Plumbing question

[holabird]

I am getting ready to hook up my new MRC-MR2 skimmer and I have a question. I am going to be using a Blueline 70 pump to run things. Since the skimmer only needs a Blueline 55 I will have some extra flow. I was planning on using the pump to run a carbon filter, a UV filter and maybe a GFO filter. First question-will I be able to run all that off the one pump? Second question-should I run to the skimmer first then to the others or run the filters first and the skimmer last? I am planning on setting up a manifold with a dedicated line to each device. Suggestions please

 

[rbredding]

on that skimmer you need to set it up so that it receives priority flow over the other ancillary pieces of equipment.

it's a great skimmer.. I love mine..

 

[smallblock]

I don't think I would hook up a skimmer to a manifold. Thats just me I dont know about everyone else. Skimmers are kinda picky and when you finally get them tuned right you want to leave it. I would have a dedicated pump just for the skimmer. Then run everything else off of the manifold. It just seems to me, for instance if the carbon and gfo started getting clogged the pressure would increase in the manifold. I'm really not sure I'm making my manifold right now and really dont have much experiance with them. If you do use the manifold it might be worth the extra money to go with a gate valve over a ball valve at least for the skimmer.

Edit: Thats an external skimmer right? Maybe there is a way to get it where it can be plumbed before the manifold so any flucuation in pressure wouldnt effect it.

 

[cjsparky]

Smallblock;664150 wrote: Edit: Thats an external skimmer right? Maybe there is a way to get it where it can be plumbed before the manifold so any flucuation in pressure wouldnt effect it.

Correct me if I am wrong, but head pressure wouldn't care where it was in relationship to the manifold, as once one component began to clog, the pressure would still be reflected back on the skimmer...no?

CJ

 

[grouper therapy]

Cjsparky;664174 wrote: Correct me if I am wrong, but head pressure wouldn't care where it was in relationship to the manifold, as once one component began to clog, the pressure would still be reflected back on the skimmer...no?

CJ

Technically the head loss would increase but with that particular pump I doubt it would change the pumps output very much.

I personally would figure on running a separate pump for the other devices and keep the skimmer isolated

 

[lilrobb]

grouper therapy;664176 wrote: I personally would figure on running a separate pump for the other devices and keep the skimmer isolated

+1

The dynamics in pressure differentials are a pain to predict, I wouldn't risk that over something like a 2nd pump.