# DIY: Surface Skimmer



## doubleott05 (Mar 16, 2010)

thats frickin genius i donno why i didnt think of that


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

That is a great idea. Wonder how it would do if you chucked a bag of purigen under the floss.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

Nubster said:


> That is a great idea. Wonder how it would do if you chucked a bag of purigen under the floss.


Not sure if it would do much, I only use this skimmer once or twice a week for 10 minutes.

I first saw how to do this on APC, so original credit is whoever posted it there. I just saw how many people on this forum need to get rid of surface scum.


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## Rev_jim_jones (Sep 25, 2011)

duck weed filter


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

Bump for people with surface scum problems!


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## wpgfish (Nov 24, 2011)

this is an awsome idea


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

Would this be a potential shrimp blackhole?


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

acitydweller said:


> Would this be a potential shrimp blackhole?


Negative. This is something you use for 5-10 minutes any time you feel the need to get rid of surface crap, not a permanent piece of equipment. Even if a shrimp manages to get sucked in, the filter floss will stop it from being blended by the impeller.


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## Psionic (Dec 22, 2011)

My husband and I made one of these last night and it worked great. I was just waiting for one of the hatchetfish to jump right into it like it was a toy. 


-Val


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## biogenetic40379 (Jan 19, 2012)

omg, i finally have a use for my power head


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## ccar2000 (Sep 3, 2011)

This skimmer/bottom draw unit is made from a piece of 2"ABS pipe








At the gravel level I just used the chopsaw to cut a small kerf in the pipe








At the top/waterline I cut the pipe at a 30* angle and put the intake tube of my HOT Magnum filter inside.








With this set up the water level can drop by an inch and still skim the surface. I do not think the bottom draw slot will flow enough water if the level drops any lower than that. One could experiment with more cuts at the gravel level or a deeper angle at the water surface. To draw more water from either end.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

That is actually pretty cool. I have a Fluval one but I don't use it because I don't want something that big to be in my tank all the time. I have an extra HOB I use it from time to time with but even then, it's kind of a pain. I may take this idea, but use the top of my Fluval one for something easy to take in and out of my tank. It could be made to be even smaller than the Fluval surface skimmer would be, and make it removable.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I just made one of these out of misc. parts I had laying around. I used the top part of my Fluval surface skimmer, a pump from a Marina HOB filter I had laying around and connected the two with a small piece of plastic pipe. Then I keep in in place with an old heater holder. Took me about 10 min to make and setup.

This thing is awesome. It works as well as the Fluval does but I don't like to use the Fluval all the time. If I use it with my canister, I can air lock it without much effort. If I use it with a HOB, it just can act up if you leave the room. With this, it's loud as it is constantly sucking air in but not an problem. In about 5 min, done, can take it out, put it in for next time. 

Thanks for this, super simple but I would have never thought about it.


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## ccar2000 (Sep 3, 2011)

Hey Talon, can you post a pic of your set up?


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

ccar2000 said:


> Hey Talon, can you post a pic of your set up?


Sorry for the dirty tank and surface scum. I decided if I was going to take pics, I should put it on another tank so I just set it up and plugged it in when I took pics. It does work, I promise, lol.


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## ccar2000 (Sep 3, 2011)

Cool, you can see that it is working just fine!


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## m00se (Jan 8, 2011)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEVvMsp17C4

I beat the scum-boogie-man by running a pair of airstones in my tank for an hour a day, on a timer. Works as well as a skimmer and doesn't take fish, plants, or floaters down the drink with it. No scum, and I used to have it bad. Try it and you'll see. Wallymart has dual output air pumps for $11.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

m00se said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEVvMsp17C4
> 
> I beat the scum-boogie-man by running a pair of airstones in my tank for an hour a day, on a timer. Works as well as a skimmer and doesn't take fish, plants, or floaters down the drink with it. No scum, and I used to have it bad. Try it and you'll see. Wallymart has dual output air pumps for $11.


Gah! I had a spare airpump handy for something like this, but I gave it to my friend for his home-brewing project with Mead...


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## blackonyx (Nov 4, 2007)

brilliant!


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