skimmer ideas for this body?

O

oldschooldino

New member
I have ordered and am awaiting this tank:

http://www.ntotank.com/50gaveta.html

I was wondering if anybody had any ideas for making this into a skimmer. I realize it's not clear, but for the price and size I couldn't pass it up! I was thinking of using two OR3700's and a small feed pump, passing the feed through the supplied bulkead at the bottom, and using uniseals for the two OR's. I figured I could use the vented lid, and just cut out material until I could glue in an acrylic riser tube. What do you all think?
 
you want the feed coming in the top and the drain going out the bottom.

your biggest problem will be getting air injection down low while overcoming head pressure.
 
OK, feed in the top out the bottom, not a problem. I figured head pressure would be a problem, and from the other skimmer threads I've read i gather the Ocean Runners will draw more air with greater head than others. I have wondered tho about feeding the OR's with an air pump instead of the venturi. Would that help? Thanks!
 
Sure feeding with the air pump will do what you want, the problem is that the good air pump will cost more than your 2 3700's combined. Do you know what material the tank is made from?
 
Well, this is why I wanted to post here before I started.


--bebitte70 How about a NW dart?--

I haven't ruled out a NW dart at all, I'm just trying not to spend too much, but it may be cheaper in the long run to use a dart.


--dandy7200 Sure feeding with the air pump will do what you want, the problem is that the good air pump will cost more than your 2 3700's combined. Do you know what material the tank is made from?--

I was afraid of that. Any other options anyone can think of besides this or a dart? The tank is made of HDPE.

Thanks everybody, this will be my first DIY skimmer, and I really appreciate all the help. The only skimmer work I've done so far is to add an OR2700 to my Red Sea Berlin skimmer.
 
How thick is the wall of that tube? The skimmer size definately warrants a Dart and Bean Animal can get you a great deal on an Alita Air pump. The tank is about 36" tall from bottom to base of coned riser section so if you meshmodded a Dart and cleaned out some of the inside of the volute with a dremmel the dart should pull close to 110 or so SCFH on it's own if constructed properly...
 
You need a glue called Plastex3000 to bond HDPE to acrylic. It might actaully be easier to get a HDPE cutting board and route it into a flange and then bond that to the top of the tank, then acrylic riser, then acrylic neck. There is a place to get the round acrylic domes pretty cheap is you cannot make one that big, I'll dig up the link or just pm spazz and he will know off the top of his head.
Dart.....yeah I think if you find a used Dart for $100 and a Alita on a deal as well you should be very happy with that matchup. Do yourself a favor though and remote the collection cup on that bad boy so you don't ever spill gallons of skimmate down your shirt ;)
 
kentrob11, according to the drawing at the site I believe it shows the wall thickness at .18 inches. Thanks for the suggestion, I may have to get w/Bean.

dandy7200, I know the tank itself is HDPE, but I'm not sure about the cap. It looks black on the pic, maybe abs? I wanted to keep the cap and mod it because it screws on, and I don't have to deal w/flanges etc... However, like I said, I'm open to all ideas, and I can't thank you guys enough for your input. If you could find that link I'd appreciate it, and remote collection is going to be a must.

As for finding and modding a dart, it's just too darn bad I have to use my Barracuda for a return pump on my new system:D

Hope this thing will be enough ;)
 
Drawing not to scale. I have a Predator skimmer which works great and is based on this design. In the drawing, the square box at top is a DIY beckett which shoots air and water down a tube through the center of the riser neck.

skimen9.jpg
 
This design would be simple for you to implement, and the beckett, down tube length, and exit nozzle is easily removed and can be modded easily to change efficiency. An Iwaki 30 or 40 pressure rated would run ur skimmer nicely and you won't have to drill your tank and deal with uniseals.

And you could tee off from your barracuda to run this, and maybe have the skimmer exit into your tank for flow. You'd probably have to raise the height of the skimmer and sit it next to your tank; yet leave enough clearance from the ceiling to pull the downtube out.
 
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I didn't see that the cap was 5", that may be good enough for the neck. Usually they are a bit smaller on those tanks. It is going to take some careful machining, I would call and see if you can get replacement cap just incase ;)
 
chinaman4u, thanks for the idea. I don't know much about becketts, so I'll have to do some more research on that. I can't really have the skimmer feed the main tank on my new system I'm planning because the display will be on the main floor, while the 150g rubbermaid sump, 55g refugium, 120g breeder/growout and the skimmer will all be in the basement.

dandy7200, I will have to get in contact with the company and see if I can purchase a cap separately. I would hate screw up the only cap I have, but if need be, slow and steady wins the race right?
 
OK, I think I have finally settled on the Dart NW. Still have a couple questions for anybody that might know.

Anybody know when the Dart NW will be available, or should I just plan on diy?

Any idea how tall a neck I'm gonna need on this? Thanks to all!
 
dandy, Awesome link! I just sent my email, hope I'm not too late! Man, I'm so excited. Thanks alot. I should be getting the tank in Monday. I'll try to post a pic of it then.
 
Yeah, I would beta test a sequence any day. Be sure to keep this thread updated for us. I bought a used dart for $75 a few months ago with a project like this in mind. It will be a few more months before I get to it so the more DIY that I can look back on the better.
 
Well, I guess I'll be getting an offer letter next week to test the "Orca" aka Dart NW! Still no tank, though. Guess someone at Fed-Ex can't read a map.
 
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