ZmanArt007
Fish Keeper and Filmmaker
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I've seen all kinds of diy filters on here, but nothing on skimmers really. Does anyone know how to make a cheaper homemade skimmer?
DIY skimmers?
- Thread starter ZmanArt007
- Start date
i am looking for the same thing, i have search the web and found some, and semi attempted to make one based on a design from the web, but intially doesnt seem to be working as planned.
I know there are a bunch of ideas on youtube too.
I have yet to find anything that is any good... I wanted to come up with a floating one, maybe ill get all my gear together and try to make something out of it. Anyone have any ideas, maybe we all can build one together!
I have made a semi floating one, the kinks are still being worked out. here's my idea, take a trash can, one for the kitchen, about 20 gal or so, cut slits in the side for water to run it, placed a basket from the dollat store with filter media in it, cut a 3/4 in hole out the bottom, place 700 gal/hr pump with tubing running out hole.
I have finsihed the can, need to hook up the pump to see if it will pull the water quick enough out of to act like a skimmer.
I have finsihed the can, need to hook up the pump to see if it will pull the water quick enough out of to act like a skimmer.
jason081180 said:
This would be fairly simple as you use a larger diameter pipe on top and let it "float up and down to the water height as PVC is very boyet, hard part is how to keep it just below the water height and not letting it float over the water height.
bsr8129 said:
yes i was thinking using 3 in pvc for the main shaft going up and 3.5 as the adjustable part. i know 2in fits nicely around 1.5 in so im guessing the same would be true for the bigger sizes. if PVC is so buoyant the you would just have to use a smaller adjustable part. say only 4 in long. so the part underwater wouldn't push the top above water so much. also if you watch the video it looks as if when you turn the pump on it will lower the water level inside the pipe and bring the adjustable part down as its not as buoyant. so this might work. what would be a good way to get the outside of the inner pipe to fit the inside of bigger pipe as closely as possible with out restricting the easy up and down movement? this would be somewhat important as we want to draw from the water surface
[ame="[MEDIA=youtube]xHm7GcaUJag[/MEDIA]"]Oase in-pond skimmer[/ame]
that would be a very good question, the video almost looks decieving too, as when they put onthe pump it looks as though the top part bottoms out on the inertube, and the water level just happens to be above it.
The only way to do it is trial and error, if the 3 and 3.5 have every little clearence it would work great, if you wanted to limit the possibility of water being sucked from under you can always place a o-ring near the bottom limiting the amount of water being sucked from under it.
The only way to do it is trial and error, if the 3 and 3.5 have every little clearence it would work great, if you wanted to limit the possibility of water being sucked from under you can always place a o-ring near the bottom limiting the amount of water being sucked from under it.
Is ABS pipe as buoyant as PVC? if so then it would already be black and would blend in better. if it a little less buoyant that would be better but i think when the water gets sucked out of the inner tube the outer tube will drop to the level of the pond water so it will then flow over the top of the outer tube and creating the skimming effect. we just need to find the right diameter and length of pipe so that it floats almost even with the top of the water surface. i think PVC or ABS should work find for this. It's just as you you said trial and error. but i think using 6 or 8in pipe would be better and would allow a bigger basket. i would want to make it as close to theirs as possible.
ABS is basically the same as PVC, yes. And you could always spray paint PVC with plasticote spray paint with good effect. I've used it and put it in the water with no problem.
I just think with a gizmo like this you just buy it straight out, and it isn't worth DIY'ing. PM DoDad, as I know he sells it at a better price than what you will see online.
I just think with a gizmo like this you just buy it straight out, and it isn't worth DIY'ing. PM DoDad, as I know he sells it at a better price than what you will see online.
I wonder what this would cost? Might be cheaper then doing it dyi but since it's a specility item it probably isn't cheap
120 to buy it probably 20 as dyi
bsr8129 said:
that's about what i was thinking but that $20 is for smaller pipe? i don't know what it would be getting out to 8in pipe ? i have PM'd DoDad.
this is my idea here, the 1` inch caps would serve as limits for the skimmer to adjust to the water level. Within reason... what do you guys think
http://tinypic.com/r/2qmjivl/5
picture link