I need help building a skimmer

[azrednex]

I was wondering if there are any local guys that would help ( advise soucing and the occasional tool ) me build a skimmer for an approximate water volume of 500G?
I plan to go slow. I won't need this skimmer completed for about 6 months.

[aztbs]

Don't you mean 1500G? hahahahaaaaaaaaa

Sorry, no help here on the skimmer. I researched for months to find the right set of plans to DIY and finally gave up and bought one.

[random_ryan]

what the heck are you going to do with a skimmer of that size?

[azrednex]

300g display 50g fuge 50g prop & 100 sump.

300
100
50
50
+____
500

[Philwd]

My 150G is going to be the baby at this rate.

[azrednex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11537729#post11537729 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aztbs
Don't you mean 1500G? hahahahaaaaaaaaa

Sorry, no help here on the skimmer. I researched for months to find the right set of plans to DIY and finally gave up and bought one.

What you you recomend for that water volume? I really like the ASMs but I dont think they go that size and I don't want to drop the jack on a BK or the like.

[azrednex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11537822#post11537822 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Philwd
My 150G is going to be the baby at this rate.

How's your tank doing BTW.

[Philwd]

Ich is under control but lost 4 fish plus the aggressive one in jail. About ready to scrape the last of the encrusted SPS bases off the rock. Just been busy lately. I want to re-scape too just can't make up my mind what to do.

[Kentanner11]

This sounds fun! lol! What kind of size restraints are you on? There is one I will try to find the link to. The guy used sheets of acrylic and made like a 5 foot tall square skimmer.

[evolust]

http://www.hawkfish.org/snailman/diy8inskimmer.htm

[azrednex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11537895#post11537895 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Philwd
Ich is under control but lost 4 fish plus the aggressive one in jail. About ready to scrape the last of the encrusted SPS bases off the rock. Just been busy lately. I want to re-scape too just can't make up my mind what to do.

I'm sorry Phil it seems like your getting slammed 1 right after the other. Your tank has been an inspiration to me. I hope you take all of this crap in stride and bounce back.

BTW, Do you have a recomendation for a skimmer for 500 or so gallons?

[azrednex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11537932#post11537932 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by evolust
http://www.hawkfish.org/snailman/diy8inskimmer.htm
I'm not sure I like the counter current design.

[Philwd]

Thanks Jonah. It has been a tough stretch. I'm getting back into the swing of things now. Wife's family was in town for the holidays and they absolutely ohh'd and ahh'd over the tank. Here I am thinking what a pile it is and they couldn't get enough of it. Gave me new energy.

And no I don't have a skimmer recommendation. I've never really looked into something that size.

[azrednex]

I like to muggles reactions to my tank also. :)
The one that drives me nuts though is a good friend of mine who says things like "I like how you did all of the plants".
"They're not plants" I yell.

[Kentanner11]

I would check out the current TOTM! (At least for design and pumps) could you imagine having skimmate like this:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-01/totm/images/IMG_2243.jpg ???

[aztbs]

I don't know what is worse, the thickness and nastiness of the skimmate or the fact that he is holding it in his hand.

I don't know about a skimmer for that volume, but I will look for ya.

[jasonh]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11538241#post11538241 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kentanner11
I would check out the current TOTM! (At least for design and pumps) could you imagine having skimmate like this:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-01/totm/images/IMG_2243.jpg ???

Uh, gross. Yeah, I don't have much else to say.

[bajabum]

Robert has the best design I have seen. Downdraft with a becket injector. Been thinking of building one myself.

[GustavoAZ]

I think that is a dead blue carpet anemone covered in skimmate.

[azrednex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11540317#post11540317 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bajabum
Robert has the best design I have seen. Downdraft with a becket injector. Been thinking of building one myself.

Can it handle the water volume I'm talking about?

[vanillagorila]

I have a extra MRC becket injector. your welcome to it if you want to try and make something work.

[silvers]

IMO you would need 2 or 3 beckett injectors and one big pressure pump but for that size tank I would go pressure driven skimmer all the way some of the most productive skimmers I have eaver seen have been DIY becketts

[azrednex]

I may take you up on that. I'm really going toward a needle wheel type though.

[azrednex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11542846#post11542846 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by silvers
IMO you would need 2 or 3 beckett injectors and one big pressure pump but for that size tank I would go pressure driven skimmer all the way some of the most productive skimmers I have eaver seen have been DIY becketts

I don't know how beckets work Doy you have a link?

[silvers]

Here is a page with a little info on diff skimmers http://www.hawkfish.org/snailman/skimmer101.htm

[azrednex]

thanks

[moore_rb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11542158#post11542158 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by azrednex
Can it handle the water volume I'm talking about?

My skimmer has a single becket, so it would be underpowered on capacity for a 500 system, but with 2 injectors (or better yet 3) my design would be able to handle huge bio loads.

I favor the beckett designs for large systems because they can be run with a single pump, while needle wheel designs work best with a secondary feed pump.

If I was doing a skimmer for a 500 system, I'd run 3 becketts with a sequence Hammerhead pump, and I'd use a 10 inch diameter (minimum) reaction chamber....

[landy]

here is a big needlewheel i recently finished

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1197532&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

landy