Small Deltec clone pics for Chad :-)

[dphins]

Kent, do you need someone to test the skimmer out for you?

 

[kentrob11]

Thanks! Yeah acrylic can be milled but you need to use nice sharp bits made for plastic for the best results. A friend CNC'd some stuff using a bit that wasn't new and used on aluminum and it broke one piece and had some problems with the other. After putting a nice sharp bit on it cut like butta...I would imagine it wouldn't necessarily have to be made for plastic as long as it's nice and sharp....

 

[spongebobby]

ok, thanks

 

[sirreal63]

My best friend and I have a side business making hood mirrors for show cars out of mirrored acrylic...we use carbide bits and it cuts great.

 

[kentrob11]

Carbide tipped is definnately the way to go with acrylic. The ideal blade is Carbide tipped, tripple chipped, 10" 80 tooth with zero degrees rake....for a saw anyway

 

[kentrob11]

Dolphinsx- Thanks for the offer but I've got a 300 gallon system that hasn't been skimmed in a year for that! LOL....Glad to hear that you've got things stabilized...you didn't lose that nice millepora did you?

 

[Godoftheseas]

hey thats so awesome. I have a quick ? if you dont mind. I am trying to figure out this diy and my questions are first off that valve up near the top i assume is the air injector but how does air come in. An air pump or is it sucked in like a venturi system or am i just way off and thats not where the air goes in.
Also what kind of valve do you put on the hole in the front if any? I assume that is where the water comes out right.

thanks alot
mike

 

[kentrob11]

The "valve" is actually a hose barb to feed the skimmer with a small pump/powerhead. The air is drawn in via a venturi the is placed just before the intake of the pump. The pump recirculates water already in the skimmer, constantly injecting it with more air.....

 

[rams]

Kent I bring a six pack over "bottles" do you have a good buddy discount? Kentrob Club! :lol: looks sweet man good work :thumbsup:

 

[kentrob11]

Here's one with the outlet riser pipe dry fitted...I'm going to replace the fully union with a trimmed and finished one like the rest on the skimmer....Somehow the flash makes the PVC pieces look lighter than they are in person....

 

[kentrob11]

Thanks Dennis- No clubs here I never turn down bottles tho

 

[DrBDC]

Go over with a case of beer, when you hit the "you're my best friend" part of the buzz, then ask how much.

 

[dphins]

I thought I would offer. And no, I haven't stopped the stn in my tank. I don't know what else to do but start over.

 

[kentrob11]

Jeez- Have you tried doing several large water changes- like 30% every day for 3-4 days in a row? A lot of times once RTN starts it's tough to stop it and the only option you have is to frag everything 1/4" or so above the line of recession....I would think about doing that pretty soon so you don't lose everything entirely...

Here's a better pic of the skimmer with the pump on that shows the color a little better...

 

[dphins]

It looks good Kent. Is there any chance we can see it performing?

 

[kentrob11]

Yeah- As soon as I get the necks in I'm gonna finish em up. I wish I had a solid, experienced CNC source here in town so I wouldn't have had to wait so long. I'm getting a really good deal with this guy though($20 per assembly) so I guess it's worth the wait...I think it's gonna be another week or so till they're ready.

 

[DrBDC]

My neighbor is a mad scientist and he has a cnc in his garage. You may have seen him on the news making this machine that they program ahead of time and they race across the desert using GPS and the preprogrammed info. The winner gets a defense grant or something like that. It's basically an unmanned machine that they are trying to get development on. He's also into those machines that fight each other in a pit, some have hammers and some have saw blades and other things. So if that is any help let me know and I'll try to connect you two.

 

[dphins]

He sounds cool Roy, maybe he should have the next seasl meeting?

 

[DrBDC]

His garage is a wreck and he knows nothing of fish. But he has cool experiments in the garage to check out. Most wouldn't be interested in that, at least as a fish meeting.

 

[dphins]

Looking at your pics, I was wondering if the pump is going to be big enough for the skimmer? It looks so small compared the the body.