DIY Skimmer design

[user 2204]

Cannot wait to see what you come up with. You have a good idea going and I like the idea of a smaller sized air driven counter-current (CC) skimmer.

Cheers,
Alex

 

[Peppie]

opps!!just try to help and mean no harm but for got about DIY ,,sorry pepeie[/QUOTEI

No biggie, I know you were just trying to help.


Alex I have been going round in circles in my head on this thing. As of now it will be part of a HOB fuge design. It could change again. LOL

 

[mojoreef]

Ok pepster I think I got something crude we can work with.

Ok so the concept is to build a box inside of your "All in One" unit. So if you look at the left side of the AIO you can see their is a box that goes down almost to the bottom of the section. On the bottom of that section I have a couple of little sleeve walls to make it a tight fit (might need a o-ring).

Ok so here is the plan, water will enter the AIO via teeth cut into it on the top (not drawn) it will fill the areas between the AIO and the Skimmer box (drawn in black) , that will raise up and then enter the skimmer via slots cut into the top of the skimmer box. the water will flow down the skimmer and exit via slots cut into both the bottom of the skimmer and the bottom of the AIO section into a horizontal section. From their it will go up and over a baffle and into the balance of your AIO to be put back into the tank after what ever else you want to do with it.

Air will come into the skimmer via a tube ran in the baffle and up into the skimmer their the slots on the bottom and then into a stone sitting on a plate. This way all the water has to pass through all the air to get out. Ok tricky part: We build a square skimmer cup with a couple of 45 degree plates to act as the skimmer cup catch plates (pretty simple) the foam rises and then crests over them. Now you can make this cup much bigger then the skimmer body as long as the part that slides into the skimmer is the size of the skimmer body. So now the concept is to be able to slide that cup up and down over the slots in the skimmer body, that should give you control over the amount of water flow coming into the skimmer (and thus the amount leaving) So I would suggest a Flat style rubber gasket to go around it, that way if you lower the cup it will cut off the amount of water coming in?????

Anyway just some thoughts



Mojo

 

[Sasquatch]

MoJo? fluid dynamics is a tricky beast lol, all I can see here is the in flow and air stone neutralizing any water movement or maybe the airstone just draws water from the bottom exit?

 

[mojoreef]

Maybe, but I think it can be controlled by the size and shape of the plate that the stone sits on and the amount of air being injected. If we go by the 25% air to water ratio I dont thnk we are going to invoke those dynamics?? But it might call for some playing around with the plate design.


Mojo

 

[Sasquatch]

can you maybe add a water level to the drawing? and the inlet teeth? will that be shielded internally, think the foam will just come out of there?

 

[mojoreef]

Actually in rethinking what you said I dont think it will pertain as the water level in the AIO unit on the other side of the baffle will be lower then the baffle wall

 

[mojoreef]

can you maybe add a water level to the drawing? and the inlet teeth? will that be shielded internally, think the foam will just come out of there?

The water level in the skimmer will be controlled by the depth of the cup which will cut off the size of the slot openings. BUT what ever is open will have water flowing in, so the dynamics will be inwards and this should block the foam going out.

 

[Peppie]

This is great Mojo, Thanks for your input, Sas.
What if we replace the slots with a typical hard plumbing line. Say 1/2 pvc split off the return pump with a ball valve to adjust the water vol. going in??
The design is exactly what I was looking to do.
What are your thoughts on how to change the stone out for cleaning?

 

[Peppie]

Mike I forgot to ask,
You must of have thought about this on your drive to the boarder and back. Did you have to pull over and draw it out on a napkin when the light bulb came on???? LOL

I know this is when I do some of my best thinking.

 

[Peppie]

Here we ( I ) go again.
Mike and I hashed out a couple of details on the skimmer, We thought it best to regulate the amount of water going into the skimmer to get more dwell time.
This has snow balled into a HOB Skimmer/Media/Fuge filter system. Being it is going to be used for a 29gal tank I want as much DT real estate as possible. The only thing in the DT will be a 5x5 returnbox that will house my ATO switches, heater, and two pumps. One for a closed loop, and one to feed the skimmer/split, return.
This is what I have got to date. Please check my water levels. Also let me know of any other obvious, Dont do or add to this or you might need to change this or that. I know I am over looking something.
Looking for ideas on how to do a quick change for the air stone also.

Thanks all, beat me up if you must. Sas has already peed in my Cheerios. LOL

 

[Peppie]

I am an idiot.
You will need to look at this

 

[Sasquatch]

now thats making sense! all you need to add is a choker for the skimmer out flow

 

[Peppie]

Thanks Sas.
Yea I thought about that after I drew it all out. I can add a ball valve to the exit pipe at the bottom (before the pipe enters the under side) of the shorter box

My cereal is tasting better already, no more bubbles in the bowl either.

 

[Guerry]

looks good, you don't need the bubble plate with the air stone

 

[Sasquatch]

its all about the froth lol

 

[Peppie]

looks good, you don't need the bubble plate with the air stone

Thanks, that has just fixed my air stone changing problem.

 

[Skimmy]

looks great!!! much better than the first design, and agreed, a valve to adjust skimmer output would be nice,
although i assume you will be able to adjust the cup up and down, adjust the air injection, and adjust the amount of feed water,
which probably is plenty of control.
especially if you cut the height of the outlet tube to the "sweetspot" waterlevel within the skimmer.
or you could make that outlet tube into a wedge adjuster, so all you have to do is twist it to raise or lower the skimmer water level

 

[Peppie]

especially if you cut the height of the outlet tube to the "sweetspot" waterlevel within the skimmer.
or you could make that outlet tube into a wedge adjuster, so all you have to do is twist it to raise or lower the skimmer water level

Thanks skimmy for the in put. The wedge adjuster seems simple enough to install and cheaper than a gate valve.

 

[Guerry]

I like the wedge adjuster idea, just gives you that added controll