DIY protein skimmer

[Reef-junky]

You posted on pvc and acrylic fittings if I'm not mistaken.

Wasn't me

 

[Andnosobabin]

I was thinking something like this. I don't know how big to make it through and I'm not sure how the top is made.

Looks about 8x5x10 (ish to the neck) the top looks like an old Tupperware lol. I kinda like the idea of it as well. I mean the welding should be simple for the body and you could use a bulkhead to get your plumbing onto it for the pump and for the top you can probably find a rubber sewer bushing to make the top remove able. My question is would this be just a venturi, a needle wheel blowing bubbles into the chamber or is there something to help increase bombardment and dwell times also inside the chamber. My thinking goes to modern commercial skimmers with that plate and tube in the middle that supposed to help keep height down and increase skimming. But I'm not sure how it all works as of yet.

 

[Reef-junky]

You posted on pvc and acrylic fittings if I'm not mistaken.

Aside from the body what design are you thinking of? Also why acrylic? Curious cuz when I was looking around acrylic was expensive and trying to find equivalent fittings sounded more work than needed in my mind. I did find some alternatives tho.

I was thinking to use pumps not air stones. Yeah the top of that thing must be acrylic pipe or something. I have been looking at all PVC as well.

 

[Andnosobabin]

Wasn't me

Oh well too many threads n info to keep track of lol my bad

 

[Reef-junky]

Looks about 8x5x10 (ish to the neck) the top looks like an old Tupperware lol. I kinda like the idea of it as well. I mean the welding should be simple for the body and you could use a bulkhead to get your plumbing onto it for the pump and for the top you can probably find a rubber sewer bushing to make the top remove able. My question is would this be just a venturi, a needle wheel blowing bubbles into the chamber or is there something to help increase bombardment and dwell times also inside the chamber. My thinking goes to modern commercial skimmers with that plate and tube in the middle that supposed to help keep height down and increase skimming. But I'm not sure how it all works as of yet.

Looks like he drilled holes in a piece of acrylic and put it above the bottom. The person also said that it was to strong for their system which is a 120 so I guess I would have to make it smaller.

 

[Andnosobabin]

I was thinking to use pumps not air stones. Yeah the top of that thing must be acrylic pipe or something. I have been looking at all PVC as well.

I would think you could get some 8" pvc and then glue the middle plate tube and what I assume are baffles to direct a recirculating flow in the chamber then run about 8" up and then neck down to about 2" and then a collection cup. All using pvc and pump driven. Granted unless you bought clear pvc u won't have any way to view what's going on but should be cheap except for the pump.

 

[Reef-junky]

I suppose the top piece could just be drilled and fitted with a bulkhead and big PVC pipe into something that will act as a collection cup.

 

[Andnosobabin]

Looks like he drilled holes in a piece of acrylic and put it above the bottom. The person also said that it was to strong for their system which is a 120 so I guess I would have to make it smaller.

Most the reading I've done on diy skimmers is that they work almost too good and ppl run them on timers. Personally I would rather have a way over built one that I have to choke out on a timer than risk too small.

 

[Reef-junky]

What size do you think I would need to make it?

 

[Andnosobabin]

I suppose the top piece could just be drilled and fitted with a bulkhead and big PVC pipe into something that will act as a collection cup.

That's prolly the simplest (not cheapest) idea. I'm lacking in the tool/workshop dept so it would work nicely for me.

 

[Andnosobabin]

What size do you think I would need to make it?

I'd look at current skimmers and find one in your tank range and kinda go from there. I'd assume if you went roughly the same footprint you would at least get that performance range.

 

[Reef-junky]

That's prolly the simplest (not cheapest) idea. I'm lacking in the tool/workshop dept so it would work nicely for me.

Now that I think about it do they even make bulkheads that big?

 

[Reef-junky]

The one I was looking to buy has a 8"D body

 

[Andnosobabin]

Now that I think about it do they even make bulkheads that big?

Depends on where you look.

 

[Mistahbrock]

I did a very small acrylic sandfilter using a glue called acrifix 192, which is made for acrylic welding
So if you want to do your own acrylics this is the glue to use

 

[Reef-junky]

I use weld on 4 and 16. I've made several things out of acrylic.

 

[Andnosobabin]

Depends on where you look.

That sounded mean my bad I'm still at work and don't plan on a break till 3am so I kinda rushed that. But I've seen bulkheads as big as 3" at a ranch supply store and even bigger on industrial tanks.

I'll do my best to get some sketches up this weekend (I now work through till Monday but I should have time to be able to sit on my laptop tomorrow probably) of my ideas and what I've seen online that I plan on experimenting with in the future.

 

[Danst1r]

I really like the way uniseals work vs. bulkheads.

These are some pics I found really quick on Google.

 

[Danst1r]

And they have many many sizes also.

 

[Reef-junky]

That sounded mean my bad I'm still at work and don't plan on a break till 3am so I kinda rushed that. But I've seen bulkheads as big as 3" at a ranch supply store and even bigger on industrial tanks.

I'll do my best to get some sketches up this weekend (I now work through till Monday but I should have time to be able to sit on my laptop tomorrow probably) of my ideas and what I've seen online that I plan on experimenting with in the future.

I didn't take it that way.

No problem