DIY Skimmer??

[Joshsmit56001]

I found this DIY Needle Wheel Skimmer and I would like to possibly copy it. Anyone that knows more than me about skimmers tell me if this is a good DIY and if it will be worth the money. I like DIY projects so that is not a problem. Also what pump would you use with this skimmer or is there a better DIY skimmer out there?


Thanks,

Josh Smit

 

[BeanAnimal]

Josh... you didn't provide a skimmer for us to look at or the link to the plans you found.

There are several DIY skimmer thread that are active right now.

What size tank do you have? How is it setup? What type of livestock etc...

 

[Joshsmit56001]

Oh sorry forgot to add the link DUH!

http://randystacye.com/diy_needle_wheel_skimmer.htm

I am going to setup a 150 reef with low to medium bio-load and 30 gallon sump

 

[BeanAnimal]

Dunno how well it works. I think Randy just got finished up with it. There is fairly current thread here regarding that skimmer. It did not interest me due to it's basic dimensions (just not something I could use in my setup) so I did not pay close attention to it. It looks like he did a nice job, you may want to contact him or browse the DIY forums post for the last week or so.

Worth the money is a big question. In all honesty you can buy a pretty decent skimmer for a fairly low price. DIY is rarely a money saver. You will need the proper tools, materials and a dozen other things you will realize. Once you have a good stock of "stuff" then you can sometimes "save" some money. Most of the time it is about building something a little better than you can buy, different than you can buy, or just for the fun of building it. Again, a PM or email to Randy may get you on the right track. I am sure he would be more than happy to explain the benefits of his design and any problems he has run into.

What kind of tools do you have and what is your budget?

 

[Pbrown3701]

here is the thread on that skimmer: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=881137&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

 

[george1098]

It looks like a good desing, but It also looks to be identical to the ASM Baby G skimmer which goes for $100 bucks or so (and it is a great little skimmer, I've sold a bunch of them ). If you're sold on the DIY idea then go for it, but make sure you research how much it will actually cost VS how much a stock skimmer will cost.

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7914128#post7914128 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by george1098
It looks like a good desing, but It also looks to be identical to the ASM Baby G skimmer which goes for $100 bucks or so (and it is a great little skimmer, I've sold a bunch of them ). If you're sold on the DIY idea then go for it, but make sure you research how much it will actually cost VS how much a stock skimmer will cost.

Actually, its much bigger than a BabyG. A baby G is 4.5" tube, this is 6" tube. Its actually very similar to the G2/G3 if you want to compare it to an ASM.

 

[george1098]

ok, I would say go for it then, I have a G-3 and i love it. You may consider going with a bigger pump. Say the sedra 5000, custom aquatic sells the whole needle wheel assembly.