What DIY skimmer design is best?

[mnoll406]

Hey everybody,
Wondering what DIY skimmer design is best? Also what pumps are used to run them. Looking at building a skimmer to export more nutrient from my tank. Thanks,

Mike

[Canadian Man]

Tis a question full of opinions and little evidence based on research.

Beckett, Venturi, Downdraft, spray injection. All work fine.
Mak 4, Mag 5, mag 24, Tornado 1 000 000. Depends on the skimmer size and style.

Sorry I can't answer your question better.

[mnoll406]

Hey Jonathan,
I've seen a few designs out there, and I'm looking for people's opinions on the DIY skimmers they've built. Especially people who have built more than one type, and find one dramatically better than another. Skimmer's can be finicky if designed improperly. Just trying to avoid building a skimmer that is less effective than the one I have. I currently have a topfathom 200 skimmer. It's a good skimmer, creates lots of skimmate, but I still have hair algae in my fuge. I borrowed a bigger pump from Deb to see if I could boost performance. Well see what happens.

Mike

[Canadian Man]

The thing i have noticed is basically all skimmer designs work.
If you have done some lookig around you may have seen the guy that made one out of a 5g water jug :eek:

My latest beckett i made works very well. I didn"t glue the inside pvc riser tube in so i could change it, which i have done allready.

spray injection skimmers are cool imo. I almost made that instead of my beckett.

I have spare "Mazzi" 1" venturi here and I insalled it on my be skimer yesterday in place of the beckett. Worked ok but To make it work efficiently the design of the skimmer would have to be diffrent.

Anyways enough rambling :rolleyes:

[Hark]

After CheapReef built his Air Injection Skimmer last summer, I gave it a whirl myself.

I have since made a bunch of mods to it myself and am really, really happy with the performance.

Here is a link to some of the photos of one of the now 5 skimmers i own like this.... :D

http://www.aquariumpros.ca/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=34435#post34435

[Gujustud]

I've been doing tons and tons of reading on skimmers for the past few months now. Its coming down to time to make the skimmer, and I'm still tossing over a beckett or spray injection (mazzi).

I was heavly going to just make a beckett, but from reading, I think I'd rather go with a mazzi since they are seemed to last forever, and pump size isin't highly important. (I'll be using a Mag5).

Few questions:

1) Where can I get a injector from?

2) The skimmer will be for my 38, and possibly for a 55/65 when I upgrade. Is the design I have shown below overkill? Of course the design is not 100% finished yet. As you can tell its the beckett design right now.

http://www.ditchmond.com/images/misc/skimmerdesign.jpg

[Aquattro]

Its coming down to time to make the skimmer, and I'm still tossing over a beckett or spray injection (mazzi).



You know spray injection and mazzei are two different things, right? Mazzei is a venturi injector, spray injection is forcing water thru tiny outlets.

[whaase]

I'm building a spray injection based on the AquaC. I'll let you know how it works :biggrin:

Walter