DIY Skimmer

[gar732]

Hello all, Just thought I'd share my DIY skimmer with the locals. This is my first acrylic project so it has been a learning experience but enough about me, how about some pics!

Here are the mold and template for the acrylic.

And here is the cone when it came out of the mold. It looks a little weird because I put it on wax paper while it was in the oven, but it cleaned up just fine

This is what I used for the coupler for the cup.

 

[gar732]

I had this all typed up and then lost it all so I'm doing it in parts this time. Here's more.

This is how the coupler turned. Not too shabby eh?

And here are a couple more of the the body and the cup.

That's it for now. I still have to mount the pump inside and finish the outlet but it coming along now. Please let me know what you think. Suggestions and criticism are welcome. Thanks

 

[mylifeismyown66]

Lookin' like a nice cone skimmer!

 

[renogaw]

very nice want to make an overflow for me?

 

[Reefir]

nice , what r u gonna run for a pump and air ?

 

[gar732]

Thanks everyone. Hopefully it works like a nice cone skimmer, lol. It will have a psk2500 with a white lightning pin wheel and an aquamaxx venturi. A buddy of mine (swannyson7) hooked me up with the pump. I was planning on running a sicce pump anyway so it was perfect. At some point I'll try and tackle a nondirectional volute for it.

renogaw, thanks for the vote of confidence but I don't think I'm ready for stuff like that yet.

 

[swannyson7]

Seeing this post reminded me... when you grabbed the pump, you left the stock pinwheel and the reef filtration venturi behind. Remind me next time we get together so that I can give them to you.

 

[gar732]

Thanks, will do. I've got order the rest of the plumbing stuff and get the sump going so I can fire this thing up.

 

[boodlefish]

I have to ask--how the heck did you form the cone??? I dont even see a seam in the pic.

By the way the build looks great.

 

[gar732]

Thanks, the seam is on the left in the pic, almost on the profile so you can't really see it. The cone was pretty easy to make, it was all in the mold and the the template. There are formulas that you can use to figure out the arc for the top and the bottom but I don't know them so I just used the mold to make the template. It actually worked out pretty good. Then I just cut the acrylic, heated it in the oven, and quickly dropped it into the mold. Let it cool and done.

 

[sweet d]

did you use a glue in the seam or did the acrylic mold together while hot?

 

[Tautog]

Pretty interesting. Like to see how it works out for you. Please keep updating.

 

[gar732]

I used weldon 4 and 16 to put it together. When you put the acrylic in the oven you want it pliable, if you keep it in there too long it will start to bubble and distort. I used a couple test pieces to fine tune the heat and length of time in the oven.

I will definitely update on my progress. Once I get my sump together I'll fire it up, should be a couple of weeks.

 

[sweet d]

cool def keep updated

 

[T5PO]

Tracking like a Tow Missle!

 

[gar732]

I'm almost done with this thing, I'm hoping to fire it up for a test run tomorrow. Just a few things left to finish up the biggest of which being the bubble plate. I'm debating between a 4" or 5" bubble plate, any suggestions?

 

[gar732]

Here is an updated pic.

 

[swannyson7]

Looks good bro! What's the diameter of the cone at the base? I'm not sure about what size bubble plate to use, but I would PM Mojo or Troylee for their advice, seeing as they're the pros.

 

[FroMan]

Nice work. Post a few pictures once you've got it up and running. I'd be interested to see how it works!

Where did you get the acrylic from?

 

[gar732]

Thanks guys. I decided to go with the 4" bubble plate since the 5" was a tight fit. It did fit but didn't leave too much space around it for the water to exit. I fired it up today but I have to figure out the sicce pump, its very noisy and I'm not getting the fine bubbles that I was expecting. I have a white lightning PW in it right now and I read that it is noisy till it brakes in but I mean it obnoxious. I also have a red demon PW and might throw that in there and see what happens. One thing I noticed is that it is only noisy when air is going through it. If anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears.

FroMan, I got the acrylic from estreetpastics.