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Tired of wondering which nano skimmer to buy?


RBuddha

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Ah the joys of pvc. I never realized their potential until i started seeing threads about cheap pvc skimmers. I always thought to myself "these things really are cheap and probably dont work". I also saw many threads asking about "what nano skimmer to buy" and i wondered why people dont make their own. After all they're stupidly simple to make.

 

So i present my nanoskimmer. This skimmer is 100% pvc and the total cost is below $20 (without the pump). I made this skimmer with the average reefer in mind. I have a whole toolbox full of goodies like dremels and clamps, hole saws, drills and all that, but i realize that not everyone has these things to work with. Let alone the know-how and time to make their own skimmer. After you have all the parts this skimmer should take no more than a half hour to assemble and probably a few hours to cure. The pump is a maxi jet 900 that i've modified with a bioball for a needlewheel impeller that makes more micro bubbles. You dont have to do that, you can just run an airline near the impeller and have the same effect. But if you want modified bioballs that you just add onto the impeller let me know and i can send some.

 

Ok so its kinda late and im tired so im just gona shoot from the hip here with instructions until tomorrow when i'll edit it to clarify any questions.

 

This is the parts that you'll need for the skimmer. The skimmer was designed around 1 1/4" pvc. You can scale this though up to probably a full 2" body skimmer and have no problems with assembly or performance.

 

parts.jpg

 

You will also need about 1" of clear 1/2" tubing to connect the powerhead to the skimmer. I'll edit this photo tomorrow and label all the parts you need.

 

Here are the individual pieces you'll need for the collection cup

cup_parts.jpg

 

These are the parts for the body of the skimmer

skimmer_parts.jpg

 

When cutting the length just size up a coupling against your 1 1/4" pipe and cut it just shy of the full length of the coupling to make a perfect fit.

length.jpg

length2.jpg

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We have to T sections. one is a threaded 1 1/4" with a 1/2" threaded inlet that you'll use for the nozzle from the pump. The second T part is for the water thats been skimmed to exit. Assemble these with your couplings like in this picture. You should have 2 couplings on top, the threaded T connect and then the large 1 1/4 x 1 1/4 x 1 1/4 T connection.

skimmer_body.jpg

 

Ok, after that we need to cap the bottom of the skimmer so water flows out the side. Here are the individual pieces for the plug.

bottomcap.jpg

 

Push the smaller 3/4" plug into the back of the 1 1/4" bushing like so..

bottomcap2.jpg

 

You should end up with something like this...

bottomcap3.jpg

 

Pick up some of this glue to use on a few parts if you can. Silicon or super glue should suffice as well.

glue.jpg

 

 

Put some glue on the top of the plug where its flush and then push it into the bottom of the skimmer.

bottomcapped.jpg

 

Now we will assemble the skimmer cup and riser. Here's the parts needed for the riser.

skimmer_riser.jpg

 

Do the same thing you did with the plug and add some glue around the edge of the plug and push it through the bushing to make the riser pipe.

skimmer_riser2.jpg

 

Here we have the riser and collection cup which is a 2" threaded male adapter.

riser_cup.jpg

 

This is what it should look like when you put the riser into the cup. Remember to glue it up on the edges too and inside the cup as well.

cup2.jpg

 

Add glue on this lip where my thumb is and push it in.

cup3.jpg

 

Almost done! This is your nozzle that you just screw into the side of the skimmer. You can use teflon tape on the threads if you want to but i just screwed mine in since this is the sump version but a HOB one i would use teflon tape.

nozzle.jpg

 

Just add in your pump with clear hosing after everything is cured and you'll be set. You'll want to adjust the water outflow with a bushing that tapers to probably 3/4". I havent had time yet to really test it and see what works best but usually 1/2" in means 3/4" outflow to keep the water level even.

 

 

And there it is! In all its glory. The 100% pvc dirt cheap nano skimmer!

nanoskimmer1.jpg

nanoskimmer2.jpg

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Thank you very much for the great how to on the Skimmer!

 

Can this be put in one of the chambers of a Bio Cube 14? If not, Then what size piping would I use to build one for my BC14?

 

Thanks

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Thank you very much for the great how to on the Skimmer!

 

Can this be put in one of the chambers of a Bio Cube 14? If not, Then what size piping would I use to build one for my BC14?

 

Thanks

It might be slightly taller than a biocube can handle but id have to check the dimensions to be sure. If that was the case then you can always take out a coupler to make it shorter.

 

Yeah...anyone can make a "skimmer"...lets seem some skimmate.

 

Ill be setting up a tank today to start the testing. Ive made skimmers for years, i have no doubt this one will work just fine :)

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RBuddha

Got any pics of the pump with the bio ball needle wheel on it?

What is the point of the T at the bottom?

How many gallons would this handle?

Note to self: I wonder if they have clear PVC yet

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Ill take some pics tonight but i think i have one of the modded impeller with the bioball on it. The T at the bottom is for the water to drain out thats been skimmed. Not sure how many gallons it can process maybe 20-25 max. Yes they have clear pvc its just expensive.

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I found a pic of that mod from another site. Here is a pic of the original bioball and the modded one. Just need to cut the pins down to size. Should fit on a mj900 or 1200 impeller.

 

bioballimpeller.jpg

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This skimmer DIY is exactly what I have been looking for!

 

Think I could mod this to have the pump on the bottom, and shorten up the tubes to fit into the back chamber of a 12 gallon Aquapod?

 

I am definitely up for trying and posting my instructions and results if you think it will actually work as a much smaller unit.

 

Basically trying to recreate Current's fissions nano skimmer that people say doesn't seem to work...think this will be a better option???

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This is a great DIY. I also created a PVC skimmer that was somewhat similar. Yes they are easy to make but how effective can something that is only an inch in diameter? The skimmer I made had a 3 inch diameter. The problems that you run into on a skimmer so small is that the bubbles are in the water for a very minimal amount of time. I mean lets face it the basic function of a skimmer is easy to understand. Make bubbles to trap protein. Bubble rise to the top and burst. Find a way to catch the bad stuff. But seperating the bubbles from the water in such a small tube is almost impossible. Thus you are going to get tons of bubbles in you tank or fuge. I guess what I am trying to say here is buy a well known skimmer or copy the exact design of a successful skimmer. Anything else is just a waste of time. I think the search for a nano skimmer for our nano tanks will be hard to make. DON"T BUY A FISSION SKIMMER.

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This is a great DIY. I also created a PVC skimmer that was somewhat similar. Yes they are easy to make but how effective can something that is only an inch in diameter? The skimmer I made had a 3 inch diameter. The problems that you run into on a skimmer so small is that the bubbles are in the water for a very minimal amount of time. I mean lets face it the basic function of a skimmer is easy to understand. Make bubbles to trap protein. Bubble rise to the top and burst. Find a way to catch the bad stuff. But seperating the bubbles from the water in such a small tube is almost impossible. Thus you are going to get tons of bubbles in you tank or fuge. I guess what I am trying to say here is buy a well known skimmer or copy the exact design of a successful skimmer. Anything else is just a waste of time. I think the search for a nano skimmer for our nano tanks will be hard to make. DON"T BUY A FISSION SKIMMER.

 

 

Definitely see your points all around. I guess it if doesn't cost too much, I would be willing to attempt a design that is promising to see if it helps at all.

 

Come on! Someone! Create a decent skimmer for the AP. Sapphire makes a nice one for the AP24, but I have the AP12.

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This is a great DIY. I also created a PVC skimmer that was somewhat similar. Yes they are easy to make but how effective can something that is only an inch in diameter? The skimmer I made had a 3 inch diameter. The problems that you run into on a skimmer so small is that the bubbles are in the water for a very minimal amount of time. I mean lets face it the basic function of a skimmer is easy to understand. Make bubbles to trap protein. Bubble rise to the top and burst. Find a way to catch the bad stuff. But seperating the bubbles from the water in such a small tube is almost impossible. Thus you are going to get tons of bubbles in you tank or fuge. I guess what I am trying to say here is buy a well known skimmer or copy the exact design of a successful skimmer. Anything else is just a waste of time. I think the search for a nano skimmer for our nano tanks will be hard to make. DON"T BUY A FISSION SKIMMER.

yes dwell time in a skimmer this small is limited and in my original design i had used pvc knock-out caps that i drilled holes in to make a diffuser plate. I was going to add that but it just made sense to simplify the design by not adding it. However you can if you wish and it just requires gluing in the drilled knock caps in between the coupling up the skimmer body. I will post pics later of the diffuser plate if anyone is interested.

 

Testing this skimmer tonight has revealed a few things i need to fix.

 

1. i had to reduce the outflow all the way down to 1/2" to get the foam up the riser. A gate valve is needed due to water height being critical. A small 1/2" gate shouldnt make a huge impact on space needed to function.

2. Microbubbles are a big problem with this skimmer but an extended outflow pipe vertically with a T connection should alleviate this problem and again, should not compromise its space and functionality.

 

More testing is needed but prelimiary results seem to be on par with how i expected this skimmer to function. I have also started designing a heater casing that can be attached to the outflow of the skimmer via a T connection that would hold the heater and flow the skimmed water through it. Its only an idea on paper but it could be the next evolution of a full system for the back of nanocubes/all in one systems.

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Im forced to diy a skimmer for my next project. Im going to do a recirculating pvc. Skim wars :ninja: You're going down diy junkie grrr :angry:

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Derby Reefer
Skim wars :ninja: You're going down diy junkie grrr :angry:

 

That could be a fun competition. Who can make the smallest, cheapest, and most effective skimmer? Hmm. That would be a bad-ass contest. supernip you up for it?

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Im forced to diy a skimmer for my next project. Im going to do a recirculating pvc. Skim wars :ninja: You're going down diy junkie grrr :angry:

 

Its funny because i was actually thinking of making this one recirculating but i have another design for an hob square skimmer that will be a recirc. I just wanted to make one small enough to be usable in the all in one's since a lot of people use those tanks now.

 

If aquaglobes werent such trash i could make a crazy 4 powerhead recirculating nano skimmer :)

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Any updates on this skimmer? I want to make a small DIY skimmer for my AP12, but I'm not really the DIY type; I need fool-proof instructions! :D

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