A way to avoid surface scum

"Marc Levenson" wrote in message
...
My son's 29g sumpless FOWLR kept getting surface scum, which inhibits gas
exchange. I was sick of it, so I built this little box to help keep the
surface
clean.

view from top:
http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/1203/skimmer_box.jpg

view in-tank:
http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/1203/skimmer_box1.jpg

The idea was to have the water pour into a chamber that the skimmer's Mag
5
could slurp out, so the surface remains clean.

My goal is to eventually make a box that is slightly bouyant so that it
will
automatically adjust as the water level changes (due to evaporation), but
for
now I just put together a clear box. It is working perfectly, but topping
off
water each day is going to be very important to avoid the pump running
dry.

This box is 6 x 4.5 x 7, with a separate hanging bracket that was added
afterwards to fit over the rim of the tank. A Mag 5 fits in there, but
because
of the way the Remora Pro is designed, the inlet to the pump is way too
close to
the (inner) wall of the box. I didn't want to trim the inlet of the pump
permanently, so I'll make a different box, probably out of black acrylic,
later.

I do not get it, Marc. Since you have tools to make SUMP and Tank, why don't
you just make a grill on upper portion of that box as a overflow filter
method? This way, it will skim the surface and fall down to the filter and
no need to worry about evaporation of the water level that you set to.

CapFusion,...

So basically you are suggesting an entire box/sump on the outside of the tank to
hang the skimmer on? This is a sumpless tank, and I'm not going to drain the
tank to install a permanent overflow box in the corner either.

Marc


CapFusion wrote:

I do not get it, Marc. Since you have tools to make SUMP and Tank, why don't
you just make a grill on upper portion of that box as a overflow filter
method? This way, it will skim the surface and fall down to the filter and
no need to worry about evaporation of the water level that you set to.

CapFusion,...

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

"Marc Levenson" wrote in message
...
So basically you are suggesting an entire box/sump on the outside of the
tank to
hang the skimmer on? This is a sumpless tank, and I'm not going to
drain the
tank to install a permanent overflow box in the corner either.

Marc
Noop.... Not an entire box / sump outside of your tank. According to your
pic.... It located inside your tank and from what I can tell, the water flow
over the top of the wall box and the pump push it out. Am I see the pic
correctly or my eye-ball need to be check-up? I assumed that box was meant
to be use as surface skim / clean. If I understand correctly from your pic,
why not create a grill so that the water will flow through / between the
grill to the box.

Ok.... Let me ask in another angle.
What this box do? My impression was... this box clean the surface of that
tank by flowing over the box wall and into the box, right? If so, why not
make a grill for the water pass through and go into your box. This way, it
will skim the surface and prevent critter that might get pull over the
surface and into the box.

CapFusion,...

All this box does is force water to enter from the top surface of the tank,
which in turn is skimmed.

Using a grill (or teeth) vs a smooth edge is somewhat in a debate right now.
Apparently things get trapped in the teeth and it actually lures fish into the
area more than a smooth overflow, so I didn't add teeth.

Marc


CapFusion wrote:

Noop.... Not an entire box / sump outside of your tank. According to your
pic.... It located inside your tank and from what I can tell, the water flow
over the top of the wall box and the pump push it out. Am I see the pic
correctly or my eye-ball need to be check-up? I assumed that box was meant
to be use as surface skim / clean. If I understand correctly from your pic,
why not create a grill so that the water will flow through / between the
grill to the box.

Ok.... Let me ask in another angle.
What this box do? My impression was... this box clean the surface of that
tank by flowing over the box wall and into the box, right? If so, why not
make a grill for the water pass through and go into your box. This way, it
will skim the surface and prevent critter that might get pull over the
surface and into the box.

CapFusion,...

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com