DIY Skimmer from wide mouth 5gal bottle

Stlouphil · Jan 30, 2018

i know this is not a new idea, but I need to upgrade skimmer and do not have available funds to buy big so diy is the way to go. I purchased a wide mouth 5 gal bottle. Here is a quick sketch of what I have in mind. Any suggestions or criticisms are welcome.

bobman · Jan 30, 2018

Pretty good looking idea (your drawing skills are a small step up from mine lol). Only thing I would add would be the sedra pumps are not very efficient. If it is a pump you have in hand thats one thing but if you are going to buy a pump I would consider buying a jeabo dc pump and use this needle wheel mod (link below). I would thing the results would be way better.

http://dluphoto.synology.me/impeller/

Breadman03 · Jan 30, 2018

On my Lifereef, the bubbles are dispensed essentially into a cup on the bottom, which then directs them back up. I think it also helps minimize the amount of bubbles that exit the skimmer.

Stlouphil · Jan 30, 2018

bobman said:
Pretty good looking idea (your drawing skills are a small step up from mine lol). Only thing I would add would be the sedra pumps are not very efficient. If it is a pump you have in hand thats one thing but if you are going to buy a pump I would consider buying a jeabo dc pump and use this needle wheel mod (link below). I would thing the results would be way better.

http://dluphoto.synology.me/impeller/

I'll keep that in mind. I currently have an ASM 3 that is running with the sedra. Sedra being available will be the initial pump. Thanks.

Stlouphil · Jan 30, 2018

Breadman03 said:
On my Lifereef, the bubbles are dispensed essentially into a cup on the bottom, which then directs them back up. I think it also helps minimize the amount of bubbles that exit the skimmer.

Thanks! Awesome idea. That will also make sure that only water is recirculated and not bubbles.

bobman · Jan 31, 2018

I installed a bubble plate in an old asm g5 taking the lifereef design a step further. Issue I see here is how would you get a pip into the bottle then attach it.

smoothmove · Oct 31, 2018

I did one but used a Sedra 15000. It is a great skimmer. You can join one wide mouth with a cut standard water bottle to make a double height skimmer. Here is a video of mine. I put a 4 inch union attached to a Euroreef 12-2 skimmer cup.