# DIY surface skimmer in 3 minutes



## jmartyg (May 3, 2007)

Hi,
Recently, my tank started having a film on the water surface. may be Vaseline, i'm not sure. I dont want it there. So I thought of this trick using a 2 decommissioned Aqua Clear filters.

Parts needed: 
1 complete and working AC filter
1 extra elbow and intake

Assemble like so:









*note, the bottom elbow did break in the process to make the parts fit, but hey - the motor is blown on the filter it came from.

After a minute of fiddling with the flow rate and height of the intake, I was left with this:


















I threw some poly wool in there and we'll see how it does.


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

That's a pretty good idea. I never thought of doing that. I use a regular surface skimmer. More than likely the film comes from the fish food.


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## jayb (Mar 10, 2010)

I did that once. Only lasted a few days and I dismantled it.

I found that for it to really be effective with such a small opening it has to be right on the edge of the water line and consequently it ends up sucking some air and being rather noisy. But to each his own, I say, if it works use it.


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## jmartyg (May 3, 2007)

jayb said:


> I did that once. Only lasted a few days and I dismantled it.
> 
> I found that for it to really be effective with such a small opening it has to be right on the edge of the water line and consequently it ends up sucking some air and being rather noisy. But to each his own, I say, if it works use it.


I have this one gong at the lowest setting on the AC50 and it's taking air down to aobut half way. any more than that then it makes noise. i only have maybe 2mm to deal with the water level, any more or less and it would either not work or make too much noise.

However, after 30 minutes there was a noticeable difference. 2 hours later and the top was nice and clear again. It seemed to work as a good 'on the fly' fix.


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## iwade4fish (Jan 5, 2009)

I get that film when I heavy feed for spawning. Usually use NLS and there's always that oily film. I just live with it in some of my tanks; got two ASI#5 PRO SPONGES stacked ontop each other and a plain powerhead pointed at the front pne. It creates a semi-circle of clean water, sufficient enoguh for oxygen exchange. Yet again, also have a 40gal wet-dry on the 100gallon, but it's in the living room and wifey says 'it has to look bling-bling'! So, I personally think that idea rocks out loud. I use the square stems for u-tubes in overflows myself  .


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

iwade4fish said:


> I get that film when I heavy feed for spawning.


Heavy feed for spawning? I thought more feeding equaled lazy non-spawning fish?


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## Andras (Jul 17, 2010)

I had a film when I first set up the tank but since I put two airstones in my tank for extra aeration, the water surface is now nice and clear as well.


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## jmartyg (May 3, 2007)

As an update on this: since it's an AC50, i swapped out the impeller blade with an AC20 and it gives me more room to control the flow rate and suction.

on a side note, 
I got some new NLS and omega one super veggie, and an AC500/110 which I lubed with Vaseline all about 2 weeks before the film showed up. so it could be the food or filter. I've used those foods a lot in the past, was replacing my low supply. The filter replaced an AC50, but it was noisy out of the box, hence the lube. Vaseline hasn't been in that tank for 2 years or more.


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## snakedoc (Jan 3, 2008)

Film usually comes from too much protein. Excess food, high levels in the poop, etc. Adding more biomass in your filtration will help to reduce the protein in the water too.

This is an innovative idea though. Good thought.
Rich


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## cgmark (Aug 18, 2010)

Another easy one to make is take a thin walled pipe, something easy to cut about 5" long and 2" round. Drill some holes very near the top edge to make it possible for water to enter but not fish. Cut some styrofoam that will fit inside tight inside the other end, about 1" thick piece works.

Now take the pipe you made and lower it below your filters intake pipe so that the filter intake pipe sits inside the pipe you just made. When you let go it will float to the surface and the only water that will go to your filter will be through the holes you drilled . You can push the styrofoam up or down inside the pipe to adjust for the right depth to skim as close or as deep from the surface as you want.


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