PVC Skimmer Dia.?

[M.Doshier]

i'm asking for my 55 gallon i'm planning. I have two rubbermaid tanks under the aquarium that hold 33gal max but I figure i'd have 20-25gallon in each. So 105gallons give or take a few in the total system. I want to make this skimmer a vortex venturi setup. My aquarium stand is 4' tall lol. I can set-up the skimmer on the carpet (with wood or something as a base) behind the tank. So I wanna make this skimmer really over-power the system lol. I was thinking maybe 8" or 10" dia. with it being maybe 3' tall? I am gonna have this a full blown reef with clams and a anemone sooner or later. Well....440watts VHO so ya know. So what do you guys think? Also if I do have this size i'm gonna have to have a hell of a pump huh Thanks

 

[M.Doshier]

Hmmm....any ideas?

 

[dattack]

There are a few DIY plans. You can run an airstone countercurrent skimmer and that doesn't require a large pump (just a feed pump). Or you can add a couple of oceanrunner or sedra needlewheel pumps to your skimmer to make a needlewheel skimmer.
Even if you use 8" or 10" diameter tubing in either acrylic or pvc, it gets very $$$.

 

[flowerseller]

Try looking in the DIY section.
Some say if you use a smaller diameter tube, you just make it taller.

 

[RandyStacyE]

The most readily available PVC is 6ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ SCH 40 and costs about $35.00 for a 10ââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ length. Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ve tried finding a place that would sell me only a couple of feet, but no one would. If you were planning on making more than a few skimmers that makes for a cheap reaction chamber. The only difficult part is the collection cup. I like to make my skimmers with a removable bottom cap for ease of cleaning.

When you jump to 8ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ or 10ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ PVC wow! The price is way up there. Youââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ll definitely need to make your own collection cup, bottom cap (unless you use a black rubber cap) and cone; the rest is just Uniseals and cheap PVC.

I prefer needle wheel skimmers and venturi skimmers due to their simplicity.