OK! Enough chat...Starting a 1000g+ Reef
- Thread starter jnarowe
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jnarowe
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20 inches....
20 inches....
Got a couple more things done. I installed the conductivity probe per Neptune's recommendation to electrically isolate it from the other probes. I did this by hanging a plugged 1-1/2" PVC pipe above the inbound sump like a cup to catch water from the overflow. As the water drips in through a 1/4" line, the cup overflows into the sump. The probe is inside the cup and theoretically isolated from interference caused by other probes within the system. I used a piece f acrylic to hang the cup and a pipe clip to mount it so that I could easily remove the cup for cleaning.
Here's a pic of it in action:
And a pic of the feed:
Also here are a couple of pics of the skimmer body in its final position:
20 inches....
Got a couple more things done. I installed the conductivity probe per Neptune's recommendation to electrically isolate it from the other probes. I did this by hanging a plugged 1-1/2" PVC pipe above the inbound sump like a cup to catch water from the overflow. As the water drips in through a 1/4" line, the cup overflows into the sump. The probe is inside the cup and theoretically isolated from interference caused by other probes within the system. I used a piece f acrylic to hang the cup and a pipe clip to mount it so that I could easily remove the cup for cleaning.
Here's a pic of it in action:
And a pic of the feed:
Also here are a couple of pics of the skimmer body in its final position:
jnarowe
New member
Hey Shawn! Still no booster pump. Supposedly it will come tomorrow. I have wasted some acrylic and now I think I will get help on building the neck. Too many angles for me to deal with...
Also, I dropped my phone in the tank today. That is the same phone I have dropped in the toilet twice! I wonder if it will work this time too?
Hadn't heard back from PraxAir so I called them yesterday to see where my CO2 tanks were. The guy explained that he had two similar tanks but that the filling plant sent my brand-new tanks to someone else. He wanted me to accept used tanks in place of my new ones!
Anyway, I told him that was unacceptable and that the plant needed to replace them with exactly what I had sent to be filled. Good thing I started that project ahead of time.
Also, I dropped my phone in the tank today. That is the same phone I have dropped in the toilet twice! I wonder if it will work this time too?
Hadn't heard back from PraxAir so I called them yesterday to see where my CO2 tanks were. The guy explained that he had two similar tanks but that the filling plant sent my brand-new tanks to someone else. He wanted me to accept used tanks in place of my new ones!
Anyway, I told him that was unacceptable and that the plant needed to replace them with exactly what I had sent to be filled. Good thing I started that project ahead of time.
jnarowe
New member
More good news: I changed my mind about the skimmer neck and after looking a weatherson's cone job a few times I decided to try it myself. It took about 2 hours to make the plywood frame and get the cone made. Of course it was too big for my oven but I got enough heat that it worked out OK. It is not as perfect as his of course, but I am really happy about how it turned out.
The next hurdle will be how to attach a collection cup and make the transition between the two. I have an idea though that just might work.
The next hurdle will be how to attach a collection cup and make the transition between the two. I have an idea though that just might work.
tinygiants
New member
Congrats on your transition piece. If you use the neck piece as the center to form the transition, then it is a smoothe roll into the neck.
Dale
Dale
jnarowe
New member
22 inches...
22 inches...
Well I have good news and bad news...
Bad news first is that today I had a tough day in the tank room with what I consider my first major screw up. (and a couple of minor ones)
First, I was so happy with the cone I formed that today was the day to finish up the collection cup. It went terribly awry to say the least. I had sent a PM to Melev asking about whether PVC could be glued to acrylic and waited for a while. I bored a 5" hole in the outbound side of the cone but was not satisfied with the size or angle of the opening.
Then I realized I didn't need Melev and decided to experiment with a spare piece of acrylic and a PVC fitting. Being too impatient I pondered my next move and got the not-so-bright idea that I could re-heat the cone and push a piece of 6" PVC pipe through the hole and let it cool together.
So, I heated up the oven and in went the cone. While I waited for it to heat, I got busy with other stuff and also discovered that my experiment to glue PVC to acrylic had worked using Weld-On 16, but I had already started my heating project so that was that. Because I got busy I forgot about the cone in the oven!
Finally I smelled it and ran to find it somewhat mis-shapened...so I pulled it out and did some straightening. At that point the hole was now too big for my 5 lb. weight which just fell through, but it was not as big as the 6" PVC pipe. So I pushed it into the hole. Only problem is that one little area stuck to the acrylic and stretched it out to much uglier than the "Big Ugly".
Now I had a distorted cone with a 6" PVC pipe stuck in it! So what to do? I figured it was done and I can always make another one so right now I am cleaning it up and gluing the PVC in place. We'll see how it turns out but pics will be delayed at least until tomorrow. It really doesn't look too bad from a mechanical viewpoint though.
What other screw-ups did I do today you ask? Well, I did rout the cone flange to fit the skimmer body while the skimmer was still in the tank room. I overlooked the part about flying acrylic chips and by the time I was done, every plastic surface within 5 feet of the skimmer was seemingly magnetically coated with acrylic chips. That includes the tank, overflow, pipes, hoses, electrical wires, sumps, etc. What a total mess!!
I also got the booster pump today and in the process of installing it I snipped the 1/4" line but forgot to turn the water off! It's funny when you think about it but again before the tank is even full, I am so happy I used bilge paint in the fish room!!!
22 inches...
Well I have good news and bad news...
Bad news first is that today I had a tough day in the tank room with what I consider my first major screw up. (and a couple of minor ones)
First, I was so happy with the cone I formed that today was the day to finish up the collection cup. It went terribly awry to say the least. I had sent a PM to Melev asking about whether PVC could be glued to acrylic and waited for a while. I bored a 5" hole in the outbound side of the cone but was not satisfied with the size or angle of the opening.
Then I realized I didn't need Melev and decided to experiment with a spare piece of acrylic and a PVC fitting. Being too impatient I pondered my next move and got the not-so-bright idea that I could re-heat the cone and push a piece of 6" PVC pipe through the hole and let it cool together.
So, I heated up the oven and in went the cone. While I waited for it to heat, I got busy with other stuff and also discovered that my experiment to glue PVC to acrylic had worked using Weld-On 16, but I had already started my heating project so that was that. Because I got busy I forgot about the cone in the oven!
Finally I smelled it and ran to find it somewhat mis-shapened...so I pulled it out and did some straightening. At that point the hole was now too big for my 5 lb. weight which just fell through, but it was not as big as the 6" PVC pipe. So I pushed it into the hole. Only problem is that one little area stuck to the acrylic and stretched it out to much uglier than the "Big Ugly".
Now I had a distorted cone with a 6" PVC pipe stuck in it! So what to do? I figured it was done and I can always make another one so right now I am cleaning it up and gluing the PVC in place. We'll see how it turns out but pics will be delayed at least until tomorrow. It really doesn't look too bad from a mechanical viewpoint though.
What other screw-ups did I do today you ask? Well, I did rout the cone flange to fit the skimmer body while the skimmer was still in the tank room. I overlooked the part about flying acrylic chips and by the time I was done, every plastic surface within 5 feet of the skimmer was seemingly magnetically coated with acrylic chips. That includes the tank, overflow, pipes, hoses, electrical wires, sumps, etc. What a total mess!!
I also got the booster pump today and in the process of installing it I snipped the 1/4" line but forgot to turn the water off! It's funny when you think about it but again before the tank is even full, I am so happy I used bilge paint in the fish room!!!
jnarowe
New member
Now the good news...
I got the booster pump! It has increased the pressure by about 2.5 times and instead of a slow drip I now have a nice little stream. I can tell that production has about doubled or more so that is great!
Also, during my whacky adventure today I discovered why flame polishing acrylic is so popular, and as a side note, also why flame polishing PVC is not popular at all.
I really like the results I get with the acrylic though, and now see how so many DIY folks get such nice edges on their work.
So...tomorrow I will get back on the skimmer and look back on today as just a little side-step.
I got the booster pump! It has increased the pressure by about 2.5 times and instead of a slow drip I now have a nice little stream. I can tell that production has about doubled or more so that is great!
Also, during my whacky adventure today I discovered why flame polishing acrylic is so popular, and as a side note, also why flame polishing PVC is not popular at all.
I really like the results I get with the acrylic though, and now see how so many DIY folks get such nice edges on their work.
So...tomorrow I will get back on the skimmer and look back on today as just a little side-step.
jnarowe
New member
Failed cone...Rather than wait until someone asks, I am posting pics of the bad cone. The really stupid part is that when it collapsed, I didn't turn it right side out, so after all was done and I had an actually well sealed interface between the cone and the PVC riser, the bolt holes didn't match the skimmer body.
You can tell from these pics that I did put some work into this so it is a bit of a bummer, but to get to this point on my first try I think is not so bad!
What is impressive but can't be seen is how well the PVC & acrylic bonded with a mixture of heat and Weld-On 16, which I applied much like a caulk. So, I am going to make another one tomorrow and hopefully do better.
Any suggestions from the gang on how to integrate the collection cup??
You can tell from these pics that I did put some work into this so it is a bit of a bummer, but to get to this point on my first try I think is not so bad!
What is impressive but can't be seen is how well the PVC & acrylic bonded with a mixture of heat and Weld-On 16, which I applied much like a caulk. So, I am going to make another one tomorrow and hopefully do better.
Any suggestions from the gang on how to integrate the collection cup??
melev
Well-known member
:eek2:
You are quite the adventurer.
Remember, don't heat polish any seams, only areas that are not glued. Don't use #16 like caulk, because as it cures it shrinks by 33% and creates airpockets in the solvent that are ugly.
So once you get the skimmer going, you can remove the acrylic shavings. Or use a brine shrimp net perhaps.
You are quite the adventurer.
Remember, don't heat polish any seams, only areas that are not glued. Don't use #16 like caulk, because as it cures it shrinks by 33% and creates airpockets in the solvent that are ugly.
So once you get the skimmer going, you can remove the acrylic shavings. Or use a brine shrimp net perhaps.
jnarowe
New member
I wondered about polishing the seams. I figured that might not be good. I know #16 really isn't supposed to be used that way, but I was in a state of panic! Anyway, I have a few air bubbles here and there so what's a few more??
What do you think about just making the cone and building the collection cup box around that, essentially eliminating the riser part (which would be the PVC in the above pics)? I wonder if that wouldn't work just as well and save me a lot of hassle.
I have shop vac'd all the shavings up...or should I say, all the ones I could find? LOL...I'll be finding them for years I bet! I am so ticked that the flange holes don't match up, but I just don't think it will be too great if I drill more...I suppose it's not a "show piece" but I have a hard time accepting screwed up stuff like that.
Anyway, I have a few air bubbles here and there so what's a few more??What do you think about just making the cone and building the collection cup box around that, essentially eliminating the riser part (which would be the PVC in the above pics)? I wonder if that wouldn't work just as well and save me a lot of hassle.
I have shop vac'd all the shavings up...or should I say, all the ones I could find? LOL...I'll be finding them for years I bet! I am so ticked that the flange holes don't match up, but I just don't think it will be too great if I drill more...I suppose it's not a "show piece" but I have a hard time accepting screwed up stuff like that.
melev
Well-known member
Aren't you going to make a new piece anyway? That way you can make sure the holes are in the right location this time.
The riser tube needs to be clear, because this is where you view the bubbles to set the water level at the proper height. With The Big Ugly, that skimmer is getting a taller riser tube for just this reason.
The riser tube needs to be clear, because this is where you view the bubbles to set the water level at the proper height. With The Big Ugly, that skimmer is getting a taller riser tube for just this reason.
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