MR1 Skimmer - snails blocking beckett

[hfleming]

I want to know if anyone has come up with a clever way of handling this.

Okay here is the problem....

Everyday just like clockwork I have to remove at least one or two small snails from the beckett in my MRC MR-1 skimmer.

The skimmer works awesome when there are no obstructions in the beckett. I am very pleased with the performance but as soon as the snail clogs that sucker up the skimming is greatly reduced.

The skimmer pump is a gen-x external pump, the supply to the pump comes from an 1-1/2 line that also supplies the main reeflow wahoo return pump.

I have a strainer over the inlet to the 1-1/2 line but these snails are either smaller than the strainer or have been growing out in the 1-1/2 line.


Obviously the solution is to work a finer strainer into the mix somehow just before the gen-x suction. I just worry that this will become something else that needs to be cleaned and would require draining the suction lines.

By the way I have an insane amount of BB and 2xBB size snails that come out at night. Look like baby turban snails.

This is a single system with
150g display
55 gallon sump
20 gallon fuge
40 gallon frag tank

 

[cr500_af]

So the snails are going through the pump? And they aren't chopped up? It may cut down on flow a little, but have you thought about a sponge over the pump inlet?

 

[hfleming]

Not getting chopped up, they are usually still alive and I throw them back in the tank.

The suction inlet that I would have access to is the main suction feeding both the Gen-x skimmer pump and the reeflo whaoo circulation pump together these guys are pulling over 2000gph. I believe a sponge would act similar to a filter sock and become clogged quickly.

The best idea I have come up with so far is to plumb in a large filter canister just before the gen-x inlet and rig up a fine mesh strainer inside the canister. With that I could have enough "small holes" so not to restrict the flow any even if some become clogged. With this sized strainer I would hopfully not have to clean it be every few weeks.