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GS2 skimmer re-enginered :P

molabecirovic

molabecirovic

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I purchased this skimmer back in 09, when I use to have a 72g bow-front tank with a light bio-load. Back then I figured I will get a skimmer that can handle at least 2-3 times the size of my tank. Since than I upgraded to a 125g tank heavily loaded with fish and coral. So now my 300g rated skimmer didn't sound so safe. I started to look for a new skimmer and instead of spending $$$$ on a new top of the line skimmer i had a idea. My skimmer is powered by two sicce psk 2500 pumps which I thought are still pretty decent pumps which produce a lot of bubbles, the problem I felt was that there was not enough volume in the old cone skimmer. The next day I went to TAP plastic and purchased a 8inch acrylic pipe (the width of the base of my skimmer) by 12inches high and two 10inch rings with a 8inch hole in the middle. I glued them all together to make the new attachment that will fit between the base and the cone of my old skimmer. Once I assembled it all together the skimmer grew quite a bit(I do keep my skimmer in a closet next to the tank so the height was not an issue for me). Its been 6 months or more since the retrofit and the skimmer its been working great, just took it down for a vinegar bath as some coralline algae has been growing on the inside walls and also adding the Swabbie retrofit from Avast marine.
I have attached a picture of the old(downloaded it online as I did not take any pic. once it was new) and new look just for comparison. Just an idea if someone else is having the same issue.

Happy reefing

Attached files /attachments/sites/default/files/Skimer retrofit.JPG /attachments/sites/default/files/skimmer new.jpg
 
How about a video? I would like to see it in action. Are you considering making a diffuser and adding a larger pump?
 
Nice work. Very professional looking.
That extra volume should make a big difference, as long as pumps can
handle the extra foot of pressure well.
 
The skimmer came with a large diffuser about 2 inches over the base which worked fine in the beginning when I was running only one pump but after adding the second pump and adding the extra foot bubbles stated escaping to the sump so I changed the design a bit, I cut the diffuser to 4inch and added a abs 4inch coupler to direction the bubbles upward. Its been working great since then :)
I don't know if a larger pump would be needed, the pumps create a tons of bubbles (i actually had to raise the skimmer to about 3-4 inches of water otherwise it would overflow even on fully open valve) ... but I'm always open to suggestions though :party: ...


Attached files /attachments/sites/default/files/difusser .JPG
 
Thanks to all for the comments :bigsmile:

I will shoot a video soon once the skimmer is back at the sump ... I'm still keeping it out as the tank is going through a Ich outbreak in the tank(after getting a Achilles tang) and the medicine I been using for about a week requires the skimmer not to be used during the treatment...

By the way any suggestions on a good Ich treatment?? My blue tang and one of the angles also started to show sighs of ich on them. I been using NO-ICH as is the only non copper and reef safe treatment but it doesn't seem to do much as I haven't noticed any improvements in the last week. I been thinking of quarantining the infected fish but not an easy task catching the fish on a reef tank :~
 
molabecirovic said:
Thanks to all for the comments :bigsmile:

I will shoot a video soon once the skimmer is back at the sump ... I'm still keeping it out as the tank is going through a Ich outbreak in the tank(after getting a Achilles tang) and the medicine I been using for about a week requires the skimmer not to be used during the treatment...

By the way any suggestions on a good Ich treatment?? My blue tang and one of the angles also started to show sighs of ich on them. I been using NO-ICH as is the only non copper and reef safe treatment but it doesn't seem to do much as I haven't noticed any improvements in the last week. I been thinking of quarantining the infected fish but not an easy task catching the fish on a reef tank :~
Click to expand...

Ahh, you missed a great talk on ICH this weekend at the BAR meeting.
At any rate:
NO-ICH and pretty much anything you can put in the reef tank is useless.
Quarantine with Hypo, or Copper, or the newest and supposedly really good Chloroquine phosphate.
 
+1. Is it a bad case of ich or mild?
I did nothing over a year ago and my fish came through.
Feed (skim) feed, feed.

rygh said:
molabecirovic said:
Thanks to all for the comments :bigsmile:

I will shoot a video soon once the skimmer is back at the sump ... I'm still keeping it out as the tank is going through a Ich outbreak in the tank(after getting a Achilles tang) and the medicine I been using for about a week requires the skimmer not to be used during the treatment...

By the way any suggestions on a good Ich treatment?? My blue tang and one of the angles also started to show sighs of ich on them. I been using NO-ICH as is the only non copper and reef safe treatment but it doesn't seem to do much as I haven't noticed any improvements in the last week. I been thinking of quarantining the infected fish but not an easy task catching the fish on a reef tank :~
Click to expand...

Ahh, you missed a great talk on ICH this weekend at the BAR meeting.
At any rate:
NO-ICH and pretty much anything you can put in the reef tank is useless.
Quarantine with Hypo, or Copper, or the newest and supposedly really good Chloroquine phosphate.
Click to expand...
 
rygh said:
molabecirovic said:
Thanks to all for the comments :bigsmile:

I will shoot a video soon once the skimmer is back at the sump ... I'm still keeping it out as the tank is going through a Ich outbreak in the tank(after getting a Achilles tang) and the medicine I been using for about a week requires the skimmer not to be used during the treatment...

By the way any suggestions on a good Ich treatment?? My blue tang and one of the angles also started to show sighs of ich on them. I been using NO-ICH as is the only non copper and reef safe treatment but it doesn't seem to do much as I haven't noticed any improvements in the last week. I been thinking of quarantining the infected fish but not an easy task catching the fish on a reef tank :~
Click to expand...

Ahh, you missed a great talk on ICH this weekend at the BAR meeting.
At any rate:
NO-ICH and pretty much anything you can put in the reef tank is useless.
Quarantine with Hypo, or Copper, or the newest and supposedly really good Chloroquine phosphate.
Click to expand...

I wish I was there :(( .... ill get the quarantine tank started and stop the current treatment ... I never used any other method other than the copper treatment even though I heard that if I do a copper treatment once I return the fish in the display tank the copper may leach out from them in the tank, don't know if that's true or not but that's why I was trying to use a reef safe alternative this time. Hypo treatment seams a pretty simple process, no chemicals seams to be used?

Thanks for the advise.
 
JAR said:
+1. Is it a bad case of ich or mild?
I did nothing over a year ago and my fish came through.
Feed (skim) feed, feed.

rygh said:
molabecirovic said:
Thanks to all for the comments :bigsmile:

I will shoot a video soon once the skimmer is back at the sump ... I'm still keeping it out as the tank is going through a Ich outbreak in the tank(after getting a Achilles tang) and the medicine I been using for about a week requires the skimmer not to be used during the treatment...

By the way any suggestions on a good Ich treatment?? My blue tang and one of the angles also started to show sighs of ich on them. I been using NO-ICH as is the only non copper and reef safe treatment but it doesn't seem to do much as I haven't noticed any improvements in the last week. I been thinking of quarantining the infected fish but not an easy task catching the fish on a reef tank :~
Click to expand...

Ahh, you missed a great talk on ICH this weekend at the BAR meeting.
At any rate:
NO-ICH and pretty much anything you can put in the reef tank is useless.
Quarantine with Hypo, or Copper, or the newest and supposedly really good Chloroquine phosphate.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...


Well counting that I have 20 or so fish in the tank and from them the Achilles tang has it the worse, the blue tang and a emperor angel show some sign but not too bad and the rest of the tangs and other fish seem to be fine ... but I been noticing quite a bit of white dots or flakes floating around in the water and Im not sure if that is the ich floating around??? so I'm not sure how to rate the severity ????


Thanks
 
I had to work so I missed the talk as well, so perhaps this is bad advice.

You might try a uv sterilizer, rated for x2 your tank. That way when Ich reaches the stage of floating in the water stream you can sterilize it. I know this most likely kill it all, but it can't hurt in reducing it. You might also soak some mysis/brine in garlic solution then feed. I might check water parameters, or just do a water change to get some fresh juice in the system. Ich is always present, but sometimes stress will degrade the natural homeostasis of the fishes defenses. I wish you the best in your treatment.
 
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