Large Airpump Driver Skimmer

[biggt 2k1]

Hey you guys. I am helping a buddy build a large air driven skimmer. They are all the rage these days up in my area, and they seem to do a real good job. With the evolution of fine pore ceramic airstones it seems like a great way to go, and the air pumps are incredibly efficient and cheap to run. I have a buddy here running a 12" skimmer w/ 4 air stones and he only has to clean them once every 6 months. We have not picked out a airpump yet so if anyone has any suggestions please feel free to do just that. So anyway we are going to use a old tank to make the box which will be 48x12" as well as the flanges. All he has to buy is the pump, stones and a couple feet of 6" tube, 1 foot of 8" tube. So all up this skimmer will cost less then $400, and will be better then any skimmer you can buy. Overall height is going to be 6'.

 

[bryang6286]

seems to me like this would cost much less than 400$. how is water going to feed this?

 

[mikebon111]

They are all the rage these days up in my area

what area is this?

So all up this skimmer will cost less then $400, and will be better then any skimmer you can buy

really

 

[ChemE]

The SL24 is the perfect size for this setup. You want the airstones to have far more capacity than the air pump driving them so you get the smallest bubbles possible. If you overdrive the airstones you will get large bubbles.

http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/21789/cid/3894

 

[WZHANG]

Please tell me more about these fine pore ceramic air stones. Do they produce the same bubble size as the wooden air stones? Do you happen to have a link by any chance?

Thanks

 

[biggt 2k1]

Well Won, there is the link to the stones we are getting. aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/9751/cid/2328 They make very fine bubbles, but not quite as fine as the wood stones. I think that it is a good tradeoff to only have to clean them every 6 mo.

Mike, I am in Tacoma WA

We shall see how much it will cost, but I can't see it costing more then 400. We scraped that using the old tank idea becuase it is really in terrible shape. So we will be buying a sheet of acrylic too.

 

[biggt 2k1]

So what is the quietest pump we can use? That is a important factor.

 

[ChemE]

I would recommend the AS300 from AES...

http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/9751/cid/2328

 

[ChemE]

biggt 2k1,

I have spent the last few weeks reading DIY threads here and on other sites; the Sweetwater Linear II pumps are the quietest that can be had. They also consume less electricity than the Sweetwater Linear I pumps.

 

[biggt 2k1]

I believe that we are going to go w/ the AS230 as they are 9" and will fit inside the 12" square and give some room for plumbing.

 

[mikebon111]

Mike, I am in Tacoma WA

biggt 2k1. This is a little off the subject but I was stationed in WA while in the military and I used to go to that pet shop across the street from the Tacoma swap meet, do you know the name by chance?

 

[WZHANG]

Thanks alot Biggt, I think I may try this on my existing skimmer.

BTW, what program did you use for your diagram? It almost looks like a hand done marker rendering.

 

[olemos]

The SL24 is

http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/21789/cid/3894

Does anyone know how many watts these pump use?

 

[mikebon111]

Wow quiet the DIYer. How did this reactor work out?

 

[goby1]

I also recommend the Sweetwater air pumps and diffusers. Negligible watts. Makes the pet store air pumps seem like cracker jack toys. Air bubble size is dictated much more by the surface tension of the liquid and air flow rate than by the diffuser pore size. Shredding is one way to make smaller bubbles, but with saltwater (low tension), you shouldn't need this. G1

 

[biggt 2k1]

I have no idea, there has been no pet store since I have been stationed out here for the last 3 years. At least none that I know of. However Up in Midway there is the Midway pet store right across from their drive in?

That reactor worked out very well, I built that years ago and I have a buddy that is still running it. I have a new one that I made w/ round tube that is fluidized and am running the Rowalith cal reac meadia in it. That works rather well.

Thanks all on the Sweetwater pump advice. That will prolly be the route we take.

 

[ChemE]

Does anyone know how many watts these pump use?

The SL24 that I am recommending uses 15 watts.

 

[sscherin]

BigGT 2k1

There are some good stores in your area..

As you mentioned there is Midway pet up by the airport (across from the drive in)
When I lived in Tacoma I got most of my fish and supplies there.


Aquarium Paradise (was in lakewood a few years ago)
http://www.aquariumparadise.com/
(253) 584-3474 10111 Gravelly Lake Dr SW # 7a
Tacoma, WA

Indoor Reef on 6th st in Tacoma
http://www.indooreef.com/
3835 6th Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98406

Tropical Fish Imports (I've never been in there)
(253) 474-0720 4637 Pacific Ave
Tacoma, WA

Some wierd fish store across from Chin's Teriyaki in downtown Tacoma. (I can't remember the name)

Aquatic Lifestyles (360) 286-0310)
6323 Kitsap Way
Bremerton WA 98312

The Shark Reef
http://www.thesharkreef.net/
11688 Clear Creek Rd NW
Silverdale, WA 98383

There are more up in Seattle, Kent and Bellevue.

 

[keefsama2003]

im using 4"pvc to make a 5' gravity fed skimmer. it will feed off one of my tank drains and then empty into the sump while the rest of my drains go into the refugium. i am going to use 4 limewood air stones along with the gravity feed it be using just the electric for the air pump.

 

[mikebon111]

Midway pet store is the one I was thinking of.