Reef-Rat Update

[kstockman]

Here is a side view of the nozzle with the 1" pipe sticking into it.

 

[kstockman]

Here is an end view. With the 2" opeing the deflection of the water would not be as great as with a 1.5" coupling fitting.

Let me knoe if this make sense. The up-down motion is obviously not necessary.

 

[Toutouche]

Ken,
Yeah it makes perfectly clear sense. I already knew what you meant before the pics too. As I said, I'm going to have to contemplate the 2 options, and at the same time, look into building these outputs.

 

[H20ENG]

Awesome brainstorm session here!
It seems that the larger fitting over the jet nozzle would create an eductor effect, drawing in large amounts of water with the jet from the back of the fitting. Thus you would not need to add a long "real" eductor fitting.
I do see Vans point about it backflowing when the nozzle is at one side or the other.

 

[invincible569]

Cant wait to try out your Rat! Keep us updated on your creation. Im very interested (pmed u)

 

[ReefVan]

Will do invincible569, nice to see that DIY RRU's are still capturing people's interest.

We can tell winter is on the way, interest in reef tanks is back on the rise.

Ken, keep up that bobulating RRU project and hope to see some neat pics soon of the secondary motion hooked up and running.

Van

 

[Chris_Reef]

Van,

What diameter and type of material have you found to work best for the rods that rotate the elbow? I can't find any stores that sell any type of plastic rods anywhere near my house so I'll have to order on-line. I can't do the touchy feely thing in a local store and I'd hate to keep blindly ordering different materials and diameters till I find one that's strong enough and the right material.

US Plastics has lots of different types but I'm waiting to order.

 

[ReefVan]

Chris_Reef,

PVC rod of .400" diameter. Got mine at a plastics distributor.

Van

 

[Chris_Reef]

Chris_Reef,

PVC rod of .400" diameter. Got mine at a plastics distributor.

Van

Awsome, thanks

 

[ReefVan]

Pics as promised... this is for acrylic tank mounting to avoid one big hole.

Drive-Shaft with capture ring in place

Rat with drive-shaft assembly mounted

Removable Jet-Nozzle in mounting position

Removable Jet-Nozzle indexed and fully mounted

Final touches for mounting

Van

 

[kstockman]

When is the patent going to be written?

 

[ReefVan]

Van

 

[ReefVan]

Calling acrylic tank people,

Is this latest mod with the removable Jet-Nozzle going to work for you?

I figured from the comments that 2 smaller holes would be better than 1 big 3" hole.

Now all you need is a 1 5/8" hole for the main feed pipe and a 7/16" hole for the Drive-Shaft.

The entire business end of the Rat detaches with 3 nylon screws and indexes perfectly on re-assembly.


Van

 

[Toutouche]

Van,
You might want to try asking for people with Eurobracing and not acrylic tanks. It's the bracing running around the edge at the top that causes a problem and this can be on acrylic OR glass tanks.

 

[ReefVan]

Touchtouche,

My understanding and from what I've seen, acrylic tanks have a full top with large access cutouts.

Euro-bracing is on all-glass tanks and only affects the side access.

Drilling a couple of access holes through some acrylic is a lot easier than through glass.

Van

 

[Toutouche]

A full top on an acry;ic tank and Eurobracing..., isn't that the samething?
The Eurobracing IS on the top as you say the acrylic tops are. It causes a problem placing things in the water from the top too on all glass tanks. I've never seen any acrylic tanks but I'm assuming it's basically the same up on top. Do you have any pics of the top of an acrylic tank?

 

[ReefVan]

Toutouche,

I went to the LFS and they had Euro-bracing on an all-glass tank, a 3" to 4" wide glass border (1/8" thick) all around the inner edges.

A ledge as you say and debatable whether you would want to drill it or not.

The acrylic tanks have a top bonded on and 2 or 3 large access cutouts in the middle of the top. I didn't see any Euro-braced acrylic tanks, does that exist?

No big deal to drill a couple of holes wherever you want near the edges, it's acrylic.... not glass.

Van

 

[Chris_Reef]

FWIW, I'm planning to have my glass tank's Euro bracing drilled for Reef Rats when I build it. I want the bracing as narrow as possible so your new design should work better for me. I may, however mount mine on bulkheads on the back wall so I only have to drill the small hole for the rod.

 

[Toutouche]

Van,
I understand that it's completely easy to drill an acrylic top since it's plastic, but many people ALSO drill the glass eurobracing on glass tanks.
As Chris_reef also said, even he's contemplating doing it. So am I when I get my new tank if I DO decide to go the eurobracing way.

 

[ReefVan]

Greg,

I may go get someone to drill a couple of pieces of glass for me so I can build a Euro-Braced mock-up.

Basically I'll glue a brace to 3 pieces of glass, open 2 holes for each Rat in the brace and 1 hole in the back wall for a bulkhead fitting for one of the 2 Rats.

I'll mount the 2 Rats, one with the detachable Jet-Nozzle and one with just the Drive-Shaft to a modified Jet-Nozzle in a bulkhead fitting, we'll see how it all comes out.

I'm pretty sure they'll both make for a real neat installation.

This way someone who does or doesn't want to drill the tank wall will have a choice of installations.

Van