DIY Surface Skimmer vs a Printed One: Fixing Aquarium Surface Film Fast
A DIY surface skimmer is usually a plastic bottle. It has slots cut near the waterline. You stuff it with filter media. A small powerhead or your filter's own intake pulls water through it. It works, and plenty of keepers build one for free with parts they already have.
This guide walks through that DIY build first, in plain steps. Then it covers when a fitted weir box does a cleaner job instead.
How do I make a DIY surface skimmer?
The classic version is a plastic bottle, a cup, or a similar container. Cut a slot or a row of holes right at the waterline. Pack the inside with filter floss or sponge. Connect it to a small powerhead, or run it off your filter's intake. Water at the surface gets pulled in through the slot. The film and debris riding on top go with it.
- Pick a bottle or container that floats or can be fixed at your exact waterline.
- Cut a slot or a row of holes at the level of the water surface, so film gets pulled in as water enters.
- Pack the inside with filter floss, sponge, or another media to catch what gets pulled through.
- Connect it to a small powerhead, or route your filter's intake through it.
- Check and rinse the media often. It clogs faster than you would expect, since it is catching surface film all the time.
When does a DIY skimmer work fine?
Do you already have the parts on hand? Do you not mind a bottle sitting in your tank? Then a DIY build is a real fix for surface film. It costs nothing extra, and plenty of keepers run one for years.
It is a good call if looks do not matter for that tank. It is also good if you want to test whether surface skimming helps at all before you spend money on it.
When does a fitted weir box do a cleaner job?
A printed weir box slides down over your filter's own intake tube. There is no separate bottle floating in the tank. There is no extra powerhead to wire in. The toothed top rim works like a small dam. Film and scum on the surface pour over the edge and drop straight down to your filter.
Pick a fitted box if you want skimming built into gear you already run. It skips the extra bottle rig taking up space in the tank.
Which filter intake does our skimmer fit?
We make a printed skimmer for two filter intakes today.
| Your filter | Skimmer we make |
|---|---|
| Marineland Penguin | Surface Skimmer for Marineland Penguin |
| AquaClear | Surface Skimmer for AquaClear |
We design each skimmer to the intake tube of the filter it is named for. Intake parts vary a little between production runs, so check the fit against your own filter before you rely on it.
What our skimmer is, and what it is not
This is a plain skimmer box. There is no valve and no built in pre-filter chamber. It slides over your intake tube. The toothed rim does the work.
We do not claim how much film it removes, or how fast. Here is what it is built to do: it pulls surface water in through a toothed rim, instead of pulling only from lower in the tank.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a DIY surface skimmer for my aquarium?+
Cut a slot at the waterline in a bottle or container. Pack it with filter floss or sponge. Connect it to a small powerhead or your filter's intake. Water at the surface gets pulled in through the slot, along with the film riding on it.
Does a surface skimmer really help?+
A film on the surface can block oxygen exchange at the water line. Pulling water from right at the surface is the common fix. Keepers do this with a DIY bottle rig or with a fitted weir box.
What is the difference between a DIY skimmer and a printed one?+
A DIY skimmer is a bottle or container you build yourself, with a small powerhead. A printed weir box slides right over your filter's own intake tube. It needs no separate bottle and no extra powerhead.
Does TankRig make a surface skimmer for my filter?+
We make one for the Marineland Penguin and one for AquaClear intakes today.
Does a surface skimmer have a pre-filter chamber or a valve?+
No. Ours is a plain skimmer box, with no valve and no built in pre-filter chamber.
A note on safety
We print every part in PETG. It is the material aquarium keepers have used submerged for years. We cannot promise how any part performs in your tank. You know your tank and your animals best, so the call is always yours. Rinse each part in clean water before you add it to your tank.
Shop surface skimmers
A plain weir box that slides over your Marineland Penguin or AquaClear intake. Made in the USA. Printed in the USA when you order.
See all surface skimmers →
