diy mini bk 160....

[Troylee]

here is a little project me and mojo have been working on....;)

Ok, THere is a lot of hype around cone skimmers but one that is often over looked is the bk mini. Not a cone. Some recent test have actually shown a bk mini 160 pulling more dissolved organic carbon than a alpha 170. These were not my tests but by people that are actually pretty smart..... :)

Anyways, I have owned a bk mini 160 and 180. Great skimmers and the easiest collection cup removal in the industry. Just grab and go. I have been talking with Troylee and we may build two of these. Havent worked out all the details yet. However, I have built a 2 similar skimmers in the past but with external pumps. This will be a really similar skimmer to the bk mini 160. The only difference will be the bk uses a askol pump and has a 1.75 in transistion to the neck.

The DIY 160 will use a 2 in transition and the New Sicce PSK 1000 pump. link to pump...
Sicce Professional Protein Skimmer Pump (http://www.marinedepot.com/Sicce_Professional_Protein_Skimmer_Pump_Submersibl e_Water_Pumps_for_Aquariums-Sicce_USA-XJ1111-FIWPSB-vi.html)


So far I have purchased the Skimmer body. 6" id Cell cast tube. 3ft section. $54.17 shipped
the pump (on sale) 98.98 shipped. they had $10 off last week
material for the bubble plate ~$10
I still have some material for the neck but its pretty cheap for extruded but cell cast will be more. I might buy the cell cast so i take no short cuts here.

I am hoping to tune the pump with the venturi I make for it. I plan on making a couple to see what will work best. PRobably somewhere between 700 lph and 1000 lph will be where it will work best.

All said and done I would guess that I can build this for about $300.

The only tool that most wont be able to get a hold of is a lathe to turn down the neck transition. but other than that all of this should be easily done.

Well tag alone as I am sure this will be something that is going to take a month to get fully finished. I want this skimmer to come out perfect. As the parts come in I ll take pics and Ill have to do some pump testing as well.

Stay tuned. More to come.....

Mojo~

[Troylee]

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/P1020474.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/P1020475.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/P1020476.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/P1020478.jpg



first impression. I am not in awe over the pump. Soent a lot of time on it and best I could get was 30 scfh.

[QUOTE=mojo;471388]I ihve the material for the neck on the way. 2.5 in thick cell cast acrylic. This will be the thickets I have done yet. This will give a longer transition to the neck and give it more weight for the collection cup. Rather than using a rubber type seal, this time I am using a silicone based oring for the collection cup. Try to find a 6 in o-ring lol.

So things are coming along nicely. I am either going to use the pump I have , a sicce psk 2500 or a atman 2500. I have some modded stock volute covers for the 2500 that make them non directional. So I might just do that with a red demon wheel.

[Troylee]

I have the bodies cut So far here is what I have
2 pieces 13.5 in tall 6in ID acrylic tube (body)
2 pieces 6.5 in tall 6in id acrylic tube ( collection cup)
Neck material ordered 2.5 in thick cell cast acylic
just ordered 2 psk 2500 pumps with WM red demon pinwheels. Will either have modied volute or custom volute so no rotational issues.

More to come as the week goes on.


BTW the body is actually 160mm tube. About 6 and 5/8 tube. 4 mm thick. The ID is 6 inches. Nice tune too. All new
Once the pump output is dialed into my liking then the neck size will be determined.

[Troylee]

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0525000121.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0525000120.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0525000119.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0525000122.jpg[/QUOTE]

[Troylee]

just throwing out ideas...
Looks great Jesse..... Just wAit till there done that thing will look like it was carved from a block of ice....;)
I'm gonna get the bases done today and maybe play with the lids off the measurements you posted above.... Still debating on the bubble or cone under the collection lid.... I might just blow the bubble into the lid like the old seaclone...but the cone inside keeps it alot cleaner and the foam has a smoother transtion into the cup I here is how it works on my current skimmer....You can see how clean the lid stays....this design is great..http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/1094cbc4.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/7429571e.jpg

[Troylee]

I did have the pieces for the neck and got them cut. 4 in od 3.75 id. 6 inches long. Now these will be sunken into the cup bottom some.


part of the Cheaper price is going with psk 2500's. The custom volutes were of no cost as I had a s**** piece of 2 " material.

BTW if anyone wants to make the volute Ill try to draw up a drawing sometime with measurements. I o not have CAD on my pc anymore so ill have to ocme p with something else.

it will be hard to do without a metal lathe.

So pump price was cheaper as I was able to pick up a couple spares from Jon Warners Sicce sale. So if you want one give him a shout. Not sure how many he had left.

The custom volute does nothing for better air/water #'s. it is simply for non directional performance. so if it starts backwards it will perform about the same as if it were to start correctly.
kinda looks cool too. So if nothing else maybe this will give some of you an idea or two building your own skimmer. I understand most will not have access to all the tools needed but should give you an idea or two on how things can come together.

Mojo~

ince everyone want's to know how to polish acrylic...
anywho here we go.....
first off i marked all the corners of the square to be rounded off and decided to use a sander since the majority of you prolly have a sander or table sander like i used vs. a bandsaw or something else..
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/c47c3454.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/711c8baf.jpg
[/QUOTE]

[Troylee]

then i put a nice bevel on them at a 45* angle just for looks...:)
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/b252833d.jpg
you wanna set the router where the bearing rides at least 50% on the material for a nice finish...
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/1dffd7f3.jpg

[Troylee]

and thats it for now.... i know it's not much but theres plenty more to come....:)
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/ff0245b7.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/f0b948da.jpg

[Troylee]

Awesome. Nice work. I got the necks cut and sanded last night. now next week will be making the transition piece/ bottom of collection cup.

After that I will be making a base for the pump. this will have to be large enough to cover the hole I put in the base for the plug of the pump. when you see it I am sure it will make sense. the pump will be internal and it needs to be removable.

just like you would see in the bk mini you see here. I already have black bases for the pump.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/bubbleking160/P1000124.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/bubbleking160/P1000151-1.jpg

Something like this is the final goal
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/bubbleking160/P1000150.jpg
that's what were thinking anyways....

[Troylee]

here are some teaser pics of the pump with the custom Volute.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0601002346.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0601002347.jpg


ok just a quick update. This is the acrylic I got in for the neck.... crazy thick cell cast. This stuff is really expensive. 2.5 in thick cell cast acrylic.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0608002240.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0608002241.jpg
sorry for the cut and paste i have to add something because the message aint long enough it says lol...

[Troylee]

its when you can turn that above into this. that makes it special :)
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0611000729.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0611000728.jpg

Now all that this needs is the groove cut in for the o ring and a little polishing up.
looks good mojo!!!!

[Troylee]

BTW, these will be the last two I build. building two of these at once reminds me why I dont do this fora living. ITs a lot of time to make all these parts by hand. You get a premium product but its a lot of work. All said and done I will have 40+hrs in each skimmer.

QUOTE=mojo;481376]ok I just have to glue this one together. Although everything fits so precise I can take it apart and put it back together. and it holds water with glue.

well This might help.... Here is where I am at with the cup..... What do you all think?

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0612000031.jpg
the base with the o ring installed

it is so clear its like a piece of crystal

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0612000036.jpg


this pic helps show the curve in the transition up to the neck. All hand done.

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0612000040.jpg

and this will help give you an idea of size

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0612000038.jpg[/QUOTE]

[Troylee]

a couple more pics for you all.

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0612000341.jpg


http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/0612000341a.jpg


Btw we can clearly all see who did this project lol... I can't really take any credit for these since Jesse was a man on a mission!!!
So in return I'll be doing 2 cones next since I will have all the labor involved forming cones and twist locks etc.... Should be just as cool I think.... Besides my man mojo spinning that acrylic on a lathe, that's pretty cool....;)
i will be starting these with in a week...;)

[Troylee]

[QUOTE=troylee;482679]Got the cones made for the lids today...
Here is the science or math if you will of laying a cone out.... Pita lol..
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/7ff5756a.jpg
here is the mini mold made of 22ga sheet metal..
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/8ca3ccc2.jpg
heating the acrylic 1/4" cast material
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/289289a2.jpg
and the form...

[Troylee]

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/1c8ebe9e.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/83a3e328.jpg
casting the seam with weldon #40
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/dccca52d.jpg
and the cone all finished up ready to be glued to the lid in the morning...
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/f62f29e3.jpg[/QUOTE]

[Troylee]

Lids and bases are complete with rubber feet installed etc... Packing it up now to ship to Jesse "mojo"..
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/e4e7f7bd.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/07cfa5fa.jpg
they have been shipped and mojo should recieve today...;)

[Troylee]

ok ok, I did take a couple pics to share. coming along nicely. actually skimmer @ 1 is in testing phase 1 right now
]http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/Mojo%20mini%204/P1020504.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/Mojo%20mini%204/P1020506.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/Mojo%20mini%204/P1020507.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/Mojo%20mini%204/P1020508.jpg

[Troylee]

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/Mojo%20mini%204/P1020509.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/Mojo%20mini%204/P1020512.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/Mojo%20mini%204/P1020514.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/Mojo%20mini%204/P1020515.jpg

[Troylee]

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/Mojo%20mini%204/P1020516.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/Mojo%20mini%204/P1020521.jpg

[Troylee]

Number 1 is up and running... I will have mine going next week some time...

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/Mojo%20mini%204/P1020541.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/jlwright75/Mojo%20mini%204/P1020542.jpg

[tbone74]

Any updates??

[Troylee]

Ya the skimmer works like a charm... I forgot this was here lol.. Thanks for stopping buy...;)

[lvsuckerfish]

lee whats this skimmer rated for what size tank with a heavy bioload?

[Troylee]

About 120 I would say max...

[lvsuckerfish]

so a 5 inch cylinder would be 90 or so max. roughly!

[Troylee]

Atb cone vs bk cylinder!!!!!!!!!
I'm running both right now just to see what happens lol... I didn't clean the atb If your wandering and just plugged the bk in.....;)
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/e636e183.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/43c455df.jpg

[lvsuckerfish]

I don't think the atb will let it skim too much lol. I will gladly take either off your hands for my 100 gallon when I set that one up hahaha

[Troylee]

Once it breaks in fully I will pull the plug on the atb.....

[lvsuckerfish]

col Zi will check the mail everyday from when you pull the plug lol

[Troylee]

Lol.... I might sell it to fund my new lps addiction.... ;)

[iap]

How much $$? ;)

[lvsuckerfish]

sell what the atb? or the the bk? either one let me know inless you want to make the parts for mine lol. I need another skimmer for my 100

[Troylee]

Hit me up in a pm interested...

[Troylee]

skimmer is running like a charm.... i even got my atb going at the same time lol.....
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/43c455df.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/75ffacb2.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/aliyasue/work/62015119.jpg