Dons diy project
- Thread starter Donw
- Start date
liveforphysics
New member
Hi DonW- Your woodworking skills look increadible, I would love to see it in person sometime.
For lighting the fuge, I would recomend 70w HPS sealed and well reflected outdoor fixtures. They are quite cheap, durable and water resistant, selfcontained, reliable, and have a small footprint.
HPS is also able to make around twice the light of CF for the same power consumption. That means less energy goes into heat. The spectrum grows macro algae quite well, and bulbs cost around $10 to replace and have very long usable lifespans.
Best Wishes,
-Luke
For lighting the fuge, I would recomend 70w HPS sealed and well reflected outdoor fixtures. They are quite cheap, durable and water resistant, selfcontained, reliable, and have a small footprint.
HPS is also able to make around twice the light of CF for the same power consumption. That means less energy goes into heat. The spectrum grows macro algae quite well, and bulbs cost around $10 to replace and have very long usable lifespans.
Best Wishes,
-Luke
Aqua_expert19
New member
god i cant wait to see how this one turns out. You have some ridiculous wood working skills. How did your grandson ruin your tank. a link to a previous thread would be sufficient for me. Thanks and good luck
MarkS
Premium Member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10529957#post10529957 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Donw
Here is a shot of 1 of 2 drain boxes. Just black 1/4 cast acrylic with a 3/16 padauk veneer.
Can you explain this for me? I'm not sure what a drain box is. Do you mean overflow?
Pennys, lots of pennys. He of couse didnt hurt the tank but killed a number of prize show clams and many sps to include the 16" gigas in my avitar. Oh well life goes on and the new system will be nice. It was time for something a bit different than a average tank anyways.
Luke, what are we talking in the way of heat with the hps. Would you mind hitting your fixture with a thermometer. I'd like to do a custom fixture but heat is of couse a concern.
Thanks
Don
This is going to be a overflowing tank like the "zeroedge". The water overflows the tank walls and flows into gutters. So obviously durso's are out of the question. The water flows out the gutters through big rectangle cutouts into the boxes then flows to the sump. Doing it this way will prevent noise and slurping of the drains. These are made from acrylic and covered with padauk and will be recessed in the inner side of the stand walls.
Don
liveforphysics
New member
Hi Don, I didn't take an IR image, but I did take some IR laser readings of the outside of the aluminum HPS sealed fixture. The warmest point was the top of the back of the case where I'm guessing the transformer for the ballast sits. It measured about 110F. Most of the rest of the case was around 105F. Pretty cool running little light considdering it is making the light of roughly 150watts of compact florecent. Small tight little footprint for cramped undertank areas, and I think it cost less than $70 at home depot or lowes if I remember correctly.
I think you would be pleased with it as a choice for your application.
I'm looking forward to seeing this outstanding tank design come to life. It will be interesting to need to clean both sides of the glass
Best Wishes,
-Luke
I think you would be pleased with it as a choice for your application.
I'm looking forward to seeing this outstanding tank design come to life. It will be interesting to need to clean both sides of the glass
Best Wishes,
-Luke
scaryperson27
New member
Why haven't I seen anyone else do this kind of fantastic woodwork on RC? Oh thats right. Because this guy is God.
Here is the wiring diagram for the system. This mess will go into a small 10x10 x3 acrylic box and stuffed under the tank.
In the beginning I was going to reuse my automation controller and go hog wild with automation but honestly I want to keep things simple. There will be no power strips just this control box.
Pretty straight forward.
Dedicate 12vdc power supply and battery charger.
Marine deep cycle battery (outside on the porch)
Lighting timer with dpdt relay for reverse photo period
Dual opticals for the ato
Optical high level to control back-up low volt pump
Power failure to control low volt pump
Ranco for the heat
Cooling fans run oposite the ranco
Two dedicated breakers
Nothing fancy but will be clean and compact no mess of wires.
In the beginning I was going to reuse my automation controller and go hog wild with automation but honestly I want to keep things simple. There will be no power strips just this control box.
Pretty straight forward.
Dedicate 12vdc power supply and battery charger.
Marine deep cycle battery (outside on the porch)
Lighting timer with dpdt relay for reverse photo period
Dual opticals for the ato
Optical high level to control back-up low volt pump
Power failure to control low volt pump
Ranco for the heat
Cooling fans run oposite the ranco
Two dedicated breakers
Nothing fancy but will be clean and compact no mess of wires.
Here is the beginning of the electrical system. The wiring that is there is all there is to the lighting. The cable is 12g 3 conductor. One cable is the power going in. The second cable is the halide stub and the black outlet is the fuge light power. The little black box is the timer that will run the halides for a preset time period and the reverse the photoperiod for the fuge.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Don.... your killing me. I am going to have to send you some fancy cord grips! 
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Thats what I like to hear. The woodworking is nice and all... but some of us like to look under the stand too!
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