Skimmer air intake

[FOXYB]

I was playing with the tank yesterday and I noticed my skimmer proforms much better when the cabinet door are open, so to test this out I left the doors to my stand open all day. My stand is pretty closed up except for a small opening in the upper part of the back. Thick nasty skimmate was being produced like never before, so I ran the airline tube out the back of my stand and closed the doors back up, I've never had such thick skimmate. Is this a coincidence or does a skimmer operate better with the airline pulling air from outside the stand?

Fwiw it is an elos ns500 Venturi skimmer

 

[Cherokee_Dude]

Tagging along, I wonder if I should plumb an airline outside of the stand with my new ATB... Hmmm...

 

[delta]

Yes it will increase performance if it is outside the stand.

If you draw air in from outside your house it will also help keep your PH up. However it can and will draw anything in the air in and mix it with the water in your skimmer. Lost a tank that way. If you do air from outside yor house make sure you take precautions.

 

[bill120mph]

you are likely getting more oxygen since your tank is so closed up. This will also help your PH levels

 

[Leroy]

More air into the skimmer and the better the performance. I've been contemplating on this idea for a few weeks and running a line out for more air. Now the plan is for sheltering the air intake from any harmful intake and build a filter box very similar to an air intake for a carburetor.

 

[Dave McReeferson]

I wonder if your increase in performance can be attributed to lower humidity in the drawn in air, perhaps it facilitates a stronger bond of protiens at the air/water interface?

 

[FOXYB]

Thanks everyone yes Im aware that running your airline outside would help raise ph but I didnt know about performance

I wonder if your increase in performance can be attributed to lower humidity in the drawn in air, perhaps it facilitates a stronger bond of protiens at the air/water interface?

my stand is very closed up so im thinking this could be it thanks

 

[dcforester1]

your stand is that tightly closed up? Its not that I dont believe you, but never seen a stand airtight.

 

[jackthestrat]

your stand is that tightly closed up? Its not that I dont believe you, but never seen a stand airtight.

The ELOS stands are very sealed for sound and aesthetic considerations.

 

[FOXYB]

The ELOS stands are very sealed for sound and aesthetic considerations.

Very well put
I don't mean air tight by any means but there is only a 3 x 48 inch opening in the top of the back of the stand

 

[dcforester1]

The ELOS stands are very sealed for sound and aesthetic considerations.

I wouldnt know I have never been invited over to yours

 

[afboundguy]

Yes it will increase performance if it is outside the stand.

If you draw air in from outside your house it will also help keep your PH up. However it can and will draw anything in the air in and mix it with the water in your skimmer. Lost a tank that way. If you do air from outside yor house make sure you take precautions.

Greg would a carbon filter help with this aspect or do you think (as I kind of do) that it might not be fail safe?

 

[Jennifer]

If you draw air in from outside your house it will also help keep your PH up. However it can and will draw anything in the air in and mix it with the water in your skimmer. Lost a tank that way. If you do air from outside yor house make sure you take precautions.

Do you know what it was that killed your tank?

and why have you not warned me in my build thread where I showed my simple air intakes?

That beig said non of my neighbors do anything outside ever. So no fertilizers or weird sprays. I have my trees sprayed for winter months but I can just shut off my skimmer when that happens.

The only thing I worry about is the neighborhood skunk living udner my shed that sprays occasionally. That stink gets into a completely sealed up house.


Sorry to hijack.


I am surprised that just opening the doors of your stand would make that much difference
I cant think of any possible reason other than a barometric pressure increase in the stand that causes the skimmer to work a tad harder in getting the air through and out the top.

 

[FOXYB]

no hijack at all id be concerned with a skunk as well

i think it makes more of a difference for myself or diy stands that are closed on 3 sides where as manufactured stands like aga have the open back
maybe a pic would help

24 hours of skimmate- this is usually how much i got in a week minus the foam

 

[JayM]

nice nog from that skimmer.

and carbon would help as a filter, but if tru-green sprayed insecticide next door, carbon isn't ENOUGH.