DIY protein skimmer

[fishfreak1242]

Has anyone ever tried to make a DIY protein skimmer out of a 2 liter coke bottle or something similar to that? I want to try to build one to potentially replace my seaclone. How would you go about building one? Pics would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[scsinet]

DIY skimmer plans abound on the internet. Googling will find many.
TurningTim also built one and documented it here, and there are many others.
I'm not sure I'd use a 2 liter coke bottle, but PVC pipe is usually the material of choice.

 

[turningtim]

If you guys can bare with me for a couple of days I've had a couple of PM's asking for my design.
Last time I pulled my skimmer out I took a bunch of pics and such. Just haven't had time to do a "how too" yet.
I'll try my best to get it up ASAP!
SCSI, how do you place pics and then a paragraph and more pics. You know what I mean? Words in between pics?
Tim

 

[reef noob]

http://www.randystacye.com/diy_needle_wheel_skimmer.htm
there ya go!

 

[joncat24]

I have looked at that page before.
Kinda hard to spend $161 on a diy with pvc when you can get an octopus for 169 though.
Just my opinion, but skimmers are just not cost effective to build as a DIY project.
I built a couple beckett type skimmers back in the day, and they cost me more to build after mistakes and rethinking, than what I could have got a brand new MRC for.

 

[reefforbrains]

I played around with a few builds and came to a similar conclusion.
To really match your pull to your volume is a ______!!
Home built DIYers just dont have the access to all the R&D. To attain numbers that can match the higher end skimmers efficiency, we often opt to just overbuild the units.
I have done a few with my little pea brain. They are always physically larger units to compete with the higher end model's draw.
The flip side is you know EXACTLY how and where things might go awry with a skimmer you make yourself.
Sorry if I am sidetracking the thread but in my opinion the only reason to build your own is if your building a large application and want to add bells and whistles that are not commonly available in OTS units. And of course you LIKE building shtuff.
-Self cleaning
-Increased adjustments for overdrive in case of emergency
-Awkward shape requirements unavailable from Name brand.
Smaller units rated for under 150g are just not cost effective enough to make people take the plunge.
That is what makes some of us DIYers I guess, we just LIKE to build our own.

 

[turningtim]

Thats it right there RFB! Could I have bought one for the money I spent? Yep but thats just not that much fun now is it! Besides all that I was installing several ASM (before octos came out) and said hey I can make and improve on this. So I did! I think anyway........
Tim