Uniseals and Skimmer

[bededog]

I am planning a DIY skimmer and I am thinking I will use PVC for the body with an acrylic top on the body. I was then planning to drill a hole in the acrylic lid and use a uniseal to go from there to my riser tube. Will that work? I will also have the outflow go through a gate valve so I can adjust the water level in the skimmer body.

 

Am I missing anything? Are Uniseals easy to install? How do they work exactly?

 

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

 

Matt

[JC Pollman]

Uniseals are very straight forward: cut the hole the size they recommend, the uniseal will easily slide in, and then force in the tube into the uniseal. Usually you need some sort lubricant to get the tube to slide in as it will expand the uniseal to create the outer seal. I have used them and find them excellent - unless you are using ozone.

 

Also, a gate valve is nice, but use a hartford loop as well.

[bededog]

Could you describe a hartford loop?

 

 

Uniseals are very straight forward: cut the hole the size they recommend, the uniseal will easily slide in, and then force in the tube into the uniseal. Usually you need some sort lubricant to get the tube to slide in as it will expand the uniseal to create the outer seal. I have used them and find them excellent - unless you are using ozone.

 

Also, a gate valve is nice, but use a hartford loop as well.

54871[/snapback]

[JC Pollman]

A hartford loop is just an inverted "U" that will keep the water in the main tube from changing. Use one of the expansion couplers (Lowes and HD sell them from about $4) and you can adjust the height of the loop a bit.

[JC Pollman]

for a picture of a hardford loop (scroll down to Orlenz's post:

 

Hardford loop pic

 

If you have a tall skimmer, a modification you can use: put another uniseal in the body of the skimmer, put a piece of PVC through the uniseal and connect it to the hardford loop via a T. Cap the PVC on the inside of the skimmer. This will give you some support for the hardford loop.

 

BTW, what type and how big a skimmer are your making?

[bededog]

Oh yeah, I planned to have that on the skimmer. I didn't know there was actually a name for it. I am planning to make this skimmer a re-circulating skimmer. Is there anything special that I need to consider when I hook up the pump (e.g., placement of holes in the body for pump intake/outflow, position of the pump, etc...)?

 

Thanks a lot for you help.

[bededog]

I think we were typing at the same time or close to it. Thanks for the hint to stabilize the hartford loop. I was wondering about that. I plan to make at least two of these. One that is really big and one that is big enough for a 65 gallon reef. Any suggestions? I plan to use OR pumps.

 

 

 

 

for a picture of a hardford loop (scroll down to Orlenz's post:

 

Hardford loop pic

 

If you have a tall skimmer, a modification you can use: put another uniseal in the body of the skimmer, put a piece of PVC through the uniseal and connect it to the hardford loop via a T. Cap the PVC on the inside of the skimmer. This will give you some support for the hardford loop.

 

BTW, what type and how big a skimmer are your making?

54915[/snapback]

[JC Pollman]

Having tried (I think) all of the different types of skimmers, I am going back to the air stone counter-current type as I think they are the most efficient, both in skimming and electricity. I am in the process of building a 5 foot x 6 inch skimmer right now. As I have a fish room behind the tank, skimmer size is not an issue. I also am going to set up an ozone reactor as well: basically, the water will gravity feed into the ozone reactor and then flow into the skimmer and then into the sump. The ozone reactor will be exactly the same size as the skimmer and will work the same way - counter current.

 

Now, if I can just figure out a way to stop my day job and my kitchen remodeling from interfering with my hobby, I might start making some progress . . .