DIY Skimmer?

[RyanG]

Does anyone here have any experience builing counter-current protien skimmers? I was just researching them a little and have found some info but I still dont know if I have enough. Any pointers or input are welcome. Will this type of skimmer work well enough for my 180?

Skimmer Design 101

 

[bobby]

I thought about it once and bought most of the stuff to make a randy stacy design off of RC. Still got alot of the stuff and never got around to it. The way I look at it(and this is coming from someone who LOVES DIY) It will cost near the same amount as some skimmers and take up alot of your time, then if you make a mistake your out even more. That acrylic is not cheap, either is 6" PVC! So why not just buy a good skimmer you know will work. Heck you can even put 300 in a DIY skimmer then just to have it not even out preforme a seaclone, or you can spend 300 on a really goos skimmer that wikk be awsome. Just my two cents.

 

[RyanG]

Thanks bobby! Im just weighing my options, the price isnt really my concern I was just wondering what all it takes.

 

[ccCapt]

WOW...air driven skimmer. I used 1 about 15 years ago. It sucked then and they still suck. Don't waste your time or money on a DIY. For your 180 you can get an Octo NW 200 for $200. Best bang for your buck in a skimmer IMO.

 

[RyanG]

Thanks for all of your input guys, Im firmly deterred from attempting this project.

 

[jandswyo]

don't be so sure, i have a cc skimmer i made for around $10! Works great, mine isn't the biggest but for its size, it sure pulls the gunk! i get a couple cups a week out of it.

 

[Piggy]

Got any Pics?

 

[fatman]

Unless you want a two 4" inch diameter, 4 to 6 foot tall skimmers, then you really should not be considering an air powered counter current for a tank that size. A single 6" would work but would cost more than two 4" skimmers. The plans are readily available, as are all the parts. OZ reef has several plans within their DIY section. You would also need a Luft air pump or better. They work great for commercial systems where you are already using air lifts instead of most of your pumps (therefore are already using an air blower), but for those appliacations your not setting things up in your living room, or trying to fit a skimmer in a stand that allows only 30 inches, maybe less. Plus you would eiher need to spend $10 per month on wooden air stnes or cut wour on for About $0.75 per month. Either the two 4" or the single six inch if properly built and dialed in would out perform any brand skimmer that would fit under a tank in a normal commercial cabinet, and they would be cheaper to operate, but they obviously are disadvantaged by size. There are a lot of little skimmers that work well enough, they fit under a tank in a commercial cabinet/stand. All sacrifice contact time for their short stature so as to appease the masses.
Check out this thread for a 6" counter current skimmer. I can post 4" plans if you want them.
http://www.hawkfish.org/snailman/diy6inskimmer.htm
Check out this thread for a multi stone manifold.
http://www.hawkfish.org/snailman/diyairstone.htm
Check out this thread for directions as to how to make airstones.
http://web.archive.org/web/200410151211957/http://www.voicenet.com/~reefman/airdiff.htm

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