Skimmer Possible?

[k3rack]

I am relatively new to marine tanks but I am deciding to add on a skimmer. The problem is I have 0 room behind the tank itself and little on the side. Is it possible to fit in a skimmer on the side and still make it look nice? I have a 40ga. tank.

 

[BlackWidow]

I am relatively new to marine tanks but I am deciding to add on a skimmer. The problem is I have 0 room behind the tank itself and little on the side. Is it possible to fit in a skimmer on the side and still make it look nice? I have a 40ga. tank.

We need pics of your setup to decide where to fit your skimmer mate!!

And yes you can still fit a skimmer outside your tank

 

[k3rack]

Sure, here it's wedged in the corner a little bit. Coors light baby!

http/i51.photobucket.com/albums/f383/Kerack/Tank/IMG_0657.jpg

But not a whole lot of room in the back. I am considering moving it to a different spot but that is a large task for me

http/i51.photobucket.com/albums/f383/Kerack/Tank/IMG_0656.jpg

 

[BlackWidow]

Sure, here it's wedged in the corner a little bit. Coors light baby!

http/i51.photobucket.com/albums/f383/Kerack/Tank/IMG_0657.jpg

But not a whole lot of room in the back. I am considering moving it to a different spot but that is a large task for me

http/i51.photobucket.com/albums/f383/Kerack/Tank/IMG_0656.jpg

If you have space under your tank here is a possible setup, with the skimmer underneath!:

 

[k3rack]

I have space underneath for something like that. what would happen if the power would be cut? everything should be nice and sealed and no issues right? What pump/skimmer would you recommend? I'm a newb and this is helping me out a lot more than you think lol

 

[BlackWidow]

I have space underneath for something like that. what would happen if the power would be cut? everything should be nice and sealed and no issues right? What pump/skimmer would you recommend? I'm a newb and this is helping me out a lot more than you think lol

If all your Pipes are tight there would be no issues! The Best Pumps I know of are Rio pumps, which come with V2 Skimmers. For your size tank I would suggest a V2 400 Skimmer comes with Rio 2100 L / hour Pump. But the Piping youd have to figure / sort out yourself. Shouldnt be t00 hard

 

[k3rack]

I found this skimmer since I live in the US and I couldn't find anywhere holding the TMCs, but I was wondering if it's design is compatible with the drawing provided above? Sorry for the retarded questions but I'm a newbie.
http/www.marinedepot.com/Vertex_Internal_Pinwheel_Protein_Skimmer_In_Sump_Venturi_Needle_Wheel_Protein_Skimmers-Vertex_Aquaristik-VX1113-FIPSISNW-vi.html

 

[AK77]

If all your Pipes are tight there would be no issues! The Best Pumps I know of are Rio pumps, which come with V2 Skimmers. For your size tank I would suggest a V2 400 Skimmer comes with Rio 2100 L / hour Pump. But the Piping youd have to figure / sort out yourself. Shouldnt be t00 hard

Are you 100% about that?

I'm just looking at the layout in the diagram and trying to visualize it in my mind having a closed loop below the tank like that. I'm aware of having the V2's as a HOB or in a sump but have never seen a closed loop like that, where its below the display tank, like its an external filter.

If the power goes out, won't it depend on the height of the inlet pipe in the display tank? If water is drawn by the pump, the syphon from the display tank will continue to fill the skimmer until either the syphon is broken (water level in the tank empties below the inlet pipe on the left in your diagram) or it reaches into the collection cup and then overflows. Also, won't the pump have to go on the return side of the skimmer, pulling water into the skimmer chamber from the display tank, and then pumping it back up again? Otherwise, won't the water (following the path of least resistance) fill the skimmer chamber and rise up into the collection cup and overflow, before it exits the skimmer and makes its way back up the return pipe into the tank again? Or am I missing something here??

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Yeah I agree with what AK77 said. In this system the pump will pull the water from the tank and fill up and flood the skimmer before the water ever pushes back up to the tank. Even if that didnt happen if you ever had a power lose then both pipes would act as a syphon and drain the display into the skimmer.

If the skimmer was above the display tank or on the same level something like this could work.

 

[DarrenUnwin]

Have you thought of an internal skimmer. I have a simular problem where space is extremely tight and a sump is not possible. I have a Deltec MC500 which works really well.