H20cooled Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 1/8" wall is fine, but make sure that you get cast acrylic and NOT extruded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 1/8" wall is fine' date=' but make sure that you get cast acrylic and NOT extruded.[/quote'] Why not? Skimmers don't need to be particularly clear or strong, is there another downside to extruded acrylic I'm missing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R-3 Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 Extruded is harder to work with and harder on tools. It also tends to craze more than what cell-cast would. Later Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 Ahhh, good to know. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 Yep, it cracks very easy, its hard to drill because of this, it seems to melt easier when cutting or drilling so it warps. Once you start using Cast you will never go back to extruded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piero Posted November 16, 2006 Author Share Posted November 16, 2006 good to know, because i would have gone with the cheaper stuff, lol. what's the approx price diff between them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 It will really depend on where you are buying it from. The biggest issue is you will have a very difficult time find the cast locally and when you do it is very expensive. That is why I get mine online. Do you know a shop in Portland that sells full sheets (4'x8') of good quality 1/4" cast acrylic for around $120, get stuff for making sumps and other stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrownies Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 so... I know I said no more questions... but I have more... okay I have a gen-x 4100 running my ETSS right now, and my question is... if i make a skimmer like andy's with an 8" diameter tube (like deltec AP 701), and used to genx with a scrubber wheel thingy, would that be good flow? or should i use 2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronjunior Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 It will really depend on where you are buying it from. The biggest issue is you will have a very difficult time find the cast locally and when you do it is very expensive. That is why I get mine online. Do you know a shop in Portland that sells full sheets (4'x8') of good quality 1/4" cast acrylic for around $120, get stuff for making sumps and other stuff. Get out the phonebook and call them all...see if the bigger places will beat the competitor’s price. It’s amazing as to how much acrylic is when so many cheap things that we buy come in plastic. It baffles me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 Been there done that and cast acrylic is very hard to find locally and all of the places are going to charge you twice as much as you will get online. Trust me I've done a lot of shoping for acrylic. Get out the phonebook and call them all...see if the bigger places will beat the competitor’s price. It’s amazing as to how much acrylic is when so many cheap things that we buy come in plastic. It baffles me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 What I would do is try the mesh mod on your current setup and see what kind of difference it makes, you might find that with that a new one is not need. As for 1 or 2 pumps I personally do think there is any point to a 2nd pump until you get into the 10" or larger tubing. Its just to small of a space with to much turbulence. so... I know I said no more questions... but I have more... okay I have a gen-x 4100 running my ETSS right now, and my question is... if i make a skimmer like andy's with an 8" diameter tube (like deltec AP 701), and used to genx with a scrubber wheel thingy, would that be good flow? or should i use 2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrownies Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 oh well i totally need a new one, because the new one is for my second tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 OK so looking at the pic's and the mesh, where are the impellers???? How is it pushing water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrownies Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 if you just glued the mesh between the paddles on the impeller do you think that might have more flow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 These pumps are not used for for they are used purely to add very small micro bubbles to the skimmer, so moving more water is not neccasarly a good thing. As for attaching mesh to the paddles it would not work, there would not be enough room between the paddles and the front housing for the mesh and the pump would not spin. When you buy a pump just buy the needle when version and the use it for the mesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrownies Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 not above it between the impeller and the casing... but in the space between the paddles themselves, little triangle pieces Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 Sure you could try that but I'm not sure why would you want to do that over just buy the needle wheel/venturi version. Actually I just looked online and you can buy GenX 4100 needle pump with venturi setup for $54 and the regular one is $48 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrownies Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 hummm where was that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 I have and use the 4100 with needle wheel, So still not sure if the mod is if you don't have a needle or what, and i still don't see how it moves water if there are no impellers. OK so it is spinning, but pushing?? Some one explain please, as I am going to mod a skimmer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrownies Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 cause i keep finding the needle wheel for like 30 bucks more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrownies Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 oh I found it, hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrownies Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 Okay puppies it is... think i can just cap em in a bucket and let em wrestle around for an hour a day to make some nice thick foam? Here is an old pic... she if 5 now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 CCR, It will still move water because it is spinning, but what it is doing really well is chopping up the bubbles very small and pulling a lot of air from your venturi. oldbrownies, I found them from a Google search for Gen X 4100 Needle wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piero Posted November 17, 2006 Author Share Posted November 17, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrownies Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 bad link piero? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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