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Innovative Marine Aquariums

Nano/Pico Airstone Skimmer


YankeePete

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So I am going to start with saying this is my first go at a skimmer. Looking at some of the other nano/pico skimmers both DIY and commercial versions I added in what I wanted and needed, a few hours working on the CAD/CAM and this is what became of a sheet of acrylic today. Right now I am building it around my 20L AIO I built. I wanted something more than just a plain wooden airstone in a tube. Something that will offer the best efficiency with a wooden airstone and something that doesn't need any pump added to run. I really don't know if I would call this a full blown counter current skimmer but it's a start. It hangs on the AIO units divider wall. The skimmer is fed by incoming water flow into the refugium area through the overflow. I am using a simple Petco brand duel output airpump. Figured 1) I may need the air volume or 2) if this works I can power 2 with 1 pump!

 

She's powered up and running so let's sit back and let it break in and see what we can do with it!

 

Skimmer1.jpg

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Here is a picture of it bubbling away.I have a pressure regulator on the airline and have it turned almost off and it's still making a TON of bubbles!!!!! So I guess I can make it slightly larger. I have 3 places for adjustment. One being the air pressure itself, 2) the height of the airstone 3) the height of the skimmate cup. I think I will add an adjustable gate to control incoming water flow as well.

 

SkimmerCup.jpg

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I built a second skimmer yesterday. I just wanted to make sure the first one working was not just dumb luck after all! I am picking up some design cues that I want to change. I want to add a couple of inches to the height of the skimmers body. 1) longer dwell time for the bubbles in the water column and 2) to help keep those few micro bubbles from getting out.

 

I am machining parts now for a 3rd unit but out of red acrylic!

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This looks awesome! ! What are the dimensions? I would really like one of these (maybe one of the prototypes? Maybe?!?) if you decide to sell them and they fit my tank!

 

How are you glueing the sides? Thanks!

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This looks awesome! ! What are the dimensions? I would really like one of these (maybe one of the prototypes? Maybe?!?) if you decide to sell them and they fit my tank!

 

How are you glueing the sides? Thanks!

 

The main body of the skimmer 1.5"x1.25"x9.25" they skimmate cup is about another 4" tall but is adjustable. The unit is CNC machined and bonded(remember acrylic is bonded not glued) with Weld-On 4.

 

I am building this skimmer around my AIO units. Right now my focus is on my 20L AIO unit. The skimmer hangs onto the AIO overflows wall. Water flow into the overflow goes through the overflow's teeth into a hole towards the top of the skimmer and is then directed downward against the upward flowing air bubbles. It is a semi counter current type skimmer. This feature increases the efficiency of the protein skimmer. It also negates the need for another pump to move water through it like other skimmers need.

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This it the skimmate I had over a 24 hour period from 5:30am yesterday to this morning. I have the air pressure turned really down. If I up the air I boil water right out the top of course. There are some micro bubbles that make it out the bottom of the skimmer but they get caught in the Chaeto in the second chamber of the AIO unit and I don't notice any in the main display area.

 

24hrs.jpg

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What the approximate building cost?

 

 

Let's see there is $3,000 for the SolidWorks CAD software, $1,500 for the CAM software, $40,000 for the CNC machine, $15,000 for the CNC thermal bender, $200 for 6 hours of design time and $15 for materials! :D

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Let's see there is $3,000 for the SolidWorks CAD software, $1,500 for the CAM software, $40,000 for the CNC machine, $15,000 for the CNC thermal bender, $200 for 6 hours of design time and $15 for materials! :D

 

 

lol thats why I love DIY!

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Maybe a little baffle/ramp under where the water enters into the skimmer body would help redirect the bubbles towards the center of the skimmer more and could reduce micro bubbles from exiting the skimmer. Just an idea may help out.

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