How to make a Remora act like an Urchin

[vic622]

So I got my AquaC Remora last Thursday and was ready to do some Fabbing to get it to work in my sump.

As Murphy would have it, the guy shipped it in a cardboard box with no packing and the base of the collection cup was busted off.

This is the Collection cup the way I got it, but I was able to glue it ...

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemora002.jpg

So far so good, the glue is holding and it looks like its going to be alright.

This model of Remora doesn't have the Injector Access Screw for cleaning so I inverted the skimmer, filled the injector pipe with vinegar and let it sit for 24hrs.
It seems this is a 1st Gen Remora with only one adjusting foot from circa 2000

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemora009.jpg

After emailing AquaC, I found out that the Remora (HOB) is the same unit as the Urchin (in Sump) and so could be placed in the sump.

NB: I phoned AquaC today & they're sending me the screw for the injector, the screw & o-ring to hold the collection cup, and a new sticker for the back of the skimmer to replace the one that's worn off - Outstanding customer service!

I went to the local glass store (45 mins away) & got some pieces of Acrylic cut to make a stand for the Remora to sit on in the sump and some pieces to make an overflow to supply the unit.
My intention was to surface skim away from the outflow of the Skimmer, avoiding the microbubble problems.

The glass place was great, only charging me for the acrylic and not the cuts, about 10 of them, and gave me about 50ml of WeldOn 3 to glue the pieces.

First fab, cleaning the edges on the Acrylic for the Overflow box

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemora010.jpg

Cutting the slots on the Overflow Box

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemora013.jpg

Hole drilled on the bottom of the box - Oh I like forstner bits, slow cut = clean hole

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemora014.jpg

How the MaxiJet 1200 connects to the bottom of the Overflow box using flex-pvc

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemora019.jpg

Pre-Assembly

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemora025.jpg

A bucket of rocks for clamping things together

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemora027.jpg

The completed Box with mounting suction cups

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/Overflow2.jpg

Okay, so the overflow is finished, now I can make the skimmer stand. So I go and make all my measurements for the Remora stand and go to double check the sump, all good to go ...
But wait, the 1st chamber on my sump is 5-1/2" and this will fit the skimmer and stand, but I'm looking at the skimmer and realise that the intake for the skimmer looks like its sticking out farther, So I measure it and sure enough, 6-1/2',
Hold the presses!!!!
Okay breath, now I need a Plan B.

[vic622]

Okay so Plan B.
Looking at the sump, I realized that I could put the skimmer in the 2nd chamber and hang it over the glass divider to the 1st chamber, like a HOB, and put the pump & overflow box in the 1st chamber.
More measurements and this will work! Yippeee!

First thing I'll need to do is cut the glass lid on the sump to clear the Skimmer

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemora034.jpg

The result of cutting the glass

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemora035.jpg

No good fabrication without battle scars :)

Now to put it all together. Assembled ready to go in the sump

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemora045.jpg

Skimmer in place in 2nd chamber of sump

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemora049.jpg

Everything fits and even though its tight it looks good and when I plug it in, it starts to run.
Only one slight problem, the pressure on the flex-pvc and the vibration from the pump cause the overflow box to lift and tilt and push it above the water level - "Can you say cavitation?!?"
I put a chunk of hose to wedge the box in place and this seems to hold, so I figure I can fab a brace out of the Acrylic left over from the stand that I don't need.
Overflow Box with Spacer mod to keep it from floating up

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/Overflow5.jpg

Up and running and making bubbles. I ran it for about 1hr trying to adjust the foam so it wasn't pulling too much water. This was when the lights timered out & I was pretty much timed out too at this point so that was it for the first night.

I noticed that there was a bit more noise coming from the injector that I wanted to hear and I thought about the plastic cover I'd seen on NanoReef and thought I could build a cover from Acrylic that would do the same job.
Its loosely based on this Mod Thread: Aqua C Remora Noise Baffle (http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=102503)

Assembling the Remora silencer

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemorasilencer1.jpg

Assembled

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemorasilencer2.jpg

I had to modify it as it kinda wanted to fall in the injector chamber - not good. I added two more sides and put a handle on the top while I was at it :)

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/AquaCRemorasilencer3.jpg

It makes a huge difference in the noise from the skimmer and I might play with it to see if I can get a better seal and cut the noise down even more.
Its loosely based on this mod thread:


In the mean time, I now have a skimmer in my sump and we'll see if my corals start to be happier. So far, the Watermelon and mystery mushroom are more open and it may be wishful thinking, but the tank is looking a bit clearer.
As of this evening, 24hrs running and the skimate is the colour of weak tea and I'm getting about 1"/6hrs.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e178/fire622/Remora%20mods/24hrsskimate1.jpg

I've raised the collection cup again to see if I can get a bit less liquid volume and a bit more crud.

[cuz]

good write-up, lots of detail with pics!!+1

[vic622]

good write-up, lots of detail with pics!!+1
Thanks, for once I remembered to get the camera out before I started :)

[banditpowdercoat]

Thats kinda neat making the little box like that, but what's the purpose? Not sure if theres any benifit to surface skimming a sump? It's the main tank that needs the surface skimming

[vic622]

Thats kinda neat making the little box like that, but what's the purpose? Not sure if theres any benifit to surface skimming a sump? It's the main tank that needs the surface skimming
I've got an overflow on the display (600gph), so yeah, that's happening ...

When I built my sump, I didn't make a skimmer chamber, and wanted to make sure that I was able to get the surface layer from the 1st chamber.
I get a fair amount of foam forming on the surface of this chamber and wanted to target it - only way I could think of was to pull from the top.
With the water level changing with evaporation I needed a way pull without cavitating the pump and ... Voila

Plus it gave me a chance to sniff methylene chloride fumes for a day :wink:

[banditpowdercoat]

Ahh OK, makes sense to me now.

I've got an overflow on the display (600gph), so yeah, that's happening ...

When I built my sump, I didn't make a skimmer chamber, and wanted to make sure that I was able to get the surface layer from the 1st chamber.
I get a fair amount of foam forming on the surface of this chamber and wanted to target it - only way I could think of was to pull from the top.
With the water level changing with evaporation I needed a way pull without cavitating the pump and ... Voila

Plus it gave me a chance to sniff methylene chloride fumes for a day :wink: