DIY skimmer Input needed

Hi everyone.
I want to attempt a DIY venturi skimmer for my 80g tank with 50g sump/fuge, the concept and design seem very simple and easy to do. the problem I am having is finding a suitable body. I would use PVC but it is opaque.
I am thinking about using this plastic jug.





Is it big enough? Is the shape going to be problem? It is about 9 inches high and 1 gallon volume.

 

BuMp

 

anyone?

 

i don't know if I'm following you here

will the yellow hatch lead to the neck of the skimmer?

if so the problem i see is not all the bubbles will go toward it, maybe funnel to it?

 

No, i plan to seal that and drill a hole in the center to use a pvc neck. under the hatch there is only a very small hole(1/2"). Maybe 2" PVC would work for the neck?

what about the volume of the jug?

 

You are going to have a problem bonding this all together. There are plenty of folks that build their own skimmer, but they usually do it right with PVC or acrylic. I mean DIY skimmers can be really good, but cobbling a bunch of stuff together and calling it a skimmer does not mean it will work. The bodies need to be in a size range.... the neck needs to be in a size range... the pump needs to be sized for the skimmer. I'm really not trying to be rude... just saying.

There are plenty that make skimmers... they just like to build, but in the end they don't really save much money. Materials are expensive.

 

Here's a link I have for a DIY rubbermaid container/pvc skimmer. It may help guide your build, answer some ?'s or both.

*edit
a link in this case would be most beneficial lol

http://www.reefworkshop.com/DIY_proteinskimmer1.htm

 

I'm not set on going with this yet, still trying to figure it out. The size for the different parts is what I'm not getting any info on. Like what size body to what size neck + pump for 130 gallons of water. Can u help with this?

I think that i can build it and i am going to at least try. If I can't find anything else that will work i will do it with PVC.

 

That link is great. thanks a lot. I already got some ideas from it.
The post would have been kind of pointless without the link though. ;D

 

I sent you a PM.... but basically you really need to just look at what's out there.... 6" body, 8" body 10"... for your size...a 8" body at so many inches high??? what 10-12.... that is looking at a neck of 3.5 inches with a pump putting out 600-800 lph of air.

You could at least do the math to see how much volume the body has and see if something you have will work.