View Full Version : Water bottle skimmer
itstheantitang
12-05-2005, 7:14 PM
Im quarantining a blue damsel and it has massive cyano growth in its tank. So I thought of a water bottle skimmer. Then I saw it completed on reefcentral and I decided to make one.
I used an ice mountain water bottle and punched holes about an inch below where the neck starts to taper. Then I cut off the bottom, cut a hole in the neck, and fed airline through the hole till the line was about 3/4 of an inch above the bottom. Then I drilld a 1in hole in an aquadine food container (big kind, the lfs has it in large tubes, kinda like bulk jellybeans) and pushed it onto the neck and glued it in place, drilled a hole at the bottom of the container and have airline draining the funk out. It is attached to the side of the tank by a suction cup and uses a red sea wooden airstone.
Well, I hate to say, it works. It works better than the backpak 2 reef I have on my 55.
Just thought I would share.
TipStylez
12-05-2005, 7:42 PM
can you tanke some pics so i can get a good pic in my head how it will turn out?
Thanks
-Q
itstheantitang
12-05-2005, 8:05 PM
Sorry but I don't have a camera to do it with!
Heres some similar links:
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=88359&papass=&sort=1&thecat=583
any container will work for the collection cup, but be sure to have holes in the side for water movement. Sorry for no pics.
Just do some trial and error, its cheap. Mine cost 3.49+6% tax!
Owens187
12-05-2005, 9:31 PM
where did you find the exact plans for it?? that link only shows a pic.....this is very interesting!! do you get a good amount of skimmate with it?? i think ill try it!
itstheantitang
12-05-2005, 9:42 PM
I didn't get exact plans, saw threads on reefcentral and nano-reef.com for ideas and went from there.
In 12 hours I got about 2 oz. of foggy green skimmate, good for a water bottle!
Owens187
12-05-2005, 10:03 PM
sold!! i think ill give it a try!! would it work to use a hose coming out of the top instead of a collection cup, with the hose running down into the stand to collect in a bowl etc..?? kind of like this, but without the inlet pipes etc ????
http://reefcentral.com/diy/frac.htm
TipStylez
12-06-2005, 4:05 AM
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AHHH!
itstheantitang
12-06-2005, 8:21 PM
try nano-reef then
Registration on rc is simple, activation takes about 5 days, but in the meanehule you can still view pics.
About the hose- I think it would work but the collection cup would be better, it will allow more foam to collapse and freely rise. I have a hose going into a two-liter coming from the collection cup.
mysis
12-07-2005, 11:46 PM
try nano-reef then
Registration on rc is simple, activation takes about 5 days, but in the meanehule you can still view pics.
wrong, i alread registered on rc and the activation took me 5 mins to recieve it.
mogurnda
12-08-2005, 10:04 AM
Please keep posting on the progress, and some photos when you get a chance! I would love to know how well this works over time.
itstheantitang
12-08-2005, 8:49 PM
Its been going since the 3rd and its okay...
I guess since the initial start up, the skimmate production has gone down due to the removal of the built up nutrients from the time without a skimmer.
The bak pak I have is superior, altough in each weight class the bottle is very impressive.
Today (12/8), I hardly got any skimmate. I Think it is because of the fallen water level in the tank. I can only place the skimmer so low because of the airline drain in the collection cup. (poor design on my part.)
I think you guys should try this too, if you have a air pump and a wooden stone you can do it. Please report your findings!
BTW I dont have a camera to do pics on the computer with.
itstheantitang
12-08-2005, 8:50 PM
wrong, i alread registered on rc and the activation took me 5 mins to recieve it.
The 5 day activation is until you can post, you will get an email.
Owens187
12-10-2005, 4:48 AM
well ive tryed every desighn i can think of..(co- current, counter-current,etc..) i cant seem to get a good foam going. i have one more idea ill try and ill let you know how it goes, but so far im 0 for 3 trys, im thinkin ill just spend the 100 n sumthin bucks for a real one, tho i dont understand why it wont work, as i have Fenners book and have copied the desighns of some skimmers in there,(hang on back, etc) and it just wont foam...i really dont know why....i mean it looks the same and works on the same principle, but just wont foam....ill try one more n if it dont work...off to the lfs i go......
itstheantitang
12-10-2005, 12:50 PM
Give it a while to foam, the oils in your hands stop foam production, so after a certian amount of time the foam will start. Also, make sure the foam doesn't have to travel too high to get to the collection cup.
Also, what kind of bottle do you have? Make sure the neck slopes up.
itstheantitang
12-10-2005, 12:51 PM
i posted straight away.
hmm wasn't the case with me. Did you get the email?
FreddytheFish
12-11-2005, 3:07 PM
That's pretty sweet, the $4 skimmer... :D
Owens187
12-18-2005, 5:24 PM
well ive pretty much given up for now........still wont foam. what parts EXACTLY are you using?? and how put together...go into great detail. you need to get a camera so you can post a pic!!!! can you borrow one? id really like to know how you got it to work!! :cool:
hmm wasn't the case with me. Did you get the email?
yes, you talking bout the activation message right?
itstheantitang
12-29-2005, 7:23 PM
sry so late
forgot
but yes