DIY 6" O.D. recirc skimmer.....halp me !! :)

[RandyStacyE]

I'm near South Bend IN. It isn't a big deal really. When Mavgi was doing the mesh mods he was sending out dozens of packages of mesh all over the US with no charge what so ever. I should ask him if he wants some 'Quick Patch' too

The funny thing is I'm starting to wish I had siliconed my cone onto the reaction chamber. If I run into problems converting my skimmer to recirc I could salvage the cone and only toss the reaction chamber. I glued it permanently though. Your skimmer may be a different story since you’re using acrylic … no point in doing anything half way when you’ve got an acrylic reaction chamber

Maybe you can make a flange for the bottom. If you look online you'll be able to find acrylic disks. I think eve www.usplastics.com has some. I’m sure they are cheaper elsewhere too.

Just PM me your info and I'll just send it ... I mean it really. It's just a buck and I'll be making some to toy with for myself anyway. Let me know what size too.

As for the length of the venturi ... who knows really. The only thing I know for a fact is the dimesions of the GenX-2400 venturi that came with the pump. It couldn't hurt to follow those basic dimensions just make the ID a bit smaller and it should work. No design is written in stone.

 

[Siffy]

I was thinking about the construction of the venturi and ways to make the inside smoother and allow better flow as you don't want reduction. I was thinking the steps created by the unibit would cause a great deal of turbulance. I happen to have a 2" pipe reamer that I thought would make a good tapered finish (really old, don't even know where it came from) and searched for a while before finding them and they were ~$200.

So after that option was thrown out for the average person I thought, would it be possible to create a mold of the final shape you need inside out of a piece of cardboard or 2 wooden cones with the tips cut off? And then fill the PVC with the venturi's hole using a funnel or syringe? I don't know if expoy is fluid enough to do that but Randy said somewhere (maybe this thread or on his website) that the Quick Patch filler flows like water when first mixed. It would save a great bit of material and you wouldn't have to drill any or finish/sand the internals afterward, so it'd probably save time if you were making a batch of venturis. Just insert a premade 2 piece mold into the PVC, fill, let cure, and remove the wooden mold. It may require some oil or wax paper to keep from sealing the wood into the pipe, but that shouldn't be much headache. Think it's feasible?

 

[RandyStacyE]

Yes the Sani-Tred 'Quick Patch' is as fluid as water, but that does make it difficult to make a water tight mold. I don't know if it's worth trying to make a mold to form 100% of the venturi.

I agree that a smooth transition could be benificial. I'm sure one could use even a dremel to free hand a shape if necesarry. The Step Drill Bit is just one way to create a basic taper at the very least. One could smooth out the interior a million different ways. These bits are cheaper at www.harborfreight.com and if you’re luck you’ll have one of these stores locally.

One could actually chop up some fittings and glue them together to make a venturi for a non-recirm skimmer. CPVC fittings come in in very small sizes. With PVC and CPVC fittings combined one could make just about anything. I don’t know if I’d trust a ‘chop & glue’ job to support a recirc pump though.

Since were talking about recirc skimmers one could actually place a valve before the inlet to create an adjustable restriction simulating a venturi. I would prefer a solid venturi, but the proper dimensions are likely all in the R&D.

 

[RandyStacyE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9887948#post9887948 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GuySmilie
Are you sure that the Ocean Runner pumps are not the same as the Octopus pumps?
They sure do look like the same body. Even the intake grill looks identical.

Well the specs are different from the ORs, but it's rumored that they are made by the same manufacturer and their parts are interchangeable with the appropriate sizes.

I've noticed that the Resun pump, GenX, Sedra, Sen, Dolphin DP and many other brand name pumps appear identical, but who knows who makes them. I've found that their impellers are interchangeable even. The Dolphin DP-560 impellers are identical the the GenX-2400 for instance.

 

[Creetin]

Well i could not honestly tell you that, But they both are copies of the ehiem and thats why they might look alot alike. Parts could fit, But just because they fit doesnt mean they are the same.

I think you will be fine with the genx propogator, The mesh mod will certainly help squeeze more air, But be careful what you ask for you just might get it. I dunno if a 2 inch neck can handle 35+ scfh

 

[GuySmilie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9888212#post9888212 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Propagator
Where would I be able to find some 1/8th - 1/4" rubber sheeting?
If I find some I can trace out a gasket and cut it to fit my base so it seals the chamber and base up.

I've seen rubber gasket sheets at Lowe's in the plumbing aisle.
They looked to be about 8" x 8" squares of red rubber.

 

[The Propagator]

SWEET ! Thanks Guy !
I am off to Lowes tomorow any way to get a step bit. Mine broke !
(My father tried to use it as a STEEL pipe reamer. DOOOOH !!)


I'll PM you my info now Randy.
THANK YOU SIR !!!

Yeah I thought about making a flange.
But thats about as far as I went with it LOL!
It would be hell for me trying to cut out a 6" near perfect I.D. out of an 8" O.D. disk. LOL!!
I did every thing you see to date with nothing but a hole saw and my trusty dremel.
Now if I had a drill press I could make a large diameter circle cutter out of some bar stock, then make a jig to secure it and center it up.
Alas, I am machineless.
So thats prety much a "pipe"dream for me. ( punn intended LOL! )

Info on the way to your PM box now.......

 

[Joshua1023]

Just a thought, but the step bits at Lowe's are good, but expensive. Almost $50. Harbor Freight has a 3 pack for like $10 right now.

 

[The Propagator]

I just saw that. I was like *** !!!!
LOL!!
I have a harbor frieght right up the highway from me actualy.
Looks like I'll be going there tomorow.
Thanks!

 

[The Propagator]

Well looks like the pump will be here on the 11th YEAH !!!!

 

[The Propagator]

Ok..... So here is where I'm at now with this little monstrosity:
( as always...no cracking on the basement steps LOL!!)

I drilled out all my inlets, outlets, and feed line.

I modified all the 3/4" unions via cutting off the excess down flush with the threads just as I did the collection cup to conserve space through length the best I could.

As you can see I went for the Euroreef design.
I like the reputation and I have seen the erformasnce those monster give so I figured I might as well try my best to copy it
since I dont have $300.0 layign around. LOL!

The 1st thing your going to notice is the stock venturi that came with the Genx-2400. Dont flame me just yet Its still in beta stage.
Then your going to notice the venturi seems to be glued to the pvc union. IT IS hehe. In efforts to keep costs minimal ( and because its an odd size) I simply deburred it and used
weld-on #16 to glued it to the union ( in the same manner as the collection cup). So far its worked out nicely.

Then your probably gonna wonder how in the heck I have the PVC union mounted to the pump outlet?
In efforts to keep costs low and (in true DIY fashion) I used what had. I simply used the largest barbed fitting that came with the pump and used my trusty dremel to cut the barb off down flush with the last step down after the barbs ( just above the nut).
Then I rounded the flats of the nut off with my dremel and VIOLA !! It fits PERFECTLY into a 3/4" solvent union!
I used my weld-on #16 again to glue it. ( I think some where before I said I used #12 but it is infact #16)

The rest is straight forward and as you see it.

Tomorow night I will give it a test run in a 13 gallon rubbermade container full of fresh saltwater and 2-3 cups of skimmate.

 

[Joshua1023]

Just a thought, but I would take out the down tube on the intake inside the skimmer and maybe turn the 90 degree up towards the top a few degrees. I think you'll end up w/ a ton of microbubbles the way you have it set.

Also if you use a step bit for your venturi, you could always use the cone shaped sanding bit from your Dremel to smooth out the ridges.

I made a venturi out of pvc that goes from 3/4" fitting to 1/2" pipe and right back to 3/4" fitting that works like a charm. Super easy and no messy resin to deal w/.

 

[The Propagator]

Ok so here are some pics of the trial run today.
SUCCESS !!!!

Mind you I still have not secured the bottom on so there are MASSIVE micro bubble and pressure leaks around the bottom.
Over all thouhg I am VERY please with the stock venturi as well as the over all performance thus far in its "beta" stage.

Here is a photo of some skimmate litterally minutes after turning it on. I dumped about 1/4 cup of skimmate from a seaclone 100 in there to see if it would pull any thing out right after this photo.

(You laugh.. but I swear to God pound for pound I have yet to find a skimmer that works more efficiently on my 29 than the seaclone 100. I dont know if I just lucked out and got a good one or what but it pulls out black gold fellas)

5 minutes after turning it on dumping in some skimmate and making minor adjustments....

3/4" uniseal on feed line

A peek in the top secret test tub LOL!
MICRO BUBBLES AWAY !!! I expected alot at 1st because some adjustments and permenant fixes still need to be performed yet.
AND it hasnt even broken in yet.

 

[The Propagator]

Outlet sample to see exactly how bad the micro bubbles actually are that are making it out of the return really are.( because the bottom isn't sealed up yet)

[isn't]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y129/DuaneJ/Skimmer%20pics/testrun5.jpg[/IMG]

30 minutes worth of skimming

I am SUPER pleased with it thus far !!

And fellas I can only go by what I have now because I haven't used any other type of venturi yet but with the way I attached it this venturi ROCKS !
( I 'll get into exactly what I did in a bit)

 

[Daemonfly]

Looks good

 

[The Propagator]

Thanks Dae !

 

[The Propagator]

Here is the image I CANT EDIT at the top.

 

[Joshua1023]

Looks good. You said that this is for your 100gl tank?

 

[The Propagator]

Yup.

I made a flange today ( RANDY) LOL!!
You put the idea in my head and I had to do it !
Its not pretty because I did it with my dremel but it works.

Some more skimmate...

 

[The Propagator]

Well I was faced with a new problem today !
Where the fook do I find gasket material?
NO NEED !
I simply "planed" down and smoothed out all edges to mate flush then used a little bit of silicone in betwene the flanges. and I do mean a little.
Like 7 drops about the size of a dime all around it.
I tightened up the bolts and VIOLA a no leaking monster !


I did another test run, only this time I also lowered the recirc. pump out put about 2 inches lower in the chamber and installed a "T".
Then I faced the input on the recirc. pump downward a little to suck up micro bubbles and it WORKS LIKE A CHARM as well as adding about 2 inches more air to water reaction time ( in other words more bubbles with less micro bubbles).
Brand new skimmer and I am getting minimal micro bubbles at best.

Here are a few pics of the 2ND "grub tub" test.
This time I dumped in about half a gallon of skim-mate from all of my skimmers then let it sit out side for two days in the sun to spark the nasty stuff growing for some REALLY funky water to test it out on
The tub is a 13g tub filled to about the 10g mark.
Here it is after the 2 day bake in the sun with 1/2 gal of watery skim-mate mixed in it.
EEEEWWWW SMELLY !!!

Here is the collection cup of the skimmer literally less than 20 minutes after it was turned on.

Tub water after about 2 hours:

Tub water after 4 hours:

A pic of the outlet so you can see I am not lying.
Virtually no micro-bubbles.

Bout .5 gallon of skim-mate pulled out in less than 6 hours.

Now its skimming slower.
When a heavy load is present it goes berserk-o and skims heavy, after its has about skimmed the majority of it all out it goes back to normal or nothing until something is introduced to the tub to skim.
Any one else experience this?
Bubble size problem maybe?