Why not PVC?

[Kung]

I know this is probably a dumb question, but why is acrylic necessary for DIY skimmers? Why don't people just use PVC? It's cheaper, and that seems to be the big problem with acrylic. Is it because we can't see through the acrylic to see that the skimmer is working?

[Freed]

Yes

[Kung]

Won't the collection cup tell us that story? Or even an acrylic neck on a pvc body? I'm just thinking of ways to save money, and I'm sure I'm not the first, so I would like to benefit from the knowledge of those who have come before me. It seems so simple that there must a be a reason not to do it.

[lhoy]

Making some of the fine tune adjustments with a gate valve, checking cleanliness, etc. would just be impossible with pvc.

Lee

[h2joe]

i dissagree...pvc works fine...just make a clear top for it and adjustments are easy...heres mine, works like a champ.
In sump:

top of skimmer cup, looks the same as top of the skimmer:

for size reference:

in action:


good luck

Mark

[miwoodar]

Lots of good PVC skimmer plans here...http://www.randystacye.com/diy_needl...l_skimmer4.htm

[Kung]

H2Joe, my work computer filter is blocking the pics, but it sounds like you and I are thinking along the same lines. I'll look when I get home.

[RandyStacyE]

Originally posted by Kung
H2Joe, my work computer filter is blocking the pics, but it sounds like you and I are thinking along the same lines. I'll look when I get home.

Kung, out of curiosity, do you think your work computer is blocking the enlarged photo as though it is a 'pop up'?

Are you able to see the thumbnail pics, but when you click on them the page that pops up is blocked?

If this is the problem I will fix that right away. When one clicks a thumbnail I have it set to open a new page to view the enlarged pic (so one can conveniently close it). Your security settings may be set very high by default which may be why it is blocking it.

I'll change it to open the pic in the same window.

[hyperfocal]

Yeah, I think it is mostly style/convention. If you really wanted to see all the way into a PVC-body skimmer, you could cut a narrow chord off the length of the PVC body and then cement on a narrow strip of clear acrylic as a window. Something like this:

[Kung]

We have a filter on our computers here at school. I can see virtually no pictures. It has nothing do with size, but with security settings that I cannot change (as I lack admistrative access to do so).

High schools are a real tryanny, even for the tyrants.

[Reef_bones]

I have been running a pretty big ALL PVC skimmer since March and have had nothing but sucess with it.. I have not even had to adjust it but once or twice in that time. Once I got it set and supplied air to the venturi with a small air pump this thing skims great..

No need to spend all that money on acrylic if you ask me..

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=5

[BigEivlSquid]

you can also use a 5 gal water cooler jug for a skimmer body. All the clear, none of the cost. There is a thread about it somewhere here.