i want to start a 55 gallon saltwater tank for some puffers and other small fish, so ill need a good skimmer. if any one has some ideas, experiences or previous built skimmers that worked id love to know how to make and or build one. thanks in advance.
on a budget, so i wanna build a skimmer
- Thread starter JustReefIt14
- Start date
There are allot of DIY plans out there on the internet that show how to make various different types of skimmers.
How handy are you? Can you work with acrylic or does your skimmer need to be made of PVC?
How big a hurry are you in to have the skimmer complete?
Loueyu
How handy are you? Can you work with acrylic or does your skimmer need to be made of PVC?
How big a hurry are you in to have the skimmer complete?
Loueyu
honestly louey when you asked how handy i am, im always up for a challenge and am willing to get anything and everything to complete a project. what do you mean when you ask can i work with acrylic? pvc i know are white tubes of various sizes. im looking to make something really good and effeicent for less. am i in a hurry? not really. also if you do have any ideas or experience id love for the skimmer to be a hang on skimmer. thanks in advance.
To work with acrylic, you would need a router table with the proper bit, perhaps a table saw with the appropriate blade.
I took an online course at MACO that taught how to work wiht acrylic. I built a coule of calcium reactors and a couple of skimmers. Take a look at this thread. This will give you an idea of what's involved in working with acrylic. Here's another thread of the second skimmer I made. And here's a thread that shows one of the reactors I made.
I am not sure when or if Maco is going to do another acrylic course.
You could buy a hang on skimmer fairly cheap. I would do that unless you just like building things. I don't think you could DIY a single unit and realize any savings buy the time you factor in the cost of bits, blades, glue, etc. Now if you continued to DIY other things, then it may be well worth it.
Louey
I took an online course at MACO that taught how to work wiht acrylic. I built a coule of calcium reactors and a couple of skimmers. Take a look at this thread. This will give you an idea of what's involved in working with acrylic. Here's another thread of the second skimmer I made. And here's a thread that shows one of the reactors I made.
I am not sure when or if Maco is going to do another acrylic course.
You could buy a hang on skimmer fairly cheap. I would do that unless you just like building things. I don't think you could DIY a single unit and realize any savings buy the time you factor in the cost of bits, blades, glue, etc. Now if you continued to DIY other things, then it may be well worth it.
Louey
really nice skimmers and craftsmanship. looking at what you said ill need to build the skimmer and take the course i do think that ill keep looking around for a skimmer in my price range. but just in case do you have any plans or something for a skimmer made of pvc. a hang on type.
JustReefIt14":196p3hs1 said:
Surf on over to http://www.sdreefs.com/forums/showthrea ... eadid=1562
or ReefCentral's DIY page and look for TopJimmy's "Easy as Pie Euro Skimmer" thread.
Skimmers are nothing mor than a jug, a collection cup and a pump to add water and bubbles. Cake.
My DIY skimmer is almost done, keep checking the SDReefs page for updates.
M
omg both of those were great sites but i really like the one sdmike posted. i went to the site and read the topic and loved the pics, didnt have time to print it but ill definately do that later. promise. i knew that there was a way better way to get a good skimmer than forking over at least 400 dollars for a euroreef skimmer. sdmike thanks alot!!! rikko the link you put up was very informative but i just skimmed over it but will also most definately print it out too. thanks alot you guys, really!!! 
Well, that easy-as-pie skimmer is not the prettiest, but certainly the most creative one I've seen. I suppose it would work OK in sump. As is mentioned, I'd be concerned about the long-term status of the holes drilled into the jar.
I'd submit that the contact time on this skimmer is not very good so may not be as efficient as others. However, for the overall cost, I suppose you can't beat it.
As Louey mentioned above, if you want a challenge, something that will last and will do an excellent job a skimming, look into a DIY acrylic Beckett-type skimmer. I too took Fergy's classes and can tell you there is a huge difference in quality and performance.
Good luck,
Art
I'd submit that the contact time on this skimmer is not very good so may not be as efficient as others. However, for the overall cost, I suppose you can't beat it.
As Louey mentioned above, if you want a challenge, something that will last and will do an excellent job a skimming, look into a DIY acrylic Beckett-type skimmer. I too took Fergy's classes and can tell you there is a huge difference in quality and performance.
Good luck,
Art
agiacosa":3q1cjxt1 said:
I ran mine with a Sedra 3500 with the needle wheel impeller when I was testing it at a bud's house. I'm thinking the EAP Skimmer with a Sedra 5000 w/needle wheel should do just fine! Best thing: the containers are dirt cheap! Mess one up, another can be had for less than $5.
M
This is a diy skimmer that I made about 6 weeks ago. It is by far the best thing I have made for my tank so far. It rawks pretty good! It is 25" tall w/ a footprint of 12x9" It is pretty much modeled after a euroreef cs6-2. I even made a sliding output tube from 1" and 3/4" cpvc and it works really well
Attachments
Thank you! Well, that pump is about 60 bux from Premium, but you can get it cheaper elsewhere if you look. I had the pump already as it is the oceanrunner 2700 w/ needle wheel for the Turboflotor t-1000. The cpvc is 10 bux worth, the o ring was 60c. The Acrylic tube I got for about 3 bux on ebay last year, There is about $5 worth of 1/4" sheet, and it costs $5 for weldon 4, and $15 for weldon 40. Then about $2 for the pvc fittings, and about $1 for the nylon screws. So it is right around $100, then of course there are the tools that you would need, Router and table, table saw w/ 80t tcg blade. It helps if you have friends w/ that stuff
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