The automatic fish tank. - Page 3

EmergencyDpt · 01-30-2007, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dentoid

WOW! Have you done all this today since your AM post? Looks spectacular. Your friend and her kids are going to love you! Great job!

It was actually done last night but I was so tired I couldn't finish my posting. I've been working on it for several weeks off and on.

Thank you for your compliment.

EmergencyDpt · 01-30-2007, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrothaWolf

LOL You dont play!

LOL.
Go big or go home.

Pro_builder · 01-30-2007, 03:37 PM

looking good. They will love the present.

Witfull · 01-30-2007, 05:32 PM

awesome,,,,can i be your next friend to have a tank built?

lcstorc · 01-30-2007, 05:50 PM

Off to a fantastic start. Keep us updated. Looks like you are doing a really first class job for them.

Snelly40 · 01-30-2007, 05:51 PM

wow, looks nice

EmergencyDpt · 01-31-2007, 05:11 PM

Thanks everyone for your encouragement.
I am making a few changes for more flow through the tank.
I took out the valve between the return pump and the display tank for one. This increased the flow to a better level.
There doesn't seem to be much extra capacity for the overflow drain system however. It is matched pretty close. I'm watching it now for signs of overfilling. I might change to the next larger size of pvc. It would be a simple change but necessitate a slight widening of the out-side hole in the display tank.
The system has been running for two nights now without problems. I have a hundred watt heater in the sump but it is only getting up to 71 degrees even with the light on. I might drop another heater in. I have several. Of course it will probably run warmer with sand and rock in the bottom of the display tank as an insulator. Also it's not exacty toasty in the garage where it's set up.

sasquatch · 01-31-2007, 05:40 PM

Emergency INDEED, wow dude reading thru that makes me need go potty real bad, like watching a movie on fast forward!! Nice job, I hate to ask but whats next?? Steve

2455coop · 01-31-2007, 07:12 PM

WOW...there was actually a car in the garage...man I have to get one of thoses...

Love the pics of the tank...keep us posted on how it looks with the rock and sand...

EmergencyDpt · 01-31-2007, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sasquatch

Emergency INDEED, wow dude reading thru that makes me need go potty real bad, like watching a movie on fast forward!! Nice job, I hate to ask but whats next?? Steve

Hi Steve.
It really happened over a course of several weeks. I just posted everything at once.

As for what's next, I'm not sure. Probably another one of these but I want to paint the stand orange, black, and white like a clown fish and maybe do some little fish for handles.

Of course it will hold a mated pair of clowns and an anemone. Not sure what do do with it then. I don't actually have the room in my house.

Then I could make other species themed systems for pipes/seahorses, ect.

Then...the WORLD! Ba haa haa haaaa ha haa.

EmergencyDpt · 01-31-2007, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2455coop

WOW...there was actually a car in the garage...man I have to get one of thoses...

Love the pics of the tank...keep us posted on how it looks with the rock and sand...

Glad you like the thread.
The car is a honda element. Not really a car, not really a truck or SUV. Kind of a box thingy. Great storage and water resistant interior for hauling wet fish stuff around in.

EmergencyDpt · 01-31-2007, 11:32 PM

I upgraded the overflow exit to the next size pvc. Much better flow through the tank with less worry about overfilling the tank somehow.

Of course a snail could still go in there and totally plug the overflow. It would only overfill the tank by the amount in the return pump chamber which is probably less than a half gallon before the pump sucks air.

Here's the beefier overflow pipe. Just one size bigger. probably doesn't look much different but it really makes a difference. The uptube from the undergravel is the same. I just used an adapter from 1/2 to 3/4 to get from the T down.

I also heat shrinked the connections to the lamp which ment I had to cut the old connections off to get the heat shrink on. Then I reconnected them and blowtorched it. Ah ha! Who's boss now?

EmergencyDpt · 01-31-2007, 11:36 PM

Here's the inside of the tank showing the custom overflow (snicker) made from a pvc T fitting. I cut teeth in it but then cut through my jig so I drilled some holes also. So ghetto.

T fitting made into an overflow.

EmergencyDpt · 01-31-2007, 11:37 PM

Another shot from the rear of the old smaller pipe for comparison.

EmergencyDpt · 01-31-2007, 11:39 PM

Increased flow demonstrated with some air bubbles.

01-30-2007, 03:37 PM	#33 (permalink)
Pro_builder DIY Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Oxford, Iowa Posts: 1,746 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: The automatic fish tank. looking good. They will love the present. __________________ -Troy 180 gallon Reef, 3- 250 XM 15K MH Electronic ballast, 380 watts VHO Actinics, 2- 5 watt LED Moon lights, 100 gal rubbermaid sump, 75 gallon Fuge, ETSS 600 Skimmer, 4700-5400 gph pump for return, Octopus 3000 controller, Iwaki 40 RL skimmer pump, 2- 65w PC 10K fuge lights, 2 55 gallon barrels, Custom light oak stand and hood, misc pumps, extra 600 gallon rated tank size protein skimmer. Purple tang, yellow tang, pacific blue tang, 2 green chromis, 1 Sand sifting star, snails, hermit crabs, 2 mated perculas, pulsing Xenia, Anenome, mushrooms, ricordia, zoanthids, kenya tree 1 1/2" tall, misc other hitchhiker stuff. DIY is my dream... ...well OK the only way I can afford this Addiction!! Just as the light goes on in my head... ... I break the bulb!!

01-30-2007, 05:50 PM	#35 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 20,872 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: The automatic fish tank. Off to a fantastic start. Keep us updated. Looks like you are doing a really first class job for them. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. In Loving Memory Of Z 01/22/07 - 08/19/08

01-30-2007, 05:51 PM	#36 (permalink)
Snelly40 Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 2,954 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: The automatic fish tank. wow, looks nice __________________ Snelly's 90gal Reef-O-Rama *Member-"Crabs Are Evil" Society*

01-31-2007, 05:11 PM	#37 (permalink)
EmergencyDpt Ricordea Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 190 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: The automatic fish tank. Thanks everyone for your encouragement. I am making a few changes for more flow through the tank. I took out the valve between the return pump and the display tank for one. This increased the flow to a better level. There doesn't seem to be much extra capacity for the overflow drain system however. It is matched pretty close. I'm watching it now for signs of overfilling. I might change to the next larger size of pvc. It would be a simple change but necessitate a slight widening of the out-side hole in the display tank. The system has been running for two nights now without problems. I have a hundred watt heater in the sump but it is only getting up to 71 degrees even with the light on. I might drop another heater in. I have several. Of course it will probably run warmer with sand and rock in the bottom of the display tank as an insulator. Also it's not exacty toasty in the garage where it's set up.

01-31-2007, 05:40 PM	#38 (permalink)
sasquatch Brunt of all Jokes~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: the very farthest west coast of canada Posts: 8,917 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: The automatic fish tank. Emergency INDEED, wow dude reading thru that makes me need go potty real bad, like watching a movie on fast forward!! Nice job, I hate to ask but whats next?? Steve __________________ castawayreefers.com

01-31-2007, 07:12 PM	#39 (permalink)
2455coop Pistol Shrimp Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Amarillo,Texas Posts: 266 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: The automatic fish tank. WOW...there was actually a car in the garage...man I have to get one of thoses... Love the pics of the tank...keep us posted on how it looks with the rock and sand... __________________ Bill 75 gal D.A.S. 15 gal refugium

01-31-2007, 11:32 PM	#42 (permalink)
EmergencyDpt Ricordea Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 190 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: The automatic fish tank. I upgraded the overflow exit to the next size pvc. Much better flow through the tank with less worry about overfilling the tank somehow. Of course a snail could still go in there and totally plug the overflow. It would only overfill the tank by the amount in the return pump chamber which is probably less than a half gallon before the pump sucks air. Here's the beefier overflow pipe. Just one size bigger. probably doesn't look much different but it really makes a difference. The uptube from the undergravel is the same. I just used an adapter from 1/2 to 3/4 to get from the T down. I also heat shrinked the connections to the lamp which ment I had to cut the old connections off to get the heat shrink on. Then I reconnected them and blowtorched it. Ah ha! Who's boss now?

01-31-2007, 11:36 PM	#43 (permalink)
EmergencyDpt Ricordea Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 190 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: The automatic fish tank. Here's the inside of the tank showing the custom overflow (snicker) made from a pvc T fitting. I cut teeth in it but then cut through my jig so I drilled some holes also. So ghetto. T fitting made into an overflow.

01-31-2007, 11:37 PM	#44 (permalink)
EmergencyDpt Ricordea Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 190 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: The automatic fish tank. Another shot from the rear of the old smaller pipe for comparison.

01-31-2007, 11:39 PM	#45 (permalink)
EmergencyDpt Ricordea Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 190 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: The automatic fish tank. Increased flow demonstrated with some air bubbles.

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