Need ideas for club DIY project

[Rysam]

i was sitting here thinking about chris' skimmer after being woke up at 4 am by the neighbors dog, that a club DIY project would be fun. i would like some ideas of what ya'll might be interested in. obviously a 5 pump recirc skimmer probably isnt a great idea but lets think of something. i have most of the tools or can easily acquire them. and a garage thats VERY used to profanity and bleeding. maybe start out with something easy like the eductors that are in the diy forum? i dunno lets come up with ideas and get it going. im partial to a kalk stirrer but it may be a bit more involved thanI think. im still working on my own right now and its being challenging to get the actual stir figured out. i dont think everyone wants to order disco ball turners from ebay to make it work. so come up with some easy and fun projects and lets get it done!:rollface:

 

[micynyorkies]

I liked Chris' auto topoff bucket. I know it seems like an easy project, but maybe we could order a bunch of the kalk dose thingys. I also like the idea of the eductors.

 

[micynyorkies]

Also, they make IV micro drip sets for babies (and small dogs/puppies) that can be more acurate in dosing small amounts. Short of getting an IV pump, it may be more useful.

 

[foodstamp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11154943#post11154943 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by micynyorkies
I liked Chris' auto topoff bucket. I know it seems like an easy project, but maybe we could order a bunch of the kalk dose thingys. I also like the idea of the eductors.

i have 3-4 flote switchs, they are pretty easy to build... but could be a good start for some ppl... i dont have much room under my tank so im gonna have to dyi a top off holding tank. im in need of a kalk to so im game for what ever sign me up all get a hold of you tuesday king n see what we can come up with.... a ca,po3 reacter would be somthing that could be needed to. somthing to dose the 2 part would be useful.......

 

[foodstamp]

ca Reactor...

ca Reactor...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=1799441

2, Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ slip X slip 45% $.20 ea
1, Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ 4 way cross t $ 1.00 ea
2, Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ slip X silp 90% $.20 ea
3, Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ npt X Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ slip 90% $.50 ea
2, Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ female threaded adapter $ .50 ea
1, Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ male threaded adapter $ .50 ea
1, Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ cap $.19 ea
1, 3/8ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ X Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ npt barb $ 1.20 ea
1, Ã"šÃ‚¾Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ X Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ npt barb $ 1.25 ea
2, Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ 90% speed fittings $2.50 ea
1, Ã"šÃ‚¼Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ 90% speed fitting $2.50 ea
1, Ã"šÃ‚¼Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ X Ã"šÃ‚¼Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ npt speed fitting valve $5.00 ea
4, 4ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ schedule 40 couplings $1.65 ea
4, 4ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ styrene drain grates $1.95 ea
2, 4ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ styrene drain caps $.95 ea
2 feet Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ polyethylene tube $??? Pennies
2 feet Ã"šÃ‚¼Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ polyethylene tube $??? Pennies
1, Ã"šÃ‚¼Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ X Ã"šÃ‚¼Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ npt speed fitting $ 2.50 ea
1 foot Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ pvc water pipe $??? Pennies
1 foot clear Ã"šÃ‚½Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ pvc pipe $ 1.85 ea
1, walmart cutting board $ 3.88 ea
2, Hand-tite no metal pressure test caps $ 9.00 ea (aquatic ecosystems)
2, 21ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ acrylic 4.5ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ od tubes 1/8ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ wall $ 6.12 per foot (us plastics)
8, stainless steel flat head 1ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ #8 machine screws for attaching base $2

 

[foodstamp]

DIY Radial Kalk Reactor

DIY Radial Kalk Reactor

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=261416&perpage=25&pagenumber=1


heres the link for the ca reactor
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=243755&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

 

[Rysam]

holy giant craptastic reactor batman!!! i just freed up a MJ1200 from my fuge that i may try that idea with. maybe not 37 feet tall but the same idea. i dont get the constant circulation though. wouldnt it eventually shoot all of the kalk into the tank? cmon all these are some good ideas. keep them coming.

 

[foodstamp]

from reading the thread theres a "kalkblocker" & only runs it 12hr's and it runs fine and with both it balance's the ph. the ca is ran 24/7, im up for the task of building both for my tank all get on ordering parts both mine are going to have to be under 22" im thinking doing them the same size as my skimmer...

 

[boviac]

Josh thanks for offering and soliciting this offer.

Cindy, the bucket really only needs a drill, a drill bit (about 1/2" I think) and some silicone after the materials. I am more than happy to help you out with that one.

Food Stamp: That's a pretty cool pic of the CaRx. I would like to build one but right now I'm pretty happy with 2 part suppliment. I simply can't afford the cost of the CO2, controller, and media once I did get a rx chamber built.

I would maybe like to do something simple to start with like acrylic. Something as simple as a shelf to grow frags upon (i.e. closer to the light source) or maybe a small nano tank or refugeum or sump or whatever. Just some acrlyic, something to cut it on, and then some solvent to practice getting pieces to weld together. There's lots of help and techniques here.

Maybe also do a glass cutting day where people bring their item to be drilled and either have their own bits, hole saws, or dremel, roto-zip diamond bits or wait their turn and/or pay someone to drill their tank. Then maybe show how to build a glass sump drilled and how to silicone in bubble baffles/dividers.

Then it makes sense to move up to a bigger project like a skimmer or CaRx that requires more delicate welding of more pricey parts.

However, if there are enough people who want to go build a skimmer or CaRx, lets go!

 

[iairj84]

Well like I said in my post I love the DIY side of things and have been reading up in the DIY section. They have a lot in there and the few that have really stood out are the skimmer mods people have done to add to the needlewheel skimmers and have increased flow quite a bit with the "Mesh Mod"

I am going to be drilling my tank this week and would be more than willing to offer up my hole saws when I'm done. By the time I'm done I should be a pro anyways ;-)

 

[foodstamp]

A phosban reactor? after seeing kings they are pretty small and would not be to hard to build I don't think I know I want 2 my self 1 for carbon & 1 for po3 remover.....
What size is that king? 2 1/2" with a 1/2" in the middle?

 

[Rysam]

a phosban reactor is easy to ghetto fab. just use a gatorade bottle and some tubing. i usually have one daisy chained with carbon. i have the 2 little fishies phosban reactor, it was just turned around so you couldnt seee the label. i'll go look for the gatorade bottle link.

 

[Rysam]

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=77999

 

[shelbiesdaddy]

Nice!

 

[Rysam]

and it works great. just use lots of little holes so it doesnt
a) spray water all over the place or,
b) spray water and carbon all over the place.

if the holes are too big the media just floats out. not enough it sprays under pressure. i used just shy of 4600000000 tiny pinholes. no spray and it keeps everything inside.

 

[shelbiesdaddy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11191026#post11191026 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kinghokus420
and it works great. just use lots of little holes so it doesnt
a) spray water all over the place or,
b) spray water and carbon all over the place.

if the holes are too big the media just floats out. not enough it sprays under pressure. i used just shy of 4600000000 tiny pinholes. no spray and it keeps everything inside.

so same design for phosphate and carbon?

 

[Rysam]

yup. just make sure the holes are smaller than the po4 media. its pretty small i believe. i personally have never used it for a po4 reactor but i dont see why it wouldnt work apart from the hole size. i run po4 media in the first reactor and carbon in the diy one daisy chained together.

 

[boviac]

Great link Josh! Pretty cool. One thing that's important with a PO4 RX is keeping the flowrate slow enough to just lightly fluidize the media. Too much flow will cause a media storm and may too rapididly reduce your phosphate levels.

I've heard of someone who crashed their well-established tank and this was the only thing thing they changed -adding a phosphate reactor and letting it go too fast.

 

[shelbiesdaddy]

I was thinking of splitting a line from a rio 200 so there wouldn't be a lot of flow. I also have a set of micro drill bits so I can start with really small holes and work up.

I always test everything like this in one of the spare tanks first just for that reason.

Now just waiting for Shelbie to finish her Gatorade.

 

[boviac]

One thing I do like about my purchased - two little fishes- reactor is the ball valve it came with. Even with I think a Rio 90 (not sure if that's right) I still have the flow throttled down quite a bit.

Dan, I think I started with a Rio180 and downsized it because those pumps don't like it and chatter noisily with too much backpressure. Plus with Rio's reliability record, I wouldn't do anything to upset one of those pumps.

I suppose you could always tie a knot in the tubing if the selected valve (I'm assuming a 1/2" PVC ball) was insufficent.

Either way sounds like a good DIY project because I want to add one to my valonia plauged 29. Especially if I want to take that one down and put it's contents into my main 125 someday.

Maybe we can play with the idea: pump to valve to gaterade bottle attachements, rinsing plans, hole size that prevents the average PO4 media from exiting yet still allowing sufficent flow, media fluidization, and no backpressure in the reactor. Plus, maybe a cool an attractive way to mount it to the sump/tank.

Then everyone post their concepts here and we' can meet one day and put everything together in someone's (Josh?) garage.

Sounds like a great DIY start. Low cost, easy and functional and usually only after an aquarist needs one does they realize they should of had one from the get go.