cheap how to diy coke bottle skimmer!

[JamesHL88]

You will need magnetic algae cleaner, two plastic bottles, a short piece of 3/4 pvc, air line tubing, an air pump, silicone, a razor knife, and WOODEN AIR STONE << very important

 

First you cut the bottom off of the bottle that you want to be the skimmer body. I used a 1 liter dr pepper because of its cone shaped neck and perfect size.

 

Second you cut the other bottle in half and cut a hole in the bottom just big enough for the other bottles cap to fit in it.

 

Third you cut the top out of the first bottles cap leaving only the threads.

 

Fourth silicone the cap to the short pvc piece so that it can screw onto the first bottle.

 

Fifth silicone the bottle bottom with the hole in it to the pvc right wher the cap and pvc meet. (Leave enough room to get your fingers on the cap so u can thread it on and off of the skimmer body this will be your removeable collection cup)

 

Sixth cut a small hole as low as possible on the skimmer body (aka the first bottle). This hole should be just big enough to squeeze an airline through.

 

Seventh put the airline through the hole and attatch the WOODEN air stone to the hose on the inside of the skimmer body. Push the stone back towards the hole so that the nipple with the hose on it is in the hole. (This holds the WOODEN air stone horrizontal so that all the bubble will enter the skimmer body)

 

Last put one magnet inside the skimmer body and the othe on the outside of the tank or compartment that will be housing you skimmer. ( The purpose of the magnets is not only to hold the skimmer in place but to make it easy to move up and down to adjust the water level)

 

Plug up your air pump and take pride in your coke bottle skimmer

 

These have been made in the past with a drain hose but i have a lid on my fuge and wanted a removeable collection cup. I saw another one on NR that is alot like this. The only idea i take credit for is the magnets. As far as i know thats the only advancement i made on the design. Feedback is welcome.

[Jacob042426]

I'm going to make a mini one for my pico! Thanks for bringing up this wonderful idear!

[JamesHL88]

Whats nice is most of us already have all the stuff laying around needed to make it.

[clowe18]

You will need magnetic algae cleaner, two plastic bottles, a short piece of 3/4 pvc, air line tubing, an air pump, silicone, a razor knife, and WOODEN AIR STONE << very important

 

First you cut the bottom off of the bottle that you want to be the skimmer body. I used a 1 liter dr pepper because of its cone shaped neck and perfect size.

 

Second you cut the other bottle in half and cut a hole in the bottom just big enough for the other bottles cap to fit in it.

 

Third you cut the top out of the first bottles cap leaving only the threads

Fourth silicone the cap to the short pvc piece so that it can screw onto the first bottle.

 

Fifth silicone the bottle bottom with the hole in it to the pvc right wher the cap and pvc meet. (Leave enough room to get your fingers on the cap so u can thread it on and off of the skimmer body this will be your removeable collection cup)

 

Sixth cut a small hole as low as possible on the skimmer body (aka the first bottle). This hole should be just big enough to squeeze an airline through.

 

Seventh put the airline through the hole and attatch the WOODEN air stone to the hose on the inside of the skimmer body. Push the stone back towards the hole so that the nipple with the hose on it is in the hole. (This holds the WOODEN air stone horrizontal so that all the bubble will enter the skimmer body)

 

Last put one magnet inside the skimmer body and the othe on the outside of the tank or compartment that will be housing you skimmer. ( The purpose of the magnets is not only to hold the skimmer in place but to make it easy to move up and down to adjust the water level)

 

Plug up your air pump and take pride in your coke bottle skimmer

 

These have been made in the past with a drain hose but i have a lid on my fuge and wanted a removeable collection cup. I saw another one on NR that is alot like this. The only idea i take credit for is the magnets. As far as i know thats the only advancement i made on the design. Feedback is welcome.

this is legit! I'm going to make one when Im done with using my air stone to treat my cyano!!

[iball1804]

I just need a wooden airstone.

[JamesHL88]

The wooden airstone is key it makes good foam at the water surface. Stone and plastic air stones make bubbles too big.

[maxst2]

Very cool!

[smai-tai]

This is an awesome idea!!

[nor_cal_nano]

Lets see some skimmate.

[gulfsurfer101]

Awesome man that is #### balls great!

[maxst2]

Also... have any action shots

[JamesHL88]

I just made it yesterday and it pulled some green tea overnight because i was skimming wet.... i lowered the water level to get some dry skimmate and ill get pictures before i dump it again

[blasterman]

Made a lot of coke bottle skimmers in my time. They work good. One thing I do it epoxy a 1" right angle PVC fitting to a standard plastic bottle cap with a hole cut in it. This way there's no collection cup to worry about and you can catch the skimmate with a hose or whatever. You can then try different size bottles with ease.

 

Only negative about this design is it's very fickle about water levels. It needs to be in a location with constant water level like a sump or over-flow, or you have to constantly fiddle with it.

 

Wooden air stones are mandatory.

[Cintax]

Very nice.

 

 

Made a lot of coke bottle skimmers in my time. They work good. One thing I do it epoxy a 1" right angle PVC fitting to a standard plastic bottle cap with a hole cut in it. This way there's no collection cup to worry about and you can catch the skimmate with a hose or whatever. You can then try different size bottles with ease.

 

Only negative about this design is it's very fickle about water levels. It needs to be in a location with constant water level like a sump or over-flow, or you have to constantly fiddle with it.

 

Wooden air stones are mandatory.

 

This? (Stolen from Mr. Microscope's post)

 

http://reefbuilders.com/2011/11/26/diy-mame-nanp-skimmer/

Edited February 18, 2012 by Cintax

[Mojorizn]

Very cool ....any links to an operational vid?

[JamesHL88]

Yeah the constant water level is a must, i have mine in the drain section into my fuge. But the magnets should make this one a little more versatile since its easy to move up and down. I refered to the ones made without collection cups in my original post. But for my fuge i wanted a removeable collection cup. I have a lid on my fuge.

Edited February 18, 2012 by JamesHL88

[dallasprstn]

this thing is awesome, i wanna see some skimmate as well!

[devilsadvocate]

Lets see some skimmate.

thats what im thinking. does it even work?

[Cintax]

thats what im thinking. does it even work?

 

Check out the link I posted, it shows a video of a similar setup.

[JR!]

thats what im thinking. does it even work?

its funny that they work so well.

[petkingdom619]

Building begins now.

[JamesHL88]

[BLoCkCliMbeR]

Very nice.

 

 

 

 

This? (Stolen from Mr. Microscope's post)

 

http://reefbuilders.com/2011/11/26/diy-mame-nanp-skimmer/

^^^thats a much cleaner style DIY bottle skimmer in my opinion. i wouldnt have bothered trying to make a collection cup. just run a tube from the skimmer to an old whiskey bottle.

[JamesHL88]

These have been made in the past with a drain hose but i have a lid on my fuge and wanted a removeable collection cup. I saw another one on NR that is alot like this. The only idea i take credit for is the magnets. As far as i know thats the only advancement i made on the design. Feedback is welcome.

 

 

Yeah the constant water level is a must, i have mine in the drain section into my fuge. But the magnets should make this one a little more versatile since its easy to move up and down. I refered to the ones made without collection cups in my original post. But for my fuge i wanted a removeable collection cup. I have a lid on my fuge.

 

I know about the hose and in most cases it is the better option but in my case the skimmate would have had to climb the hose 5 or 6 inches just to clear the lip of the tank. Also i didnt wanna have to take half of the glass lid off of my fuge and deal with the extra evaporation.

[Jai1985]

im really mechanically challenged guys does anyone have a sketch of this if i wanted to try to make one?