Modified WeiPro

[roidan]

yeah...and although there are many needlewheel designs, some draw in more air to chop up than others...thus more efficient...hehe

[Tanggy]

Close up. Use epoxy. hope it holds.

[roidan]

Close up. Use epoxy. hope it holds.

great work bro!! ....hehe...maybe can use superglue to more kiasu abit..hehe

[BarraCudaTM]

This type of bioball very soft leh .. if you want .. I can give you those solid bioballs.

[Tanggy]

Well will let it set another day before trying it lor. Will also be trying to loop part of the output back to the input to get finer bubbles. Work is very rough but what the hack. if this work well then will do a proper job on my eheim pump.

Below is an update on the skimmer run by the pump with a normal impeller. Foam is rising.

[Tanggy]

This type of bioball very soft leh .. if you want .. I can give you those solid bioballs.

I also think it's very soft but its the only kind I have. Where you get yours??

[BarraCudaTM]

I also think it's very soft but its the only kind I have. Where you get yours??

no idea .. I bought them from some guy in AF.com I got quite alot of them.

[Tanggy]

hmm... maybe can get some from you.

Cannot wait liaoz. just put the impeller on a wet run.

Here's the results

[sunny03]

looks quite fine tanggy

[Tanggy]

The bubbles are alot finer than the one without the bioball. and definitely much much finer than the original venturi.

[roidan]

wahhh..like from a foam jet nozzle...hehehe

[Tanggy]

It is so fine that I am unable to get a clear shot.

[Tanggy]

[Tanggy]

Had a thought. How about running this bubble through another pump to further chop up the bubbles!!

Hmm.... worth a try I think. Will try it with a loop back than after that, running two pumps.

[Tanggy]

Barra, what do you think?? fine enough or did I miss out anything?? You think the loopback is a good ideal??

[BarraCudaTM]

yes its fine enough but you will need another pump to put more water pressure into the mixing pump.

When you change to the needlewheel impeller, you will lose quite alot of pressure as its taken by the air instead.

Bigger pump -> mixing pump -> skimmer

[Tanggy]

then why not just follow what deltec is doing with their skimmer? one pump to pump in the water and another to recirculate the bubbles within the skimmer. Should give superfine bubbles.

[coralreef]

did you add an air pump to pump the air into the powerhead?

[Tanggy]

No. no air pump was used. the air into the pump is drawn in via venturi effect. Might have too much air if airpump was used and will loose pressure.

[typrobin]

Hi. Has some spare pumps and a Weipro skimmer for my Lion Tank. Know the H&S uses needle wheel and inject the air directly into the pump and let the impeller chop it up. So just wanted to have some fun and see if by modifying a weipro by removing the Venturi and injecting the air dirrectly into the pump to see the results.

The pump used is a dophin 708. More than enough to drive the skimmer.

injecting the air dirrectly into the pump

do u use a air pump?

[cyberjoe]

Hi Tanggy,

can you pls take a picture of ur diy impeller. I was trying to do this last night but Im a bit lost cause How on earth did you manage to put the bio ball to the propeller.

Can you point me to Barra tread I cant find it

thanks bro

[Tanggy]

Barra thread also dont state how. I dont have pice of the process cos took after I finish.

1. cut off the impeller blades leaving only the round part in the centre.

2. Prepare the bios ball. cut off one side and trim the other.

3. create a hole in the centre of the bio ball that will fit the impeller.

4. glude the bio ball on the impeller. and vala...

[Tanggy]

Sorry for not updating with the latest pics. I took took the skimmer off-line cos used the pump for the other deltec-loolalike skimmer and forgot to take a pic of the kopi.

But the conclusion is when the tunning is done correctly, the results is better than what the venturi valve can achieve. How even, pump flow and air intake has to be equalize. too much air and the pump fail to push enough water. too little and the skimmer overflow and not much bubbles. Should add a airvalve to control the amount of air tanken in.

A 1500-2000 lt pump/powerhead is more than enough for a 2013 and 2014. Any bigger and the flow will be too fast making the bubble movement on top too kaotic and difficulty keeping the water level from overflowing.

The kopi i get in a day after the skimmer has broken in is much more than the venturi. But must trial and error to get the correct setting. Would encourage weipro users to try this if they have an old powerhead no longer used. Very cheap modification to do.

NOTE: DO NOT OVER SIZE THE PUMP UNLESS YOU CAN BE SURE THE AIR MIXTURE IS ENOUGH TO REDUCE THE FLOW DRASTICALLY OR IT WILL NOT WORK.

The dophin pump is more than enough for the 2013 (est around 1600lt/hr) and the venturi before the pump is important or it wont suck in enough air. Or if not using venturi, just stick a air hoose at the input and keep the pump nearer to the surface. The deeper it goes, the less air it draws. Cheers.

Have another trail planned. using 6inch PVC pipe and around 2.5ft high. Wish me luck! ke ke....

[Tango_Liverock]

Bro Tanggy,

can draw a simple diagram of yr mod?

quite a fair bit of tweaking. When placing the feeding pump too low, the water shot out from the air tube

more people try out, sure can improve on the design. Personally, finding it most educating, help to understand more abt skimmer.

[Tanggy]

Actually. if you just insert an air hose into the input. can only draw air if pump if near surface. Due to the water being unrestricted does not have enough pressure flow to draw in more air.

The pump I mod for my deltec chiong is placed on the bottom and I actually have to restrict the air flow to allow more water to get through. Cos the first one I tried is without venturi. Where as the later one I use for the diy skimmer dose have one at the water intake of the pump.