I didn't want to spend a fortune on a skimmer for my 10
gallon reef in my office. I could not justify the cost of a CPR BakPak
for such a small tank with a low bioload. A Skilter was the most
affordable alternative, but I was not happy with it's skimming capabilities,
bubbles in the main tank and noise. The modifications I made eliminated
these problems.
To enhance skimming and eliminate bubbles in the tank
I removed the noisy venturi tube and replaced it with a limewood airstone.
A 35mm film canister was added to prevent the bubbles from leaving the
skimmer tube. Drill a hole in the center of the bottom of the canister
large enough for the nipple of the airstone. Insert the airstone,
nipple first, into the film canister and push nipple through the hole at
the bottom of the canister. Attach airline tubing and feed the tubing
down the skimmer tube and out one of the holes at the bottom. the
airline will exit the Skilter at the water output spillway. Attach
the other end of the tube to an airpump with a control valve.
