Cheap and easy surface skimmer....

[despot101]

While planning to transfer from my 20L to a 10 gallon last week I managed to come up with an overflow design to help eliminate surface scum in the tank, allow for easy placement of a float-switch and to help keep the inside of the tank looking as equipment free as possible.

All I used was half a piece of ABS piping. Cost a whole $4.00.

I have a AQ70 on the back of the tank for circulation, to hide the heater, and to use as a fuge. it just pulls it's water from inside the overflow. So far it's working great.

 

[larryl]

Very nice idea, and cheap to boot - I like it! You'll need an auto-top-off to keep the waterline up at the level of the teeth, (I assume you're planning for that since you mentioned a float switch).


Larry

 

[despot101]

Yeah that's already in place.

 

[rljlll]

what float swich did you use?

 

[CoolUsername]

I love it. I might try this or turn it long ways. Kind of like the Calfo style - all across the back near the top I've been thinking of getting brave enough to drill my 20 gallon. I will need an overflow of some type. I even have some 4" abs laying around. Great idea!

 

[humbugy]

not to be reduntant, thats a really neat idea, migth try it for some freshwater tanks.
what about adding some groves in the middle to get a top and bottom thing going?

 

[despot101]

I believe the float switch was made by granger.

Thanks for the comments. I am really liking how it's working thus far.

humbugy, I actually had thought about putting extra groves in it, but since the ac70 doesnt have a super high flow rate I worried it wouldn't skim from the surface as much as I wanted.

 

[Rekonn]

Cheap and easy, nice! Regular silicone is all you need to attach ABS plastic to a glass tank?

 

[larryl]

What did you use to cut the teeth?


Larry

 

[despot101]

Rekonn, that's all I used.....seems to be holding thus far.

larryl, I used a dremel tool.

 

[SMS76]

Can you drill 2 or 3 more holes near the bottom of the PVC so that even if water level drops below teeth, it will still work or do you think that, in general it will take away the teeth surface skimming? Just trying to figure out, what do you think?


Also how deep are the teeth from the top? Are they deeper the better and can handle more water surface drop if you don't have auto topoff?

How does this work or how do you make it work if you don't have auto top off?

 

[despot101]

I actually have 3 drill into the side. However it was looking like too much extra flow as it really took away from the surface skimming. I went back and plugged 2 of the holes. Working much better now.

 

[SMS76]

Overflow plus Refugium

Overflow plus Refugium

This design might have more potential. If you don't have refugium, do you think it might help to have this type of overflow with slightly bigger PVC if tank allows and have cheto or some other macro in there (i think clump of cheato will float instead of sink but might be wrong)? It might also provide nice refugium with using tanks lighting. Any cons to this? Only problem i think of, is if there is no auto top off, water level can fall and might create some issues but is there a way to avoid this situation? Can teeth be designed much deeper then water level? May be a hole or two near the bottom of the overflow PVC? Need ideas guys...what do you think?

Very cool design of the overflow, Do you think this will only work with the small tanks or good size tank (72G BF) as well?

 

[SMS76]

Also nice job with applying silicon, did you use any tools? Any tips? How you did it?

 

[despot101]

You might be able to work something out to use larger ABS, and have a refugium right in the overflow. I'd probably drill a hole mid-way down and put a pump (like a maxi-jet) pumping water out of the overflow. Water would drain down over the sides, past the macro and get pumped out the bottom by the maxi-jet. Make any sense??

I would think this would work on any size tank, pending you can find ABS large enough for your needs.

For the silicon I just applied it by hand.

 

[Kaos]

Pretty sweet. I may try this when I drill my 20L instead of making a traditional box style overflow.

 

[Steven0000]

i was working on something like that
i made one of these (on a small scale) for my tank

<img src="http://pic15.picturetrail.com/VOL617/3951265/8188596/172162593.jpg">

and it worked great
makes a great home for benificial bacteria

 

[SMS76]

That makes sense. Thanks

 

[thomAZ]

I did the same thing. I think I used 3" but its only a 10g.
I wish I would of cut my slots about .5" deeper but it lets me know when I need to top off.

 

[CoolUsername]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7830093#post7830093 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CoolUsername
I love it. I might try this or turn it long ways. Kind of like the Calfo style - all across the back near the top I've been thinking of getting brave enough to drill my 20 gallon. I will need an overflow of some type. I even have some 4" abs laying around. Great idea!

This is kind of like what I was thinking:

I would cut teeth into the top edge (long straight). I think this is the perfect material for this application. And I guess I have more tools to work with it than the alternatives.