Mini skimmer

[penguinsix]

has anyone ever tried to make a skimmer for a 2.5 gallon tank. I was thinking about this last night when I went to bed.

 

[swissfish]

if you want to collect a cup af skimmate a week, make it really tiny

 

[penguinsix]

well it has to be hob so that will make it harder. and I like the venturi method more than the berlin method.

 

[foma2000]

yes. ive actuly built two. it took me seven trys but i did it, and i built it out of compleatly random parts(a gravle vacum, a medicen container, a 20 ounce soada bottle, and some pvc pipe) i found that the only way to make it was to put it right in the tank. so i got some clear plastic pipe, and i wedged an airstone in the bottom with the airline tubbing comming up the tubing. then i drilled a hole at the side of the tupe near the top that was right above the water level. right above that was an adapter that conected to a peice of 1/2 ince pvc pipe. i drilled a 1/2 inch hole in the soda bottle cap and clued the pipe to the cap, then screwed the cap the the bottle and presto. the only thing was that the soada bottle was a bit unsightly so instead u could use a smaller bottle.

 

[foma2000]

then i just hung it in the tank with the hole just out of the water. it workes pritty good.

 

[youronlysin]

Hah! Great idea man...I wonder if one of those wooden air diffusers would work better than a standard airstone. You know those diffusers that make the really tiny air bubbles?

 

[penguinsix]

I think I may do that. I color coded it, can you tell me if it looks right. and is there any other way to get the clear tubing.

 

[foma2000]

looks really good. i liked the idea of the medician bottle, because the giant 20 ounce bottle was an eye soar. i forgot to say that a wood defuser is almost a necesity. regular airstones just dont give small enough bubles. you also need an airvalve to control the amount of air. and im pritty shure that you can get clear tubing at the lfs, but im not shure.

 

[xahx]

looking good, i saw one at the store like it, for 38 bucks!