July MTRC Meeting

[DMBillies]

mamagoose45 (Moriah) and I want to invite everyone to our place for...

What: MTRC's July Meeting

When: Saturday, July 12th at 15:31:22 CST (GMT-6)... or 3:30pm will work?

Who: People whose awesomeness knows no bounds.

Why: To check out our tanks, learn about some "Simple DIY Projects" (the topic for the meeting), mingle with other reef geeks, and to get some homemade rootbeer. We'll provide food (probably burgers, dogs, brats, and related cookout-esque tasties). We may have some Shiner on tap but feel free to BYO. Frag trading is encouraged as usual.

Where: 2121 Hwy 12 S, Unit 72, Ashland City, TN, 37015

General Directions (from Nashville): Take I-40 west of the city to Briley Pkwy North, go a few exits and take Highway 12 (Ashland City Hwy) NORTH--away from the city, we are in the first set of townhouses inside of Ashland City limits on the right...

I don't think it should take anyone more than 15 minutes from where you get on Briley... so we aren't really all that far out of the city (for people who haven't been here before). Since there's a big M'boro crew, feel free to start a carpool discussion...


On the topic:
I'm planning to show everyone how I made the penductors for the 270's closed loop for about $2/per (along with an epic plumb job). I also have a DIY Euro-Reef clone that I'll show. People at the meeting at Wayne's can see the rock-foam reef structure I brought to that meeting after a few months in the tank. I also think Jack is bringing a couple of his projects. If you have something you've DIYed that would be pretty easy, pretty cheap to make, and easy enough to bring along and demonstrate, please do (or bring pictures and a parts list).


Please post on this thread as an RSVP so we have a general idea of how many to expect. Hope to see you!

 

[crumbletop]

Awesome!!!! I can't wait

 

[NeveSSL]

Freakin' sweet. Can't wait to see those penductors!

I could bring pics on a meshmod and talk about it. Or I think Jack may be able to as well.

If you're planning on bringing something to demonstrate, do mention it here so everyone will know and so we can possibly put a bit of order to the meeting.

Any chance of root beer?

Brandon

Brandon

 

[mamagoose45]

Clearly Brandon was too excited to actually read the entire thread... He was too busy measuring the surface area of a grain of sand

 

[ocd_mariner]

Ill be there. For real this time


Murfreesboro people ho! Lets carpool.

edit:

Dang! My wife has to work that day, so I could only carry two people and Ill have to stop by franklin on the way back. Crap.

 

[NeveSSL]

Clearly I have no life.

Glad to hear you'll be coming, Chuck.

Brandon

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12822316#post12822316 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mamagoose45
Clearly Brandon was too excited to actually read the entire thread... He was too busy measuring the surface area of a grain of sand

 

[NeveSSL]

Crap... just realized thats the weekend of my checkout dives for my Open Water certification. I think we're ending at 3, though, so maybe I can jet from Martha's Quarry to Ashland City after we're done, assuming I'm not exhausted and still alive.

Brandon

 

[Turtle77]

I checked my calendar and so far I am good to go!!! woohooo can't wait. Is anyone going to be interested in frag swapping?

 

[SteelAngel]

Wayne and I should be able to make it. We will have Brianna with us and boy does she like to help with the fish! :fish1: :fish2:

We can use our van if anyone wants to car pool with us from the M'boro area.

Joy

 

[ocd_mariner]

Lets say I wanted to make a penductor at the meeting, what should I bring?

 

[DMBillies]

Chuck,

The info pasted below comes from a thread I intend to put up in the DIY section of the forums here. My design is basically a smaller and cheaper to build version that another RC member posted (I stole 1 part from his parts list that really makes the whole thing work). After making one from that design it seemed really inefficient size-wise...most of the size was "wasted" and was not actually improving the performance of the thing (I'll show you at the meeting). I could put a lot more with pictures, but I honestly didn't want to entirely spoil the surprise before the meeting.

I intended to do the work on the parts for the 3 I want to make in a way that people could see what needed to be done. Also was going to pass out some papers with the parts list (along with putting a link in this forum to the thread I intend to post in DIY). The only reason I didn't want to get into building them is because with the PVC cutting it is mess and would actually take a bit of time. I also use mostly hand tools (dremel, handsaw) whereas others may have better tools. I also thought people might like to see how they work before trying them out. It's pretty self explanatory once you see the parts and final construction, but if there is enough demand and the weather is good (I have to work outside because I don't have any kind of work space), I could set-up an assembly line kind of thing and we could make a bunch of them. So, guys, I guess give me some idea of the demand we're looking at and whether you want to build them here.

I think I have a bunch of 1" pipe laying around (I'll have to make sure it is that diameter) and I think I should have enough PVC cement for quite a few of them. So really items 1 and 2 below are really all you should need. Obviously you'd be on your own for painting them since they wouldn't have time to dry here.


Here goes:

The hardware is the same regardless of if you are making a ¾” male or female eductor and I know you can easily find everything you need at Lowe’s. Depending on how many you make at a time and what plumbing pieces you have laying around, there’s no reason you won’t be able to make them for less than about $3 per eductor (the hardware will be less than that, but the spray paint and PVC cement are the “expensive” part).


Male:

Female:

Cutting the vents in the side of the PVC pipe and shortening the slip fit side of part #2 are particularly a pain in the butt with the tools I've got, so if anyone has some kind of hand-dandy tool that would make it easier, I'm all ears. I used a dremel cutting wheel for the vents and a hand saw for part #2...which explains why some of them look slightly less than 100% professional when assembled.

1. ½” Barb x ¾” Male Threaded NPT Riser Flex Adapter (<$1)
- Found: Lowes lawn irrigation systems section
- MANUFACTURER: ORBIT Water Master
- Lowes Model #: 37161
- Lowes Item #: 194541

2. ¾” Female Threaded NPT x 1” Slip Fit Adapter (<$1)
-Found: Lowes or Home Depot plumbing section (note: in the pictures of the build you will see that this piece looks different on each of the eductors and that is only because I got them at different stores, they are functionally the same)

3. About 3.5” of 1” PVC for each eductor (about $3 for 24”)
-Found: Lowes or Home Depot plumbing section

4. PVC Cement (???)
-Found: Anywhere they sell PVC

Optional:
5. Black paint for plastic (I used Krylon Fusion paint from Walmart because I’ve used it before without problems, but I’m sure others will work â€"œ about $5).

 

[fallinapart]

This is some really nice information, thanks Brian, looking forward to it, & if you counting I'll be coming in the Murfreesboro Van leaving SteelAngels house (Wayne,Joy & Brianna) thanks for hosting on short notice.

Norman

 

[Turtle77]

Anyone coming from LaVergne or Smyrna that might want to carpool??

 

[DMBillies]

I'm not sure why my posts turn things into ? sometimes. So let me clarify. The majority are ' or " signs. The measurements are important, so let me rewrite them.

1. 1/2" Barb x 3/4" Male Threaded NPT Riser Flex Adapter (<$1)
- Found: Lowes lawn irrigation systems section
- MANUFACTURER: ORBIT Water Master
- Lowes Model #: 37161
- Lowes Item #: 194541

2. 3/4" Female Threaded NPT x 1" Slip Fit Adapter (<$1)
-Found: Lowes or Home Depot plumbing section (note: in the pictures of the build you will see that this piece looks different on each of the eductors and that is only because I got them at different stores, they are functionally the same)

3. About 3.5" of 1" PVC for each eductor (about $3 for 24")
-Found: Lowes or Home Depot plumbing section

 

[HowardCath]

I'm hoping to make it. Brandon, I was in Martha's Quarry last summer getting re-certified with my kids. Dress warm and come tell us about it.

Can't wait to see how a penductor is made, and also to find out what the heck a penductor is.

 

[NeveSSL]

Awesome Howard!

I've heard that the first thermocline is at about 20ft and a wetsuit is necessary at that point.

Brandon

 

[HowardCath]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12837397#post12837397 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NeveSSL
a wetsuit is necessary

Yes! Hope you have some visibility. Depends on the algal bloom.

 

[Mikeyjer]

Won't be able to make it to this one.....Gotta work on Saturdays, but feel free to post pictures on the projects, I'll be interested to see!!!

 

[DMBillies]

Dove in a lake in Canada. Aside from seeing a bunch of 5+ lb bass that we apparently couldn't catch, the thermocline there was amazing. We went in suitless not expecting to go below about 25ft on any of the dives. On the deep end of the lake (goes down to about 180ft) we hit it right around 30 ft. They look cool and I'm always amazed that a transition like that can occur naturally. Went from probably 65-70 to closer to 40 (or maybe even less). It was cold enough that we didn't even try to play around below that. I hope you can make the meeting, but I don't blame you if you miss it... and I doubt you'll be thinking much about it once you get in the water.

 

[NeveSSL]

Thermoclines are definitely pretty crazy!

I'm going to do my best to be there. I really want to see your guys tanks! Or is it just a single tank now?

Brandon