Skimmer pumps. Educate me.

[rockdog]

If you still need help I can swing by on my way to work this evening. I can come by a little before 8PM if that will work for you. PM your add. and #.

Jason

 

[stacy22]

Rockdog;663240 wrote: If you still need help I can swing by on my way to work this evening. I can come by a little before 8PM if that will work for you. PM your add. and #.

Jason

I may take you up on the offer. I'll send a PM with my info. Thanks!

Edit: Here's what I have been able to get apart so far.
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[stacy22]

Thanks again, Jason!

 

[rockdog]

Glad to helo.... Let me know if you need anything!!

 

[acroholic]

stacy22;663223 wrote: What makes a pump good for using on a skimmer? For example, what is the fundamental difference between a "skimmer pump" and something like a return pump (except for the typical difference in GPH)? What about pumps that power reactors? How are they fundamentally different from skimmer pumps, return pumps, etc.?

What makes pumps good skimmer pumps, IMO, is output the pump, the electrical efficiency of the pump (wattage draw), the volute design and the needle wheel design. My answer is based on the type skimmer you have, which is an internal, non recirculating venturi type. Main difference in a Sicce PSK 2500 that you use and one that you might use as an internal return pump for a sump is the impeller design and the volute design. The Sicce PSK 2500 is a pump used in a variety of applications, and while the block remains the same for all of them, the volute and the impeller are what are specific for a certain application, like a line of Octopus Skimmers. The pump output connection point for your Sicce pumps is different than that of the PSK 2500 output for the Octo 160 Extreme.

A pump's output needs to be properly sized to the size of the skimmer. You would not want a Mag 12 powering an Octopus Extreme 160 or something like that, way too much output for the size of the skimmer

A PSK 2500 used as a return pump in a sump would have a different impeller and volute than a PSK 2500 used as a skimmer pump, which would not have a venturi intake, and most likely a propeller blade type impeller. An external application would probaly mean threaded input/output points for vinyl tubing.

More subjective things that make a good pump are electrical efficiency. IMO, the more efficient the better, as long as the pump works appropriately for the application.

Many pumps that power reactors are not much different in design from skimmer pumps, aside from the impeller and volute, but they have such low output that they would not work as a skimmer pump. For example, Many calcium reactors use an Eheim 1048 as the recirculation pump, and it has an output of only 160 GPH, which is totally inadequate for most skimmer applications (except maybe a nano skimmer?), but perfectly sized for a calcium reactor. And since these recirc type pumps run 24/7, you don't need to be wasting electricity with a pump that pumps more hourly volume than you need for a reactor or whatever the application is if you don't need to.

Most reactor input needs are low flow/low volume to start with, which is why powerheads are used or a PVC manifold is used and a bit of flow from the return pump is all that is needed. I run my calcium reactor and my sulfur dentirator water feed lines off my return pump via a PVC manifold, because between them, they only have about 2 gallons in an hour pass through them.

 

[stacy22]

Dave, thanks for explaining this to me. I understand more now than I did 5 minutes ago.