The Skimming beast is dead....Long live beast ver 2

[mojoreef]

Well in my continuing effort to bring the moron cycle to a new level, I broke my skimmer Working on some lights (for no particular reason) I went to lean on the metal prop tank racking and missed, yes it was a whole 2 feet away but I did manage to grasp onto the skimmer . Well needless to say I broke it in to places, bth where the tube seals to the flanges.
Anyway the good side of the story is that I managed to scor a 6 foot chunk of 12 inch cast acrylic tubing (I cant say how I happened upon it as it may tend to incriminate me in the future ). Well being the conservative, laid back kind of guy that I am visions of the beast II began to run around in my head.........WooooooooooooHooooooooooo So I think I am going to redo the skimmer with the new tube instead of trying to fix it.



MIke

 

[Stang69]

Sigh Mike.......................


Look at it this way it didnt involve a chain link fence and you werent carring clams.


Ill let you explain those


Good luck with the new skimmer


Jeff

 

[mojoreef]

Hey Shhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!


Mike

 

[gehidore]

Good Luck on "Beast II"

 

[bradreef]

mike that suck that you broke your skimmer. I can come over and help install a railing system to help you get around your tank.

 

[tom white]

I had followed your very interesting account of the switch to air stones and air pump in another thread. Do you intend to continue with the stones for your repaired/rebuilt skimmer. Can I assume a "yes" means that they were holding up OK?

Thanks for your comments.

 

[NaH2O]

tom - welcome to Reef Frontiers!

Geez, Mike! Title a thread with "The beast is dead..." and I thought something happened to your tank!! Can't wait to see the new version of your skimmer with any changes you make in the design.

 

[reedman]

I'm with Nikki. I read the beast is dead, and I thought you killed your tank (or maybe your wife was going to kill you over the tank). You could seel a book on the hazards of keeping a reef tank...something like "this is how to injure yourself during routine mainianence of a reef tank, Vol 1...since we knwo there is enough material for more than one volume).

Good luck with son of a beast. try to keep the fingers in tact...I don't believe blood is on the list of addatives for the tank.

 

[mojoreef]

Yea I guess I could have thought of a better title, lol. The skimmer isnt really broken to bad, just a couple of seams that let loose. My plan was to just rebuild that section but to use thinker material.
With the large 12 inch tube I think I am going to start another from scratch, and making it a little shorter for better ease of cleaning.

Tom welcome to reef frontiers!!. Yes I am going to keep it all air stone driven. I am not even going to clean the stones while thier out as I want to continue to see how long they last before having to clean them. I have used many skimmers, both from ones I purchased and one I have tested for several manufatures and this is still by far the best I have had for pure skimming.


mike

 

[big t]

Hey Mike! I had that sinking feeling as in when you go over the top of a roller coaster! I couldn't imagine what you did to destroy the tank!! Oh well just the skimmer. hehe. Anyway if you want to cut the tube at my house I have a tube cutting jig that works a hell of a lot better then screwing around with that jointer . We can also build you a decent set of flanges too. Just let me know if you need any assistance.

 

[mojoreef]

Thanks Tommy I actually already cut the tube...you know my mickey mouse way, lol. I think I am going to give the flanges one last shot to see if I have learned anything, lol. I will let you know if I screw them up.

thanks for the offer


Mike

 

[wrightme43]

Stronger Faster Smarter, better than ever. The 6 million bubble skimmer. Sorry the old one was not strong enough to support you falling on it. Is that in the design parameters for the new one? Steve

 

[dgasmd]

Dude, I think one day I am going to log in here to see a thread of how you fell inside the tank (again!!) and your wife couldn't get you out.

 

[bradreef]

Mike we really want to see pic of this.. We love to see the master himself at work.

 

[mojoreef]

Yea Yea you all laugh now. Its all a matter of time in the hobby until this kinda crap happens to you all, lol. You guys only know the stories that I have told you...thank God!!

Steve I dont think a cast iron skimmer is going to work my friend, lol



Mike

 

[wrightme43]

I was thinking titianium. Its inert, light, strong. Just weld one up in argon tent. LOL Seriously though I am following this thread. I got a bunch of acrylic tube from a bank that was getting those groovy clear pipes for the drive thru. I just dont know how to make the flanges. Steve

 

[bradreef]

so when you rob a bank you steal the plumbing for the customer interaction.

 

[big t]

Hey Steve, have you tried typing flange into the search in the diy section? It comes up with this thread where I learned to make keyhole flanges DonW's bada$$ flanges

 

[mojoreef]

Ok here is the new one

here is the base, pretty simple, two feet high with a 1 1/2 input and a 2 inch output. the output has a carbon tube on it.

next section up is just a 2 foot segment made out of the 12 acrylic tubing.

here is the cup, again 12 inch tube cup, the neck in the skimmer is 6 inch tubing, the lower neck is 8 inch and about 14 inches tall. I put in 3 sprinkler heads that will be hooked up to a large mag pump. I am hopeing they will clean off the neck automatically, as sson as the impeller comes for the pump I will find out, lol

and one more of the carbon tube

mike

 

[jlehigh]

Mike you are an amazing Man... I have been spending weeks trying to plan for a bigger DIY skimmer and here you are just a few days after killing the beast and the HULK is born. Here I am shopping for routers and fearing acrylic work..