Question about DIY skimmer

[dippin61]

Well awhile back, me and my wife saw a garage sale with a tank for sale. Ended up that it was nearly a complete setup ready to go. However, at the time we had very little SW experience. She had some, but I was a FW Cichlid fan. This was about 3 years ago.

Fast foward to the present. We ended up setting the tank up with a new stand, and ive slowly made it a reef tank over the years. Actually my wife keeps telling me I take it too slow. Which is probably true. Seeing as we've had the tank for 2 years, give or take, and I only have 2 fish and 5 little frags. And can get away with my Remora HOB skimmer.

I got a great deal on a 55g show tank, so i'm taking the oppurtunity to upgrade tanks (upgrade because i dont like the look of an acrylic tank). However i'm going BB so my little skimmer wont work anymore. After rummaging through some of the old stuff that we got with the orignal tank we found out there is a DIY skimmer, CA reactor i think, and alot more. Heck. i hadnt looked in this box for over a year.. didnt know it was even there til recently.

question is about the skimmer. now.. not knowing much about skimmers like this, its a little confusing. i labeled what i think is what and i'd like to know if im right. i also figure that im just going to re-plumb it with some new parts, and would like to know how i can improve this.

and also what kind of pump should i use to feed this thing. its not very big, about 2 - 2 1/2 feet tall.

TIA

 

[h20cooled]

Its hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like a beckett type of skimmer. But the one that you have labeled return looks like it has an air valve or something, if so that would be your input and the one you have marked as input would be the output. The weird thing is most beckett skimmers use a beckett injector to mix the water with the air and that creates the bubbles for skimming. I'm not sure about that injector though. If it is a beckett syle you will need a pump with a good amount of gph or a pressure rated pump to force the water in there at a good amount of force...

 

[dattack]

Looks like the bottom two labels are reversed. Too me that airline tubing is for the venturi so that might be the input of the pump.

 

[ilango]

yep the input and the output are mixed up.

 

[dippin61]

ok.. thanks.. now question is.. how do i hook it up? and what kind of pump should i use?

 

[h20cooled]

an external pump probably around 1200 gph. What I would do is compare the skimmer (the size) you have to a retail one and see what size of pump they suggest. The problem is your is not the same as other ones so you will have to play around a bit to get the right size for that skimmer.

 

[dippin61]

thanks h20 .. i'll do some looking.

also as for the air intake, when i do get it up and running, should i use vinyl tubing for that or just leave it as it is?

and the pump.. will i need a NW pump or anything else special? or just find a good rated pump?

thanks again.

 

[h20cooled]

Use tubing to extend it above the water level. You should use a regular style strong pump. A neddle wheel is for a recirulating/venturi skimmer.

Rich

 

[dippin61]

hey h20 .. lol i was just over at the other site, ya know.. the one we have to go to cuz the pnw is down.. and i just noticed that your the same person, i had actually been following your diy skimmer over there too, lol.. good ol oregonians..