DIY skimmer build

[panaboy95]

Well i started to build this skimmer a long time ago before my 150 leaked. once i took the 150 down i just threw it into a pile in the corner. i since have got it built and running. i thought i would throw a few pics p of the build.

this is what i started with. I got a 12" PVC tube for free from a local plumber. I got the 6" tube from Dewayne at reef FX for free. I also bought some scrap acrylic from ebay pretty cheap.

I decided that it was worth the money to just buy a twist lock flange rather than try to make something. this one came from Geo and he also sent me an extra o-ring for it.

the first thing i did was to make the cone. i made a form for the acrylic to go into then threw it in the oven and the rest is history worked pretty good othe than stinking up the house real bad.

 

[panaboy95]

After the cone was made i glued it to the chamber. then glued the flange on and the neck to the other piece of the flange.

this is the beast of a pump that is running this bad boy. i got a good deal on this pump used from a fellow reefer.

this is the mixing box put together and the bubble plate starting to come together.

 

[panaboy95]

here is the bubble plate done ready for the main chamber to be glued to the box.

I redesigned the plumbing after some anvise on an exert that helped in the design of the reeflo pro series skimmers. i made the feed pump inlet in the inlet of the dart.

here is a pic of it just before i had the collection cup made.

 

[panaboy95]

Now you are all caught up it has been running for a week it is really starting to put out good nasty black nasty goo. the video is of the first day of it running. the bubbles are still a little big in the neck they have since gotten a lot smaller. the second pic i took tonight after one week of running.

 

[lcashman]

Nice!!!

 

[newglider]

I'm building my new skimmer out of the same material. I have a question how did you glue the acrylic to the PVC?

 

[panaboy95]

i used weld on the thick stuff i think it is 16. i will sell you the body of this one if you want. i do not use it anymore. i bought a octo skimmer a couple of years ago and this one is just sitting collecting dust. i am not sure how big of one you are building but this did work pretty good, but it was not a set it and forget it type of skimmer. i just was not patient enough to get it the way i wanted it. i used a dart needle wheel with an air pump and it skimmed pretty good. i think part of my problem was never making the top. i did not realize how much a top regulates the airflow.

 

[Lpoole]

i would like to build a smaller scale version. sweet build