Display scimmer

[DanNolan]

When I was growing up I had a cool bubble lamp, consisting of a large veritcal tube, water, colored lamp, and a bubblemaker.

Minus a lamp, add a funnel and collection cup, and you have a scimmer...

So in reverse, make a scimmer, add a lamp, make the body completely clear, hide the base bubble section, the top starting just below the water level and the cup and you have a functional and displayable piece right?

I know I would need to use a few more pumps and extra plumbing to make it look nice, but can anyone see why this wouldnt work?

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/176649scimmershow.jpg

1. Collection cump
2. Funnel
3. Display cover to hide cup and funnel
4. Black PVC or clear PVC painted black
5. reaction chamber clear PVC
6. Bottow of reaction how showing to hide bubble makers etc black PVC
7. Base, with all pumps, bubble makers and lamp hidden inside to make a nice heavy and stable base.

 

[DanNolan]

See, I have read and been told that a taller a scimmer is, the better its function...short of having an ugly scimmer sitting next to my tank display theres no way I could get past 30 or so inches. However, with this, I can proudly display my tank, refuge, and scimmer. Provided the scimmer will still perform its function.

 

[Cope]

I think the very fine bubbles are not going to look as cool as the ones you're thinking? I do think it's a cool idea and would love to see some picks when you get further along.
JMO
Cope

 

[Reef of Eden]

unless the room your in is always dark. won't it only look cool at night??
and then, how often do you really show your tank off at night??

 

[Cope]

I dont think so. use a bright light it should work, just make sure you can take it apart and clean the main body once and a while.

 

[DanNolan]

If you guys had ever owned one of those lamps, you would know it is not the water that gets lit, but the border between the bubbles and water that catches the light and it does show up pretty much all the time, day or night.

I have a bubble lamp sitting in a closet right now, the tube is about 4" across but is well over 4ft tall...lengthening this with some PVC black on either end would raise this to over 5ft...would that work for a 130g system?

The main idea behind this is to display as much as possible, hiding the ugly stuff in cabinets, which is now down to a sump and chiller and having the maximum amount i can visible.

Right now, I am planning on having a 90-110g display tank with an overflow feeding the sump and scimmer and the rest of the movement being generated by several well hidden closed loops. I have seen the foam/rock construction and that strikes me as a good way of hiding most if not all of my plumbing while making a striking tank layout. The only things I am buying so far is the tanks, motors, and lighting, everything else will be DIY hardware wise.

 

[ClayWagner]

I think glass is a bad idea. There's not really a great adhesive for glass to PVC. Build it out of PVC and hide it. Not to mention shinning light through the skimmer will catilize a LOT of growth inside the skimmer body.

 

[clevername]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11583507#post11583507 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cope
I think the very fine bubbles are not going to look as cool as the ones you're thinking? I do think it's a cool idea and would love to see some picks when you get further along.
JMO
Cope

second that. Look at a real skimmer thats been running for a 6 months. Now add a spot light on it and put it next to your tank

 

[julianp]

That would cool, but you would have to completely disassemble the skimmer and clean it top to bottom a few times a week or more. My skimmer is smelly and looks like something from a horror movie.

 

[DanNolan]

The tube I have is PVC, just happens to be clear, is over 4ft high and slightly over 4" across. Even if I dont display it, the hieght and width of the tube should work for a DIY skimmer build correct?

 

[DanNolan]

And besides, wouldnt fitting a UV filter into the feed of the skimmer kill most of not all of the growth? Allowing it to be displayed for longer periods without growth?

 

[Ziggy953]

I have to agree adding a light to the skimmer may not be a great idea unless you want to turn it into a fuge with undesirable algae. just a thought...

 

[DanNolan]

are there different colored lights that would restrict growth too? I seem to remember in science being told that light devoid of green ie a blue light would not support as much life as a white light, that combined with the UV and fast moving water would cut back on most if not all of the growth right?