrimp or not. Well, it didn't.
So I think, yes but no big deal (at least with pressurized system).
B
Brian20
Guest
yeah that shouldn't be a problem. I turn my skimmer on at night to improve gas exchange and turn it off when the lights come on. by the way, are there any good quality skimmers out there? all the surface skimmers i get here are cheap and pretty crappy.
Hi Brian,
Generally the more surface agitation the greater the CO2 loss.
In fact, I like surface skimmers because they allow me an undisturbed surface, in my case I have plants with leaves and flowers that like the surface. Particularly in the tanks I use diy CO2, my sense is that I lose less CO2. The surface skimmer provides excellent oxygenation, which is good since I tend to keep a lot of critters.
To maximize CO2 and assuming a light animal load, simply run the surface skimmer at night, when your plants as well as critters need oxygen.
Biollante
Generally the more surface agitation the greater the CO2 loss.
In fact, I like surface skimmers because they allow me an undisturbed surface, in my case I have plants with leaves and flowers that like the surface. Particularly in the tanks I use diy CO2, my sense is that I lose less CO2. The surface skimmer provides excellent oxygenation, which is good since I tend to keep a lot of critters.
To maximize CO2 and assuming a light animal load, simply run the surface skimmer at night, when your plants as well as critters need oxygen.
Biollante
ordloh;40591 said:
I'm using Atman's surface skimmer. It seems OK. A small Oto cat often slipped
into the upper intake so I built an obstacle from drinking straw to prevent that.
But it's my first non-DIY skimmer I've ever used anyway, so can't compare to
other skimmers.
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Brian20
Guest
No Screening Required
Hi Brian,
Never owned a Hagen, I'm kind of dyi sort. It looks like a number of commercial surface skimmer I have seen and a couple of diy as well.
As long as you don't have Endler's Livebearers (aka expensive little guppies) or Otto's, I don't think you even need any extra screening.
Biollante
Brian20;40629 said:
Hi Brian,
Never owned a Hagen, I'm kind of dyi sort. It looks like a number of commercial surface skimmer I have seen and a couple of diy as well.
As long as you don't have Endler's Livebearers (aka expensive little guppies) or Otto's, I don't think you even need any extra screening.
Biollante
Keep Looking
I did find the Duetto Multi-Filter can be used as an effective surface skimmer.
I really can't say why, but it didn't work for me, plus it's a surprising amount of tubing. It's a lot bigger then the pictures suggest.Brian20;40629 said:
I did find the Duetto Multi-Filter can be used as an effective surface skimmer.
Tug;40663 said:
B
Brian20
Guest
what about this
Surface Skimmer - Vacuum Fish Discus Bio New Life Food - eBay (item 250388932115 end time Oct-09-09 01:27:33 PDT)
the duetto idea looks good but I dontlike big equipmen inside aquarium. I makea internal overflow with a wisper filter and I take it out because it was big.
Surface Skimmer - Vacuum Fish Discus Bio New Life Food - eBay (item 250388932115 end time Oct-09-09 01:27:33 PDT)
the duetto idea looks good but I dontlike big equipmen inside aquarium. I makea internal overflow with a wisper filter and I take it out because it was big.
OK
Like Biollante says;
Like Biollante says;
They must work. Again, (they really are bigger in person) I was not happy with the look of all the grey piping and I never could get the suction right. The little surface skimmer float thing never stayed at the surface were I wanted it. In my case the hose size was a little off from my Eheim and it never did fit properly. Yes, the duetto seams big. The truth is I found it to be more effective, versatile and thus less of an eyesore because of it.Biollante;40651 said:
How about something like this?
A DIY Surface Extractor
Alternately, if you can tolerate the size needed, you could submerge a largish tube or container into the tank. Say something like a pitcher or similar with the top of it just under the water level you want. Put the intake of the filter down in the bottom of that. As the water evaporates out of the tank, the water level will drop until you have water pouring over the edge of the container. The water level will continue to drop over time until the filter starts to suck air as the water gets too low. The water level in the tank will stay the same as it needs to pour over the edge of the container.
Essentially you've created an intank sump/overflow unit. As long as you draw water out of this and discharge into the tank, pretty much any HOB or cannister filter should work with this. You just need to make sure there's enough water in the tank to flow over the top of the container and leave enough in there so the intake doesn't suck air. If you have too high a flow rate for a filter you may need a larger container to keep the water level in the container from dropping rapidly, sucking air into the filter, and then completely filling the container while the filter purges the air and so on. A large PVC pipe with a cap on the end at the bottom of the tank may be enough to get you started. You might even be able to just use a large pipe cut in half or quartered and stuck in the corner siliconed to the tank walls. If you want some subsurface water intake you can just drill some extra holes in the sides of whatever you use below the water line. Don't drill too large a hole or too many or all the water will just flow in from there and you won't get any surface extraction.
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S
A DIY Surface Extractor
Alternately, if you can tolerate the size needed, you could submerge a largish tube or container into the tank. Say something like a pitcher or similar with the top of it just under the water level you want. Put the intake of the filter down in the bottom of that. As the water evaporates out of the tank, the water level will drop until you have water pouring over the edge of the container. The water level will continue to drop over time until the filter starts to suck air as the water gets too low. The water level in the tank will stay the same as it needs to pour over the edge of the container.
Essentially you've created an intank sump/overflow unit. As long as you draw water out of this and discharge into the tank, pretty much any HOB or cannister filter should work with this. You just need to make sure there's enough water in the tank to flow over the top of the container and leave enough in there so the intake doesn't suck air. If you have too high a flow rate for a filter you may need a larger container to keep the water level in the container from dropping rapidly, sucking air into the filter, and then completely filling the container while the filter purges the air and so on. A large PVC pipe with a cap on the end at the bottom of the tank may be enough to get you started. You might even be able to just use a large pipe cut in half or quartered and stuck in the corner siliconed to the tank walls. If you want some subsurface water intake you can just drill some extra holes in the sides of whatever you use below the water line. Don't drill too large a hole or too many or all the water will just flow in from there and you won't get any surface extraction.
-
S