Skimmer waste collector w/ shut off chamber (pingpong ball) diy help

[jwaka11]

Have any of you have made an external waste collector using a 5g bucket with the pingpong ball shut off chamber? If so, how did you make it?

I'm skimming wet due to vodka dosing and constantly emptying my ~2qt waste collector more often than what I would like. I figured by using a 5g bucket, it'll save me some time.

My current skimmer has an external waste collector that has the ping pong ball as a safety measure preventing my skimmer from overflowing--shutting off air supply. I just want to recreate this system in a 5g bucket but having trouble thinking of ways for the ping pong ball holder on the bucket lid.

Thoughts?

 

[emabie]

Hi Jim,

Why not set it up like the 2qt one, just put the ping pong "vale" into the lid of the 5g bucket? I did this with my skimmer and it works pretty good. The only thing you have to be sure about is that everything is sealed airtight. Other wise when the ball floats to block the air it will just escape by other holes.

They work on the principal that the air exiting the skimmer will pass right past the ball and through the hole in the the top. If water, skimite ect reaches high enough the ball will float on it and block the vent hole. With no way for the air to exit the skimmer will build up pressure and the foaming action will stop and "shutdown" the skimmer.

I took a large container that had animal crackers in the (from BJs) about 3g and drilled a hole for the skimmer waste in the lid. I then made a ping pong valve from a PVC tube that the ball fit snugly into but has enough room to move freely. cap the ends of the pvc so the ball is trapped inside and drill a 1/4 inch hole in the center of each cap. When the ball floats it will block the top hole. mount the "valve" into the top of the container and seal around it with some silly-cone.

You could do the same with the 5g bucket just make sure the lid seals well.

I can post a pic latter of mine if you like.

 

[JohnK]

In the past I was able to find a PVC fitting that fit a ping pong ball and was somewhat tapered inside so that it worked to make a ping pong ball valve. All that was needed was to drill small holes in the bottom so a plastic screw could be inserted so that the ball wouldn't fall out.

If you found that same part, then all you would need would be an appropriate sized bulkhead fitting to attach it in the lid of the bucket.

Another option is to use an float switch so that it actually shuts the skimmer pump off. See here;
http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=76359

 

[jwaka11]

Thanks guys. I've never thought of using the shut off switch for the skimmer. I like this idea just because I will never have to worry about making sure that the lid sealed air tight.