My completely worthless DIY Skimmer

Discussion in 'I made this!' started by artrichter001, Dec 5, 2007.

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  1. artrichter001

    artrichter001 Fire Worm

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    So, I decided to build a Skimmer. After hours of hard work, I finally came of with my finished piece. I was so proud of it. I installed it in my sump and let it run for 3 days. No skimmate yet. I'm starting to believe I made an awfull mistake in the design but can't figure it out yet. Can you tell?? Here's a pic:

    [​IMG]
     
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  3. Jason McKenzie

    Jason McKenzie Super Moderator

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    So where is air injected into the skimmer.
     
  4. Brandon1023

    Brandon1023 Fire Goby

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    That was my first thought too....
     
  5. artrichter001

    artrichter001 Fire Worm

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    Air is injected by a venturi effect in the powerhead's water exit. i built the venturi myself. there's a lot of microbubbles

    [​IMG]
    '''''
    could it be that the powerhead is too powerful and there is excess current inside the skimmer?
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2007
  6. Jason McKenzie

    Jason McKenzie Super Moderator

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    That's What I thought. I'm sure you will get some skimming sometime. How about water level in the riser chamber. How high is it

    J
     
  7. reef_guru

    reef_guru Humpback Whale

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    you can buy just the venturi to replace the one you have to make better bubbles. how do you adjust the water level? what does the pipe on the right angled up do? can you see the bubbles through the white pvc neck into the cup?
     
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  9. newton27

    newton27 Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    Your input is drawn from the inside bottom right...the input should be coming in from outside the skimmer. What is the tube on the top right do? That looks wrong too. If that is where the input water is coming from that would not be efficient. Bubble foam would not stir properly either. IMO
     
  10. artrichter001

    artrichter001 Fire Worm

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  11. artrichter001

    artrichter001 Fire Worm

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    I'm gonna try to explain what I did. The 45° bent-up tube you see in the upper right side, is where water comes in to the skimmer from my overflow. I use the powerhead to create the bubbles, so it draws water from inside the skimmer and sends it back into the skimmer mixed with air. The powerhead does not draw water from outside the skimmer becasue then the flow would be upwards, in the same direction as the bubbles, right? I was told that contact between water and bubbles should be "counter current". I cannot see the bubbles in the white pvc neck. Would it work to draw water from outside the skimmer and cancel the water entrance at the top right? Thanks for your input.
     
  12. reef_guru

    reef_guru Humpback Whale

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    your setup where the water outlet is works fine. euro-reef rc models do just that. and work very well. do a google search on the rc ( recirculating ) models to see what im talking about. then there are other models that just circulate which brings water into the pump from the outside. rc models get more contact time. try either a needle wheel or a better venturi. and can you adjust the water level?