DIY Protein Skimmers
- Thread starter patriot54
- Start date
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Sure, I got one you can make.
I got to draw it in microsoft paint, but I will get it on here ASAP. I think it's a neat design if you can do it.
I got to draw it in microsoft paint, but I will get it on here ASAP. I think it's a neat design if you can do it.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Most of it is PVC, so the body is 4" schedule 40 PVC. The test caps are thin, but very durable. Don't cement on the skimmer cup to the main body or the test cap on top of the cup. The uniseals you can buy online for 3-4 dollars.
The pump that you can use for it is like a mag 3. You could try to find a replacement impellar and make it a needle wheel skimmer. It would really shread the bubbles then.
You can probably pick up some John Geise fittings at Home Depot. so that you can attach an airline tube or 1/4" airline to. Also, be sure that on one end you have either a gang valve or a ball valve to have better control of air intake. You know that the less air flowing into the skimmer the smaller the bubbles will be and the more flow into the skimmer, the bigger the bubbles will be.
The slower the flow through the skimmer the better, but I guess you could feed it with a mag 3 as well.
The pump that you can use for it is like a mag 3. You could try to find a replacement impellar and make it a needle wheel skimmer. It would really shread the bubbles then.
You can probably pick up some John Geise fittings at Home Depot. so that you can attach an airline tube or 1/4" airline to. Also, be sure that on one end you have either a gang valve or a ball valve to have better control of air intake. You know that the less air flowing into the skimmer the smaller the bubbles will be and the more flow into the skimmer, the bigger the bubbles will be.
The slower the flow through the skimmer the better, but I guess you could feed it with a mag 3 as well.
patriot54
Member
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
http:///forum/post/2908197
I have no clue on how a protein skimmer works. Can you explain it to me? Like show what things do, stuff like that?
http:///forum/post/2908197
I have no clue on how a protein skimmer works. Can you explain it to me? Like show what things do, stuff like that?
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
If you don't know how it works, don't build one and don't ask how to build one. jeez.
With that being said, I'm glad that you ask how it works. Protein skimmers are also called foam fractionaters, however that is the old name. One day, some German dude dropped an air stone in the saltwater, and didn't pick it up. He then noticed the slime that was coming up the side of the glass and decided to try and experiment to see what it does.
Ends up what happens is that microbubbles have the ability to cling to dirt particles, some ammonia, trace elements, nitrate, phosphate, and several other dirty things in your tanks water column.
By chopping up air into microbubbles, the longer the bubbles are in direct contact with tank water the more dirt they uptake. Skimmers with longer and thicker bodies usually work best. The bubbles are then collected in a cup with the dirt. Everything combined is called "skimmate" which is usually thick or like a green tea - depending on if you dry skim or wet skim.
With that being said, I'm glad that you ask how it works. Protein skimmers are also called foam fractionaters, however that is the old name. One day, some German dude dropped an air stone in the saltwater, and didn't pick it up. He then noticed the slime that was coming up the side of the glass and decided to try and experiment to see what it does.
Ends up what happens is that microbubbles have the ability to cling to dirt particles, some ammonia, trace elements, nitrate, phosphate, and several other dirty things in your tanks water column.
By chopping up air into microbubbles, the longer the bubbles are in direct contact with tank water the more dirt they uptake. Skimmers with longer and thicker bodies usually work best. The bubbles are then collected in a cup with the dirt. Everything combined is called "skimmate" which is usually thick or like a green tea - depending on if you dry skim or wet skim.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
one pump, on the side of it is a recirculating pump. The pump on the outside is a feed pump.
The recirc pump chops bubbles up and recirculates water in the main body of the skimmer. The other pump feeds new fresh saltwater into the skimmer from the main tank. In this design, you can mount the whole skimmer outside of the sump if you need to. This is NOT a hang on back skimmer.
The recirc pump chops bubbles up and recirculates water in the main body of the skimmer. The other pump feeds new fresh saltwater into the skimmer from the main tank. In this design, you can mount the whole skimmer outside of the sump if you need to. This is NOT a hang on back skimmer.
wattsupdoc
Active Member
Really with the price of skimmers these days, especially the octopus/ MSX skimmers you cant really build one for that much cheaper. That is unless you have some of the items already, like the pump(s).... I had a DIY for a while, and while it was very effective I was never quite sure how well it was/could be performing.
I recommend spending the cash to get a decent one. Unless you just want to build one and don't mind it costing nearly as much anyways. Or you are talking about some special skimmer like a large one........
I recommend spending the cash to get a decent one. Unless you just want to build one and don't mind it costing nearly as much anyways. Or you are talking about some special skimmer like a large one........
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Just go ahead and buy one, like wattsupdoc said. By the time you figure it out, you could have already bought one and spent as much money on it.
Reason why I do DIY is because I have five years worth of old used equipment laying around.
Reason why I do DIY is because I have five years worth of old used equipment laying around.