Check out my new surface skimmer/overflow invention:

king_neptune

Active Member
I give you....Neptune's Rim!!( *** Come on
-Sep)*patent pending

Doesn't look like much but look closer:

And better yet:

That's right, surface skimming for poor people! I get the whole length of the tank for a few bucks in PVC! Right now it is just a demo and this isn't the final product, but you can see where I'm going with this :)
It doesn't waste precious real estate in the tank, yet it gives me up to 2600GPH over flow since I'm using 2x1.5" lines. It will draw evenly since its pulling from both sides. Larger pipes=larger flow, or smaller,whatever you prefer. If someone wants they can add a third line in the middle...or whatever, I just chose two since I feel this will give me considerable surface skimming.
Oh and the reason I have it so far from the back of the tank is because I want to fit my foam wall build behind it.
I'm trying to figure a way to cut a straight line but 3x-5x as thick. The size of the saw blade isn't thick enough...and if I try to give a small twist and run it through again:

As you can see, I cant do it with just a table saw, but pops has a whole wood working shop so I'm sure there is a tool in there that can do it. But right now hes asleep so Ill have to wait till morning.
This is just demo to show you all what I had in mind all along. Ill get it tweaked and spend the next week running it with fresh water till I determine the proper size of the slit.
Waddaya think?
Right now I'm trying to come up with a good screen or something to cover it...I don't want small fish swimming in. Any thoughts or comments?
 

rondo

Member
Thats awesome. ***
If you have a router with a sharp enough bit you should be able to drill a hole to start, insert the router bit, whatever thickness you want, and get yourself a nice straight line if you use a jig.
 

king_neptune

Active Member
Originally Posted by Rondo
http:///forum/post/3096691
Thats awesome. ***
If you have a router with a sharp enough bit you should be able to drill a hole to start, insert the router bit, whatever thickness you want, and get yourself a nice straight line if you use a jig.
I saw a couple routers the other day so i know hes got that...i dont know what a jig looks like, but im guessing its something that holds both router and peice of wood steady. aka holds pipe steady^^
Also Im entertaining putting small versicle slits every inch. this would run the entire length of the pipe.
 

king_neptune

Active Member
Good news/Bad news Time:
Good news: I was pointed to several threads who already incorporate this design, so now I have other people to learn off of.
Bad news: I was pointed to several threads that incorporate this design
I'm not some genius who pioneered something amazing

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Also the slit I made I kept the width ofthe saw blade, then I cut a 1/2" vertical line every 2" to make a cross. Next Ill install the overflow FACE UP
, and the water will pull a nice sheet right across the surface. From the pictures of threads I was showed, it looks like this will be a really nice overflow, with a gentle even pull right across the surface.
 

king_neptune

Active Member
Originally Posted by Bulldog123
http:///forum/post/3097021
$180 gets you a Bosch Router table with a adjustable fence(router not included). Also great with acrylic.
My old man has a router table... but he said try doing the vertical slit thing first...i got plenty spare PVC so if it doesn't work, Ill use his router.
 

renogaw

Active Member
the other issue is path of least resistance. the water will come more from the two ends and the middle won't really take in as much water.
you should increase the middle opening and decrease the end openings, to make water enter evenly.
 

king_neptune

Active Member
Originally Posted by renogaw
http:///forum/post/3097067
the other issue is path of least resistance. the water will come more from the two ends and the middle won't really take in as much water.
you should increase the middle opening and decrease the end openings, to make water enter evenly.

great idea. Ill double up on the vertical slits along the middle.
 

renogaw

Active Member
Originally Posted by King_Neptune
http:///forum/post/3097142
great idea. Ill double up on the vertical slits along the middle.
the second slits would have to be under the middle one, but then it won't give surface skimming... you could try doing it on the back and the front maybe.
 

renogaw

Active Member
nope, didn't see those. that makes more sense for surface skimming, the slits being on the verticle like that compared to being on the horizontal.
personally... that's a lot of wasted space imo...
 
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