New Project - skimmer

[snobanker]

Duh, I guess if had read a little closer I would have seen that it is 3" and 6".......

 

[big t]

Yes the 3" is for the neck, and I used 6" tube for the body. I set the output so that the bottom of the 90 inside the skimmer chamber was about 1/2" off the bottom

 

[snobanker]

Cool, thanks. I am going to try and build one of these based on your info, thread and pics.......

 

[big t]

Cool! Don made one with a couple nice touches that I will be incorperating into my next one. One of them is using a uniseal for the input from the pump, that is much easier then sculpting a union to fit the contour of a acrylic tube and gluing on with weldon 40. The other is the overflow container with a overfill pump shutoff. Keep in mind that these skimmers have a bigger footprint then what you were wanting.

 

[DonW]

Katrina,
The turbo floater can be fixed to cure its drawbacks easily:
First install a REAL venturi, the tiny holes plug up fast.
Second plumbing it properly is a HUGE help.
Plumbing the air tube out doors thickens the foam especially in the summer. (dont know why probably more 02 than co2)
Put a lid on it that has no holes or plug the holes.

Don

 

[Hooked]

Don,

Don, Thanks for the info. I'm going to be a bit of a pain and ask for some specifics because I really want to try this.

First install a REAL venturi, the tiny holes plug up fast

I believe the tiny holes are in the tube that the airline attaches to and a venturi is a tube that narrows in the center and this "narrowing" creates a rush of air--please correct me if I'm wrong on either of those points. Would I fix this by purchasing a venturi and modifying the skimmer to install it?

Second plumbing it properly is a HUGE help

As you know the instructions that come with the skimmer are rather pathetic. I have mine hooked up to an OR2700 (that part's okay I think-nothing to mess up there, right?) Then I'm using a MJ900 to feed water into it. Is there a better way?

Thanks in advance

 

[snobanker]

Tom, thanks for the info on the uniseal. I saw it mentioned in another post so I checked out the website. I'm probably gonna use it. I thought about the footprint too. I am thinking about modifying the orientation of the outlet pipe and the pump location so I can turn the skimmer in my sump to fit....I may make up a mock up out of something to make sure it fits first. Hope it works out.

 

[DonW]

The venturi can be removed and tossed. Check out my venturi thread in the diy section this would be perfect. You will never plug that design unless a bug crawls in the hose. If you cant build one I may be able to mail one to you.
Plumbed properly is to pull off your overflow using gravity only. First of all, it puts only the dirtiest of water in your skimmer at a rate that the skimmer can handle. Its not designed to be pushed in. I tried the second pump method and only got about half the scunge production.
Dont forget to run the hose outside if can. Cable jack plates make a nice finishing touch if you have to drill a hole in the wall.

Hope this helps
Don

 

[Hooked]

Okay I checked out the DIY venturi thread--very cool and way beyond my DIY capabilities. So I'm wondering if I could use a venturi like this:

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...n=PROD&Product_Code=KENT-TVEN5&Category_Code=

I checked out the Mazzei venturi's--very pricey