Tropical Fish Forums

[waway]

guys I need all your inputs.

1. is there a ratio as to the size of the skimmer (usually the length) with the size of the tank?
2. which is better a high flow rate or a low flow rate pump? for efficiency of the skimming process.
3. what makes the skimmer more efficient? bubbles? if so, large bubbles or small?

thanks in advance

[SLACkra]

small bubbles are best and lots of them. I've seen lots of diy beckett skimmers built in aus. they are some serious skimmers.

for size I would try to replicate a skimmer design already out there and use it as an idea of its future rating. flow rate really depends on the size of the skimmer and how you create the bubbles. beckett injectors require 2000-3000lph going through them to get a good amount of bubbles.

andrew

[waway]

so the secret of efficiency is the small bubble.

iv been searching here in our place for a 'mazzei' valve or 'venturi' valve or the beckett injector but no one seem to know about these things. what is the commercial name for these things?

as of now I'm just thinking of using an airstone driven counter/CO2-current skimmer? diy of course coz I'm on a very tight budget.

[wittd]

I know someone that only runs DIY Counter Current skimmers and they perform excellently. This is the link that he gave me and told me it was almost exactly what he did and I could follow to the T. Read here. Be sure to read skimmers 101 thoroughly and check the links for recommended sizes. I am in the process of researching a DIY skimmer myself, but I won't be able to follow the link exactly (I have to modify somehow).

[waway]

yeah me too I'm making a counter-current skimmer as it is simple.

may I know what is the best flowrate of a pump to use for a more efficient skimming?
should I add more airstone?
can I put some bioballs in the reaction chamber? (sort of combination of a counter-current and a downdraft skimmer)(?)(just my thought)

skimmer is:
reaction chamber - 4" diameter and about 18" long
inlet and outlet tubes - 3/4"
airstome - 1 limewood 3"

iv read skimmer 101, IMO the flowrate is too slow. pls correct me if I'm wrong.

[wittd]

The slow flow rate is the beauty of the design. That coupled with the minimum 28" height, gives the bubbles the maximum time of contact with the water to skim. The thought behind the flow rate is that your entire volume of water is skimmed twice per day. You could skim your volume twenty times per day and not get near as much skimmate as with the lower flow. I had the same questions and my friend demonstrated by raising the flow from his 100 gal tank from 75 gph to 200 gph. In a week he didn't have as much skimmate as he got in a day from the 75 gph flow. He made a believer out of me. His tank is now dismantled and sold off as he got deployed to Iraq, so I can't get any pictures.

[wittd]

I would avoid the bioballs, as they are typically discouraged in marine and especially reef tanks anyway. With only an 18" skimmer, you might even want to lower the flow slightly to try to increase bubble to water contact time. That will be trial and error as to how much skimmate you get.

[waway]

so il be using a lower flowrate pump.

I forgot to ask, for the airpump should I use one of those powerful pumps that could supply air for almost 8 tanks or just an ordinary one? I'm thinking of creating more bubbles by increasing air supply, is this correct?

thanks for the help wittd

[sirreal63]

you will need to run at least 4 wooden airstones for that skimmer body...get the highest cfm air pump you can find.
_________________
Out on the road today...I saw a DeadHead sticker on a Cadillac...
Jack
110 Gallon DSA Pentagon

[waway]

oh I see its low flowrate for the water pump and high cfm for the airpump.

thank you so much for your inputs guys