Pro Clear 150 sump/skimmer mods or suggestions?

[SirFragalot]

I was given a Pro Clear Pro 150 wet/dry with built in skimmer.

http://www.amazon.com/ProClear-Aquatics-Pro-Filter-Prefilter/dp/B00061UXXC

I know the skimmer might be crap but I have no choice but to use it at the moment.

Any tips or mods?

I found one mod to change the air line and valve to a 1/4". I also took out the bio-balls to avoid the "nitrate factory" situation. Should I put something else in it's place? I'm assuming that LR rubble will do the same thing right?

 

[JRWOHLER]

Hey the price is right. I have not done one but judging from the pics and what I have read remove the bio balls and sponges. Put LR and cheato in place with a small clip on type lamp over the cheato and you have instant fuge. ;D. Lots of folks do it I am sure you can find pics.

 

[SirFragalot]

Hey the price is right. I have not done one but judging from the pics and what I have read remove the bio balls and sponges. Put LR and cheato in place with a small clip on type lamp over the cheato and you have instant fuge. ;D. Lots of folks do it I am sure you can find pics.

Thanks. How much wattage for the lamp? What type of bulb? Light times? It is my understanding that the lights need to be on when the DT ones are off? LR as in "rubble" or larger pieces? Sorry for all the questions but I need specifics when it comes to trying new stuff.

 

[Phyl]

In order to use that main chamber for anything you'd need to add a baffle so that the water level in that chamber had a higher point (and then you'd have to be really clever to ensure you had enough room for the inevitable back siphon. We didn't bother trying to mod ours. Made more sense to use a regular tank as a sump.

Otherwise just use it for the skimmer and the water volume.

Be sure to use some sort of overflow container that will force the skimmer to stop producing if it is full. Those thing are fairly tempermental and we had a floor or three because of it.

 

[JRWOHLER]

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/refugdesfaq5.htm

I cannot find anything at first glance besides the above link. I know in the nano forums people do it. Hopefully someone will chime in. But using LR rubble in place of the bio balls and cheato in place of the filter pad really shouldn't be a risk that I could see?
But acknowledge that Phyl has more experience then me with them.

 

[Phyl]

The water level in that pro-clear is under that bio ball section (water trickles through the bioballs and falls into the bottom section which is at the height of the sponge at the bottom separating the bioball/water section from the return pump), so maybe the bottom few inches at best. You can't really keep much in there volume wise since it holds so little water. Hence the need for a baffle -- and the concern at that point over backsiphon creating a flood.

I'm not trying to discourage you, but rather caution you of the obstacles that will need to be overcome in order to do something creative with it.

 

[SirFragalot]

In order to use that main chamber for anything you'd need to add a baffle so that the water level in that chamber had a higher point (and then you'd have to be really clever to ensure you had enough room for the inevitable back siphon. We didn't bother trying to mod ours. Made more sense to use a regular tank as a sump.

Otherwise just use it for the skimmer and the water volume.

Be sure to use some sort of overflow container that will force the skimmer to stop producing if it is full. Those thing are fairly tempermental and we had a floor or three because of it.

Thats my biggest fear...back syphon. I think I like the idea of just using it to skim, hold heater and water volume. (Jim, not that you had a bad idea). Phyl, funny that you said that, I put the drain line into a 2 liter bottle last night.

 

[SirFragalot]

It's just that I can't find too much information on people's experiences with these models and saw a couple negative ones about the skimmer. Just trying to get any mods out of the way now before I start running the system by the weekend.

 

[ynotme4886]

Hey Frag I have an extra sump sitting at my house. Its some type of custom thing made by House of Fins and it weighs a ton.

Dont know if its any better than you have though.

Specs are as follows

3/8ths acrylic throughout the whole sump. Measures 16inches wide by 30 inches long and the highest point on the return side is approx 13 1/2 inches. the last chamber is approx 9 3/4 inches by 15 1/4inches

Might be easier to mod then what you have already.

Am right on the other side of the base from you so if you wanna stop by and see it let me know

 

[Sailfin]

I use to have the same one..and always thought to my self how can i make this thing better.So with that being said,I took a basket that your fruit comes in and put that in the first chamber where the water first enters,and put Cheato in it ALONG SIDE MY SKIMMER (AQUA C REMOA HANGON).Then i used all mechanical media and stacked it on top of that crate that is in the next chamber.The way i staked them is from least amount of changing to most frequent amount,from bottom to top.I used phosphate remover,nitrate pad,100 micron,50 micron fiber filter pads,then the top used pillow stuffing (filter floss)being this was going to be changed most.I used the area where the sponge would go and cut crate to go across the bottom and put chemi pure elite(2 units)then to my return pump.In that section I ran a reactor with carbon ,and had no problems.Sounds like a lot but you can only fit a decent size hang-on skimmer of the sides,and just don't know how big your tank is gonna be. The mechanical filtration media does not cost you that much cause you can configure it anyway you want it to be.