A post shared by reefbuilders reefbuilders on Oct 25, at pm PDT. The body of the protein skimmer is made from a glass bottle which was selected for its long tapering, conical neck. Picking out a bottle from the grocery store is easy but a specialized device sensibly called a glass bottle cutter. Meanwhile a firm fitting elbow stuffed into the opening of the bottle and is connected to a tube that directs skimmate out of the tank.
Even after just two days of operation shortly after a large water change the very basic air driven skimmer has pulled a respectable amount of scum from the tank. Best of all, this DIY skimmer design has an auto shut-off feature because as the end of the drain hose becomes submerged it builds back pressure that prevents the skimmer from skimming further or overflowing.
I for one still jump at the chance to assemble a DIY skimmer when the opportunity arises and now that you know how simple and easy it can be, hopefully some of you will try this out too. Jake Adams has been an avid marine aquarist since the mid 90s and has worked in the retail side of the marine aquarium trade for more than ten years.
Jake is interested in every facet of the marine aquarium hobby from the concepts to the technology, rare fish to exotic corals, and his interests are well documented through a very prolific career of speaking to reef clubs and marine aquarium events, and writing articles for aquarium publications across the globe.
His primary interest is in corals which Jake pursues in the aquarium hobby as well as diving the coral reefs of the world. To build a protein skimmer, start by cutting a plastic water bottle in half and gluing the upper half upside down in the lower half using aquarium silicone. Then, cut a piece of PVC pipe so it's inches shorter than your tank, and drill 2 parallel holes on one side of the pipe and 1 hole near the end of the other side. Next, insert suction cups into the parallel holes, and thread the hose of your airstone through the other hole.
Finally, connect your airstone to your submersible pump, and slide the plastic bottle over the pipe. To learn how to position the skimmer in your tank, scroll down! Did this summary help you?
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Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Cut two 16 fl oz mL plastic water bottles in half.
Use a pair of scissors to snip the top off of one of the empty bottles where it begins to taper. Do the same to the second bottle, then cut off the bottom end so that it forms a tube. If you want your collection cup to hold more debris, simply cut the tube piece slightly longer. Fit the upper half of the first bottle into the lower half of the second. Turn the top piece upside down and slide the neck directly into the tube. Together, these two bottle pieces will serve as your collection cup.
Glue the two bottle pieces together using aquarium silicone. Squeeze a dime-sized glob of silicone onto the seam where the edges of the two bottle pieces connect. Use the pad of your finger or another tool, such as a folded paper towel, to spread the silicone into a thin layer. Allow the silicone to cure for at least 24 hours. Aquarium silicone usually dries in a matter of minutes.
However, it will take closer to a full day for the material to harden completely. At this point, it will be able to provide a waterproof seal.
Some aquarium silicone formulas may take up to a full week to cure. Part 2. Cut a piece of PVC pipe 1—3 inches 2. To make a skimmer for a standard-sized fish tank that holds 40 gallons L or less, thin-walled PVC with a 2 in 5. Use a pipe cutter or hacksaw to trim the PVC down to the necessary specifications. Drill two parallel holes on one side of the PVC. Set your holes 2—3 inches 5. Mark the position of each hole with a pencil, doing your best to line them up as precisely as possible.
Bore a clean, straight hole through each marking at a degree angle. Select a drill bit slightly smaller than the nubs on the backside of the suction cups, using the specific cups you bought for reference.
Be careful not to accidentally drill through the opposite side of the pipe—doing so will render your skimmer inoperable. Make a third hole 1—2 inches 2. Turn your PVC pipe around and rotate it degrees. Drill an additional hole just above the end of the blank side. This hole will serve as the air intake for your protein skimmer.
Insert rubber suction cups into the two parallel holes. They should fit snugly and stay put, provided you used an appropriately-sized drill bit. Thread the hose of your airstone through the air intake. Guide the hose into the open end of the pipe and out through the drilled hole.
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