DIY Skimmer, need pump ideas

[noobtothereef]

Hi, im looking for some info for a pump for my diy skimmer i am going to build, it is going on a 120 dt and about 50 gallons in the sump so a total of 170 gallons. i havent decided if im going to build a cone or a straight style skimmer as i can form the body in a cone if i can find something that is rigid and large enough to use for the form for the cone,(any ideas welcome)

 

[tkeracer619]

Askol, Bubble Blaster, or Sicce.

 

[noobtothereef]

Askol, Bubble Blaster, or Sicce.

thank you for the info, im reading up on them no and some say that the bubble blaster is better then the askol, and also a little cheaper but makes a little more noise, and at $220 thats not a bad deal, anybody running this pump? if so could you post a pic of what size skimmer that you are running it on that would be great.

Next the main reason that i can make this skimmer alot cheaper is by forming my own tubes out of flat sheet by making a template around a cylinder form, cutting the sheet and heating it in an oven to about 250 degrees depending on the thickness, i set the oven at 250 degrees and leave the piece in there 1 minute for every .01", so 25 minutes for 1/4" then lay it on the form and wrap around it, then let cool and solent weld with weldon 4 and then 16 if i need to, then sand and flame polish the joint. Even if you can see the joint it sure beats spending $200 on a piece of 8" tube...... a 4' section of 8" tube would roughly cost me $35 to make.

is this the bubble blaster that will work?
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...HY-5000S&Category_Code=OctoPump&Store_Code=PA

 

[noobtothereef]

is this sicce pump comparable to the other i posted above? what about with changing the needle wheel?
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...oduct_Code=CV-SIC2500SP&Category_Code=oct-ext

just read some reviews about the sicce's, they must be mesh modded to run good air flo numbers, and second the askol pumps are high dollar, i think i will be going with bubble blaster 5000 pump

 

[noobtothereef]

well heres my cone skimmer design, ive talked to a few people and everybody agrees that the cone design is much more efficient than the traditional, also if i did the traditional design it would actually be harder to form the smooth transition between the main body and the tube going to the collection cup so cone it is!! here is my design, sorry for the bad artwork, im no artist

and heres the pump, bubble blaster 5000

everything look ok?