Running skimmer outflow into Roller mat so you dont have to empty skimmer cup

[JPags]

So I have now ventured into the Filter roller for my tanks and really like them. But my neighbor asked a question.
Can we just run the output of the skimmer into the filter roller so that the filter roller will clean the water and not have to empty the skimmer. This is because we both saw this video of a self cleaning skimmer based on the filter roller design.


Im just wondering if im missing anything and would cause issues if I double teamed my filter roller? I realize I will use more fleece but I also saw that it can be washed and might try that.

 

[MichaelJ]

You’ll go through rolls faster…that’s about it…..more money…etc

 

[MichaelJ]

I would like to know who washes there filter rolls….almost funny but I’m sure someone out there does it…

 

[DylanCameron]

I would like to know who washes there filter rolls….almost funny but I’m sure someone out there does it…

Checkout this thread from last week, @Cooper2 discusses his setup! https://bostonreefers.org/forums/in...-a-reefmat-roller-filter.182355/#post-1502752

 

[MichaelJ]

Checkout this thread from last week, @Cooper2 discusses his setup! https://bostonreefers.org/forums/in...-a-reefmat-roller-filter.182355/#post-1502752

You got to admit…as awesome as that is, that’s dedication……I knew there’d be some funky set up….kudos to that reefer…lol. Now I have an itch!! But for now I’ll fork out the $$……thanks for the thread….

 

[DylanCameron]

Eh, not much worse than washing filter socks imo!!

 

[MichaelJ]

Eh, not much worse than washing filter socks imo!!

I guess so…. lol……genius I’d say….

 

[DylanCameron]

To answer the original thread though, I would much rather just drain the skimmer into a 5 gallon bucket or something. I wouldn’t want all of the concentrated gunk dumped into the roller because it would dirty MUCH more quickly, and the main benefit of the skimmer collection cup is that the nutrients don’t have a chance to break down in the tank

 

[JPags]

That is one of my fears, I find the self cleaning skimmer an interesting concept. I’m wondering if I could just make something similar to attach to my current skimmer

 

[JohnK]

Huh? I can see this making sense assuming the filter fleece is constantly removing and not sitting in the water column rotting for even a short time.

I wouldn’t want to, say, put my skimmer output into a conventional roller as I would expect that to end up redissolving a fair amount of the waste the skimmer just concentrated.

Call me resistant, but I’m skeptical

 

[Cooper2]

I'm pretty sure it would smell nasty too. I don't see that working out very well.

 

[shrimpchips]

That is one of my fears, I find the self cleaning skimmer an interesting concept. I’m wondering if I could just make something similar to attach to my current skimmer

Automated skimmer neck cleaner and a drain outside for the collection cup out of the sump, or if you can’t have it gravity drain for wherever reason, use a peristaltic pump to pump out the skimmer cup once or twice a day. I use a high flow BRS pump that comes on for 5 min twice a day and haven’t had to empty my skimmer cup in years.

 

[JPags]

My original thought was to actually run the skimmer much higher so I was only skimming a light tea, then run that through the filter to have it clean it. I still like the Self cleaning skimmer from the video, seems like these guys are onto something. Minimum maintenance tank

Once you add a filter roller your skimmer actually does less work. My neighbor and I noticed that they dont pull as much junk out because you are catching it before they even get to it.

I keep the skimmer because it does more and it keeps my tank water aerated and my PH up

Some people actually remove the skimmer or shut it down for periods of time because both strip the water of too much nutrients

 

[JPags]

Automated skimmer neck cleaner and a drain outside for the collection cup out of the sump, or if you can’t have it gravity drain for wherever reason, use a peristaltic pump to pump out the skimmer cup once or twice a day. I use a high flow BRS pump that comes on for 5 min twice a day and haven’t had to empty my skimmer cup in years.

I was using the neck cleaner and it does a nice job but I found I still needed to clean it, just less often, it broke and I have not bough another one. I do have a way to dump the skimmate but have not gotten around to it.
My fear with gravity feed was that if the skimmer went crazy it would empty too much tank water out. But the pump method keeps that from happening because my skimmer would shut off when the overflow fills I could them pump it out only once a day.

Just another project for me to work on.

 

[JPags]

I would like to know who washes there filter rolls….almost funny but I’m sure someone out there does it…

I am waiting to see how long they last. My first one is running on 2 months and still not done. At that rate its not worth it, and trust me they are stinky, I had an issue and had to take the first one out part way and man did it smell bad.

If I were running through a roll every week then maybe I would think about it.

 

[MichaelJ]

I am waiting to see how long they last. My first one is running on 2 months and still not done. At that rate its not worth it, and trust me they are stinky, I had an issue and had to take the first one out part way and man did it smell bad.

If I were running through a roll every week then maybe I would think about it.

Yeah, I can’t see it being done with a heavy bio load.

 

[dz6t]

What is in the skimmer cup are mostly nasty dirty water, 100% of it should be tossed out. Rolllermat is a form of mechanical filtration, it will let the dirty water goes back to the tank.
In another word, you don’t want to “filter” the skimate, you want to toss 100% of it out.
For that “skimmer/roller mat” hybrid, they should use wee wee pad which has much better absorption properties than those mat.