DIY Super Skimmer

so upon fixing my super skimmer i had a chance to really see the things that make it work and decided after realizing i couldnt afford another skimmer but in a sense couldnt afford not to with the salt and all so i went to work building one with parts i had available.i hope to find peices that are more readily available but the principle to make one is here.i will have to dig up all the pics but here is a few for a teaser.
here is the dry foam out of the top of the prototype collection cup.not bad considering this tank already has a skimmer.
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and here it is in one of my tanks for testing.
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SWEET

I have been so curious for so long about how to do a diy skimmer. I will have to talk to you soon.

nice.
i like the design on this one, but not sure how well it will work.

isnt this in another post....and the skimmer in this thread is a knock off of the Super Skimmers so there are a couple things that are not the same such as the adjustment valve.although i will make another skimmer type at some point as should you.the one i made here starts with a chamber for the bubbles here i have found a nice food safe acrylic tube that i have drilled a hole in the bottom for the skimmer return.
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didnt mean it was better, just thought it was relevant.
i do need to get on making one.
been eyeing carafes and other tubular containers.

it might be better this one is just a copy of a pretty common skimmer.i have plans to copy the one you have posted here.it apears to take up less room.and the containers i have been keeping my eye on are straw and pasta containers.

here i have placed the hole for the pumps line into the skimmer chamber.
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and i think russel crow is looking through the skimmer here.

and here are the PVC pieces that are required.the flex tube on the end is to attach to the pump.for this project i used a maxi jet 400 but i am sure that i can find a better pump.it works for now.the PVC pipes have been cut for the proper length of this chamber body so this may vary depending on the cylinder depth and diameter.
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and her they are all assembled to show you there completed form outside the skimmer body.
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as you can see the top tubing is the output control valve wich will allow you to fine tune the skimmer water level inside.and the bottom piece is then plumbed to the pump via the black flextube and back into the bubble chamber through the PVC tube.

to make the bubble catch i used some egg crate to create a mini shelf that fits in the bottom to act as a stilt for the actual catch.i left room in the middle open for the PVC to slide between.
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then i cut the top of a water bottle off that could fit inside the diameter of the skimmer body so that it would fit apropriatly just an inch under the top hole that was drilled for the pumps PVC after being attached via glue to the egg crate stilt.
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after putting the finished bubble catch inside the body slide the PVC tubes in the apropriate holes and slide everything together.
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and after attaching the pump that is the finished skimmer main body.
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and now i have a couple of skimmer cup trials like the one in the first pic.something cheap and at hand.

here are the materials for the 1st prototype cup.a betta container, a funnel,and some PVC.simple enough yeah.Wayne enterprises thinks so
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I cut the bottom out of the betta container and the funnel to fit and glued them together.
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and here to finish it a small cut of PVC is glued to the top of the funnel to narrow it down.
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and here are the materials for the second cup i am making.the first one works fine but is not see through so it makes it a little hard to fine tune it.this is all see through foodsafe tuperware.
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i cut out the bottom of one tuperware to the diameter of the rigid tube i have here and glued it in place.i then cut the larger part of the bottom out of another identical tuperware so i could glue its bottom to the bottom of the already moded tuperware makeing an inverted look.

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nice pics.

This BAD BOY has been chugging along for some time now and still keeps mt tank a rockin.
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