DIY skimmer

[clinton.spaceship]

I want to build my own protein skimmer cause of their price range,small,tiny useless looking one is R200.
Ive noticed that a skimmer is cylinder tubing maybe a box chamber,
a inlet pump from the tank,and a outlet into sump and a air pump for the bubbles.
Ive got a 2000lph pump and air pumps lying around.
was wondering if anyone has tried to make one and knows how well they work?

thanks alot feishkeepers

 

[yogurt_21]

plenty of guides out there, but most bubbler/air pump ones use counter flow and long chambers.

they can be super cheap:
http://i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac302/adrianandika/DIYPS1.jpg

or not so cheap:
http://joesreef.tripod.com/HTMLPAGES/diyskimmer.htm

but I think the first place to start would be for us to ask what are you skimming?
Also what materials do you have available?

 

[Ptrick125]

When I was starting my tank, I was going to do a DIY skimmer, but I saved my money, and dot regret it at all.


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[clinton.spaceship]

ok sweeeht so poeple have tried and all types are working whooo
i might just use both to integrate both ellements.
Well i shud have most of the materials available and will be making it
for a small marine tank with a sump same size(12 gallons),
will be trying to start and maintain some live rock for several months
until i put some gobys and rockskippers

 

[clinton.spaceship]

well is the skimmer you bought lasting really long with your requirements met,
with out having to modifier it in any way

i think they might just be abit more expensive in S.A
how much liters does your support and how much is the damage

 

[Ptrick125]

well is the skimmer you bought lasting really long with your requirements met,
with out having to modifier it in any way

i think they might just be abit more expensive in S.A
how much liters does your support and how much is the damage

I bought my skimmer used, and it does a lot for my tank, at least once a week I take out about 3/4 a gallon of nasty brown foamy/liquidy stuff. Not sure how many liters but my tank is 75 gallons, and the skimmer is rated at 125 gallons. I have not modified it at all, pretty much "plug 'n' play" The skimmer I bought is the coralife super skimmer 125.

What do you mean by SA?


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[yogurt_21]

^ he means south africa, where he's from. So cost analysis won't be comparable.

the second solution i posted gives a pretty good idea of the whirlpool style (not sure on the official name) and it's by far a more elegant looking solution as well as longer lasting than the first simply by materials used. his costs were ~ 50$

a counter current air pump skimmer for around the same is in the following 2 links
http://www.aquariacentral.com/diy/skimmer1.shtml
http://www.aquariacentral.com/diy/skimmer2.shtml

trouble is that the whirlpool still looks better and easier to spot issues with, since it's transparent just like commercial skimmers are.

 

[clinton.spaceship]

ok shot,that is a nice simple layout perfect there is alot i can use to put this together
the cheapest skimmer i could find was R200 and was for a nano tank,wudnt take me nowhere after that.
i can kinda buy all the materials with that too.and always an excuse to make myself.
a decent skimmer for 4ft tank,check one for 750 thats heavy for me.like 100 bucks for u guys dont know how bad that is.
ok sweet im keaaan
shot shot guys
and shot for the links yogurt,realy helpt me make up my mind!