How to do the skimmer cup???

lovethereefer · #1 03/23/2007, 09:53 PM

I have a 5' section of 8" ID PVC that I have modded into a skimmer. I have a 6" piece of acrylic for the riser tube. My predicament is how to make the skimmer cup....on the cheap that is. I was thinking of a clear party bucket with a uniseal on it for the cup. Anyone have any other ideas on how to make a cup for a 6" riser tube????? I would like to stay clear or as clear as possible. I am drawing a blank

RandyStacyE · #2 03/23/2007, 10:46 PM

If I understand you correctly ... you have basically an 8" diameter reaction chamber and you want to use a 6" diameter neck leading up through the reaction chamber?

I'm just wondering if you mean 6" diameter or 6" tall.

lovethereefer · #3 03/24/2007, 06:25 AM

6" diameter, I was planning on using a Dart NW for the recirc. The reaction chamber is 8"ID and about 5' tall. Then there is a reducer from 8"ID sewer line to 6"OD sch 40 and I am going to use that for the riser tube of the skimmer. I need to figure out how to do the cup

Harold Edwards · #4 03/24/2007, 09:10 AM

I thank 6" dia tube is to big for the riser tube. I would not go over 4" dia for the riser.

lovethereefer · #5 03/24/2007, 09:29 AM

well I am going to have the dart orca for the recirc and I am going to do the wetneck with smaller pipe on the inside which should bring it down a bit

lovethereefer · #6 03/24/2007, 09:30 AM

why do you say that the riser would be too big? I thought that if you are putting a massive amount of air into the column that the riser had to be big enough to handle it

Harold Edwards · #7 03/24/2007, 09:50 AM

I just thank the riser tube dia should be half the size of the body or smaller.

RandyStacyE · #8 03/24/2007, 10:32 AM

Check out this thread:
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=1

'bobafet1' used 12" dia reaction chamber and a 6" neck and he's running an ORCA NW pump. Evidently at the moment his skimmer is a bit too tall for the pump.

Many do use 1/2 diameter of the reaction chamber for the neck, but it isn't written in stone. My 6" dia skimmer uses a 2" neck, but if the neck were at least 2-1/2" - 3" I believe it would be an improvement.

Keep in mind that I'm only using a GenX-2400 on mine. If I were to make a taller 6" skimmer I'd use a larger diameter neck to allow for more air - more foam and less resistance for this foam to rise. In other words bigger the pump, bigger neck. Drastically oversizing the neck could be as bad as undersizing it.

Before you get married to the design I'd check out quite a few prefab skimmers and other peoples skimmers that they have built.

When I made my cup I just cut a hole on the bottom of a container and slid it over the neck and glued it to the top of the union.

lovethereefer · #9 03/24/2007, 11:10 AM

I have been watching that thread, b/c of it I am going to run the pump higher in the reaction chamber to ward off the problems with the head height and just have it blowing down into the reaction chamber. What sort of container could I put a 6" hole through? I like the idea of a union but they are expensive and uniseals are cheap.

RandyStacyE · #10 03/24/2007, 12:21 PM

The only problem with using a Uniseal is ... well good luck removing the cup to clean it

A union is the way to go for the average DIY skimmer. Some use threaded PVC fittings and simply twist off their cup ... just make sure that you have room above the skimmer to unscrew and lift it off. Others use CNC machine made twist locks or make their own twist locks with a router. They take some thought and experimentation to make them and they ARE NOT cheap to buy. I believe Spaz and possibly some others here on RC make them.

I can't think of a container right off hand for a 6" diameter neck. I think what everyone is trying to suggest is to not use a 6" neck in the first place.

I'm all for good old fashioned encouragement, experimentation and all that, but 6" seems awful BIG for an 8" chamber.

lovethereefer · #11 03/24/2007, 12:37 PM

well Ive got this 8" pipe that I would like to use and I dont really know how to do the flanges and of course dont have the tools either so I am limited by those factors.

Harold Edwards · #12 03/24/2007, 04:26 PM

Here's a picture of mine. it is just a male and female adapter.
mine has been modified because I have the tool to do it. but you don't have to modify them.

newreef8584 · #13 03/24/2007, 08:14 PM

Why not take 6-8" of the reaction chamber tubing and some sheet acrilyc and make yourself a collection cup? It is only a few minutes work and they tend to look nicer then using containers. But I agree with randy on a smaller neck size, and the unions are the simplest way to hook it together as well as the added benefit of a zero clearance cup removal..

GrandeGixxer · #14 03/24/2007, 08:28 PM

If you can afford a 215g tank, a union valve shouldn't be breaking the bank.

lovethereefer · #15 03/24/2007, 09:07 PM

hey swabby I didnt say that I paid retail for the tank lol j/k I have it filled w/ frags, it was completely dead rock at 2 bucks a pound and the bare minimum I could get away with for a skimmer the rps 3000....now I have to up it a bit. Im a college student btw
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