mag 18 isnt big enough for the monster skimmer?NEED HELP!!!

Tarolisol · #1 01-13-2005, 03:03 AM

Well i have the skimmer hooked up and have determined the mag 18 just wont cut it, Instead of the beckett sucking in air its sucking in air and spitting lots of water, i figure this is because the pump isnt spushing hard enough. Can anyone conquer? Also it can even push the bubbles into the larger tube. Can someone recomend a new pump, I would really really like it to be submersible, unless there is a way to put an external pump on without drilling my sump.

Aquattro · #2 01-13-2005, 03:11 AM

how big is this skimmer?? A MAG 18 should run most larger becketts.

Tarolisol · #3 01-13-2005, 03:17 AM

haha funny question, its just under 6 feet tall. to top of collection cup. its about 59" to top of tube.

StirCrazy · #4 01-13-2005, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarolisol

haha funny question, its just under 6 feet tall. to top of collection cup. its about 59" to top of tube.

where is the beckett in relation to the rest of the skimmer?

Nevermind I remember, go back and re read my coments in this post about your skimmer and it will tell you why it isn't working right.
http://www.canreef.com/phpBB2/viewto...er=asc&start=0

STeve

Tarolisol · #5 01-13-2005, 05:08 AM

Ok so i read your post and i belive my problem is getting the bubbles to go around into the reaction chamber. So what would be the best solution?

Canadian Man · #6 01-13-2005, 06:02 AM

Get a Bigger pump

Is your beckett tube shooting into the mixing box or do you have some pipe inside the skimmer directing the flow into the reaction chamber?

Tarolisol · #7 01-13-2005, 07:44 AM

I have tubing that directs the water up into the tube. So fill a bigger pump solve my problem or should i shorten the tubes by about a foot and a half?

StirCrazy · #8 01-13-2005, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarolisol

I have tubing that directs the water up into the tube. So fill a bigger pump solve my problem or should i shorten the tubes by about a foot and a half?

what is your water hight in the skimmer? If you have it set so the water is only say 4 foot up the tube then you could lower the Beckett to just above that hight. also if there is a way for you to sleeve down the 2.5" Beckett tube to a 1" tube it would work a bit better I think. with those changed it might work with a mag 18.

Looking at that again is your 6" tube part 6 foot tall? you could probably cut that down to 3 foot and use the left over to make a kalk reactor or Ca reactor, or skimmit collection cup, but I would change the Beckett tube to a 1 inside diameter tube also.

Steve

SuperFudge · #9 01-13-2005, 03:21 PM

Hello,

A mag 18 is just fine on a single beckett.

They require only about 1200 gph with a pressure rated pump to operate normally.

If the water hieght in your reaction chamber is higher than the beckett assembly, that is why it is spitting..for instance, if you were to shut the skimmer pump off and the skimmer output off....and filled the reaction chamber with water to its normal operating height....where does the water even out on the beckett side ?

It is a design flaw im sure, but should be easily fixed.

Marc.

Aquattro · #10 01-13-2005, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fudge

A mag 18 is just fine on a single beckett.

Marc, gotta disagree with ya. I'm running a MAK 4 on mine as an upgrade from a MAG 18, and it's STILL not enough. I put an Iwaki 70 on it and it worked much better. When it ran the MAG, it only filled half the chamber with bubbles. When you get into large skimmers (as you well know), bigger pumps are better. Your's was what? a 1/2hp spa pump?

While a MAG 18 will work, it won't work nearly as well as a pressure rated pump, IME, IMO, IMM, etc