Can I round a beckett Skimmer only 8 to 12 hours

[mazdadan]

Can someone advice me if it is possible to run a beckett Skimmer 8 to 12 hours a day instead of 24 Hrs. Will there be any negative effect.As I am thinking of stopping the skimming during feeding and ligt on period. Thank

[mazdadan]

Appreciate someone to advice me on this thank

[Kotobuki]

The 1st problem your going to encounter.

1) The backflow of water will flood your sump tank when you off your skimmer.

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etc ....... to be continue

[mazdadan]

Thank for the first reply, have check no problem the back flow will not over flow as my sump is deep. My concern is if it is true that a beckett Skimmer need at least a few hours to kick in when it is turn off and if I am running it for 8 hrs than I am skimming only maybe 4 hours a day. appreciate to have more advice.

[weileong]

The 1st problem your going to encounter.

1) The backflow of water will flood your sump tank when you off your skimmer.

etc

etc

etc ....... to be continue

You meant you're going to setup your tank in such a way that it cannot be powered down without flooding your house?

What happens during those unplanned power failure?

[mazdadan]

Sorry I think I have made myself clear Incase of a power failure the Beckett skimmer back flow and the tank overflow will not be possible to overflow my sump as my sump is quite deep. Thank

[hamannbmw]

Hi madzadan,

I think your concern is regards to the electricity bills. Why not run it 12 hrs a day rather than 24 hrs a day to safe cost. On top of that, at times you dont see any skimmate even running for a few days, so why not shut it off and safe on electricity?

I hope I get the above statement right. I have thought of that too, and have seen some reefers doing that. Well, the first thing I'll forsee is the irregularity on the adjustment level of the skimming foam. Whenever when I clean the collection cup, I dont off the pump, I'll just turn 1/2 round clockwise to open up the gate valve , so that water level will go down and thats when i do the cleaning. However, when the cleaning is done and I turn 1/2 round anti-clockwise "BUT"I might not reach the initial level as before (be it lower of higher)

So I guess, it still needs some tuning here and there, and nv plug it into a auto timer.

*** My personal opinion, dont shoot me ***

And as what weileong said is true, plan b4 flooding or rather there will be no flooding if anythings happens

[weileong]

Bro Hamannbmw, you could install a ball valve between the MD55 and beckett injector so you can just close the ball valve slightly to lower the water level for cleaning.

After that just open the ball valve fully and the skimmer skim as usual, that's what I did when I was using the beckett previously.

[mazdadan]

Thank Bro Hamannbmw for your reply, My concern is not so much on the electricity bill as that was provision for when I start this marine hobby. It is more of the heat load. I am running a double beckett about 4 ft tall with 8 inch diameter on 2 units of Atman 5500 pump about 11,000 litres flow. My chiller was set to 26 degree with a cut in difference temperature of 0.5 degree. Therefore my temperaure is maintai very accuratly between 26 to 26.5.

Before installating my MH light and protein Skimmer I am able to cool down my tank within 1/2 an hours and the temperature can maintain for 3 hours before my chiller start running again. Upon installating the skimmer the chiller have to work 1/2 hrs to bring the temp down 0.5 but this temp can be maintain for only 1 hrs before my chiller have to start to work again. My concern is more on the frequency of the chiller begin on and the heat generated in my living room.

Now that I have install the 2 x 250 W MH light and 2 X 80X T5 light my chiller have to run still 1/2 hours to bring down the temp by 0.5 but this temp can be maintain for only 1/2 hours and my chiller start again. this will create more heat in the enviroment.

So I am thinking if it is possible that during light on period skimmer is off , also good for me to do feeding and when the light is off my skimmer is on so that my chiller need not create too much heat during light on period.

My concern is more on the effeciency of the skimmer if I only on it for 8 to 12 hours a day. As I do not know if it is true that Beckett skimmer when you restart take 3 to 4hours before skimming could start.

[hotlemond]

for your turn over of 11K litres i dun think you need to worry about insufficient skimming period. I am more concern if you could get the water level inside skimmer you last adjusted cos from my experience it will varies somehow after a restart.

if you could have it running while feeding the fishes that would help alot to get the DOC out quicker; if you are feeding wet food, like me.

[Rocks]

Thank Bro Hamannbmw for your reply, My concern is not so much on the electricity bill as that was provision for when I start this marine hobby. It is more of the heat load. I am running a double beckett about 4 ft tall with 8 inch diameter on 2 units of Atman 5500 pump about 11,000 litres flow. My chiller was set to 26 degree with a cut in difference temperature of 0.5 degree. Therefore my temperaure is maintai very accuratly between 26 to 26.5.

Before installating my MH light and protein Skimmer I am able to cool down my tank within 1/2 an hours and the temperature can maintain for 3 hours before my chiller start running again. Upon installating the skimmer the chiller have to work 1/2 hrs to bring the temp down 0.5 but this temp can be maintain for only 1 hrs before my chiller have to start to work again. My concern is more on the frequency of the chiller begin on and the heat generated in my living room.

Now that I have install the 2 x 250 W MH light and 2 X 80X T5 light my chiller have to run still 1/2 hours to bring down the temp by 0.5 but this temp can be maintain for only 1/2 hours and my chiller start again. this will create more heat in the enviroment.

So I am thinking if it is possible that during light on period skimmer is off , also good for me to do feeding and when the light is off my skimmer is on so that my chiller need not create too much heat during light on period.

My concern is more on the effeciency of the skimmer if I only on it for 8 to 12 hours a day. As I do not know if it is true that Beckett skimmer when you restart take 3 to 4hours before skimming could start.

In short do you mean that the 2 Atman 5500 pump add on heat to the reef system as sucg requires the chiller to work more frequent thus generate more heat to the living room by the chiller?

Is the Atman 5500 pump an in-sump pump? if so why not get those out-sump pump for your skimmer? .. that will take away some heat factor from the reef system as such easy on the chiller.

CHEERS!

[mazdadan]

Have think of removing the Pump to put outside. but generally feel that the pump is not the only one contributing to the heat , it could also be the mass amount of water that is turning inside the Beckett. That could cause the increase in Temp.

[alanseah]

Have think of removing the Pump to put outside. but generally feel that the pump is not the only one contributing to the heat , it could also be the mass amount of water that is turning inside the Beckett. That could cause the increase in Temp.

err like that say meaning all water fall also very hot due to high turn over?

[Rocks]

Have think of removing the Pump to put outside. but generally feel that the pump is not the only one contributing to the heat , it could also be the mass amount of water that is turning inside the Beckett. That could cause the increase in Temp.

IMO, by using external pump, you reduce the heat contribution to the system by quite a lot since you are using 2 pumps.

I can't make up how the turning water in the beckett skimmer contribute much heat... it's turbulent water flow at high velocity...

The other factor that you might want to look into reducing heat to the system is consider reducing the lighting period... you have a total of 660 watts of lights.

btw, what is the size of your tank? what are you keeping?

p/s: if electricity bill and money is not too much of a concern... .. how about upgrading your chiller to a more powerful one. ..

CHEERS!

[kelstorm]

my 2 cents:

i think u have to worry more abt the main source of heat = ur lights rather than those from the skimmer.. even if there is heat in the water inside the skimmer, it is probably negligible. But i might be wrong.

[weileong]

After taking into account the head lost, the flow might be at most 2000 l/h or even lesser.

You could test by turning off the Atman pumps for a few hrs and see if they are contributing to the heat or is it caused by the chiller which is older now and needs servicing.

[hotlemond]

the Atman 5500 draws 120 watts. That's 240 watts in that water. If you ask me how hot it is? its like having a similar wattage heater in there.

I run a Atman 200W for my Beckett too, but externally.

Even at that, whenever i shut down the pump for maintenence, that period the chiller was at rest. When the pump started, very soon it kicked in. This behaviour was consistent.

You can use Weileong advice up there to test them.

[mazdadan]

Someone told me that even the pump is external the heat from the pump will still be transfer to the water when it is running therefore there is no reason to put it outside. Except for the iwaki pump where by it was mend to be outside and there is a cooling fan to cool the pump. so I think wouha confirmwhatmy friends say

[weileong]

when the pump is placed externally, lesser heat is tansferred to the water. Even iwaki transfers heat to the water too.

[Kotobuki]

You meant you're going to setup your tank in such a way that it cannot be powered down without flooding your house?

What happens during those unplanned power failure?

I do agree the sump tank has to be ablt to handle the volume from the over flow box water level plus the skimmer back flow... els it will be swimming pool during a unplan power outage.

A good idea is to install a one way ball valve to prevent back flow.

[mazdadan]

I have tested to take out the 2 Atman Pump and connect it outside to run my skimmer. This is my finding

1) Flow rate through my skimmer reduced quite a lot

2) Can feel the heat on the external pump, but also confirm that it made no different weather the pump is in or out outside the sump.

3) Finally going to install back into the sump.

[Eric]

I have tested to take out the 2 Atman Pump and connect it outside to run my skimmer. This is my finding

1) Flow rate through my skimmer reduced quite a lot

2) Can feel the heat on the external pump, but also confirm that it made no different weather the pump is in or out outside the sump.

3) Finally going to install back into the sump.

I seriously doubt the atman 5500l/hr has enough pressure to push water through the beckett nozzle and suck enough AIR. You might want to reconsider the skimmer pump option. A stronger pressure rated external pump might help you cut down some heat and run your beckett more effectively.

I seriously think your main heat load factor is contributed mainly by your 2 x 250W MH. You might wan to consider raising your 250W MH at least 10inches away from the water surfaces if its lower than that. A couple of fans blowing the space between the MH and water surfaces will also help in reducing overall heat contribution. Running the MH at different time intervals will help in reducing the chiller load too.

Test around with your chiller pump flow to get the optimum chilling efficiency. Too high flow might cause insufficent heat exchange between the water and the refrigerant. Too low flow will not be able to cool down your tank fast enough.

Eric

[spawns]

by turning on n off ur skimmer, i can be sure the pump will hv shorten lifespan(regardless of any pump)...

IMO,beckett that use magnet pumps hv the best effects n by using it to the optinum, we need to on for 24/7. when i first thought of buying a beckett, i hv to bear inmind the heat that the pump produces, the high amount electric used and of couse the space it occupied but the bright side is that it works wonder to my tank.my fishes thanks me for this

if i want to save electric cost/less heat, i would hv gone to my 2nd option(deltec)but then again deltec cost me my arms n legs ,hope this help....

my 2cents...