When is a DIY skimmer practical?

[TuffGong]

I would like to save myself some money and have a diy skimmer on a 20 or 30g tank I may set up. However, can a skimmer be built that would work on such a small tank? I also don't want to have to invest in some huge pump to get a high enough flow. I don't know much about this, and am wondering if this would be a practical use of a DIY skimmer. Thanks.

 

[Enzo]

If your going to build a DIY skimmer try to model it exactly after a popular skimmer. I would personally model it after a CPR backback because I would think that they would be the easiest to model after by. Just get a rio 600 or a maxi jet and your all set. I would think that the reaction shamber would be the hardest. What I would do is to buy an actual CPR backpack and figure out all the measurements. When you are done just return it. But don't use the skimmer....

 

[TheRookie]

I was looking at doing a DIY for a 30 myself recently. I quickly found that buying was almost the same price as building for that size. Just order one off the net. [/quote]

 

[Christian Schwalm]

Yeah, by the time you buy the clear PVC (if you go this route) and do all the work, it would have been worth just buying one.

Christian Schwalm
SkyLab
www.wetdryfilter.com