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-   -   Custom made Protein Skimmer. (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1839738)

KingNeptunesBou 04/27/2010 12:57 PM

Custom made Protein Skimmer.
 
Well from browsing through various threads I know this is most likely the thousandth time someone has asked for advice on building there own Protein Skimmer. Now personally I am not looking to build a Protein Skimmer to lower my overall cost. My main goal is to build a custom piece of equipment tailored to my overall specifications with the added bonus of being able to say I designed and manufactured it myself. So if you have experience in building you own Protien Skimmer, working with Acrylic, working with PVC than any advice would be greatly appreciated. I will post rough schematics of the idea of the overall design shortly.

reefvilla 04/27/2010 01:37 PM

Well, I built one a few years back. It worked. I ended up buying something that has had hours upon hours of testing, fine tuning and worked like it was supposed to.

I would say your best bet is to copy something that is already out there and will fit in your space, that way you know it works well and you won't end up wasting money. Plastic tubing of any size isn't cheap and fittings, bonding agents, parts....

http://www.tapplastics.com/ is a good place to get supplies.

KingNeptunesBou 04/27/2010 08:23 PM

Response to Reefvilla.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by reefvilla (Post 17017787)
Well, I built one a few years back. It worked. I ended up buying something that has had hours upon hours of testing, fine tuning and worked like it was supposed to.

I would say your best bet is to copy something that is already out there and will fit in your space, that way you know it works well and you won't end up wasting money. Plastic tubing of any size isn't cheap and fittings, bonding agents, parts....

http://www.tapplastics.com/ is a good place to get supplies.

Thank you for the recommendation I am actually considering using a combination of designs from various existing Protein Skimmer available on the Market.

uncleof6 04/27/2010 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingNeptunesBou (Post 17019868)
Thank you for the recommendation I am actually considering using a combination of designs from various existing Protein Skimmer available on the Market.

That is basically what most do with DIY skimmers, look at a bunch of skimmers and say: Hummm that is cool, oh and this is cool too. So by the time you are done mixing and matching this feature with that feature, you end up with something that might work, or it might not. I think this is what reefvilla is recommending against, and I agree. Build 1 skimmer using 1 model as your template: it will be a known quantity, not an R & D project. Also be aware that many of the trick gimmicks on skimmers today, are "me too" copy cat features. Try to use a model that has not changed, (but has a good reputation,) for a while.

Jim

KingNeptunesBou 04/28/2010 12:14 PM

Response to Uncleof6.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by uncleof6 (Post 17020033)
That is basically what most do with DIY skimmers, look at a bunch of skimmers and say: Hummm that is cool, oh and this is cool too. So by the time you are done mixing and matching this feature with that feature, you end up with something that might work, or it might not. I think this is what reefvilla is recommending against, and I agree. Build 1 skimmer using 1 model as your template: it will be a known quantity, not an R & D project. Also be aware that many of the trick gimmicks on skimmers today, are "me too" copy cat features. Try to use a model that has not changed, (but has a good reputation,) for a while.

Jim

That is basically my though process behind this project. I'm looking to replicate design features from the new Deltec TS series of Protein Skimmers and utilizing the Red Dragon Pumps from the Bubble King series of Protein Skimmers. But I'm willing to experiement with a combination of features from various skimmers to see what works and what doesn't. Thank you for the advice.

reefvilla 04/28/2010 01:02 PM

I tried to say all that... just maybe didn't come out that way :)

KingNeptunesBou 04/28/2010 01:27 PM

Response to Reefvilla.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by reefvilla (Post 17022879)
I tried to say all that... just maybe didn't come out that way :)

It's a forum, I don't think anything you type every gets understood in the way you originally meant it.

troylee 04/28/2010 01:39 PM

just a little fyi if you buy a red dragon pump etc, it's gonna cost more than buying a bk, or atb skimmer..been down that road....it is fun to build your own creations i am all for it, but just a warning money wise...i could of bought 3 or 4 atb skimmers before i perfected my first cone skimmer...;)

KingNeptunesBou 04/28/2010 02:48 PM

Respone to Troylee.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by troylee (Post 17023068)
just a little fyi if you buy a red dragon pump etc, it's gonna cost more than buying a bk, or atb skimmer..been down that road....it is fun to build your own creations i am all for it, but just a warning money wise...i could of bought 3 or 4 atb skimmers before i perfected my first cone skimmer...;)

Thank you for the advice. I will definitely way my options but I just want to make something myself that I feel the cost would be justified.


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