Skimmers....Why so much??

[steve1600cc]

Everyone I see Costs a Ton,seems to just be a Long Tube with a Jet at the bottom so as to mess up the Water sending Crappy Particles up the Foam to a Cup.....Just like the Lakes in the Summer I suppose....Then of course some form of return line with a Valve for some form of control..
I have an Aqua C 120 and still don't trust it,Might get Enough Crud to clean once a week.
If I knew I could buy something that for sure worked with little Maint.I would buy it...seems making on would be the smart way to go?

[wes]

If you look at the total prices for a DIY thing they still come out to be $150ish, depending. You're paying a lot for design. The raw materials in a Porsche might not be much more than in a dodge, but there's certainly a difference there...

[wolrey]

The materials aren't actually as cheap as you might think at first. If you really enjoy a DIY project, you can make your own skimmer. It will help to really understand tuning and the different designs.

If your looking for a easy to use, easy to tune skimmer, get a Tunze 9010.

Jeff

[hypertech]

I think the cost is in the acrylic. The bubbles don't care if they are inside an acrylic tube or a PVC one. There were some posts on here lately about using 6/8" sewer pipe for one.

The only other big cost is the pump - but IIRC you have been happy using some less expensive industrial pumps so you might know of something that could save money there too.

[civil]

R&D costs money. Skimmers are very simple devices and the latest needle wheel pumps are simple in concept. A well built skimmer takes time to build, even the mass produced ones take time. The other problem with our hobby is there just aren't enough of us to truly mass produce many items. I'm sure there are thousands of skimmers sold each year, if it were in the millions they should cost less.

Then again if everyone was into reefs it wouldn't be as cool!

[steve1600cc]

Here's a for instance,Mine can seem to be operating well for a Week then one Day I'm checking and it's all water versus the Week long slow rise of Cruddy Bubbles and Foam,So then I start messing with it only to spend the Next Week "fine Tuning"I seem to repeat this Process for the last 5 Months now and I'm slowly going Nuts....

[wes]

that can be caused by many things... if you adjust right after your hands are in the tank, or if you have to readjust right after you clean the neck (I do mine daily), you'll have problems getting consistancy. Also, some skimmers are just better designed and will produce with more consistancy. There's just no magic bullet or simple way to do it, unless you have a killer skimmer that's been designed to fix this problem.

[steve1600cc]

Here's what I mean...
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa15/steve1600cc/Cannon014.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa15/steve1600cc/Cannon013.jpg

[twincitiesreefer]

maybey ure tank is to clean?

[steve1600cc]

How is that Possible I don't know anything!!LOL

[clownnut]

give it time. skimmer need sometime to break in.
maybe use another pump like OR

[steve1600cc]

I used a Mag 7 is that to much?

[spectrum]

how long has your tank been set up?

[spectrum]

also loks like you need to tone it down ( let the flow out some more ) if you can adjust it, so it wont just pump water into the collection cup.

[steve1600cc]

I'll mess with it some more,Has been going for 6 Months now,2 Months in this Tank.

[oyam123]

Octopus Skimmers are a great deal for the money.
Parts and pump would be over 1/2 the price of the finished item.

http://www.tcmas.org/forums/imagehosting/2147449dd30a2f9.jpg

this is the one I got.

[steve1600cc]

Which one for a 125 Gallon?
http://www.octopusskimmer.com/

[wes]

are you dosing bacardi? (on yourself?)

[oyam123]

are you dosing bacardi? (on yourself?)

yes, I ran out of Vodka:beerchug:

[oyam123]

Which one for a 125 Gallon?
http://www.octopusskimmer.com/

Octopus Recirc Needlewheel 200

[YiNYaNg]

yes, I ran out of Vodka:beerchug:
Why not Everclear :nuts: gets the job done quicker with less shots.

[oyam123]

FYI: the new LFS Saltwater Empire has the Octopus skimmers in stock.
Id call them before you go on-line.

[spsick]

Which one for a 125 Gallon?
http://www.octopusskimmer.com/
I think the recirc 200 is a little big, recirc 150 or regular 200 would be fine. Or wait for the xtreme 160, better pump, smaller footprint, bubble plate

[Adam G]

I think a mag 7 might be a little too much pump for your AquaC 120. I have a mag 7 on my AquaC 180, and it is just right. Mine works really well, and tuning is not a problem at all. What I do is keep the air valve wide open, and make all my adjustments with the gate valve. I just adjust it so the water level is at where the reaction chamber box meets the clear tube, and leave it be. I get a nice and dark skimmate.

I want to get something bigger in the near future, but this one is holding its own for now.

[thegrimreefer]

Hmmm... Dosing rum, while being a waste of rum, would be an interesting way get both alcohol and sugar dosing at the same time.

[Rox]

This thread got me thinking. I'm working on my own project; just to see if it can be done and if it will work, I'm making a DIY "Ghetto" skimmer. I'll post pix as I go. Wish me luck.

-Rox

[steve1600cc]

I appreciate all the Advice since this Post it has calmed down again to what I believe is Normal..again I've not messed with anything just time.
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa15/steve1600cc/Cannon029.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa15/steve1600cc/Cannon032.jpg
If this is good then I guess for awhile I will keep but think a new one is in the Future!!
Will try a smaller Pump and see what that does or get an Octopus at next Meeting?

[mattb]

Do you have the air valve closed at all? These skimmers are very similar to downdrafts, in that they have a 'nozzle' that is under pressure. By looking at your pictures, I'd either open up the air valve more or close the gate valve for the exit of the skimmer. You'll be skimming really dry currently...

[Flounder]

Bubble plate? Is that just a way to get more? I dont see what they do. Most have big holes in them that I think wouldnt do anything special. I could see a mesh bubble plate for it would create smaller bubbles. I have a tubrofloter 1000 and am outgrowing it fast!

[spazz]

alot of the costs to produce a good skimmer is the tooling, research, and the day to day operating costs of a business to produce these. they cant me built by a machine or robot. they have to be hand make one at a time. plus the costs for acrylic tubing is through the roof. 1 ft of 8 in tubing cost almost $50 by the time you have it shipped here. most good skimmers have at least $200 worth of acrylic tubing and $50-$100 worth of plumbing parts. plus the hours it takes to assemble them. it takes years to produce a really good skimmer. all that research takes time and money.