skimmer ??

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duneenworywifit

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Jul 23, 2007
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would it be possible to run an Aqua C EV400 off my return pump which is rated at 2400gal an hour??Trying to kill 2 birds with one stone here...It came with a GenX pump,but this beast only pushes 1170ish gal per hr at 1.2amps! where as my return pushes 2400 at 100watts...just trying to stay a little green and save a few sheckles..
 

Ace25

www.centralcoastreefclub. com
Oct 3, 2005
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Only if you T'd off your return with valves to adjust the input going into your skimmer so it matches to GPH of the Gen-X (I agree with you on that pump, I have the same one for my closed loop, noisy and power hog). I see most of them come with a Mag18 actually, so you may not need to T off your return after all, it may handle to full flow just fine. 2400GPH after pumping into your tank probably equals about 1800-1900GPH on the overflow side, so it may match up perfectly, and you can always put a valve on your return pump to slow it down just a tad if needed.
 

duneenworywifit

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Jul 23, 2007
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Ace,I think my eyes were too big for my tank when I bought this stuff.this skimmer is a giant! I do have a ASM G3 witch is cool,but this monster is sweet!I could crap in my tank and it would be clean in 2hrs!Im going to try it as I have nothing to loose here.Ive got a ca reactor too,could I ask about that without starting a new thread?
 

Ace25

www.centralcoastreefclub. com
Oct 3, 2005
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You would get more answers making a new thread about the CA reactor, and unfortunately myself not owning one and I very little help with them. Amphiprion, FSN77, and many others would be able to help you with a CA reactor much better than I could.

If you can make the skimmer work/fit in your setup there is nothing wrong with using it. IMO it is extremely difficult to actually over skim a tank. Possible for some, ya, but not likely, and a EV-400 on a 125G tank I don't think would over skim.
 

Amphiprion

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Feb 14, 2007
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I'm actually going to recommend against teeing from your return. These skimmers require a good deal of head pressure to operate at their fullest. You should purchase a devoted pump for it to get the most out of it--not the most energy friendly approach, but then again, it isn't an energy-friendly skimmer. My old EV-180 used a Mag 9.5 @ 950 gph and utilized about 4" of tubing between the pump and the inlet. It was only after the substantial pump upgrade, as well as the preservation of pressure via short tubing it really started to perform well. I have since switched to a needlewheel skimmer.
 

Ace25

www.centralcoastreefclub. com
Oct 3, 2005
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Good info and I agree completely... I had that thought in the back of my head as well, if it would be enough pressure to operate the skimmer properly. I thought if it came with something like a Mag12 and he was using something equivalent to a Mag24 that is may be enough pressure to operate, but after I read it comes with a Mag18 as the stock pump I started to question if the pressure from the overflow would work. I think if the skimmer was a recirculating skimmer, ie, separate small pump to recirculate the water in the skimmer, it would probably work fine, but as the only input into the skimmer being from the overflow it is questionable that there would be enough pressure to operate properly.. this is without any type of T, I knew a T wouldn't work after seeing the stock pump they normally come with.
 
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