mame style nano skimmer (DIY)

[Trio91]

guys, I am thinking about installing a small, mame style nano skimmer in my 10gal IM. now from watching all the youtube videos, I can easily make a diy version out of a water bottle, but with limited space, I think the water bottle may be too big for my tank.

here is something I am looking to build ReefGlass nano air driven protein skimmer - Reef Builders | The Reef and Marine Aquarium Blog , something that slim and that can fit into one of the rear compartments. any ideas on what material and where I can get them from in order to make this thing? the pump I have and the stone I can get, the slim cylinder is my concern

any thoughts would be appreciated

 

[mnat]

What is the biggest circumference that will fit in the back?

 

[Trio91]

I just checked it and its not looking so spacious

right now I have almost no space for anything back there. I have a filter sock, chemi-pure, a neo therm heater, purigen, an apex probe holder (which is huge btw, I won it on R2R along with the apex jr) and my return pump. plus I have the gooseneck from my kessil hanging on there.

my next option is to install one inside but in the corner next to the overflow grate or I eliminate the filter sock

 

[Trio91]

what do you think? @mnat

 

[mnat]

Not a ton of room at all, maybe something HOB, but even then you need some room for the pump and the return area. You might just have to be diligent on your water changes.

 

[onefish2fish]

what about the clear tube on a gravel vac?

 

[Trio91]

Not a ton of room at all, maybe something HOB, but even then you need some room for the pump and the return area. You might just have to be diligent on your water changes.

yea I know, thanx for the advice. my maintenance schedule is: water change every Wednesday + filter sock change and another filter sock change every Saturday

chemi-pure gets replaced every 15th of the month and the purigen once per month

 

[Trio91]

what about the clear tube on a gravel vac?

that's what I was leaning towards, was hoping to find something a little slimmer as it have to be wedged in between the rockwork and glass so I can see maintenance on the wooden stone may be nightmare with the limited space...but do you think its worth a shot?

 

[Trio91]

I was thinking of using the square container. the vac tube has a nut that I can screw on for support

 

[Trio91]

a follow up to this...here is what i came up with

i took that cone section from a siphon hose, and cut out a hole in a yogurt cup, then i just zipped tied a maxi jest hook bracket to it

threw in some line, an air stone, a cheap pimp i had lying around, and thats pretty much it

 

[Trio91]

it seems to be working, but its too soon to tell

 

[Trio91]

it seems to be working, but its too soon to tell

 

[Mark_C]

Hey Trio,
Thanks for the post, setting up a 10g IM atm. This may get me experimenting this weekend.

 

[Trio91]

Hey Trio,
Thanks for the post, setting up a 10g IM atm. This may get me experimenting this weekend.

Thanx marc, here is an update. It's pulling green/brown foam

 

[Trio91]

Note that I had to pull the filter sock but what I did was wrap filter floss in a mesh, zip tied it and just stuffed it into the chamber

 

[Mark_C]

I'm using a 3 tier media basket in chamber 1 - floss/carbon/phosban, then the soon to exist skimmer in chamber 2 with the heater, and a tunze nano ato in the return section. Getting crowded.
Nice to see its working, hopefully I've have the same luck.

 

[mnat]

Nice, look like it came together well.

 

[Trio91]

So, without having to pull out the entire skimmer, what I do is add a lil tank water to the cup and turkey-baste out the funky stuff

 

[kschweer]

Great job Marcus! Pretty cool little project.