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

[The Propagator]

It's running for "realz" on my 100g prop tank at the moment.
I am not getting near the dark skimmate I was in the test tub.
More like dark thick yellow pee.
I REALY need to install a gate valve and do the mesh mod.

Where can I get some mesh for the mod fellas?

 

[gman107]

go to ebay and type in "p4 enkamat "and it should come up

 

[gman107]

just type enkamat the p4 didnt work

 

[The Propagator]

Thanks Gman.

 

[The Propagator]

Harbor Freight is having a prety nice sale right now guys !
I got a 3 piece set of step bits for $10.00 ( and change) out the door!
They have mini milling machines on sale for $399.00 (or is it $499.00?) as well as mini steele lathes for the same price.
If you could swing it those little bad boys would be the ULTIMATE
D.I.Y. tools to have ( aside from CNC that is. These are all manual)
They also have micro mills, and lathes !

They have a 5 speed 1/3rd HP bench top drill press for $39.99 I am picking up this week. ( the vice is sold seperately but its only $5.99 LOL)
The sale is on until June 11th (I think?)
Just check out thier website.
SLAMMING GOOD DEALS.
I am lucky...I have one local NEENER NEEENER NEEEEENER !!!
:HAHA:

 

[RandyStacyE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9981877#post9981877 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Propagator
Harbor Freight is having a prety nice sale right now guys !
I got a 3 piece set of step bits for $10.00 ( and change) out the door!
They have mini milling machines on sale for $399.00 (or is it $499.00?) as well as mini steele lathes for the same price.
If you could swing it those little bad boys would be the ULTIMATE
D.I.Y. tools to have ( aside from CNC that is. These are all manual)
They also have micro mills, and lathes !

They have a 5 speed 1/3rd HP bench top drill press for $39.99 I am picking up this week. ( the vice is sold seperately but its only $5.99 LOL)
The sale is on until June 11th (I think?)
Just check out thier website.
SLAMMING GOOD DEALS.
I am lucky...I have one local NEENER NEEENER NEEEEENER !!!
:HAHA:

Is this the drill press you're talkin about?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44506

If that's the same one then you must have stumbled upon an excellent 'local deal'. I have a Harbor Freight store near by ... I may have to check that out.

 

[The Propagator]

Thats the one.
As of tomorow night it wil be in my garage ! LOL!!
And in a few months so will that micro mill and lathe baby ! YEAH !!

 

[The Propagator]

Made use of the El' Crapo' skimmer body that came with my El' Crapo'
Proclear 150 Pro. wet/dry. It is now my skimmate collector LOL!

This is about 4 days worth of skimmate. ( its lighter at the top because the sludge and setiment has settled.)

Shook up and from the top down.
NASTY NASTY NASTY smelling rotten eggs garbage.

The heavier crap in the bottom

This little bastage is truely bad azz !
I cant believe it works this good with out a gate valve or the mesh mod.
and its not truely even broken in yet !
Think what it wil do with those mods !!!!

 

[The Propagator]

Its broken inm alot more since the last report.
It is now REALLY pulling out some nasty rotten egg smelling foul crap !
It looks like used motor oil LOL!

 

[ludnix]

I'm curious as to what motivated you to make a skimmer yourself. I will be looking to buy a skimmer in the near future but from what I can tell it costs as much if not more to make one yourself than if you had just bought one. What was it that made you decide to make one yourself instead of buying one?

It's awesome that it's working so well, keep us posted as you get your gate valve and mesh mod done!

 

[The Propagator]

Well because the recirc. skimmers I looked at capable of skimming the tank size I need them to eventualy skim ( 200 plus g. when I upgrade ) START at $299.00-$250.00 plus shipping
I knew building a imer would be a little challenging bu tI also new I could make one MUCH cheaper my self and save the dough ! :HAHA:
This only cost me around $180.00 to build.
Including all the shipping on the parts I had to mail order.

Thats a BIG cost cut for doing a little labor my self and it works better too
Now that it has broken in even more it is REALY pulling out some mud.
I'll post some pics of the skim mate its pulling out now for you.
( and thats with out the mesh mod, using the stock venturi, and with out the gate valve installed yet)

 

[pdhenderson]

Please put on a material list, very interested in making one myself!!
Great job!!

 

[miwoodar]

The Propagator -

I just got mine done. Thanks for the good pics and info. I made mine with an 18" tall reaction chamber with a Sedra 5000 NW pump. I completed the job at ~$175. I made my cup connection a little differently and I used a gate valve for the effluent but other than that it is almost identical to yours. Works GREAT! My old skimmer will be on Craigslist before the end of the week.

pdhenderson - Materials are on page one.

 

[pdhenderson]

so it is!
Would you look at that!?!

 

[The Propagator]

pdhenderson:

LOL!!
Read 1st young grasshopper !
<HR>

Broken in Smimmate and foam production.
THIS THING IS EVIL !!!
It litteraly blows the mud and crap out of the neck when it builds up onto the collection cup lid LOL !! (UNLIKE "some" exspensive units that are suposed to this cheap 'O D.I.Y. skimmer one does.)

Thats 2 days worth of skimmate BTW
I will snap a photo of the collection container so you can get an idea of how much this dude skims.
My tank is CRYSTAL clear now.

And STILL no gatevalve or mesh mod and I am running the stock venturi ! LOL!
<HR>
THATS FANTASTIC miwoodar !
Glad to see some more people trying this.
But I jhave to credit Randy for the over all design.
If I handt stumbled on his website I would ave never been able to make one.
What brand of skimmer and model was your old one?
( so I have somthing to compare it too.)

<HR>
OH ...Randy:
The collection cup lid pulls of easly by hand nw but still holds a tight fit. ( you asked me about it once and I said it would probably has to wear in a little)

 

[pdhenderson]

LOL!!
Read 1st young grasshopper !
<HR>


[/B]

Yes sensai, my apoligies


Could you provide me with a manufacturer name for the floor drain piece, I have searched my hardware stores and cannot locate anything similar,

 

[miwoodar]

<HR>
THATS FANTASTIC miwoodar !
Glad to see some more people trying this.
But I jhave to credit Randy for the over all design.
If I handt stumbled on his website I would ave never been able to make one.
What brand of skimmer and model was your old one?
( so I have somthing to compare it too.)

Are you ready to laugh? It was a RS Berlin XL. What can I say - it was free. It could pull out good gunk as long as I stood over it and bird-dogged the foammate. If I left it alone for anything longer than an hour it would practically go to sleep.

 

[The Propagator]

Yeah they suck prety bad LOL!
<HR>

pdhenderson:
Click the link to Randy Staceys website in this thread.
I used the same floor drain.

 

[pdhenderson]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10093855#post10093855 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Propagator
Yeah they suck prety bad LOL!
<HR>

pdhenderson:
Click the link to Randy Staceys website in this thread.
I used the same floor drain.

I see that he picked it up at lowes, unfortunately thats a long drive and I dont have a passport to get over the border.

I live in Canada, just beside Hockeytown



ps Anaheim sucks!!
( well they're all canadian anyways, thats another forum)

 

[The Propagator]

Google the maker on the lable.
They sell mail order to the general public.