need help building my protein skimmer

[prisoner1572]

I have built the actual protein skimmer and now I need to make my foam. Nothing I have done seems to make the bubles small enough. I have tried a venturi on my Mag, I have tried injecting air in the water intake on the pump. Theese do not create enough foam. I thought about trying the limewood airstone but I know that these kind of protein skimmers are not as efficient and and the stone needs to be replaced often. Is there a pump or way I can modify the pump to create small enough bubles or am I better off buying a complete protein skimmer.

 

[Electrobes]

a maxi jet 1200 wasn't good enough? Are you sure you're just not expecting too much foam??

 

[BillyZ]

on which side of the pump did you try your venturi? if it was on the out flow side then it wont work. You need to put the air tube on the in-flow side of your pump, this way the impellar of the pump will mash the bubbles into tiny bubbles... (tiiiiiiiny bubbles... sorry) you may need to drill a small hole and epoxy the airline tube to the hole.

 

[prisoner1572]

I did figure it out. I takes some some fiddling to just right to get the right amount of water and air going into the pump.

 

[Electrobes]

did you have the water pumping too much water at one time? Just curious because should I need a protein skimmer... I may just build one

 

[prisoner1572]

It's a 500 gph pump and I put in a ball valve to adjust how fast the water goes into the protein skimmer.

 

[prisoner1572]

i got it all set up and it works just great.

email me if anyone wants help building their own

wcwik@knox.edu