Skimmer for 125g fowlr (Reef octopus)

I have found the return of the SRO skimmer is too short, this is what causes you to have to run the skimmer in such shallow water and cause the skimmer to overflow, I made a vented return extension out of PVC and this has allowed me to run the skimmer in 9" of water instead of 6". The neck extensions have helped a bit also

Here is a pic
https://plus.google.com/photos/1023...5879471221672982866&oid=102378534454709043470

 

Kool, but whats the water level in this pic? does ur skimmer overflow?

 

The water depth is 9", I had been wondering why similar skimmers could be run in deeper water and the SRO couldn't. Coralvue would always say it was the back pressure on the BB pump but I always felt that was lip service, so I noticed the big difference was the height of the SRO's return. I tried copying a Euroreef return and it has worked. I get no over flows. When I first got the skimmer I had 2 over flows in a week that resulted in me losing about 40 gals of water each time



With this mod it has made the skimmer very stable. I do think the BB pump produces too much air and process's too little water. IMO the new Aquamaxx EM skimmers are the best performing skimmers in the <$500 range

 

pretty kool idea.... unfortunately we jus have boyu and reefoctopus brands here.... rest all imported ones have no service, so if i buy smthing for 500$, once spoilt, cant be repaired.......