Closed Loop Skimmer

[Yukon]

Is it possible to use one skimmer on a closed loop for a 55gal, and a 20gal? Could you just regulate the flows with ball valves to
even everything out? If so what skimmer would you suggest?

[Steve \Srfmon\]

Why not just connect the two tanks & then the skimmer will work on the
total water volume?
That seems easier to me, anyway. Or is that what you were saying?
Steve
"Yukon" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> Is it possible to use one skimmer on a closed loop for a 55gal, and a
> 20gal? Could you just regulate the flows with ball valves to
> even everything out? If so what skimmer would you suggest?
>
>

[Yukon]

"Steve "Srfmon"" > wrote in message ...
> Why not just connect the two tanks & then the skimmer will work on the
> total water volume?
> That seems easier to me, anyway. Or is that what you were saying?
> Steve
> "Yukon" > wrote in message
> nk.net...
> > Is it possible to use one skimmer on a closed loop for a 55gal, and a
> > 20gal? Could you just regulate the flows with ball valves to
> > even everything out? If so what skimmer would you suggest?
> >
> >
>
>

How would I connect the two tanks?
They are not drillable.

[Yukon]

"John" > wrote in message ...
> >Could you just regulate the flows with ball valves to
> >> even everything out?
>
> You want gray hair in 6 months dont you? :o). It's really hard to keep
> everything in balance. Pipes will dirty, water volumes will change etc. I'd
> suggest using a sump, skimmer in there, and have both tanks feeding off of
> that. Or the other suggestion that was made.
> ~John

Gray hair I already got. :) Wouldn't the sump
have the same concerns? The tanks are not drillable.
How would I get the right flow of water between the
two tanks?

[John]

>How would I connect the two tanks?
>They are not drillable.
>

http://melevsreef.com/sump.html - Check out the fourth pic down. I did mine
similar to Marc's except that I used a 3/4" overflow U tube instead of bending
the acrylic.
~John

[John]

>How would I get the right flow of water between the
>two tanks?

It would only have the same concerns on the returns (which yes you can ball
valve to say that the 55 gets 65% of the return pressure and the 20 gets 35%).
I'm guessing you wanted to suck the water out of the non-drillable tank. I was
thinking that it'd be a pain to match what you sucked out versus putting in.
In the sump situation gravity would dump all the water you returned to the
tank.

Make sure that your overflows can handle the maximum amount of water your pump
pushes. If your pump pushes more you'll have to put a tee in there and
recirculate back into the sump to relieve the excess flow.
~John

[Yukon]

"John" > wrote in message ...
> >How would I get the right flow of water between the
> >two tanks?
>
> It would only have the same concerns on the returns (which yes you can ball
> valve to say that the 55 gets 65% of the return pressure and the 20 gets 35%).
> I'm guessing you wanted to suck the water out of the non-drillable tank. I was
> thinking that it'd be a pain to match what you sucked out versus putting in.
> In the sump situation gravity would dump all the water you returned to the
> tank.
>
> Make sure that your overflows can handle the maximum amount of water your pump
> pushes. If your pump pushes more you'll have to put a tee in there and
> recirculate back into the sump to relieve the excess flow.
> ~John

Thanks John, I'll check Mark's link. So you are saying to have an overflow box in each tank
flow to a sump, and have a return pump regulate back to both tanks.

[John B]

marc pwns.

"John" > wrote in message
...
> >How would I connect the two tanks?
>>They are not drillable.
>>
>
> http://melevsreef.com/sump.html - Check out the fourth pic down. I did
> mine
> similar to Marc's except that I used a 3/4" overflow U tube instead of
> bending
> the acrylic.
> ~John

[Steve \Srfmon\]

I once had two glass tanks connected by a siphon. It worked okay for a
while. then the siphon broke. So I put in two siphons between the 2 tanks. &
used clear pvc tubing so that I could remove the bubble pockets through a
one-way check valve.
I got tired of checking the siphons all the time & crossing my fingers &
finally went with an acrylic DIY sump.
Steve
"Yukon" > wrote in message
ink.net...
>
> "Steve "Srfmon"" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Why not just connect the two tanks & then the skimmer will work on
>> the
>> total water volume?
>> That seems easier to me, anyway. Or is that what you were saying?
>> Steve
>> "Yukon" > wrote in message
>> nk.net...
>> > Is it possible to use one skimmer on a closed loop for a 55gal, and a
>> > 20gal? Could you just regulate the flows with ball valves to
>> > even everything out? If so what skimmer would you suggest?
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
> How would I connect the two tanks?
> They are not drillable.
>
>

[Yukon]

Well, I guess after hearing what you and others have said about the potential siphon problem, I'll go with a
separate stand-alone skimmer for each tank, closed loops, installed behind the wall for silence.
Thanx for your help


"Steve "Srfmon"" > wrote in message ...
> I once had two glass tanks connected by a siphon. It worked okay for a
> while. then the siphon broke. So I put in two siphons between the 2 tanks. &
> used clear pvc tubing so that I could remove the bubble pockets through a
> one-way check valve.
> I got tired of checking the siphons all the time & crossing my fingers &
> finally went with an acrylic DIY sump.

..


> Steve
> "Yukon" > wrote in message
> ink.net...
> >
> > "Steve "Srfmon"" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> Why not just connect the two tanks & then the skimmer will work on
> >> the
> >> total water volume?
> >> That seems easier to me, anyway. Or is that what you were saying?
> >> Steve
> >> "Yukon" > wrote in message
> >> nk.net...
> >> > Is it possible to use one skimmer on a closed loop for a 55gal, and a
> >> > 20gal? Could you just regulate the flows with ball valves to
> >> > even everything out? If so what skimmer would you suggest?
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> > How would I connect the two tanks?
> > They are not drillable.
> >
> >
>
>