Diy Skimmer

LFS_worker

LFS_worker

'ignoramus maximus'
I think that I am going to attempt to build a skimmer, and Im looking for advice.

5' beckett style being fed by a mag drive24.

I was reading that people use a venturi valve to get air into the supply line (after the pump of course) : 1) im worried about the intake actually drawing air and not shooting water.

2) do I really need the Bio-balls(R) in the feed tube?
3) what is an appropriate size diameter of CPVC to use for a 120 SPS tank.

Links and diagrams are appreciated!
thanks in advance
Brian
 
hey brian not happy with the lifereef?DO A SEARCH IN THE DIY FORUM WHEN I WAS LOOKING TO BUILD A SKIMMER (opps) there was alot of info on the diy injectors and such.good luck
jimmer
 
1) The water will probably shoot out of the venturi if you use a standard venturi (not a Beckett Injector).

2) Bio Balls are good for breaking up bubbles.

3) Bigger is better with the tube. I would want to go 6".

I'm working on a PVC 6' tall skimmer. Mine will be fed via the overflow and have a MAG 9.5 work as a recirculation pump. The air will be sucked in through the MAG's intake. I can take some pics for you if youââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢d like to see my progress.
 
sorry to highjack the thread but moriartiholmes i recently built a 6foot cc skimmer.was thinking about putting a sedra 500 or 900 on it as a recirculation pump.do you lose back pressure when installing pumps this way?
 
please post some pix if you dont mind ! (not to many im on dial up! :) )

now what is the difference in a beckett injector?

6" pvc ... home depot carry that size?

Jimmer dont hold out on me post some pix.
thanks guys
Brian
 
I'll take some pics later and post the links. That way you can see the ones you want and not have access to your thread ruined on your dial up connection (dial up still ?!?!).
I'm not really sure how the Becketts work to be honest. I thought I did and tried to make one out of a sealed tube, a turkey baster, air control and some other PVC parts but I couldn't get it dialed in to actually work.
I'm going with air sucked into the pump because it seems a lot easier and a lot cheaper than meddling with a Beckett's.
Lowe's or HD should sell 6" PVC, Lowe's seems to have a lot more useful PVC parts for reefers (at least in my area).
 
use a mazzei injector. kent is using two 1078 mazzeis powered by a velocity t-4. wicked bubbles. are you using pvc or acrylic? if anyone knows where you can get 3/8" acrylic in 4'x8' sheets at a good price let me know. will be making ca reactors and skimmers.
 
kents skimmers.
100_1739.jpg
 
I would be careful of injecting air into the intake of your pump, this causes cavitation in the pump and will put extra wear on the impeller. If you have the air injecture on the discharge, the flow of the water past the end of a pipe inserted into the flow will cause a vacuum on the branch. This is only if there is little restriction on the discharge side of the pump. This is the basis behind the tank vacuumes that attach to your sink. HMMMMMMMM I wonder how that might work to inject alot of air?
 
Re: Diy Skimmer

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7100696#post7100696 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LFS_worker
I think that I am going to attempt to build a skimmer, and Im looking for advice.

5' beckett style being fed by a mag drive24.

I was reading that people use a venturi valve to get air into the supply line (after the pump of course) : 1) im worried about the intake actually drawing air and not shooting water.

2) do I really need the Bio-balls(R) in the feed tube?
3) what is an appropriate size diameter of CPVC to use for a 120 SPS tank.

Links and diagrams are appreciated!
thanks in advance
Brian
Click to expand...
A Beckett injector requires a housing. It will be far easier to build a skimmer using a Mazzei type venturi like Kent has.
I'm not sure why you want to use bioballs in the construction of a venturi skimmer. Bioballs are used in downdraft type skimmers.
5' is 60". Consider a shorter height skimmer or you're going to need one helluva pump to drive a venturi skimmer that tall. (At least an Iwaki 70 or similar.)
I have a Becket driven skimmer. Note the housing for the Beckett on the left side of the skimmer.
newpics11691453.jpg


Make sure to read this
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/fm/feature/index.php
 
Last edited:
Holy freakin cow!!!! I never thought of using a Dart to drive a skimmer.....Quick eye-gor to the laboratory.(In a Gene Wilder impression) I think I have finally found a good use for that 10 inch piece of PVC I have been saving. At the end of that thread they are talking about manufacturing the needle wheel to replace the Dart's impeller.....Now where did I put my pvc glue

Scott
 
great threads !!! keep em' coming !

new revision!
thinking of making my drains go into the skimmer dirrectly and then using the mag 24 for a recirc pump in the skimmer while using a mazzezi style (from my Life-reef) on the mag 24.
the drain will be along the lines of Life-reef intake where 1" PVC comes in through the top plate to the bottom of the skimmer and drains from there height of skimmer regulated by the height of the drain tube.

LMK if you guys have a better Idea!
thanks again
B
 
skip the mag drive for any pressure rated situation. they pull a ton of juice and aren't designed for that use. mak 4/5, lg 4/5, or iwaki's are your best bet and will give the best results for what you are paying. if you are going with air in on the intake side of the pump go with nw pumps and you will need a shorter, larger diameter skimmer body. you won't want all of your overflow water going through the skimmer. the point of rc skimmers is lower flowthrough and more contact time. not sure of the turnover, but i think 4x tank volume rings a bell, but the skimmer then has to be large enough to hangle teh volume flowing through it. check the diy for some of spazz's witeups. there are quite a few threads that have some formulas for sizing the skimmers and giving the flow rates.
 
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