My New Skimmer & Sumpicus Maxiumus

[SuperDragon]

I finally got a new skimmer for my rimless cube. I couldn't afford buying a cone skimmer.
(the price of the cone would be close more than my entire setup with lights, chiller, etc.)
The dims of the SWC 250 Extreme was too big (really wanted it)... so I got a SWC 200
after reading good reviews on RC.
I underestimated the size of this skimmer.

My old sump and ATO were not going to fit.

Had some left over plastic and put it to use. All I had was a jigsaw to work with and late
night hours away from my toddler (2 weeks)
I wanted to maximize the sump.

24hr water testing leaked because the Home Depot silicone
didn't hold. (Kit & Bath: not for aquarium use)
The sump didn't fit into tub so the wife kept nagging about a mess
I made.
I started over and used Weld On #16 without problems. :aqua:

The sump transplant was painful with the mud, mangroves, chiller, fluval etc.
It worked out the way I wanted it to.

Wife was a non-believer, kept telling me how it was going to leak. :ahhhhh:
Fiji mud transplant made the tank cloudy and the new beast skimmer
pulled it all out in 2 hours... no sweat! :adore:
Still have to find room for the ATO externally.

Thanks for reading. :top:

 

[Tom619]

awesome! cant wait to see this in person

 

[Nick_kun]

that is really nice designed sump. The skimmer fits like a glove.

 

[Reefer08]

Looks great! The sump came out nicely! Skimmer looks good. Keep us updated with some skimmate pics once it breaks in.

 

[SuperDragon]

awesome! cant wait to see this in person

Thanks SockMan!

that is really nice designed sump. The skimmer fits like a glove.

Thanks Nick, spent lots of time planning and less rushing. Skimmer is great, that Sicce pump on the skimmer, well that's another story. I can't stand the buzzing sounds.

Looks great! The sump came out nicely! Skimmer looks good. Keep us updated with some skimmate pics once it breaks in.

Thanks, lots of trial and error. I'll try to feed more now, because not much is coming out. Prob still breaking in and also prob because it was designed for a 175g-300g tank LOL. I have it on my 60g.
Wonder if overskimming is possible? :laugh:

 

[bigian]

You seriously cut the sump pieces with a jigsaw??

 

[barometer]

WOW, a jigsaw. That's tenacity Looks great, definitely gotta customize to maximize efficiency under cubes. Looks like you could make a little shelf on the right side to accomodate a custom fit ATO bin, just a thought. Thanks for sharing, nice work :top:

 

[Nanoreefbro]

That's an awesome sump.. Have you have any issues with the tubing? I have the cone skimmer and I had to change mine because it kept kinking up.

 

[coral diver]

Nice work there Doc!!!

Congratulation

 

[SuperDragon]

You seriously cut the sump pieces with a jigsaw??

Yeah, it was the only way since I don't have a table saw and a $100+ toothed blade.
Cuts were not perfect, but Weld-on #16 is solvent+acrylic and patched up the seams very well. I also used a syringe to inject out air bubbles with Weld-on #4.
I triple sealed all corners in fear with gobs of #16.
3/8" acrylic and 1/2" white acrylic weren't that bad to cut.
Embarrassed to show a Black and Decker device that's not a toaster.

This blade was a lucky pick. Worked well and clean cuts without fuzzy edges.
Bosch clean cut blade, Swiss made, about $2 at HD. Cuts on the up and down stroke.

WOW, a jigsaw. That's tenacity Looks great, definitely gotta customize to maximize efficiency under cubes. Looks like you could make a little shelf on the right side to accomodate a custom fit ATO bin, just a thought. Thanks for sharing, nice work :top:

Thanks for the compliments. ATO shelf, I'll think about it this week. It's so tight inside I'm scared to put a ATO inside right now. I need a emergency exit in case of disaster right now :alberteinstein:
My 5g tank does fit on top perfectly...

That's an awesome sump.. Have you have any issues with the tubing? I have the cone skimmer and I had to change mine because it kept kinking up.

I read lots that people have trouble with the tubing but the white rubber hose seems to work ok for me. I've thought about making a 90 deg adaptor at the powerhead so the tube dosn't bend. They were really cheap on the length of the hose, exactly enough length.
I think the pump volute should be on the other side of the pump in my opinion.

Nice work there Doc!!! Congratulation

Thanks Jojo, I'm going to be broke for awhile :boring:

Here's a 24hr update. The skimmer overflowed today when I feed. :loldude:
So I had to empty the cup. This is about 12 hours after I cleaned the cup.
I'm going to have to feed more than QOD (every other day) and move to daily
feedings.

 

[Cmartin]

I'd like to order a sump thanks good job

 

[SuperDragon]

I'd like to order a sump thanks good job

:loldude: Sure, I'll get on it in a jiffy and have it done by December.
Chris I don't know if I have the energy to really make another one. The turning point was waking up everyday seeing my daughter sit on the skimmer thinking that it's one of her toys. Also, the idea of seeing a beast of a skimmer not in use. It was killing me.
I resorted to finishing the project with a jigsaw. :stoned:

 

[Nick_kun]

I'd like to order a sump thanks good job

yeah tell me about it. I wish I have some DIY skills

 

[EyeReef]

wow your new sump makes your setup look so much cleaner..great job

 

[SuperDragon]

UPDATE: after having my skimmer pump rattle like a alien lives inside it, the impellar shaft was wearing down and I was SOL. The dreaded pump had trouble starting up and such. Luckily, SWC sent me a parts kit consisting of a new shaft, impellar, end cap, and even threw in a mesh wheel.
Upon careful inspection my old impellar (vs. new one) it did not spin back and forth freely or smoothly. The motion was very rough and may have lead to the premature failure of the shaft and other troubles.
Since I knew the problem, I turned the shaft around (as suggested by a good friend on on another site Som1else) and put on the new impellar. I tried to save the new impellar shaft as a backup.
Starting was flawless, nosie was nominal, and peformance was amazing. It brought my faith back into products made by SWC and their support (not the fastest) was good.

With the skimmer overskimming my tank, the skimmate only looks like the food that I feed the tank. I now feed more often and I love the skimmer.

 

[EyeReef]

glad your got everything straighten out with the skimmer. Nothing better than being able to overfeed your tank :laugh:

 

[SuperDragon]

I used to empty the cup every two weeks because it took that long to fill up, but now almost every week. At two weeks the smell was so awful everyone in the office was complaining.

 

[AJDuran]

I'll be running the same skimmer on my 60 cube. looks good

 

[djrice69]

that skimmer looks pretty sweet

 

[mrsmithers]

That’s awesome! Nothing like a custom sump. Great job with the jig saw.