My first acrylic project.

[CHEAPREEF]

Trying my hand at a beckett skimmer for my first go at acrylic. Got to work on it on Friday, cut all the pieces now i just have to do the key hole and glue it together. Well after a little sanding here and there. :wink:
http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/winterbeater/Picture_005.sized.jpg
http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/winterbeater/Picture_001.sized.jpg
http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/winterbeater/Picture_003.sized.jpg

Let me know what you guys think.

Clinton

[GregJ]

Cheepreef, you make it look so simply. Looking good :wink:

[CHEAPREEF]

Actually it is pretty easy once you start cutting, just those damn keyhole flanges. :? Should have used nuts instead. :P

Clinton

[Canadian Man]

Looks great Clinton!
Where did you get the plans for it from?

[CHEAPREEF]

No plans, just looked at all the ones i could on the net and used the best parts of the ones i liked.

Clinton

[Jay26]

Do you have any of the websites handy? Im very intersted in building a Beckett injected skimmer. Thanks Alot :D

[CHEAPREEF]

Do you have any of the websites handy? Im very intersted in building a Beckett injected skimmer. Thanks Alot :D

Just looked through a bunch of posts on Reef Central and took it form there. Just do a search for beckett. :wink:

Clinton

[CHEAPREEF]

Finally got a chance to glue some stuff together. And remade the injector tube flanges. (didn't like the way the other ones were going) It's pretty much all down hill from here, just some more gluing after this all dries.

http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/winterbeater/Picture_006.sized.jpg
http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/winterbeater/Picture_007.sized.jpg
http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/winterbeater/Picture_008.sized.jpg
http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/winterbeater/Picture.sized.jpg

Steady like a caffeine fix eh? 8)

Clinton

[Skimmerking]

NOT BAD AT ALL LITTLE CLINTON..... :lol: :lol: :lol:

[CHEAPREEF]

All done, now all i have to do is wait for the new tank to arive so i can try it out. :wink:
http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/winterbeater/Picture_022.sized.jpg
http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/winterbeater/Picture_023.sized.jpg
I think this will skim my tank fine. That the only tanki have ^ :shock:

Clinton

[Dale D]

Looks great. :)

I've been following your progress with it on RC. How is the testing going and did you get the problem you were having with the water flow and levels worked out?

I'm in the middle of designing and building one myself. I'm trying to decide what design to use. Can't decide if I should go with the design with the return holes around the middle injection tube and the 2 90 elbows or the design with the walled off floor in the box with the inner tube coming up through it.

I am only using a single beckett, so, the direct injection using the 2 elbows ( like yours) may work better.

I'm thinking of making the inner injection tube removable for easier cleaning also.

[CHEAPREEF]

Yep, skimming like a mad man. :D I joined 4 out of the 8 holes together and works perfect, i would just go with 10 holes instead if i were building another. The holes as baffles works perfect as i get zero bubble retun to the rock tank it's on right now. 8) Any mor questions just ask.

Clinton

[Dale D]

Great to hear that it is working for you now.

10 holes. Right, I'll have to remember that. :)

As for ?'s I do have a few right now. With alot more to come in the future I am sure. :oops:

Are you using a ball valve or a gate valve? If it is a ball valve did you have any problem adjusting the waterflow with it. I keep hearing people say that the gate valve is better, because, it is easier to make adjustments. I would rather use a ball valve if it will work, because it is less money and easier to find.

Are you running it in sump or out? I was hoping to run mine out of sump and just attach the skimmer output to a bulkhead in the side of the sump. I'm not sure what effect if any the water level in the sump will have on the skimmers performance or output. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks.

Oh, just thought of one more ? Did you use cast or extruded acrylic tube?

[CHEAPREEF]

I'm currently running it out of the water. I have a bulkhead in the side of a rubbermaid running to my 4md-sc up to the skimmer which is about 6" over the pump. I'm using a ball valve as i can't find a gate valve in this city, i can order one but it will be $4 plus shipping. :shock: Not likely to happen, the ball valve isn't really easy to adjust but it is adjustable. I set it by getting the water level about 2" from the second riser and opened the air valve until i got the fine bubbles happening and then had to back the water level down just a little bit. When you adjust the water level give it a second to lower or raise, it dosn't happen instantly.

Clinton

[Dale D]

OK a couple more questions for you. :)

Are the PVC elbows 2"? And what size of bulkhead did you use for the skimmer output?

Also, how is it working now that it has been running for a few days?

Thanks.

[CHEAPREEF]

Yep 2" for the 2 90^, you'll have to dremel out the inside a little as they don't fit over the 2.5" od pipe. It's actually not a bulkhead, just a abs fitting i found that has a slip fit on one end and a thread on the other. The slip fit goes through the acrylic and the 90^ slipps over, gule all this even the acylic to abs with weldon 16. Or ou can spend the extra $12 and go with a 1.25" bulkhead. :D Still foaming like mad just not pulling out a bunch as it's on a 25gal rock tank with 5 frags and 25lbs of cured LR and a recent 75% water change (had some hair alge, no skimmer :P ). Pretty much no bio load, need to get some fish in there and see what it does. It's still putting out simmate just not really dark.

Clinton

[Troy F]

Clinton, could you post a picture of it in action?

[CHEAPREEF]

As soon as i get ahold of a digital camera agian i will. :D

Clinton

[Dale D]

Ok that clears up a couple of things. I thought it looked like an ABS fitting.

Did you just glue the elbow flat to the underside of the top of the box and then glue the tube to the other side of the top, or does the tube pass right through the box top and is glued into the elbow.

Hope that made sense. :)

Action shots would be great. I'm like Troy, I like to watch. :oops: :D

Thanks.

[CHEAPREEF]

does the tube pass right through the box top and is glued into the elbow.

Hope that made sense. :)

Action shots would be great. I'm like Troy, I like to watch. :oops: :D

Thanks.

Yep, sicko. :shock: :D

Clinton

[BCOrchidGuy]

Send it to me, I can run it on my tank and take pictures for you, ... for a small price... ( Like.. its MINE)

Good job that does look awesome.

What did you use for the seals? The red stuff.

[CHEAPREEF]

Ok, couldn't get the good camera again so i took some witha POS. Anyway it gives the idea, just cleaned it about 2 hours before this shot. I'll take some more tomorrow to show the progress.

http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/winterbeater/action1.jpg
http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/winterbeater/action2.sized.jpg

Clinton

[BCOrchidGuy]

What are the Seals made out of? did they come as is or did you have to cut them?

[CHEAPREEF]

I can't remember the name of the stuff, it's silicone basicaly. Got it in a roll of about 3'x6' and cut them to size. It's 1/4" thick and seals very well, easy to cut and it was fee from a buddy. Apparently it's supposed to be extremly expensive, $200+ for the roll i got. :shock:

Clinton

[BCOrchidGuy]

lol That figures, I like it.

I am going to build a unit, ... skimmer/Ca Reactor, two towers, I think I will just use O rings though.... I'm going to Home Depot today to get some ideas though, have to see.

[CHEAPREEF]

I have some extra rings cut, made them for a guy and turns out he didn't need them. If they are the right size you can have'em for shipping.

Clinton

[BCOrchidGuy]

Thanks I will send you a PM when I need them.

[Dale D]

More ?'s :D

I can't see it in any of your pictures, but, what did you end up using for the air control valve on the beckett housing?

I just finished the injector housing for mine :D and now just have to find an air valve for it.

I guess it shouldn't matter if the valve is in the lid of the housing or in the side of the tube. I looked at a Bullet skimmer yesterday and I think it was in the lid.

Also I'm not sure if I am going to use an injector pipe in the first reaction chamber or the swirl injector design. The swirl design looks fancier. :oops: :D

[CHEAPREEF]

I ended up using a 3/8 ball valve from the beckett section at Revy, opps i mean Rona. 8) I put it in the lid as well that way it's not hangging in the way. I think the swirl idea would work jusrt as well, not sure if it looks fancier. Unless you think the white ABS plumbing is fancy. :drinking: :lol:

Clinton

[CHEAPREEF]

Here are some "action" shots after being at AI for the last week. Very happy guy. :cool:

http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/album15/DC0005L.jpg
http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/album15/DC0007L.jpg
http://www.nacdsm.org/albums/album15/DC0006L.jpg

Clinton