Basic skimmer technology build.

I

inachu

In Memoriam
The one I have at home at the base spins like a tornado.

The videos I have seen on youtube do not have the water spinning at all.
I am considering of modding my calcium reactor and turning it into a skimmer.

Has anyone done this before?

I using the calcium reactor as the main body gives me a start in the right direction.
 
DIY skimmers usually end up costing more than just buying a skimmer... Turn the CA reactor into a phosphate reactor if you don't need the ca anymore. Then go buy a skimmer. Check out the used sale forun for great deals...
 
Yeah I love when people say that a dyi skimmer costs more than a store bought one????

Makes absolutely no sence. I think the people that say that, are the people that cant build one, so its just easier to go and buy one.
My suggestion would be sell the calcium reactor, go buy all the materials and make your own skimmer, IT WILL BE BETTER AND CHEAPER THAN MOST YOU CAN BUY.
Then you can take the extra money you have left over and go buy that someone special a nice dinner.

FYI I just got done building my second skimmer and it would probably be rated for 400-500 gal system. Recirculating skimmer, all materials and the pump(used) $54. I challenge you to find any skimmer rated for that size tank for that kind of money.
And on top of that when my friends come over I can say look what I made. I guess some people just like saying "guess how much I paid for this"?

Anyway JMO

HTH

Spleify
 
can you post a link to the build thread on that skimmer and let me know where the $54 went? That's a great deal for a skimmer rated that high....Please tell me how to duplicate it....
 
cdness,

"DIY skimmers usually end up costing more than just buying a skimmer"

So how much would it cost to buy a 5 gallon beckett driven skimmer like this one?:

6077260772DSCN0560_small.JPG


It cost me about $150.

Stu
 
ha ha, what about the pumps, what did you drop on those? This looks like a pretty good design. Have you been pleased with the results?
 
I'm building my own skimmer now, but if you haven't built one before the Bubble Magus and Octopus skimmers a might be more cost effective...
 
My DIY RC135 clone cost ~$175. $100+ of that was the pump.

Stu - I always love seeing pics of that beast!

Inachu - if you don't need the calcium reactor, most of those things will sell rather quickly and for good money. Maybe you could sell it for cash to invest in your skimmer (either DIY, used, or new).
 
crvz,

Didnt count the cost of the salt ;-)


cpeisher,

The pump is a mag 12 so it cost ~$100.

It's replacement is a seq orca & it only cost ~$150.

Stu
 
stu, how did the mag12 run the beckett? I tried one on a mag18 and I wasn't real happy with the results (no small bubbles to speak of). I have been trying to figure out what I did wrong since then. The beckett chamber was essentially what you used. When testing it, I simply attach the beckett chamber directly to the pump, had everything ready, plugged up the pump and no matter what I did, I couldn't get the thing to push bubbles :(
 
The mag runs the beckett OK, but I think it could do better.

The beckett housing uses 3/4" input & 1" output to work.

Here's a pic:

60772beckett_housing.jpg


I assembled it with weldon 16 between the acrylic & PVC.

Stu
 
stugray,

Great looking skimmer, how much better does the new design work?

How well do you think your skimmer would work on a 240 gallon tank?


I'm in the process of buying a house and I'm planning on putting in a 240 gallon tank .

Your skimmer would be a great cost saver for me.

Thank you.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13194716#post13194716 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stugray
The mag runs the beckett OK, but I think it could do better.

The beckett housing uses 3/4" input & 1" output to work.
Click to expand...

Thanks Stu. Everything is either disassembled or packed up so I can't fool with it right now but when I have time, I am going to pull it back out and see if I can figure out what I did wrong.
 
spleify,
Do you have any pics or plans for your skimmer? I love good DIY and am interested to see how you built such a large capacity skimmer for so cheap.
 
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