My DIY skimmer...PIC INTENSIVE...
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5968
Printed Date: September 27 2024 at 12:17pm
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Topic: My DIY skimmer...PIC INTENSIVE...
Posted By: bobn4burton
Subject: My DIY skimmer...PIC INTENSIVE...
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 1:20am
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Hi all, I decided to build me a skimmer. This is the first skimmer I've ever built and even the first "real" skimmer I've owned. I took my ideas from several sources (Euroreef, deltec, other DIY'ers, my own brainstorming). I'll list some quick specs of the skimmer and then show a bunch of pictures of the whole build process (I'm showing a ton of pictures because I always like to see lots of peoples pictures...so if you don't want to see all the pictures then just scroll to the end  )Skimmer Specs: Reaction body: 6" extruded acrylic tubing 18" tall Pump: Ocean Runner 2700 (2700=2500+needlewheel impeller) Air intake: DIY venturi on Recirculating pump Riser tube: 2.75" riser tube about 3.5" tall Skimmer total height: 25" tall OK, now on to the pictures... This first picture is one of all my supplies before getting started:  I decided that I wanted a slanted skimmer neck to transition from skimmer body to riser tube. This should help with bubble travel from body to riser. To do this I simply heat up a disc of acrylic in the kitchen oven and formed my reducer. Here are two pieces of plywood I used to sandwich the acrylic while heating:  You can see the 5.75" holes I cut in the plywood for the forms. This next picture shows the acrylic "sandwich" cooking in the oven:  I then used the tubing reserved for my riser tube to push the acrylic into my shape as seen below:  Here is a picture of the finished reducer after thermo-forming:  I then cut a hole in the thermo-formed reducer and glued my riser tube on:  I then started working on the body. Here shows the holes in the body for pipe inlets/outlets:  And this pic shows the flange used to fasten the collection cup assembly to the body being glued to the body:  The next part that I worked on was the ventui. It was quite simple really, just an airtube pushed tightly into a Tee with a hole cut in the airtube for air to be pulled into the water stream and into the pump. Here are a couple pics of the venturi:   I then worked on the collection cup and keyholes to fasten the collection cup assembly to the body. Here are a few pics of the process:     Now all the parts were about done. I actually flipped the pump backwards from the way you'd normally see the deltec or ER recirculating skimmers. This gave me better airflow into the body because the venturi inlet was a good 4-5 inches higher and so it had less backpressure on it. Here is a pic of the mounted pump:  And finally here is a pic of the finished product:  And a couple shots when I was testing it in a tub of tankwater:   These two foaming pics were taken immediately into the testing. After running it for two days straight the skimmer started to "break-in" a little and it was actually foaming about 3 times as good but I didn't get pics of it then  |
Replies:
Posted By: bobn4burton
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 1:25am
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Oh...and as an FYI... If anyone was interested in seeing how the pump could be mounted "normally" here is a pic. I can actually change it either way with how its setup in about 15 seconds.  |
Posted By: ssilcox
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 2:20am
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Pretty slick! I especially like the "thermo-formed reducer". Great work. |
Posted By: joliverson
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 8:03am
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I'm interested in knowing the build cost. I'd like to do something like this but think the cost wouldn't be much less than a ASM or deltec skimmer. Jody |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 8:55am
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Awesome! And I too like the thermoformed reducer. Did you cut out the keyhole slots by hand? With a dremel or router? Are you getting a good seal using a full faced rubber gasket and 1/4" acrylic flanges? I've had problems with that combination (the 1/4" acrylic flexes too much... 3/8 or 1/2" would work much better). If you have problems look at using a large n-buna o-ring instead of the gasket. I really like o-rings. I want to build a recirculating skimmer too... ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 8:56am
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Oh almost forgot. How hot did you heat up the acrylic to form the reducer? ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: bobn4burton
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 9:30am
Cost really wasn't bad at all. MUCH cheaper than buying one. I spent about 35 dollars on all the acrylic and supplies relating to acrylic: acrylic tubing and sheet, weld-on, applicator, etc. I then spent 15 dollars on the Uniseals. 8 dollars on the telescoping 1 1/2" PVC fitting. 50 dollars on the Ocean Runner 2700 NW pump. An probably about another 10-15 dollars in all the pvc fittings and misc stuff. 35 + 15 + 8 + 50 + 15 = $123 The skimmer I made compares to about the 800 dollar deltec. Its hard to compare against a Euro-reef because they don't list a price for their recirculating skimmers that I've seen anyway. Also hard to compare to ASM because they don't have a recirculating model that I'm away of. But I'm sure you couldn't get a comparable skimmer for under 300. |
joliverson wrote:Posted By: bobn4burton
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 9:37am
Yes, I cut the keyholes by hand with a dremel. I just cut the larger hole and then drilled a smaller hole next to each larger hole. I then took my dremel and made the smaller hole into a slot. I actually don't get the best seal with the full faced gasket. The gasket material is too hard. It leaks enough to drip a couple times every few minutes. Do you konw of a better o-ring I could use...and possibly where to get one? I'm not sure what n-buna means. As for heating the acrylic, I just put my 9" acrylic flat disc sandwiched between the two plywood forms as you can see in the pictures. I then preheated my oven to 300 deg F. Once my oven was preheated, I put the acylic sandwich in the oven for about 10-14 minutes and it was just plyable enough that I could use my riser tube to push down and form the reducer. It worked very slick and easy. MUCH easier than I thought it would and I'm very happy with the results. I posted about this on RC, and got warned about possible flammable fumes escaping from heating the acrylic...so I guess there's a chance that heating the acrylic in your kitchen oven isn't 100% safe. I obviously felt the risk was small enough to not worry about...but if anyone wants to try the kitchen oven method...just be warned. |
Posted By: bambbrose
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 10:13am
| very nice work. If I was to make a smaller version would it work the same? I don't have a ton of space under my stand and I'm just curious how well a smaller version would work |
Posted By: bobn4burton
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 10:33am
| I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work making it smaller. You could easily cut the skimmer body down from 18" high to 12" high. The footprint could get a little smaller...but not too much because the pump is just so big and all of the tubing coming in and out takes up a lot of room. You might be able to shrink it up with some creative placement of parts. |
Posted By: fj40fax
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 10:43am
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How much of it can be underwater? I think I have about 20" of space, but about 15" of it is underwater in the sump. Fax ------------- Fax 318-3632 90g 2x250W 14kK MH Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle Adjustments and Massages for Frags! |
Posted By: bobn4burton
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 11:06am
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You can submerse it up to the flange that connects the collectin cup assembly to the body. only 20" of space is pretty tight. I have about 26.5" inches of space and the skimmer is 25" tall. So I don't have much room to spare. But you could build a skimmer that was 6" shorter (cut the body down 6") and you could almost fit it in there. |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: March 29 2005 at 11:12am
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Do you konw of a better o-ring I could use...and possibly where to get one? Search for 0-ring at http://www.dexonline.com - www.dexonline.com for a local source. I buy mine from HydraPak Seals on about 20th south and 37th west. A 6.25 - 6.5 inch o-ring is about $0.50, but they have a minimum order of $5. The thin sealing surface of the oring works great, even on 1/4" acrylic. I'm not sure what n-buna means. sorry... engineering habit. n-buna is the material. Just regular old black o-rings. ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: June 02 2006 at 8:28am
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Hi people.
Where can i find the photos form this topic?
It realy inspire me to make my DIY skimmer. I put this topic in my favorites a weeks ago, i now the pictures disapear...
 Could any one help me please.
Thanks in advance!
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Posted By: bobn4burton
Date Posted: June 02 2006 at 10:42am
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The site I was using to host my files seems to be down. I'm trying to find another cheap/free web hosting site....so I'll have them back up shortly. Sorry! |
Posted By: bobn4burton
Date Posted: June 08 2006 at 1:41am
| Pics should be back for now... |
Posted By: ReefBones
Date Posted: June 08 2006 at 1:52am
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No pics :( ... just a bunch of smilies ... ------------- 140 gallon Reef 65 gallon Reef 55 gallon Aggressive www.thesalttank.com 801-865-6074 "encourage other divers and sea enthusiasts to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but bubbles" |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: June 08 2006 at 3:04am
Yep including in your avatar. 
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Posted By: bobn4burton
Date Posted: June 08 2006 at 3:07am
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Hmmm...it was working at first. Apparently the free hosting place I just signed up for doesn't like me linking to pics from a forum??? Well...I'll get this sorted out soon. Nobody has a reccommendation for a good free web host do they? |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: June 08 2006 at 3:09am
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The best i know is http://www.imageshack.us/ - http://www.imageshack.us/
No need to register, just upload images!
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Posted By: bobn4burton
Date Posted: June 08 2006 at 3:11am
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Interesting...the pics are showing up now???? Do you see them...or smiley's still? |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: June 08 2006 at 3:12am
| Still smiles including in your avatar... |
Posted By: bobn4burton
Date Posted: June 08 2006 at 3:14am
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That's weird...I was seeing smiley's as well... But this last time I posted the pics showed up again. They are still there now. Well...I'll definitely find a new place to host as this one seems to be pretty flaky. In the meantime...pics may be up and down apparently. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: June 08 2006 at 5:47am
Have you tried uploading the pics to this message board?
Click on  then click on the  where you can choose "browse" to find the pics on your computer and then "upload" the pics. The pics must be reduced in size to less than 60KB. I do that with an editing program, making them small files but up to 700 pixels wide at 72 pixels/inch. This method can make them very visible. For example, this pic was posted on the message board some time ago. I saved it for future use. It is 580 pixels wide and 58KB.  And kinda gross. 
 ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: pickensw
Date Posted: June 08 2006 at 10:23pm
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I see them just fine...Looks very nice!!
If you were able to see them once and can't now try and refresh the page. The pics might be cached using the old address when you try and view them again. ------------- All things can be cured by salt water, whether by sweat, tears or going to sea. ~Isak Dinesen |
Posted By: bobn4burton
Date Posted: June 08 2006 at 11:04pm
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I'm on a new free host. Hopefully this one treats me a little better:) Pics should hopefully stay up now...we'll see of course! |
Posted By: Redrock
Date Posted: June 09 2006 at 3:38pm
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Nice work bobn, I saw a similar thread (I think on RC) about forming the cone for the collection cup.
I am very interested in how you cut the holes on the round tubes. I need to do that step and am afraid of cracking it to pieces.
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Posted By: bobn4burton
Date Posted: June 09 2006 at 10:14pm
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I just cut the holes with a normal hole saw. Just took it slow and I didn't have any problems with cracking. Although if I had to do it again...I wouldn't use Uni-Seals. I'd just glue the pipe to the acrylic. The Uni-Seals were supposed to make it easy..but they leaked a little and where too hard with the thinner walled acrylic 6" tube I used for the body. |
Posted By: cdbsandy
Date Posted: August 17 2006 at 8:22pm
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This might be obvious to others, but as a person new to the DIY portion
of this hobby I would like to ask what is being used to pass through
the wall of the reaction chamber. From the pictures it apears that you
are using bulk head fitings. How do you get them to seal? Thanks |
Posted By: bobn4burton
Date Posted: August 17 2006 at 10:31pm
| I am using "Uni-Seals". They are just a rubber grommet type fitting. You could also just glue the pvc right to the acrylic. |
Posted By: cdbsandy
Date Posted: August 20 2006 at 9:08am
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Where can I purchase Uni-Seals? Niether the big box hardware or specialty plumbing shop I visited yesterday have them? Thank you! I am excited to build this skimmer. |
Posted By: Redrock
Date Posted: August 20 2006 at 10:18am
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All the online supply houses have them, here is just one.
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/8600/cid/2009 - http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/8600/cid/2009
I can't remember where I got mine but they were fast and the least expensive I found. Dang my mind is slipping!
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Posted By: cdbsandy
Date Posted: August 20 2006 at 3:06pm
| Thanks all, I am on my way I will let you know how this turns out. |
Posted By: Redrock
Date Posted: August 21 2006 at 1:47pm
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Savko.com is the other place that I got my uniseals. They also have killer deals on locline.
It just takes my brain a little longer to boot up.
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