So where has this thread gone the last 2 months....what are the final plans for the skimmer. I was going to buy a Deltec, I can't, so I am curious about dimensions, and you final findings. Also, how do you finish the venturi, I saw the pic, your mod to it, what do you do with it once finished?

rich


It is kind of like getting to the last chapter and finding it missing

Would be nice if Spazz could give us all an update.I also wondered how the venturi was installed.He has been busy with his nw dart though.Which is another thread I am closely watching.

Awesome work Spazz!!

I would venture to say the skimmer is performing very well still :-) I'm about 1/2 way done with mine as we speak but I did the venturis a little different. I used larger venturis with 1/4" ID tubing though. I think these pumps are capable of pulling more air than the smaller venturis allow. I'll post pics of mine in another thread as I progress on it....In the mean time- Update us Spazz! :-)

kentrob11 : What did you do with the 1/4" item when finished modifying it? Do you glue it in a piece of PVC or you attach it to what? I assume you then drill a hole, where? and attach the airline.

rich

I've got threaded hose adapters for 1/4" ID tubing- I drilled and tappe a modified 1" black PVC coupling and that makes up the venturi...I based these on a ventur valve I got from aquatics ecosystems way back when that worked really well with water being pulled through it as opposed to pushed through it. It's a larger venturi than the normal ones....Should be interesting to see how 4 of them do...My skimmer will be about 40" tall with 4 oceanrunners like Spazz's but will have a 5" diameter with a wetneck as well....

Do you have a pic?

rich

Not yet- I really haven't taken any yet. I'll post some as soon as I do though...

Has anyone tried using the flexible rubber pipe connectors? I see that you can get a 6 inch to 3inch connect. These are the ones that use the airplane clamps to hold onto the pipe. That could be the tapered portion. The 3 inch side would hold the entire neck and collection cup, it would be one piece. You would unscrew the clamp and the neck and collection cup would come off.

Your thoughts on this item? 6inch to 3inch is about $30.00


rich

I can get 6 inch clear PVC for I think a good price. I can also order the neck. I was thinking a 3 inch neck. Has a consensus been reach on the 3inch or 4 inch?

here is the item I was thinking about.

[url]http://doityourself.com/store/6544936.htm[/url]

rich

That skimmer is a hoss. Nice work spazz!

double post

well this skimmr is currently over at a friends house on his 58g tank. i will get him to post some pics of skimate production and comments from him on what changes should be made to this design. the reason hwe has it is because i built a smaller one for my current 120g tank. that skimmer is going to be used as a spare for now. i plan to let some of the club members use it if they have a skimmer go down. my future 300g tank will have a dart needle wheel and 20" diam main body. it will look alot like this one but 3 times as big and only 1 pump. but the wattage will be alot less with the new one.

...

okay here is the deal fellas... I have the skimmer on my 58 and it is kickin' some serious arse... I am pulling form 1/4 to 1/3 gallon a day of skimmate!!! ON A 58!!! :D The color is darker then the green tea that many local to the Twin Cities like to pull... It is more of a nice dark bronze color. The output varies from day to day but basically at least 1/4 gallon a day. The only changes on the skimmer I would make is taller (longer) air intake hoses because I have one that burps all over the place because that pump is not running and the water level is just high enough to make it burp out of the hose onto the floor :( The other thing would be an extra union low on the body with a cap to drain the skimmer easier if need be. Aside from that the thing is a monster. I will try to get pics posted pretty quick here so you guys can see the skimmate production. On a side note in case you did not catch it... i am only running 3 of the 4 pumps. Imagine what it might do when I crank up the fourth...

I really need that skimmer!!! I have a dual beckett MRC-2 but the Blueline 55 pump is kind of loud for my taste. I think an aquarium should be seen and not heard. The MRC is a great skimmer but i will be geting rid of this one for a quiet skimmer.

Sweet nice job

My skimmer is still kicking butt.:rollface: I had a pump melt in my system(like the old Rio did) and it killed all my sps and a lot of other corals. This skimmer help keep the diatom bloom and hair algae to a minimum and of course my fish are still alive. It helped get my system back in order fairly quick. It still pulling out dark skimmate and I run it fairly wet. Thanks Scott.:thumbsup:

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=5519501#post5519501 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lunchbucket [/i]
wetneck NOT in use. i have shut it off since moving to test it w/out the wet neck. also since i have such a LOW bioload i was getting more water then helping the skimmate up the riser into the cup. from what i have run it...it seems that it will work better w/ a bigger bioload.

any qustions just ask away
thanks spazz for the awesome cone, riser, cup, and wetneck.
Lunchbucket
[IMG]http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/3944DSCN2021.JPG[/IMG] [/B][/QUOTE]

I dont realy understand how you have made the wetneck and how it works.

What pumps should be avoided? Pump melt sounds absolutely catastrophic. It sounds like the problem was Copper exposure over electrical current as the fish weren't effected. What a disaster! I know If someone has this happen they will avoid the specific brand; but is there a consensus on pumps to avoid reguarding this issue??? Terrifying!

It was a Catalina pump(Cap pump) Usually it overheats and melts the epoxy around the windings and it's the epoxy that kills the corals and can kill the fish too. I was lucking and smelt something burning and investigated and found the problem. If it melts enough epoxy you'll fry your tank.