DIY Protein Skimmer

mekoi · Post by **mekoi** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:11 pm

Hi all,

Built my own protein skimmer back in Oct '05 from bits and pieces lying around in my shed. Here is the finished product

[img]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Koi38/PSkimmer.jpg[/img]

This shows the test run and you already see the sticky bubbles coming out of exit pipe
[img]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Koi38/PSF.jpg[/img]

And here is the first collection after running it for 24hrs....yukkkkk

[img]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Koi38/ ... ercopy.jpg[/img]

If you're planing to make one, it should cost you more than $50AUSD, not sure how much is that in pounds

Any comments bad or good are welcome

kimr · Post by **kimr** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 1:00 pm

Hi Jon
I have been thinking about how I could build my own protien skimmer and this one looks good. But being a woman I need more information on how it work's. Could you please explain it to me so I can maybe copy your idea.
Thank you

mekoi · Post by **mekoi** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 1:30 pm

Sooooo you're a woman, lucky my wife is not around, just kidding

Okay. What happens is the pressure created by the bubbles from the airstones pushing the water/bubbles up to the PET section. It is then tappered to smaller exit pipes pushing only sticky water/bubbles and get discharge, the rest goes to return pipe. You may have to play around the height of the PS to get good result. If you getting water instead of bubbles then you PS is too low, lift it up a little and so forth. Does these make sense

If you need more info let us know and I'll be glad to help out

kayoss · Post by **kayoss** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 6:33 pm

Hi Kim

send me your email address and I'll send you a diagram of one I built myself (very similar to mekoi's) with bits from a local plumbers merchant.

Better still, if anyone knows how to post a word document, I'll happily send it to them and they can post it on here for everyone!

Cheers

Bob

Cashybai · Post by **Cashybai** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:42 pm

Kim,
This is the one I've built, from the original article from koi chat. [url]http://www.madaboutkoi.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/ ... 9&archive=[/url]
No photos, but does what it sez on the tin. They're all using the same principle, just slightly different bits...

vippymini · Post by **vippymini** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:47 pm

bob , send it over ill see if i can post it for you

janeevans@dsl.pipex.com

kayoss · Post by **kayoss** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:52 pm

That's the one Neil.

I spent about half an hour looking for that one in the archives but couldn't find it - then remembered I'd saved the diagram on my hard drive.

Much better with the photos as well though!

Cheers

Bob

Cashybai · Post by **Cashybai** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 8:16 pm

No probs Bob,
I had that saved for ages before I finally got round to making one this spring, and by crikey doesn't it work!

Cheers,

fatherted · Post by **fatherted** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:26 pm

Not seen one of these Blue Peter'ed before so I want to understand it.

There is no pumping of water - it is just the rising air doing all the work?

And you just sit it in a section of the filter?

mekoi · Post by **mekoi** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 11:48 pm

fatherted wrote:Not seen one of these Blue Peter'ed before so I want to understand it.

There is no pumping of water - it is just the rising air doing all the work?

And you just sit it in a section of the filter?

Hi Ted,

Well technically the air pumps the water by the force of bubble. Yes the rising air does all the work. I place mine in one of my chamber coz I got no where else to place it that will sit still. Some ppl have them in the pond but I don't like the idea coz the koi can hurt themselves.

mekoi · Post by **mekoi** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 1:01 am

kimr wrote:Hi Jon
I have been thinking about how I could build my own protien skimmer and this one looks good. But being a woman I need more information on how it work's. Could you please explain it to me so I can maybe copy your idea.
Thank you

Hi Kim,

Here is a simple diagram

Cashybai · Post by **Cashybai** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:15 am

Thats exactly it Jon, I'll get some photos of mine when I get home, only difference on mine is some slit hose around the bottom of the 4" pipe, to protect the cut edges. The sludge exit pipe has been cut to the right length to fit nice 'n tight over my side wall, and I hold that in place with a pair of pipe clips.

Regards,

mekoi · Post by **mekoi** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 7:15 am

Hi Neil,

It doesn't matter if they're different so long it works for us. Don't you love this unit

Yes pls, share your version to us

Big John · Post by **Big John** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 5:13 pm

Ok. I understand how this works (I use air bubbles to power my undergravel filter in my aquarium) but what is the purpose of this?
What is the gunge being kicked out?

GERRY5 · Post by **GERRY5** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 9:17 pm

hi john ...the gunge which sticks to the bubbles is pure protein , save the goo and feed your plants with it, excess protein left in the water can lead to water going cloudy or green etc if you can get rid of it so much the better water clarity.