Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Surface Skimmer for Lily Pipe

I'm on the way back from my home town, 2 hours flight with nothing to do. So I was trying to get some inpiration for my new scape when an idea strike me. An add-on surface skimmer to lily pipe inlet. Normal surface skimmer in the market does not look nice and defeat the purpose of using lily pipe. Without surface skimmer, the surface oil can be quite thick. Me current solution is by adding couple of guppy.

Below are what I sketch during the flight..
Second version with floatable head
OK, sketch is easy, make it real is hard.

Some issue that I can think of:
1. Need a transparent tube which does not turn cloudy after long period in the water. Non tranparent will defeat the purpose of using lily pipe.
2. Secondly need to source for plastic screw, metal screw will scratch the lily pipe glass. Also need a way to create screw thread on the pipe. This screw will be used to secure the surface skimmer to the lily pipe. Need at least three.
3. Need some material for the bottom, the part that blocking partial of the inlet.

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4 comments:

  1. MarlinskiyJanuary 28, 2012 at 1:55 AM

    Nice idia! But it will stopped working if level of water falls. Look after the water level is bad idea.
    P.S. I have good eyesight but you need increase the size of font on your blog

    ReplyDelete
  2. RobertJanuary 28, 2012 at 8:11 PM

    That when the 2nd design come in handy but for my personal use, should be OK because I do weekly water change, the water level pretty much constant within a week period.

    P.S. I had increase the font size, didn't know that it was too small. Thanks for the feedback

    ReplyDelete
  3. MarlinskiyJanuary 30, 2012 at 9:03 PM

    You are right for personal uses it should be ok.
    Although under a Metal Halide 150w lamp level of water falls very quickly

    ReplyDelete
  4. ChocolatelalaFebruary 20, 2013 at 12:56 PM

    Hi Robert,
    Great idea. I been wondering how to have a surface skimmer work with Lily Pipe. All the skimmer on the market is so ugly and complicated.

    I'm going to custom made the Second version with floatable head.

    ReplyDelete

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