[Meric]

This one was not real easy to make but, it wasn't impossible. I'm not much on making everything super nice looking. I just go for functionality. It is basically a 5 gallon water jug fed by a MaxiJet 1200 with a Sedra 9000 Venturi Recirculating Pump. I used a Hartfords loop design and added a couple of expansion PVC connectors to allow me the ability to control foam height.





After about 4 days of running I thought it was a bust because only white foam was being produced, but today it was a different story when I returned home from work. Just look an see.

[scubadude]

Originally Posted by Meric

I just go for functionality.

Touche bro! You get an A+ for functionality, the only thing I dont like is the bulkiness of it....but hey if your single, or your wife/g-friend doesnt complain then your a better man than me!

How bout giving us a breakdown of cost. Very well done

[Meric]

But so is a 8" Euroreef . Actually it is about 15" X 18" Base. I can actually reduce it a little more with cleaning up some piping and switching to Flexible hose instead of PVC. And the wife did complain, so I built a room just for my sump and Skimmer. Did it over Memorial Day Weekend.

A quick break down of parts and cost:
5 Gallon Polycarbonate Jug - Free (Borrowed it from work) - Think they want it back?
Sedra 9000 with Venturi and Needlewheel impeller - $119.00
2" Acryllic Tube - ~$3.00 (Leftover from another project)
4" Acrylic Tube - ~ $10.00 (Leftover from another project)
All the PVC couplings, Reducers,Piping, etc - $35.00. I had to buy some stuff twice. I break stuff sometimes
Weld-On 16 - $20.00
Maxi-Jet 1200 - $24.00

The Skimmer is 10.5" Diameter at main reaction chamber It rises about 20" high. Then there is a 4" reducer that is about 16" high. This reduces further to a 2" riser that is 9" high. Making it about 45" high or as tall as my oldest son.

The only real issue is that the jug is very thin and the PVC piping is heavy which tends to flex the jug when it is empty.

I used Weld-On 16 to glue everything together. It has held everything on without any problems. Since the jug is polycarbonate the Weldon 16 bonded to it and the PVC like steel.

If I had to do it over, I would use a 6" PVC Riser instead of 4" and reduce right to 2" from there.

However right now the skimmer holds about 8 gallons of water and takes about a minute to fill with the maxijet. This could probally skim a tank twice the size of the one I have.

The EuroReef CS8-3+ RC is 13.5" Long X 20" Wide X 30" High and costs about $867.00. My skimmer should be equivalent in skimming power and cost only less than a quarter of that. The Euroreef has (2) 500GPH Recirculating Veturi Pumps, and I use (1) 900GPH Recirculating Pump.

[samster]

anybody have the pics of this skimmer ? i rilly want to try to build somthing

[Meric]

I did not take many picture of the construction...