| Re: We want to build a protein skimmer
I've done PVC skimmers when I first got into the hobby. However acrylic is the way to go, it isn't vital to see inside the skimmer, but when it comes to adjusting the water level to get the proper amount of skimmate, you want to be able to see in the skimmer, it also lets you know when to clean the body of the skimmer out as well.
Most of the plans on the internet are for countercurrent airstone skimmers, which work well, but require a large skimmer to be effective. There are also numerous downdraft and beckket plans on the internet, but you don't save much money imo by building these yourself unless you already have the material laying around. The needlewheel or venturi style skimmers are easy to build and the way to go for DIY I think. It can be somewhat difficult to find the venturi's now, but a good venturi I found can make a lot of difference in the performance of a skimmer. |