Skimmer flow rate ???

[Crowed]

See if this helps

6 Foot Tall DIY Protein Skimmer | BeanAnimal's Reef

DIY 6 foot tall (7 with collection cup) protein skimmer for a reef aquarium. Constructed with acrylic and clear PVC. Full construction details and image gallery.

beananimal.com

From what you describe, you have a lot of variables to work with. It will skim, but will not be super efficient and not be easy to keep dialed in.

I removed the recirc needlewheel from the 6' skimmer and went with ultra fine ceramics. More reliable than limewood.

Feeding directly from the surface skimmer/overflow is in theory the best, but will make things hard to keep dialed in, unless you convert this to a recirculating design which may not be worth the effort.

The skimmer worked extremely well - but it took a year or two of trial and error. It ran for 5+ years maybe more until I took it offline to dabble with turf scrubber only export.

I would NEVER DIY another skimmer. I just ordered a Reef Octopus to save myself the hassle.

Are you hellbent on a DIY, constrained by budget, etc?

Can you tell me what ultra fine ceramic stones you use? Im looking for good ceramic

Why it takes so long to adjust it? Ime most problems come from neck sizing
And why not air injector on output tube (like lifereef, etc),? that works best with back pressure of tall skimmers. Need too much eletricity or you find some other disadvantage?

 

[griss]

I'd love to see a picture of what this skimmer setup looks like.

Yes, please post some pictures of your setup.

 

[BeanAnimal]

This was the skimmer. Build details on my site ( I think I posted a link earlier in thread)

@Crowed be happy to sell you the airstones and a giant Alita linear air pump. Air pump came direct from Alita and stones from Aquatic Ecosystems if I remember. There is one grade finer of stones, you a linear air pump will not drive them, they need compressed air.

This was fed from the the sump and water level was set by an adjustable height standpipe (instead of a gate valve). I will try to find some photos of it in use. The neck opening was thermoformed (cone shaped) and the cup had was twist lock.

It was not "hard" to adjust but it was not super stable either. It was also a one off, so I I did not experiment with different neck sizes or bubble chamber/plate configurations. I removed the bubble plate when I put the stones in. If I remember I also put a 90 on the inflow to create a swirling effect.

 

[BeanAnimal]

The new skimmer. Light years better!

 

[Crowed]

i was hoping that you find some good low pressure ceramics, no interested in running a large alita, not this days, when there is a many low watts needlewheels.
If you put a new cup with much wider neck then it would be a lot stable and easier to tune but still not practical like that new one. Tall skimmers in hobby tanks will become, if not already, a thing from past.

 

[reign]

This was the skimmer. Build details on my site ( I think I posted a link earlier in thread)

@Crowed be happy to sell you the airstones and a giant Alita linear air pump. Air pump came direct from Alita and stones from Aquatic Ecosystems if I remember. There is one grade finer of stones, you a linear air pump will not drive them, they need compressed air.

This was fed from the the sump and water level was set by an adjustable height standpipe (instead of a gate valve). I will try to find some photos of it in use. The neck opening was thermoformed (cone shaped) and the cup had was twist lock.

It was not "hard" to adjust but it was not super stable either. It was also a one off, so I I did not experiment with different neck sizes or bubble chamber/plate configurations. I removed the bubble plate when I put the stones in. If I remember I also put a 90 on the inflow to create a swirling effect.

Now you taking me back to the gold old days of DIY .. Looks good a little narrow and I am sure with that height alot of power consumption.
All the same nice build.
Beckett or Venturi?
Also for the poster you can convert to recirc and add a feed pump but really the efficiencny and technology has caught up where you may be drawing less power using a good needlewheel skimmer ..
Still super cool you have a huge DIY Skimmer . Would like to see pics.

 

[reign]

Back in the day.
About 6.5' tall X 18"wide Beckett recirculating skimmer I build somewhere around 06-07'. Worked ok on a 1000 gal. store system.
Oh the memories LOL

 

[kharmaguru]

Back in the day.
About 6.5' tall X 18"wide Beckett recirculating skimmer I build somewhere around 06-07'. Worked ok on a 1000 gal. store system.
Oh the memories LOL

Legit.

 

[Crowed]

Single beckett? What pump you use to drive it?

 

[reign]

Yeah looking back that was really stupid. It should have had 2 becketts and with the diameter it could have been half the height.. From what I recall it was a Iwaki 100 rlt.
It was fed with about a 900 gph submersible pump. I initially had alot of skimmate, I was also running ozone in it.