5 gal water bottle skimmer?

Gem Tang Rider · #1 02/05/2006, 11:05 PM

Has anyone ever made a Deltec style skimmer from a plastic 5 gal water bottle?
Seems like all you need is a needle wheel pump, a collection cup, & some other odds & ends.

areze · #2 02/05/2006, 11:38 PM

I really feel like I saw one made from a 2l soda bottle. but I may be dreaming that.

idea sounds fine though, heck, a build in cone riser; what more could you want. if you want a thicker neck, cut the top off to the right diameter point.

seems like a fine idea to me.

Reefdaddy1 · #3 02/05/2006, 11:42 PM

No your not crazy He made it out of 2 2 litre bottles, I remeber and thought I had it bookmarked, but I lost the thread, It was really cool.

Gem Tang Rider · #4 02/05/2006, 11:59 PM

I do remember seeing a thread on a 2 liter soda bottle skimmer.
But for a large tank, I would think the shape of those 5 gal water jugs would be perfect.
I was going to build a beckett skimmer, but this 5 gal water jug needle wheel has me thinking efficiency.

Gem Tang Rider · #5 02/16/2006, 12:14 AM

Since the water bottle is quite large in diameter, I'm thinking of 2 of these Gen X submersible GX2400 needle wheel water pumps @ 635 max gph. Or 4 of these Gen X submersible GX1000 NEEDLE WHEEL WATER PUMP @ 265 max gph.

tigerarmy40 · #6 02/16/2006, 12:23 AM

dude! someone has to try this! it seems like it could really work... there would def be some serious mods that would need to be done but I cant see why it wouldnt work!?

Medicine Man · #7 02/16/2006, 01:56 AM

I was thinking of doing the same thing! I "borrowed" an empty 5 gallon water bottle from my office and have been contemplating the same thing!

tkeracer619 · #8 02/16/2006, 02:09 AM

do it

coralnut99 · #9 02/16/2006, 08:14 AM

I'm gonna take a stroll down the housewares aisle in a couple of stores like Kmart, etc. and see if there isn't a reasonable substitute that's just smaller. There's a gazillion refrigerator-oriented containers on the shelves now.

douggiestyle · #10 02/16/2006, 09:46 AM

call your local water supplier. 3 gallon water jugs are available.
same as 5 only smaller, so little old ladies can lift them into the water cooler.

landragon · #11 02/16/2006, 10:44 AM

I am working on a three gallon one now. I can't figure out how to make an access hole large enough to put my hand in and re seal it. Thinking get another and cut a lrger panel away and silicone it in. I want to be able to aim my intake and exhaust for the RC NW pump and also the output port for the skimmer. I will use uniseals and a Sedra 5000 NW fed by a eheim 1250. It will have a gate valve on the output to control water level inside the reaction chamber.

Medicine Man · #12 02/16/2006, 11:40 AM

That's why I haven't started this project myself. I cannot figure out how to get my hand inside the container to put PVC in. Also, I'm not sure how large or tall to make the neck that connects to the collection cup.

coralnut99 · #13 02/16/2006, 11:49 AM

That's also the reason I'm still going to take a walk through the housewares aisles this w/e.

dhnguyen · #14 02/16/2006, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by prugs
Has anyone ever made a Deltec style skimmer from a plastic 5 gal water bottle?
Seems like all you need is a needle wheel pump, a collection cup, & some other odds & ends.

Yes I have thought about the exact same thing. The 5 gallon bottles I have even have the perfect funnel shape to use for skimming too. Only thing is how would you clean this thing?

D.

RichConley · #15 02/16/2006, 12:41 PM

I've also gazed longingly at water bottles.

Maybe build like a 4" cleanout plug into the side, or something?

uscgbeachbum · #16 02/16/2006, 01:20 PM

I've got an idea...take 2 bottles. From the one you are going to USE cut out say a 6x6 square out of the side (or larger/smaller depending on the size of your hands). Take the second bottle that you AREN'T going to use and cut out a square 2" larger in both directions. Then, use any kind of lubricant (i.e. veggy oil, etc.) and lube up the bottle you are going to USE. Run a bead of silicone around the edge of the cover plate (from the bottle you AREN'T going to use). GENTLY press the cover plate onto the lubed bottle just enough to make an indention in the silicone. Separate and let dry. Clean off the oil or whatever and you have a perfect mold. Use twist ties, large rubber bands, etc. to hold in place. It may not be totally water tight, but as long as it's in-sump who cares if it leaks a little?

DrBDC · #17 02/16/2006, 01:30 PM

Cleaning wise it would be easy to just hose it out, throw in some vinegar and shake like crazy. It's the initial setup that would be hard. Maybe some kind of long chopsticks?

An expanding rubber cleanout plug like a rubber freeze plug? Don't some ca reactors have something like those on the top of the rx chambers?

areze · #18 02/16/2006, 03:48 PM

perhaps use a 2" pipe through a uniseal, then inside the bottle put a flush bushing reducer or whatever, that way the smaller 90degree bend to angle it will fit right through the uniseal.

itd be pretty cool, whoever makes the collection cup could pretty easily sell them off to other people to toss onto a 5 or 3g jug. just add the pump.

areze · #19 02/16/2006, 03:51 PM

edit. as for cleaning, ummm how much can a jug cost? 10-20$? if it was as simple as drilling 2-6 holes(depending on it being just in and out, in/out and recirculating, or in/out and 2 recirculating) whatever the case, itd be much easier to just replace the jug if its cleanliness became that big of an issue.

DrBDC · #20 02/16/2006, 05:01 PM

Next mad money I'm going to buy a couple sedra 9000's or another and give it a shot! Maybe a collection cup could be some kind of a bundt (sp?) cake form and something to seal it to the neck as it slides over it.

areze · #21 02/16/2006, 05:08 PM

lol.could toss a doughnut on the water bottle, seal it with whatever. then cut off the bottle above it. stick the top half of the bottle you cut off into a box or whatever and cut around it.

drill a few holes between the box and the doughnut, screw em together. the neck goes right up through the box, and the bottom of the box is the top half of the flange.

you could use anything for the collection cup, tupperware might be one simple option.

Whaledriver · #22 02/16/2006, 05:22 PM

Use 1 Genx 6000 lph pump with the needlewheel for $94.95. One pump is cheaper and easier to plumb and run.

Use two 5 gallon bottles. Cut the top third of one bottle just below the indented ring that goes around the bottle. Pop this over the bottom of the other bottle. The indented ring should hold them together nicely.

Make this skimmer a recirculating model since it is easier and a better skimmer. Feed the skimmer with a T off you plumbing return lines. I think 150 GPH through the skimmer should be optimum with a 2 minute contact time.

A "uniseal" product should make your pluming connections easy. I would plumb 3/4 inch input line for the feed water into the bottom half. For the exit water I would use a 1 1/4" gate valve and plumbing.

This is a no brainer for a McGiever type setup. When you get done it should cost about $175.

The only problem is the collection cup. Look at a bunt cake pan?

douggiestyle · #23 02/16/2006, 05:58 PM

screw in a fitting. drill a hole just smaller than the od of a threaded pipe and screw it in. maybe add a little jb weld on the outside as a precaution.

Gem Tang Rider · #24 02/16/2006, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Whaledriver
The only problem is the collection cup. Look at a bunt cake pan?

I like that bunt cake collection cup idea. A seal just around the lip on the top of the bottle. Slide your bunt cake style collection cup over that seal & whala.

As for the Uniseal idea. Will they seal on a thin piece of plastic, like a water bottle?

areze · #25 02/16/2006, 06:44 PM

water bottle? like a 20ounce? I doubt that, too soft. water jug? absolutely.