DIY skimmer help..Beckett or clover???

[Black71gp]

I am deffinatly needed a new skimmer, since mine is the worst cheapest skimmer anyone could possibley think of. it came as a part of my wet dry set up and does nothing but take up space. I am quite money short right now so trying to get a skimmer cheap is a think i know i can not do. I am pretty hand and would like to make my own, problem is I dont know which would be better the beckett injector, which i hear they do not make anymore, or the clover type similar to the AquaC. I have a 50 gallon, LIGHT load, a marron and green chromis, trying to get more as money allows, but think building a skimmer is more important, I do not have a lot of sump room so i can not build a monster, and i dont have a lot of room in the sump, I could make one and hook it up and be stand alone. Any help would be appreciated. I have about $60 to build with, not including pump, and i have a 24x36" sheet of grey mirror acyrlic and a 4" tube, that i can use and hopefully will not need much more. All links and ideas are considered thanks.

[trueblood]

Hi
Here are a couple of links to check out.
First link is lengthy but a couple of designs there. Second link is my homepage. Becketts are great and easier to build and adjust. The spray injection (clover) can be a little more finiky to get right (height of riser ect.). I myself like the spray injection, just depends on how much you want to tinker with it. Anyway I and many others will be glad to help anyway we can. I cant remember his name but greeneyed**** has a good design for a beckett and has a thread here somewhere. You can do a search later as he will probably post here to you.
Here are the links

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=289654

http://www.geocities.com/jeffsreef/DIYskimmer.html

[Black71gp]

Ya i am alright with messing with the spray injection to get it right, just want to make sure i build it with the chance to raise and lower the injection tube with out major recunstruction. I have printed the detailed plans written by lawfish, which is I guess cheapreefs design. I am going with 4 inch foam tube and like can not decide on the air injection tube yet, I will be starting soon, i have to get the tools to cut the acyrlic. Will it be a major problem or pain that I have mirror acyrlic and can not see through the box?

[Cheapreef]

No problem on the mirror acrylic, you don't need to see inside the box.

Clinton

[Black71gp]

Alrighty. That works. I have been reading through other treads and Think I am going to go to home depot today to get piping and stufff. I think I am going to use a union like the euroreef for my collection cup and some sort of quick change for the injection nozzel and something to adjust its highth. Also need a coulpe tools for working with acrylic. my other skimmer died yesterday so I need to get this one done ASAP:eek2:

[Cheapreef]

If you have access to a band saw of scroll saw you can build a cheap union out of a threaed pvc end cap. Just check out my deltec based skimmer, it goes therough all that. After i built my last spray injection i had the same idea about the injector mounting, i was going to use a 3/4" union much easier. ;)

Clinton