diy skimmer collection cup

[funi42]

can anyone give me pointers on making a PVC skimmer collection cup? My skimmer has a 4" pvc body and im planning on putting a 4"-2" reducer on there, but dont really know how to procede and make the riser tube and collection cup so i can remove and clean... TIA

[Geoff]

for my skimmers i just did not glue the collection cup into the 4" to 2" reducer. i would just lift it off to clean it. the newest one i made i used a 1.5" union as my removal point. this union is connected just below the collection cup.

why are you using a 2" collection tube? that is a bit big. not a big problem, just can be tough to tune depending on the amount of flow going throught the skimmer.

if you have a dremel you can always just get another 4" to 2" adaptor flip it upside down, dremel out the stop piece than shove a length of 2" pvc through the hole and glue it.

i tended to use either acrylic or acrylic and PVC and used Weld-on 16 to adhere them together. it worked pretty well, now i use Weld on -40. much better at those odd plastics going together.

HTH,

G~

[aka_bigred]

I used a 4" to 2" reducer cap and then put a 2" to 1.5" reducer busing in that. Then I have two 90's that make a U shape. One side has a hose that connects directly to my drain, and the other goes into the reduced output of the skimmer. that's complex to explain, but looks right in a pic.

Let me try to post a pic of what I'm talking about.

It's sort of like this only instead of a Tee on the left there I've since changed it to just another 90 going downward. Also the 90 that connects to the skimmer body is now a street-90 to save some vertical headroom. (this is an old pic of my skimmer - none of the current ones show the collection thingy very well.)

[funi42]

I actually went and got the 2 4"-2" reducers then I also got 2 of the 2"-1.5" reducers. Im planning on using my dremel so I can shove the 1.5" riser tube into the 4-2" to 1.5" collection cup (does that make sense?) How far should the riser tube protrude into the cup? How tall should the tube be coming out of the skimmer body? So for easy cleaning and removal I should glue the cup to the riser tube, but not glue the riser tube to the skimmer body? TIA, sorry for all the questions!

[Tim224DT]

Let me go take those pics i said i would of my skimmer.


Tim

[funi42]

for reference, here is the thread to the original build...

http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60641

it worked fine for awhile but I think the collection cup part is the reason it eventually failed...

thanks again guys!!

[Tim224DT]

Here you go Joe, I didn't glue my collection cup to my skimmer chamber i just stuck it together and it has worked fine. I do wrap a small trash towel around it because there is a small drip that comes out ever once in a while but not enough to notice water missing from your tank or to flood your floor.

And yes i know i am cleaning that collection cup right now.


Tim

[funi42]

perfect tim!! those pics help a bunch! now im just wondering what the length of the riser tube should be...

[Tim224DT]

Well as you can see in my pics mine arnt that high becasue of space.

Tim

[funi42]

Originally Posted by Tim224DT

Well as you can see in my pics mine arnt that high becasue of space.

Tim

yeah i was just wondering if there is an optimal length since height isnt an issue for me...

[Tim224DT]

Originally Posted by funi42

yeah i was just wondering if there is an optimal length since height isnt an issue for me...

Sorry i dont know for your case paging Geoff......

Ohh yeah looking at back at your build thread where is my 6 pack


Tim

[funi42]

Originally Posted by Tim224DT

Sorry i dont know for your case paging Geoff......

Ohh yeah looking at back at your build thread where is my 6 pack


Tim

ill have it in hand when I swing by to trade corals on one of these trips

[Geoff]

the shorter the collection tube the better, but other than that it does not seem to matter how long the tube is. you adjust the water height in the skimmer column untill the desired skimmate is released. the longer the collection tube the harder it is to get a wet skimmate consistantly. the skimmer becomes more twitchy.

G~

[funi42]

Originally Posted by Geoff

the shorter the collection tube the better, but other than that it does not seem to matter how long the tube is. you adjust the water height in the skimmer column untill the desired skimmate is released. the longer the collection tube the harder it is to get a wet skimmate consistantly. the skimmer becomes more twitchy.

G~

sounds good! but, is there a minimum the tube should be? should I make it long enough to extend into the cup, and then enough to fit in the 1.5" adapater on the skimmer body?

[Geoff]

as long as the tube is long enough to collect skimmate it is fine. if their is a drain on it for a collection jar, the tube will need to be tall enough to allow the skimmate to flow into the drain instead of back into the skimmer. most people like to make them taller to allow greater time between emptying, but if you drain to a container this is not a concern.

aka_bigred-Casey tried that kind of skimmate collection method on one of his skimmers and found that it did not do as good of a job as if it were a proper collection cup. the skimmate being pushed up on the far side of the elbows has nowhere to go but back into the skimmer itself. this limits the efficiency of the skimmer.

G~