Mountains of sawdust (360g plywood, LED, Arduino build)
- Thread starter der_wille_zur_macht
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der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
I would like to have gone that route actually. And since this is my only nutrient export, I even thought about going sumpless - just have an "overflow box" in the corner of the DT to hide heaters, probes, and a pump to supply the TS with water.
But in the end I went with a sump and sump-mounted TS because I wanted some semblance of conventional design, in case I want to switch nutrient export methods down the road.
But in the end I went with a sump and sump-mounted TS because I wanted some semblance of conventional design, in case I want to switch nutrient export methods down the road.
Rybren
Well-known member
Buried somewhere in the depths of PaulB's 35 year-old tank thread is a description of his TS.
If my memory hasn't failed me, his TS consists of a vinyl fencepost cut in half and lined with concrete coated fiberglass window screening. It runs the length of his 100G DT, is fed by the output of his skimmer, and is lit by spill-over from his DT lighting. Seems to me that it's been running for years and procudes a fair amount of algae.
If my memory hasn't failed me, his TS consists of a vinyl fencepost cut in half and lined with concrete coated fiberglass window screening. It runs the length of his 100G DT, is fed by the output of his skimmer, and is lit by spill-over from his DT lighting. Seems to me that it's been running for years and procudes a fair amount of algae.
Nathan.Titulaer
New member
I have also thought of dosing phyto but would like to have a 5-10g tank above the display that houses the culture to be fed. The holding tank would dump like a overhead surge. I was thinking having new salt water drip into the holding tank filling it to the point it surges. I think it would feed like a real reef in that sense where a lot of food is carried in on a wave multiple times a day. I am trying to figure out a way that allows it to dump at specified times, maybe a pump on a timer would work. I was thinking if it was lit the feeding tank would be like a continuous culture as well.
The only draw back to this I see is if I go on vacation and who ever is watching the tank does not pull out the amount of salt water that is being added. Or I shut it off while away and everything suffers because the corals are use to a certain amount of live food.
Unfortunately I just found out my housing situation is up in the air so i won't have a tank for at least six months so I will be watching this to see how everything turns out.
The only draw back to this I see is if I go on vacation and who ever is watching the tank does not pull out the amount of salt water that is being added. Or I shut it off while away and everything suffers because the corals are use to a certain amount of live food.
Unfortunately I just found out my housing situation is up in the air so i won't have a tank for at least six months so I will be watching this to see how everything turns out.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
I've yet to implement my auto water changer, but it will essentially be changing a small volume of water, slowly, a few times a week (a few gallons each time, over several hours).
So if I wanted to, I could set up a culture system, and have the new water introduced through that. Of course, there are lots of variables and I'd need a way to ensure the culture didn't crash, and so on. . .
Sorry to hear about your housing situation. If it makes you feel any better, I spent a year living in a condo in another state just before beginning this project. It gave me a good chance to really think things through instead of just jumping in and regretting decisions made too fast later on.
So if I wanted to, I could set up a culture system, and have the new water introduced through that. Of course, there are lots of variables and I'd need a way to ensure the culture didn't crash, and so on. . .
Sorry to hear about your housing situation. If it makes you feel any better, I spent a year living in a condo in another state just before beginning this project. It gave me a good chance to really think things through instead of just jumping in and regretting decisions made too fast later on.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
While some may think I've been resting on my laurels this week, I can happily say that, by the end of the weekend, my tank will have both an Arduino and LEDs on it.
sammy113
New member
If by the end of the weekend you don't post pics of that I'll be allowed to say you were resting on your laurels :lol:
Can't wait to see what you come up with
username in use
Sciencing Daily
a pic of your laurels would be nice. 
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
I honestly don't think this is photo-worthy. It's an embarrassing cob-job. It's running 2 feet behind my head right now on my test bench. It's one of the massive Meanwell SP-320 DC power supplies I'll use on the final build, plus one of the 3xCAT4101 LED driver modules. The driver is being controlled by a Typhon controller. It's running 12 cool white Luxeon Rebels and 6 plain blue Luxeon Rebels. They're mounted, 6 each, on small CPU heatsinks which are then mounted to a single long narrow extruded heatsink (maybe 16" long) with two 12v DC fans.
The whole goal of this rig is to experiment. I chose the blend of LEDs because they produce a very neutral cool white color that'll go well with the temporary VHO lighting or on it's own. I don't have any royal blues in 3-up config or I would have used them. And, well, they were already mounted to heatsinks, sitting in my scrap bin, in this configuration.
My plan is to temporarily mount this cob-job in different locations, heights, and angles inside my hood, over the next few weeks, to get a real feel for how LEDs look on this tank. Then I'll (hopefully) be able to design and build a "final" fixture that'll have a predictable outcome, despite being a little unconventional. There are some very specific effects I want to create in the final build and I don't trust myself to do it without lots of experimentation first.
The whole goal of this rig is to experiment. I chose the blend of LEDs because they produce a very neutral cool white color that'll go well with the temporary VHO lighting or on it's own. I don't have any royal blues in 3-up config or I would have used them. And, well, they were already mounted to heatsinks, sitting in my scrap bin, in this configuration.
My plan is to temporarily mount this cob-job in different locations, heights, and angles inside my hood, over the next few weeks, to get a real feel for how LEDs look on this tank. Then I'll (hopefully) be able to design and build a "final" fixture that'll have a predictable outcome, despite being a little unconventional. There are some very specific effects I want to create in the final build and I don't trust myself to do it without lots of experimentation first.
XSiVE
New member
I honestly don't think this is photo-worthy. It's an embarrassing cob-job. It's running 2 feet behind my head right now on my test bench. It's one of the massive Meanwell SP-320 DC power supplies I'll use on the final build, plus one of the 3xCAT4101 LED driver modules. The driver is being controlled by a Typhon controller. It's running 12 cool white Luxeon Rebels and 6 plain blue Luxeon Rebels. They're mounted, 6 each, on small CPU heatsinks which are then mounted to a single long narrow extruded heatsink (maybe 16" long) with two 12v DC fans.
The whole goal of this rig is to experiment. I chose the blend of LEDs because they produce a very neutral cool white color that'll go well with the temporary VHO lighting or on it's own. I don't have any royal blues in 3-up config or I would have used them. And, well, they were already mounted to heatsinks, sitting in my scrap bin, in this configuration.
My plan is to temporarily mount this cob-job in different locations, heights, and angles inside my hood, over the next few weeks, to get a real feel for how LEDs look on this tank. Then I'll (hopefully) be able to design and build a "final" fixture that'll have a predictable outcome, despite being a little unconventional. There are some very specific effects I want to create in the final build and I don't trust myself to do it without lots of experimentation first.
now you have to show a picture of this monstrosity.. :lolspin: ghetto rig?
BennyFrank
New member
I've been following for awhile and I just want to say that I've really enjoyed the conversations in this thread and your original ideas. I'm looking forward to seeing your live-food culture setup, if you decide to go that route.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
now you have to show a picture of this monstrosity.. :lolspin: ghetto rig?
I actually have a new cellphone on the way - the failures from my blackberry just got too silly. So, some time this afternoon, Fedex will be dropping off a phone encased in carbonite.
Then I'll be able to take photos at will again without digging out the real camera.I will definitely be at least TRYING live food. Not sure if I will automate it in any way at this point. If I can get a stable culture, or at least a non-dangerous one, I'll think about it.
TheFishMan65
New member
And water proof to we hope. We want picture from all directions.
widmer
Drug Enthusiast
Dangerous? I must not know enough about live food... What danger are you worried about?
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
A "crash" where the culture dies and instead of dosing food to the tank, I dose decay and nutrients.
Nathan.Titulaer
New member
If you automate I don' think this would be that big of a worry if you only dose small amounts at a time. If your scrubber is running right it can take a pretty good hit.
The only reason I say this is because it rained last night and since it is so cal and three drops of water were on the ground someone hit a pole and took out the power lines by my house. I had no power for close to four hours. i did not even want to see what my parms were like so I just let it do it's thing when the power came back on and today everyone is active and eating.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
LEDs are on the tank. It's amazing how fascinating it can be to watch them fade up and down throughout the day. Some random photos from yesterday (note these are from my new cell cam and I really don't have a feel for it yet, so white balance, tint, etc aren't very well compensated):
Taqpol
New member
The whites look white to me, I'd say you must have got the balance down decently well. If thats how the tank looks to you, I'd say you got the ratio of LEDs perfect! Can't see any real spotlighting either.
With the lights on it seems much easier to see the closed loop intake and the glass pane edges on the back of the tank, are you worried about any of that? I guess for the closed loop you could just put a rock in front of it and eventually corals will obscure your view of the back glass seams, but just wondering.
With the lights on it seems much easier to see the closed loop intake and the glass pane edges on the back of the tank, are you worried about any of that? I guess for the closed loop you could just put a rock in front of it and eventually corals will obscure your view of the back glass seams, but just wondering.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
Keep in mind that this is just the single 18-LED array I described above. It's positioned in the front-right corner of the tank, at about a 30 degree angle - that's why the ripple lines are "slanted" on the back wall and the left end is pretty dim. Right now I'm really just playing with fading, positioning, and angles - not worried about LED color mixes yet.
Regarding the closed loop and panes of glass on the back - in person, they're really not as obvious as you might expect. These photographs seem to flatten the tank - that pane of glass on the back is 4 feet away from the front viewing pane! Yes, that stuff is all right there in the open, but I have yet to find myself staring at them thinking "hmm, how can hide this ugliness?" Despite how obvious that stuff all is, I find myself looking at the livestock, rock, sandbed, and so on - and not even noticing the plumbing, overflow box, glass edges, or stuff like that. I think that everything being white helps - it just sort of blends in. Plus, the way that the rock and sandbed are pulled away from the plumbing helps, too - you don't think "hmm, he's trying to hide that ugly plumbing" - instead, it's just sort of "there" but not on your mind. Sort of like exposed steel beams in a clean "industrial" loft apartment or something, I guess.
Regarding the closed loop and panes of glass on the back - in person, they're really not as obvious as you might expect. These photographs seem to flatten the tank - that pane of glass on the back is 4 feet away from the front viewing pane! Yes, that stuff is all right there in the open, but I have yet to find myself staring at them thinking "hmm, how can hide this ugliness?" Despite how obvious that stuff all is, I find myself looking at the livestock, rock, sandbed, and so on - and not even noticing the plumbing, overflow box, glass edges, or stuff like that. I think that everything being white helps - it just sort of blends in. Plus, the way that the rock and sandbed are pulled away from the plumbing helps, too - you don't think "hmm, he's trying to hide that ugly plumbing" - instead, it's just sort of "there" but not on your mind. Sort of like exposed steel beams in a clean "industrial" loft apartment or something, I guess.
Well, my long-term plan was originally to build a house with an ideal little fish room for a giant, solar-lit tank. Circumstances have changed, and we are making a bid on a house adjacent to our land, which (a) moves up the best-case timetable for a big tank (still a few years off, but best to have a plan so I can adjust other projects to accommodate), and (b) scratches several original design goals, including solar (it's in the middle of a forest in Ohio!).
I was originally eyeing LED as possible supplementary lighting, but now it looks like it might be the primary light source. Additionally, the tank would no longer be on a slab foundation, but above a basement (pending SWMBO approval), which creates new challenges (and opportunities). DWZM, I remember you reinforced your floor to support your tank. Do you remember where that was in this thread? Any tips? Did you end up putting any equipment down there, or did you manage to squeeze it all under the tank? The new house (if we get it) has a basement storage room directly beneath where I think I'd like the tank, and it's right against a foundation wall.
I'm going to have to go back and re-read this thread. Maybe make an abridged version for reference.
I was originally eyeing LED as possible supplementary lighting, but now it looks like it might be the primary light source. Additionally, the tank would no longer be on a slab foundation, but above a basement (pending SWMBO approval), which creates new challenges (and opportunities). DWZM, I remember you reinforced your floor to support your tank. Do you remember where that was in this thread? Any tips? Did you end up putting any equipment down there, or did you manage to squeeze it all under the tank? The new house (if we get it) has a basement storage room directly beneath where I think I'd like the tank, and it's right against a foundation wall.
I'm going to have to go back and re-read this thread. Maybe make an abridged version for reference.
