NEED HELP

[FishAddict]

I Want To Change My 55G FW To A FOWLR SW Tank But On A Restricted Budget But Me And My Friends Are Very Handy We Have Made Everything From Stands To Sumps And We Want To Make A Protein Skimmer For It .....What Are Your Ideas?

[roka64]

If you are going FOWLR, you really don't need a skimmer. A lot of people like them, I don't use one in my FOWLR, due to space.
This might get better attention in the DIY forum. Maybe one of the mods can move it for you.

[melosu58]

Done

[sabbott1877]

Have you thought or read about skilters? they don't work quite the same but would be good on a budget.

[Wallace]

Hi,

This is my skimmer, it was purchased from a LFS but as you can see its just built from off-the-shelve PVC fittings. The only thing I don't understand is how he made the venturi valve... I know air is being sucked in half way through the water intake (through that cactus arm looking thing), so there must be a venturi valve somewhere in the 3/4 inch PVC T fitting. Water level inside the skimmer (to adjust how much foaming is ejected through the top collection cup) is controlled by the valve on the exhaust side (you can barely see it in the photo, on the bottom). Water is supplied via a Rio 600 pump (not shown), through the clear plastic hose.

So far this skimmer has been completely maintainance free, I have not ever cleaned it once (except the "upside down U" PVC section that takes the slimmy stuff to the colletion cup) and it has been running for about 6 or 7 years now. The only draw back is that the bubble it forms are fairly large, some skimmers produce extremely fine bubbles which is more effective. However you might be able to fix it by using a better venturi valve, although with the fairly large bubbles mine still works very well - as visible from the stuff it spits out to the collection cup.

Hope that helps!



Wallace