DIY Protien Skimmer

[cindre2000]

Hey,

I am building a skimmer out of 3" PVC. Its a simple design with the overflow feeding into the top of the skimmer and the water leaving through gravity (height determined by ball valves). I was orginally thinking of just having air stones run it; and I picked up a Tetra Deepwater 96 pump. However, I don't want to be replacing air stones all the time, so:

Could I just attach a recirculating powerhead that is fed air from the air pump? I could do a mesh wheel mod for better chopping action.

 

[trido]

I suppose if you were determined it could be done. I thought about it once and decided the turning a maxijet into a thread wheel wasnt worth it.
I took my CPR off my 30G and built a DIY skimmer with air stones.
The quietness of the air pump next to my desk is worth replacing $3 of airstones every six weeks. Venturies are loud

 

[cindre2000]

Volume is not a big issue since the skimmer will be in a sound dampened cabinet. What if I purchased a needlewheel pump?

I want the skimmer to be as maintinance free as possible.

 

[trido]

Yes, you can buy a needlewheel or thread wheel pump. I believe they are costly. Over $100 If you are this serious about a good skimmer. You are probably better off buying the extruded acrylic euroreef on promo from premium aquatics for just under two hundred. It is twice the cost of a good pump, four times less hassle than building one from scratch and guaranteed to work well.

 

[Tole]

You could get this

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem. ... uct=RS1281

For $66 plus shipping

Plenty of flow and air bubbles

 

[wetworx101]

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant ... ceanrunner

^^^ for that price, Id do the Aqua Medic.

But for 3" PVC, both are oversized.... you would have bubbles coming out everywhere. A Maxi-Jet 1200, heck, even a 900, would be plenty.

 

[Anonymous]

I run a 6in air driven PVC DIY skimmer (when I actually have a working air pump that will drive it) that is 36in deep and I only feed it with a MJ600 and gravity back.

 

[_Adrian_]

today i ordered a 8" diam and 36" long piece of acrylic tubing
and will be building a recirculating Protein skimmer with dual 700gph ventury pumps

 

[cindre2000]

I actually have everything I need for my skimmer experiment; everything except for a tank to test it on.

I ending up purchasing two Gen-X 1200 Needlewheel pumps. Due to hight restrictions I am going to build two equal sized skimmers in a series. They are going to be gravity fed counter current recirculating; 3" diameter, with an air pump injecting air rather than a venturi. I also decided to get the Y fittings so that I would not have to mess with uni-seals, etc.

Maybe I will build it this weekend if I have time; however, since the tank will not be up for another 2 or more months it seems almost pointless.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey,

I am building a skimmer out of 3" PVC. Its a simple design with the overflow feeding into the top of the skimmer and the water leaving through gravity (height determined by ball valves). I was orginally thinking of just having air stones run it; and I picked up a Tetra Deepwater 96 pump. However, I don't want to be replacing air stones all the time, so:

Could I just attach a recirculating powerhead that is fed air from the air pump? I could do a mesh wheel mod for better chopping action.

wood air diffusers are still the absolute best nano bubble producer around-you can get the ones made from glass beads, that are bleacheable(made by kordon)-one glass airstone should last you easily for a year

food for thought