My Beast DIY Skimmer!!! - Page 3

Jnicho · 03-26-2008, 12:18 PM

Since the opening in the tee for the inlet has to be reduced with a bushing it leaves room for the elbow to go back inside the opening. This would allow a 45 to be placed as shown in this diagram...This is what I would do if I was doing it over.

Jnicho · 03-31-2008, 10:24 PM

This is probably the final update for my DIY skimmer...I replaced the "cup" with a clear version (2 quart rubbermaid variety from good old WallyWorld). I was going to try a mesh mod and a gate valve but it is working like a dream (if it ain't broke don't fix it, right?).

Here is the new cup spewing foam like crazy, and about 48 hours worth of dark smelly liquid that has drained off into the gallon jug:

aquawolf · 03-31-2008, 10:50 PM

Awesome job overall Jnicho! Thanks for sharing all of this with us.

Jnicho · 03-31-2008, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aquawolf

Awesome job overall Jnicho! Thanks for sharing all of this with us.

Thanks!!!

Not a lot of areas in this hobby where you can save $$$. Thought by sharing my experience I might be able to help someone else. It 's a nice feeling when you can build something that performs at least as well as some of the middle of the road units out there for about the same cost as a seaclown!

OneDummHikk · 04-05-2008, 02:36 PM

I have mine cut out and dry fit. It is 80" tall! The questions I have now are about what goes on inside the skimmer. I have a T at the top and one at the bottom. If the water is introduced at the top (down draft style), do you need to run an air pump to get the bubbles to the bottom of the skimmer?

If the water comes in the bottom, with air suction from the water pump, and the drain is out the top, I would assume you would need to elbow the return inside the skimmer to the bottom to prevent bubbles from getting to the main display?

I had problems with my camera so I am going to take new pictures and post them. Want to get some input on where to head next with it before I glue it together.

OneDummHikk · 05-11-2008, 01:40 AM

Old thread but wanted to bump it and find out how the skimmer is operating now. I have mine dry fit but have a lot of questions about it before I glue it together.

Jnicho · 05-11-2008, 12:44 PM

It's still going!

I run it a little wet most of the time and pull about a gallon of medium dark junk (about the color of strong tea with a gross green tint to it) every week. My only real complaint is that I still need to find a gate valve to replace the ball valve...I'm sure it would be easier to adjust with the gate valve. I have a spare impeller for the pump and have thought about trying a "mesh" mod on it, but it works well the way it is so I haven't gotten to that either, LOL!

Let me know if there are any questions I can answer...I'm always happy to help.

Jnicho · 05-11-2008, 12:48 PM

Oh, the other thing to mention is that there is not quite as much foam as there was in the first little bit. I have assumed this is due to the skimmer having caught up with the tank and there simply isn't as much "stuff" to skim. Like I said, it seems to be working well...I have virtually no algae growth in the tank and while I don't consider myself a heavy feeder, I do feed twice a day.

OneDummHikk · 05-11-2008, 04:18 PM

I have to go get it this afternoon or in the morning and will take pictures of what I have so far and post them with my questions. Most of my questions have to do with what happens inside and the potential of running two that are 30" or so tall instead of one giant one that is almost 7' tall.

OneDummHikk · 05-21-2008, 03:04 PM

After talking to Geoff last weekend at the TRT picnic, the 7' tall one has become a relic. I still have all the pieces but Geoff got me stoked about the new design. He thought it was going to be a single recirculating, it is designed to be a quad recirculating beckett skimmer housed in a 12" PVC pipe. Possibly larger (I can get up to 24" PVC pipe).

OneDummHikk · 06-18-2008, 02:07 AM

In the pictures and posts, you used 3" pipe on the outside and 2" on the inside. Do you have any problems with water flow in between the two pipes? I am trying to design one and the distance between the two pipes (1/4") worries me as the water between the two pipes has to travel almost twice as fast as the water inside the inner pipe. Any issues in that area?

Jnicho · 06-18-2008, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneDummHikk

In the pictures and posts, you used 3" pipe on the outside and 2" on the inside. Do you have any problems with water flow in between the two pipes? I am trying to design one and the distance between the two pipes (1/4") worries me as the water between the two pipes has to travel almost twice as fast as the water inside the inner pipe. Any issues in that area?

Why are you still up? LOL!

In my design the 2" pipe is fastened into a 2" x 3" reducer so all the water is forced through the 2" pipe. It actually creates some turbulence in the reaction chamber which I think is good. If you look at skimmer designs like this one you'll see a similar "smaller" inner pipe.

The theory is that the bubbles go up and the water that makes it to the exit will have fewer bubbles in it. I have so much air going into mine that I still get a ton of bubbles in the exit water...I have the outlet running into a sock type setup to "kill" the bubbles.

I used 3" pipe because I had the 3" acrylic already...otherwise I would consider making the body a little "fatter" (although it works pretty well the way it is).

I hope that makes sense. Feel free to ask any more questions and I'll do my best to help.

OneDummHikk · 06-18-2008, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jnicho

Why are you still up? LOL!

I wish I knew. I would rather be asleep. Have a million things to get done today and hopefully I can get them done before I zonk out for the day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jnicho

In my design the 2" pipe is fastened into a 2" x 3" reducer so all the water is forced through the 2" pipe. It actually creates some turbulence in the reaction chamber which I think is good. If you look at skimmer designs like this one you'll see a similar "smaller" inner pipe.

The theory is that the bubbles go up and the water that makes it to the exit will have fewer bubbles in it. I have so much air going into mine that I still get a ton of bubbles in the exit water...I have the outlet running into a sock type setup to "kill" the bubbles.

That was one of my worries was the air bubbles getting back out the drain. With a 2" inside a 3", you have 2.15 sq inches between the 2 and 3 and 3.14 sq in inside the 2. So the water between the two is travelling 1.5 times as fast as the water inside the 2". The velocity is pulling bubbles with it. With a 3" inside a 4", it is even worse. The water speed is over twice on the outside as the inside. With a 4" pipe inside a 6" pipe, the area/volume match almost perfectly. ~12.56 in the 4", ~12.37 between the pipes.

A lot of my thoughts/questions are related to the group project skimmer thread I started here:
DIY Skimmer, group project

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jnicho

I used 3" pipe because I had the 3" acrylic already...otherwise I would consider making the body a little "fatter" (although it works pretty well the way it is).

4" x 3" reducer coupling

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jnicho

I hope that makes sense. Feel free to ask any more questions and I'll do my best to help.

When you went from the 3" down to 2", and put the 3" on the outside, how did you seal it up?

Jnicho · 07-24-2008, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneDummHikk

I wish I knew. I would rather be asleep. Have a million things to get done today and hopefully I can get them done before I zonk out for the day.

That was one of my worries was the air bubbles getting back out the drain. With a 2" inside a 3", you have 2.15 sq inches between the 2 and 3 and 3.14 sq in inside the 2. So the water between the two is travelling 1.5 times as fast as the water inside the 2". The velocity is pulling bubbles with it. With a 3" inside a 4", it is even worse. The water speed is over twice on the outside as the inside. With a 4" pipe inside a 6" pipe, the area/volume match almost perfectly. ~12.56 in the 4", ~12.37 between the pipes.

A lot of my thoughts/questions are related to the group project skimmer thread I started here:
DIY Skimmer, group project

4" x 3" reducer coupling

When you went from the 3" down to 2", and put the 3" on the outside, how did you seal it up?

Doesn't look like I ever followed up...I assume you have answered these questions already.

Jnicho · 07-24-2008, 11:58 PM

UPDATE:

Well after seeing the WalMart mesh mod a few places I thought I'd give it a try...here are some pics of the process:

This is the stuff...about $2 and enough to do several mods:

Stock impeller vs. the shaved and drilled one:

I opted for the zip tie method to secure the mesh:

Trimmed, installed and ready to run:

Hard to tell from the pic, but definitely an improvement...bubbles are smaller and lots more of them:

Again, hard to tell, but it's pulling some pretty nasty gunk:

Lastly, I redid the Venturi while the skimmer was down...the intake is reduced from 1" to 1/2" and I moved the air intake as close to the impeller housing as I could get it...also moved up to 3/8" tubing for the airline...this little pump is sucking some serious air now: