Beckett skimmer

BMW Rider · #1 02-23-2005, 03:09 AM

I have finally gotten serious about a skimmer for my reef tank. I have been making do with a DIY countercurrent airstone skimmer thus far, but it just isn't doing enough. So I've had a beckett head lying around in my junk collection for quite some time. It was one that I originally had out in my pond for a fountain effect. The pump that it was on crapped out a couple years ago, and since my wife didn't like it anyway, I just tossed it in a box up in the garage attic.

Then along comes my reef tank and I discover that it is a desireable unit for making bubbles in a protien skimmer. I have been meaning to get after this project for a while now, and finally have it ready to go. I just need to get the pump, which should arrive later this week from J&L. I will be using a MAK 4 (thanks Andy for steering me away from the MAG 18). Hopefully I should have this baby up and running by the weekend.

It is 31 inches tall overall, the maximum height I was able to fit under my stand. The main tube is 6" diameter, 18" tall. I chose to use the coupler to attach the collection cup because I did not want to use flanges with screws to join the unit together. The lid for the collection cup is held on with a band strap over the top. The beckett holder is removable with a coupler and can be disassembled for cleaning. It is just made up of PVC plumbing parts. Now I just hope this baby works.

I won't overload this post with photos, if you want to see the rest, they are in my gallery.

Jack · #2 02-23-2005, 03:49 AM

Looks good.

I like the union for the collection cup, simillar to myreefcreations and euroreef. One concern I would have is the size of your output and the fact that you don't have a gate valve... but you still have to try it out.

What pump are you going to use?

Delphinus · #3 02-23-2005, 05:11 AM

That's a big union

Where from?

Invigor · #4 02-23-2005, 02:16 PM

is there anything scientific about the angle the water comes into the reaction chamber? or is it in the general up and over the out port direction?

KrazyKuch · #5 02-23-2005, 02:52 PM

How did you make the Beckett Injector housing....

BMW Rider · #6 02-24-2005, 12:52 AM

I used 1" pipe for both the inlet and outlet. I researched a lot of skimmers, and 1" out seems to be able to hadle the return flow. I also did a test run after I had it all built and it has no problem draining. Iused a different pump for the test, so I will have to see how it does once installed with the MAK 4 (which arrived today). As for the gate valve vs ball valve, I will try this, and if I find it to be too hard to adjust finely, I can always swap it out.

The big 3" union was from Plumbful Warehouse by special order. I was not able to find one anywhere in stock in Calgary.

The inlet nozzles are just angled at what looked like it would direct the water in a decent upward swirl, nothing to technical there.

The Beckett housing is made up of a 1 1/2" slip - slip union and another 1 1/2" slip - threaded union joined with a short piece of pipe. There is a bushing in the bottom to reduce it to the 1" pipe, the Becket head seats onto this inside. The becket fit into the top threaded bushing perfectly and is then screwed into the top union. the beckett head that I have is a perfect fit inside the pipe. I drilled and tapped two holes for the air inlets. I may add a T and a valve to control the air volume if I find it needs it.

I will be on a quest to get some spa flex hose to finish up the plumbing tomorrow. Should have it running Friday at the latest.

BMW Rider · #7 02-25-2005, 08:06 PM

It works

The MAK 4 really moves water, I had to add in another valve to throttle down the flow. I probably could have used a Mag 12 to run this. It was pushing so much volume through, the bubbles were not having time to rise. I was getting more bubbles returning to the sump than were rising in the skimmer. Now its working great. It's all ready skimmed more in a day than my old skimmer did in a week.

Now I'm working on a small version for my 50 gallon tank. I'll post it once I get it working, assuming it does.

BMW Rider · #8 02-25-2005, 08:10 PM

One other note, I had to relocate the Iwaki pump on my closed loop to fit the new pump and skimmer in. I used a short lenght of SpaFlex hose on both the inlet and outlet lines to make the plumbing easier to line up. For the first time since I set the tank up, the Iwaki is quiet. The hose dampens the noise from the pump. Bonus!

KrazyKuch · #9 02-25-2005, 09:48 PM

Nice job looks great!!!!

If you make a smaller version I would sure like to know what size you make it and what pump your using!!! I want to make one for my 30g but am unsure of how big to make it....any suggestions??