# HOWTO: increase surface skimmer (OFA) throughput



## Gilles (19 Jan 2014)

Since when i got my new filter (Fluval FX6) i noticed that my surface skimmer had trouble keeping up. So i needed to increase the throughput of my so called "Oberflächenabsauger" which is German for 'surface extractor'. Without to much of a introduction here are the steps i've done, it took me about 10 minutes if you have the parts.

First the old situation and the idea next to it.





Disassembly:




Old diameter (left) approx. 13mm and the new one, on the right (20mm)




Sawn it through, i still had a spare OFA so if i killed it, no harm done.




Newly glued together it looks like this; the black piping is actually 26mm so you have to sand it a bit to make it fit in a 1" fitting.




Added a knee so the piping of 20mm would fit.




Last step is to paint the silver PVC black using black epoxy; since i could not find any suitable black spraypaint which is safe for shrimp (in the Netherlands). I will update you once that is done.


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## Gilles (31 Jul 2014)

Works perfectly, but not for a Fluval FX6  to much power.


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