Surface skimming

[SeCon]

I have a hard time "cupping" the film on the surface of the water when I'm doing water changes. I was thinking about making a simple surface skimmer and connecting it to my aquaclear's intake. Is there any real benefit having the intake near the bottom over surface skimming? Where I feed my fish is on the opposite side of the tank anyway and almost all debris ends up in the gravel.

[Phaedrus]

On my Fluval canister filters I use their surface skimming attachment. It takes water from both the surface and water column. The benefit to surface skimming is that it removed the film of sludge from the surface allowing for greater gas exchange.

The attachment itself could be pretty easily modified to work with other filter intakes. It comes with a flexible tube or a hard plastic elbow joint.

Looks like this:

[SeCon]

Thanks, but that doesn't really answer my question. Is there a benefit from pulling the water close to the bottom over only surface skimming? I already made the box, but I might go ahead and get one of those.

[Pufferoni]

Suction from lower in the tank increases water circulation. Anything that helps to move water around the entire tank is beneficial.

[Nick]

I also believe the further the intake from the output, the better, as the less "rewashing" of water will take place, and the easiest way to make distance from the output on a HOB is down.

[Phaedrus]

Well, the skimmer that I mentioned does both surface skimming and drawing water from the water column. Each is important. The skimming action, as I described pulls the scum from the surface, while pulling water from the water column draws in any suspended debris.

Ideally you would have both rather than one or the other.

[SeCon]

Thanks.

[SeCon]

Update:

I've been using the AC surface skimmer for nearly a month now. Water surface stays crystal clear, and I don't have to cup anymore. I also find the noise from the water running into the skimmer very relaxing. Thanks again.