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Unread 07/04/2010, 12:57 AM   #1
Vegas.
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Arrow DIY Skimmer Club

I have seen many great diy skimmers on RC, but they are scattered everywhere. This it just an attempt to compile all the diy skimmers. I know there are other threads on this where members have simply just posted pics, I trying to get more details here. So if you built one and care to share, please join me.


This is used on a 20L with a 15g sump, and is most likely overkill. I have no experience with skimmers and this is the 1st I have used. The reaction chamber is 4.5" OD and 12.5" tall, the neck is 2" OD. I used a Gen-x 1000lph pump. I do not have air draw numbers, but plan on acquiring a meter in the near future.

One last thing I plan on doing is making a pinwheel impeller

-Pros:

-It's quiet, can't hear it over my mag 3.
-It's already skimming, 48 hours later.
-Cost under $100 and a weekend of your time.
-6x8 footprint.
-19" tall.

-Cons:

-I can't think of any.

Unfortunately I will not be doing a DIY write-up, I accidently deleted all my pics of the build process= It's beer related.

I did however add up all my receipts:

Acrylic = $34.68
Pump = $35.33
3"-1 1/2" coupler = $3.28
Uniseals x 2 = $6.62
Weld On #4 & #16+ Hypo and 1'x1" acrylic rod for venturi =$13.37
Pvc =$4.38
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
All prices include S+H and tax.


Total.............................................................. = [ $97.66 ]
+ A weekend of your time.
-I already had some supply's like the drill bits and the o-ring.

This was a very enjoyable build and if I had built this one originally I would have had spare acrylic for a second skimmer.

I'm not sure about the rules on RC about posting links, so if you would like to know where I got any of the material just PM me or post on the thread and I will try to respond in a timely manner.

Happy Reefing.


1st design:


2nd design:


Cup, note: After installation I cut the riser by about 1", the cup hold's about 16oz.


Venturi:


Running:


Skimmate:


Skimmate:



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Unread 07/04/2010, 05:06 AM   #2
fishoutawater
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Nicely done, my first skimmer was not nearly as nice looking. Why not just make a mesh wheel for the impellar?

Here is a couple of pics of my last build.
The ghetto cone:





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40 Breeder DIY external overflow, closed loop, skimmer, sump, dosers,....

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Unread 07/06/2010, 07:20 PM   #3
Vegas.
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That's a great skimmer fishoutawater! I'm not doing a mesh mod simply because I do not have any enkamat on hand. I do have the parts for a pinwheel impeller though, or so I thought.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



This was my first attempt and it worked, but not very well:




This is the final design and after going through about 6, this one worked the best. It skimms better than the stock needle wheel, and I have no idea why....

The Cable Tie Impeller:




I won't be doing anything else to this skimmer. If it breaks of the pump burns out, I'll dismantle it and build another one there's a few things I would like to change.


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Unread 07/07/2010, 12:01 PM   #4
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vegas do you live in vegas??? prolly a dumb question lol.... are you part of lvvr?


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Unread 07/07/2010, 04:20 PM   #5
Vegas.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by troylee View Post
vegas do you live in vegas??? prolly a dumb question lol.... are you part of lvvr?
No I don't live in Vegas. I don't mean to be misleading, I just like the name Vegas.


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Unread 07/07/2010, 06:11 PM   #6
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awe man.... thought there was another local into building things lol.....oh well... i got a few skimmers i have built.....






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Unread 07/07/2010, 06:15 PM   #7
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a few others...









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Unread 07/07/2010, 06:23 PM   #8
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some more lol.....







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Unread 07/07/2010, 06:28 PM   #9
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and the current one i run.... a atb 10.5 deluxe i built from scratch... with some help from vic...










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Unread 07/07/2010, 07:27 PM   #10
Vegas.
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Woh! That's a lot of skimmers, awesome job troylee. Where did you get the cones at? The reason I ask is I searched and the only ones that I found would have cost me more than a brand new cone skimmer.


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Unread 07/07/2010, 07:52 PM   #11
polyp02
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Cool guys! But... where did you guys get the acylic pipes from? I have been searching and searching, but I am only able to find 12ft pieces of it that cost about $150, or more, each.

I wanted to make my own as well but after seen the prices of the acrylic I just decided to buy the finished product. I haven't yet since someone gave me one that they had lying around, its a Berlin classic by Red Sea. It works, but its only at the end of the week that I notice something on the cup. Its a 6 inch cup with the 2 inch inner pipe and only fills about 0.5 to 0.75 inch high, so not much.


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Unread 07/07/2010, 09:24 PM   #12
Altpers0na
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i dislike all of you.

those all look great.


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Unread 07/07/2010, 09:42 PM   #13
fishoutawater
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I got mine at Target, lol. Build cost me around $60.


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40 Breeder DIY external overflow, closed loop, skimmer, sump, dosers,....

Current Tank Info: 29gal reef w 20 gal sump/40gal reef w 20gal sump
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Unread 07/07/2010, 10:20 PM   #14
Vegas.
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I got mine at estreetplastics.


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Unread 07/07/2010, 11:12 PM   #15
Clifford04
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These are just pictures!!! We need HOW TOS!!!!!! They look too great to now share the wealth! Pretty pretty please!


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Unread 07/07/2010, 11:24 PM   #16
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Here's a build thread, pictures should tell you most of what you need to know. You need to have at least some basic knowledge/skills and tools and equipment to build a skimmer. For mine, I just used basic tools, drill, dremel, sandpaper. For a project like Troylee's, with twist lock flanges and such, you will need more expensive toys to play with. Hope this helps.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...t=cone+skimmer


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40 Breeder DIY external overflow, closed loop, skimmer, sump, dosers,....

Current Tank Info: 29gal reef w 20 gal sump/40gal reef w 20gal sump
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Unread 07/08/2010, 09:28 AM   #17
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for my skimmers all you need is time and a router... also used a band saw to make templates.....
for the cone bodies i form my own, i dont buy them.....


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Unread 07/08/2010, 01:52 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by troylee View Post
for my skimmers all you need is time and a router... also used a band saw to make templates.....
for the cone bodies i form my own, i dont buy them.....
What's the biggest cone you have made? Base and neck dimensions please? Any way you could show how you do it?


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Unread 07/08/2010, 01:54 PM   #19
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how do you form your own cone ? I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW


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Unread 07/08/2010, 02:02 PM   #20
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Here is mine. I would like to try a cone body with a 15" or 16" base and a 6" neck maybe around 30" tall



Last edited by brandon0350; 07/08/2010 at 02:13 PM.
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Unread 07/08/2010, 03:27 PM   #21
troylee
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brandon0350 View Post
What's the biggest cone you have made? Base and neck dimensions please? Any way you could show how you do it?
body size was 24"base 36" tall with a 8" neck..... the skimmer stands at 4ft tall completed.....
heres a pic with a 5gal bucket on top lol.....



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Unread 07/08/2010, 03:52 PM   #22
brandon0350
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How do you form them? I really wanna try one


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Unread 07/08/2010, 03:56 PM   #23
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BTW that is amazing


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Unread 07/08/2010, 10:21 PM   #24
fishoutawater
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OMG, I am trying to envision the size of tank you could skim with that thing, and failing, lol. What are you using that behemoth for?


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40 Breeder DIY external overflow, closed loop, skimmer, sump, dosers,....

Current Tank Info: 29gal reef w 20 gal sump/40gal reef w 20gal sump
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Unread 07/09/2010, 09:52 AM   #25
MadOTC
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Wow, some of these skimmers are pretty awesome. When I get a bigger tank I think i'll have to try my hand at this club.


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