You need a cone shape near the top to focus the foam upwards. Id try and copy the shape of one of the marine skimmers. I've had several on my reef tank over the years and all seemed to work at varying degrees
If you fed water in to the outlet and out of the inlet you would more than double the contact time for the bubbles search reverse flow protein skimmer.... A lot of marine skimmers have pipes inside to make the water travel against the flow of bubbles...
I really like your ideas. Sometimes hard to follow. My question is, do you think a bigger exhaust would help produce more foam? I use to build these for saltwater aquariums. Good job !
Thanks Clark. I have a Shusui named 'Clark'! I don't know about a bigger exhaust? You may be right. It's just if I make it bigger there's no going back smaller if it doesn't work. Hmmmm. It's a thought though.
Try putting a defuser plate just above the air stones around 2mm holes about 100 holes this may help make smaller bubbles going into the tube trapping more protein in the foam
Need to get the air set right, can be a bit fiddly but needs to be just pushing the bubbles up and through the tube. If no protein to filter you may just get a slight dribble of water. For some reason I’ve started to get a lot so reconnected my little diy fractionator in my eazypod and it’s pulling loads of foam but no dirt.
Thanks Graham. I have trouble keeping the water level constant and I am getting no foam at all. As you say just a little bit of clean water! Disappointing!
Maybe try some small Fish Tank air-stones to see if you can get finer bubbles. Just a thought, but when I had a protein skimmer on my Saltwater Tank the bubbles were very fine. It’s worth a try 👍. Thanks for sharing 👍
Great question Paul. I really should have shown that! I thought about this for quite a while. I wanted to go with an acrylic or Polypropylene 'hoop' over the tube and correctly positioned. In the end I went the cheap way! I cut the hoop out of 18mm MDF and covered that in tape. I then wound electricians tape at the correct place on the tube until the MDF hoop was very tight when pushed onto the tape. I then cut a rubber washer and fitted the dome using screws into the MDF. Does that make sense?
Yeah the water is very clear and maybe that's the problem? I am getting a tiny bit of bubbles on the water surface from the water dropping back in from the Bakki Shower. Don't know if this is foam or just air bubbles.
Hi Richard. There are a few places on eBay. Here is where I got mine from www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CLEAR-PERSPEX-ACRYLIC-DOME-WITH-FLANGE-HEMISPHERES-50mm-700mm-DIAMETERS/163332659704?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=462603058520&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Yeah I'm sure you are right Andrew. I have heard that they work much better in salt water. However when 'Wrighty' had his going it produced loads of dirty foam. May be something I'm doing wrong?
Air stones look great 😂😂 top job again mate
Thanks 👍
Hey pal.
That is a cool set up.
Pond looks great
Thanks Chris
You need a cone shape near the top to focus the foam upwards. Id try and copy the shape of one of the marine skimmers. I've had several on my reef tank over the years and all seemed to work at varying degrees
I'll have a look at how the marine skimmers are made. Thanks.
Looks good that, keep us posted on how it’s working. Cheers 👍
Will do Richard. I might leave it until the weather gets warmer and I'm feeding more heavily.
That is just amazing
Yeah it looks great just got to get it working well now!
Looks good mate. Update us on how much it takes out 👍👍
Thanks Daz. It hasn't taken anything out yet. Very disappointing!
If you fed water in to the outlet and out of the inlet you would more than double the contact time for the bubbles search reverse flow protein skimmer.... A lot of marine skimmers have pipes inside to make the water travel against the flow of bubbles...
I really like your ideas. Sometimes hard to follow.
My question is, do you think a bigger exhaust would help produce more foam?
I use to build these for saltwater aquariums.
Good job !
Thanks Clark. I have a Shusui named 'Clark'! I don't know about a bigger exhaust? You may be right. It's just if I make it bigger there's no going back smaller if it doesn't work. Hmmmm. It's a thought though.
Try putting a defuser plate just above the air stones around 2mm holes about 100 holes this may help make smaller bubbles going into the tube trapping more protein in the foam
Great idea Barry.
Omg mate I’m cracking up from laughter when you held up the air stones lol what does that look like 🤣🤣🤣
Haha... I couldn't possibly comment... 🤣🤣🤣
Need to get the air set right, can be a bit fiddly but needs to be just pushing the bubbles up and through the tube. If no protein to filter you may just get a slight dribble of water.
For some reason I’ve started to get a lot so reconnected my little diy fractionator in my eazypod and it’s pulling loads of foam but no dirt.
Thanks Graham. I have trouble keeping the water level constant and I am getting no foam at all. As you say just a little bit of clean water! Disappointing!
@@northernkoikeeper512 are you able to control the air?
Nice build that is mate, Good job
I might need to try this, to catch protein but more for looking fancy in my filter house LOL
Haha... I do think that it looks pretty 'cool'.
@@northernkoikeeper512
Definitely does
Proper job that 👌👌
Maybe try some small Fish Tank air-stones to see if you can get finer bubbles. Just a thought, but when I had a protein skimmer on my Saltwater Tank the bubbles were very fine. It’s worth a try 👍. Thanks for sharing 👍
Thanks for the tip George. I'll see what I can find.
salt water has more bubbles as salinity higher because of the salt :)
looking good mate, thats a y branch you was thinking of, how did you seal the dome to the tube
Great question Paul. I really should have shown that! I thought about this for quite a while. I wanted to go with an acrylic or Polypropylene 'hoop' over the tube and correctly positioned. In the end I went the cheap way! I cut the hoop out of 18mm MDF and covered that in tape. I then wound electricians tape at the correct place on the tube until the MDF hoop was very tight when pushed onto the tape. I then cut a rubber washer and fitted the dome using screws into the MDF. Does that make sense?
Looks great. Water looks too clean. Getting much foam on the pond surface? I’d love to see this work.
Yeah the water is very clear and maybe that's the problem? I am getting a tiny bit of bubbles on the water surface from the water dropping back in from the Bakki Shower. Don't know if this is foam or just air bubbles.
😂😂😂 the air stones 👌
Haha... Yeah. I didn't realise until I hung them up...! 🤣🤣🤣
You could've put a load of solvent weld glue on the y branch caps it would've held 👍
Great idea. Unfortunately I wanted to be able to get at the air stones and needed it to be able to be taken off. Good thinking though.
I’ve just built one and like you say no protein in the water yet.
Wait till the water warms up before making any adjustments mate.
Thanks Dale that's good to know. So it's not just me not getting skimmit! I will leave it until later on in the year before trying again.
can u yell me where you got the dome from please
Hi Richard. There are a few places on eBay. Here is where I got mine from
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CLEAR-PERSPEX-ACRYLIC-DOME-WITH-FLANGE-HEMISPHERES-50mm-700mm-DIAMETERS/163332659704?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=462603058520&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Bubbles seem huge compared to a traditional saltwater skimmer. Not sure if it's because of venturi feed vs cock and balls(air stones)
Haha you could be right Richard. Need smaller bubbles.
It's missing a venturi.
I got marine fish and the skimmer on the tank takes loads of crap out my be more in salt water than in fresh water koi pond
Yeah I'm sure you are right Andrew. I have heard that they work much better in salt water. However when 'Wrighty' had his going it produced loads of dirty foam. May be something I'm doing wrong?