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View Full Version : Does anyone have a Bullet-1 under their tank?

Delphinus
11-22-2002, 03:41 PM
Trying to figure out how to set up the plumbing for this. The sump is a 20g tank, drilled for inline pump for the return. I have plenty of space leftover in the stand, footprint-wise that is, to fit the bullet-1 skimmer, however ....

Since the outflow has to drain "straight out or downward" this means the output of the skimmer needs to be higher than the walls of the sump? In which case there's no way I can fit this skimmer under my tank since I don't have a 4' tall stand ...

It looks like my options are maybe to shoehorn the skimmer in behind the sump (so in between my sump and my back wall), which I haven't looked into as a possibility yet, I don't know if this means I need to move my tank forward (which I don't really want to do, I have left myself 4" of clearance back there between the wall and the stand, anything larger will give the appearance of being in the middle of the room ... ??? )

Or perhaps drill the sump (I don't have a glass bit large enough, the instructions for the bullet say the drain must be at least 1-1/4" and you shouldn't use a smaller pipe size ?) So I'd have to take the sump somewhere to get it drilled, but I guess that's not that big of a deal...

I don't really have enough room IN the sump for the skimmer, it would fit, but I mean it would be absolutely shoehorned into there, and possibly impossible to remove for cleaning and maintenance and etc.

So anyways if anyone has this type of skimmer I would appreciate any advice (pictures help a lot too if possible, hint hint ;) )


....

I'm almost wondering if I should just put this skimmer on the other tank (where the sump is hidden in a back room so no issues of real-estate) and just use my RSB on this tank instead. Intended inhabitants are (from my soon-to-be-decommissioned 50g) a yellow tang, two percs, a monstrous ritteri anemone, and a few various LPS and softies.. so not really too huge a bioload (heck I haven't even been skimming my 50g in the last month at all) ... Whereas the other reef is heavier on the SPS, and has a 6line, lawnmower, sailfin tang, banggai cardinal.

Anyways like I said any advice is appreciated as I am just totally stumped on how to proceed here. Thanks in advance!!
Doug
11-22-2002, 04:10 PM
Tony, I just put my MR3 in my sump. It shorten the distance the Mak4 has to pump, to 16in. Perhaps a bit larger sump is the answer.
Canadian Man
11-22-2002, 04:54 PM
Tony,
IMO I would say put the "better skimmer" on your 75.
Put your "not better skimmer" on the new bowfront tank.

I only say this cause the sps in the 75 and it's going to be alot easier for you to put it on the 75 then it will be putting it on the new setup.
Bob I
11-22-2002, 08:38 PM
Anyways like I said any advice is appreciated as I am just totally stumped on how to proceed here. Thanks in advance!!

Why not be brave, and join me in the skimmerless world. We are willing to take new residents. :D 8) 8)
Delphinus
11-22-2002, 08:48 PM
Technically speaking my ritteri tank has been skimmerless for a month or two? I got real behind on cleaning the skimmer on that tank so it wasn't doing a lot except aeration, I finally just took it off about a week ago. 8)
Canadian Man
11-22-2002, 08:52 PM
:lol: :lol: :lol:

Well then the riteri will be gettin an upgrade by going to a berlin and the bullet will be a great upgrade for the 75.

Hope you dont mind me answering your post but anyone else feel free to chime in here.
Delphinus
11-22-2002, 08:58 PM
No, please do answer the post!!! :)

Seriously, thanks for the suggestion. After thinking about it some more, it does seem to be the more sensible approach. The SPS tank will benefit from the higher-tech setup, the ritteri has done OK on the last 12 months on just a simple (and undersized) counter-current skimmer, so it's true that the RSB should be more than ample. I guess realistically to go with the bullet in a stand, it's better to just put it IN the sump and as Doug suggests maybe a bigger sump is the answer for that. But, at this point I don't want to be looking at a buying any more equipment other than the necessities (I still need a sump return pump, so money is wiser spent/saved-up for that in the short term!) Heh, I guess my 50g would make an awesome sump but I don't think it will fit in the bowfront's stand :)
Canadian Man
11-22-2002, 09:13 PM
You could always just extend your basement and make another room behind the 72 :lol: 8) :roll:
Then you could fit the 50 in the room behind the 72
Son Of Skyline
11-23-2002, 12:53 AM
Anyways like I said any advice is appreciated as I am just totally stumped on how to proceed here. Thanks in advance!!

Why not be brave, and join me in the skimmerless world. We are willing to take new residents. :D 8) 8)


I went skimmerless for almost a year...oh the water changes!!! :)
StirCrazy
11-23-2002, 02:50 AM
Why not be brave, and join me in the skimmerless world. We are willing to take new residents. :D 8) 8)

Bob how long have you been skimmerless? I mean on a biger tank that you can do a 50% water change with a icecream pail :wink:

likeit was said skimmerless is fine for nanos that benifit from frequent large water changes, but I have yet to see a large tank that has been totaly sucessfull skimmerless.. years and yease ago when I was .. how do you put it... Less ethical :oops: and befor we knew what deep sand beds and skimmers were.. I had a fish only with rock.. and boy the problems I had with it as far as algae.. I can tell you from experence that the tank I have running now is such a pleasure to "not have to do hardly anything ", to keep it good looking.

when I first started researching thistank I said skimmer shimmer.. who needs that.. now after finaly running a good skimmer on a larger tank I would never try skimmerless again. well maby in a 10 gal tank :wink:

PS.. please excuse my spelling mistakes.. pretty sad for some one who graduated from highschool with honers eh... :oops:

Steve
Jayson
11-23-2002, 03:29 PM
Tony, If you decide to drill it I have the bit you need, as well as the bulkhead. You know how the rest of the drill goes. Let me know if you are interested.
Bob I
11-23-2002, 04:02 PM
Why not be brave, and join me in the skimmerless world. We are willing to take new residents. :D 8) 8)

Bob how long have you been skimmerless? I mean on a biger tank that you can do a 50% water change with a icecream pail :wink:

likeit was said skimmerless is fine for nanos that benifit from frequent large water changes, but I have yet to see a large tank that has been totaly sucessfull skimmerless..

This may be a long story. I have had a marine tank since the early eigties when I lived in Vancouver. U/G filters, air driven, bleached corals etc.

When I started up again in Calgary a few years ago, I setup the same way, and had nothing but problems.

I graduated to live rock, and things improved greatly. I then spent a lot of time on Aquarium Central where I learned about DSB's. I learned early on that the purpose of a DSB is to convert Nitrates to Nitrogen gas. In other words eliminate wastes. It was there that I learned it was possible to be totally skimmerless. So I got a DSB, and went skimmerless with excellent results. I also learned that water changes were really not necessary. I have gone the proponents of skimmerless one better. I now run a refugium with caulerpa.

I basically run my tank gadget free, and have had nothing but success, as can be verified by all who have seen my tanks.

I do NOT preach that my methods are best. If people want to spend money on gadgets, and it makes them happy, I say "go ahead, be happy", but leave me alone, and do not preach at me.

I always tell my visitors that you cannot argue with success. :D :D :D :D