Protein top-water skimmer

prusaprinters

What's this?This is a somewhat advanced skimmer created to help remove top-water waste.Most inside-aquarium skimmer setups normally pull, skim, and return the water via the same bottom inlet, and while working well enough, I wanted a skimmer that could take (the most filthy) water from the top-most part of the aquarium and skim that instead, and then return the clean water at the bottom.It works as follows:Via ~3cm inlets, it takes water from the top (1, see image below) and feeds this through closed pipes into a middle chamber (2). Here, a limewood airstone forces the water upwards, mixing with air bubbles (2), creating a nice steady flow. At the top, the waste is forced out and into a collector cup (3), while the remaining - cleaner - water 'drains' back into the aquarium via the space encircling the inner bubble chamber (4).How to setupYou'll need a couple of magnets (I use cheap glass-cleaning magnets), a limewood airstone, tubing, and an airflow pump.Print out all the parts, and, if available, print out the Collector.stl with a transparent filament so it is easier to gauge how full it is.Decide which side you want your magnet on and glue it in place. Make sure to place it centered, near the top of the model, somewhere just below the water inlet slits. This is to stabilize the skimmer since it will get a bit top-heavy as the collector fills up. Let the glue dry completely before the next step.Thread the airstone tubing from the hole in the back bottom of the Main.stl, feeding enough that it comes out of the top and you can attach the limewood airstone. Note that you might need to force the tubing slightly to feed it through the bend inside the model.Make sure that the tube fits securely to the airstone, and pull the tube back until the airstone fits snugly and upright inside the air bubble chamber with a bit of room on all sides.Attach the bottom.stl part. Please note that the threads are a bit flimsy, so be careful when screwing this part onto the main.stl. If done properly it should fit nicely. I'll see if I can fix this with an update, but since it fitted well enough, I decided not to spend more time on the issue.This part provides a longer route for the return water, removing residual air bubbles in it before going back into the tank. Note that if you use the skimmer inside a sump, you probably don't need to use this part. Also note that depending on how powerful the air/airstone is, you might not need it in the aquarium either, but you'll have to experiment with it to ensure no air bubbles are getting into your aquarium. For my part, I've always ended up putting it on.Now insert the skimmer into the tank or sump, carefully attaching it to the glass with the other magnet part. Use the dot symbol on the front as a waterline mark. Later, you can adjust the height (position) of the skimmer as well as the airflow to get just the skimming you want. Please note that it normally takes a day or two to get 'normal' skimming going.Now attach the collector (and lid) on top of the skimmer. It is a bit tight on purpose, but when placed properly, should provide a secure fit. If for some reason you get a bit of overflow from either the base or the top of the collector, this spill will collect in the drainage ring and evaporate, or, if too much, will flow back into the inlet chamber (and re-skimmed) via a small notch on the back of the top part.That's it. Best of luck.