mesh mod

[jeep9783]

Will gutter guard alone work for the mod (octopus recirculateting) or must you have enkamat? Making a list of stuff for the homedepot trip today...or is there any other alternatives to use (items you can pic up at lowes or homedepot)?

Thanks Chris

 

[strapingyunglad]

i just use the prefilter from a seaclone 100 and it works wonders.

 

[danno]

I'm thinking of just drilling some small holes in the impeller blades. Probably not as good as a enkamat but shuold be better than stock.

Has anyone done this? How were the results?

 

[jeep9783]

Ok I went out on a limb...I used a scotch brite pad pealed back a thin layer and cut to fit the needle wheel (I tryed to separate the two needle wheels but i think they were glued together) mounted on the front of the wheels...hooked all up and didn't work that great...as i type i am trying the other meothod of using 4lb fishing line and inter twine between the nipples and the long needle's of the wheel will let know how that works...used a total of about 10ft probably 50 times around...lets see what we can break today

chris

 

[jeep9783]

WOW! That is all that I can say...I vacumed out the sump with shop vac like somone said they did on here put new sock on cleaned skimmer out....installed the needlewheel with a ton of 4lb test on it hooked it up and all i can say is WOW...I instantly had to turn down the water flow as it is a foam machine now...I thought that it sounded obsurded putting fishing line on my skimmmer...but it worked amazing

 

[gwhiz]

Pics?

 

[jeep9783]

i will get pics tonight when i get home...you want pics of the wheel or of the skim/bubbles

 

[jeep9783]

i will get the pics...thinking of doing this to my little bitty skimmer...welll ima do it to all of them it is awsome...any one got any enkmat....would like to try that as well

 

[purplegorilla]

I got some enkamat but it might not be worthwhile for you to drive all the way up here when you can probably order some for only 5 bucks.

 

[derek_s]

I have a little enkmat too if either of you are coming to the Cmas party I will bring some.

 

[jeep9783]

Thanks guys but i just ordered some...Will post pics with fish line then when the enka mat comes in i will post pics then too

 

[gwhiz]

Chris--

Did your fishing line mod take a few days to kick in? I modded mine on Tuesday and turned it back on. No improvement at all.

I just went down to feed the tank and the skimmer was overflowing (into the sump). I emptied it and turned it back on and had to dial it way down.

The pic's below tell the story. Pic #1, before the mod. Pic #2, right after the mod. And Pic #3, tonight
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[gwhiz]

False alarm...I think. I discovered that my filter sock was pinching the air line and causing an increase in the foam in the skimmer. I removed the sock and the foam went back to previous levels. I put a valve on the air line and restricted it and I've got a full skimmer of foam again. I'm don't know whether or not this is related to the fishing line mod, but I'll take it!

BTW--Pics of my fishing line mod are below (one before and two after)--I used 10 lb test 'cause that's what I had available...
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[skriz]

You hit the nail on the head! There has been a ton of emphasis on how much air skimmers pull. What isn't publicised is that you have to match the air with the water flow and skimmer body. In many cases less air will make a better skimmer. MRC has a skimmer that was tested at over 100 scfh, but worked best at 85 scfh!