*~DOW~* DIY reefing projects

mojoreef · 02-06-2004, 11:23 AM

Ok once again as voted by you the Discussion of the week is DIY projects. This shold give all those DIYers a chance to come out of the closet and show thier wares. Lets not restrict it to projects, but lets see some modifications and dodads that have improved the way your tank runs.

MIke

Pro_builder · 02-06-2004, 04:06 PM

I will try to take some pictures tonight, of all my Doodads.

middletonmark · 02-06-2004, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pro_builder
I will try to take some pictures tonight, of all my Doodads.

Sorry, my mind was in the gutter ...
I'd love to see your DIY projects. Will have to take pics of mine ... as well. Not very impressive, but you gotta start somewhere

Great DOW!

dgasmd · 02-06-2004, 08:31 PM

OK, so I don't ahve the know how a lot of you guys ahve to do my own stuff, but I do think about it. Does that count. For most of my equipment stuff, I would like to think of DIY as Design It Yourself. With that in mind, my entire tank and set up is a DIY

Here is a couple of shots of things. This first one is the equipment section.

dgasmd · 02-06-2004, 08:33 PM

Here is my DIY water purification plant. After I got approval from the FDA, I contacted the guys at ARS and designed this unit with ultimate conservation and longterm cost efficiency in mind. It has a pressure gauge, booster pump, dual DI, 100 gpd memebrane, adjustable flow restrictor, DI bypass valve, flush kit, yada yada yada.......

dgasmd · 02-06-2004, 08:35 PM

The following is the 55g plastic drum I use for water changes. The RO/DI feeds into it to fill it up. A Little giant 4 MD pump recircultes the water inside to mix it well. It takes literally 5 min. for everything to mix. A heater sets in the mood. All I ahve to do is turn a couple of valves and it dumps 50g into the sump in front of it.

This is own personal design. I came up with it during one of those late nights at NASA........

dgasmd · 02-06-2004, 08:38 PM

The following is what I call my hydration replenishment water plant. Others may call this a vulgar term like "top off"

A Litermeter pump takes water from the 55g drum sitting there and puts it through the kalk reactor and from there to the sump. It is quite the complicated design as you can see.

dgasmd · 02-06-2004, 08:40 PM

This is my refugium. A 100g Rubbermaid tub filled with 150 Lb of LR and tons of macroalgae. I put the acrylic lid on it during the winter to help with the heat loss. Lights are on 24/7. It drains by gravity and has ll the monitors in it.

dgasmd · 02-06-2004, 08:42 PM

This is one of my most efficient pieces of equipment. It is a many HP chiller!!

dgasmd · 02-06-2004, 08:43 PM

This is one of the best things I have in my tank currently. It is my Ca reactor. I did not do it myself, but I did designed it myself

It is 8" diamter and 36" tall. It takes 50Lb of media to fill 3/4th of the way up. Has a little giant 2md pressure pump for recirculation. GEO, you outdid yourself on this one

dgasmd · 02-06-2004, 08:50 PM

Last, but not least. As I was posting the previous pictures, I realized there was actually something I did do myself besides all the plumbing and such. I have a lifeguard 40 watt UV filter sitting in my sump fed by a mag 9 pump. I made a manifold to attach to the end of it so that by turning a couple of valves, I can use that same pump to pump water fromt he sump to the street via a long hose. I then turn the valve, and the water recirculates from the UV back to the sump. Makes water changes such a breeze that I can change 50g in literally less than 10 min. without even getting my hands wet. Just turn 2 valves, wait for it to drain, turn 2 valves, turn 2 more valves and wait for it to fill, and then turn 2 more valves. That is it.

Sorry, but I ahd to post something since i know a bunch of you are going to psot all this cools stuff and I don't want to feel left out

middletonmark · 02-06-2004, 09:22 PM

Great pictures/setup!

What size tank does this all run?
Got any pics of that beyond the one in your gallery?
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/photopo...t=500&p age=1

Looks too good just to see the end of the tank!
Thanks!

wooddood · 02-07-2004, 07:26 AM

man i'll say you got some stuff.lol

Pro_builder · 02-07-2004, 09:04 AM

Looks good, you have some serioud time and thought into your setup, for the ease of use end of things. That is DIY if you ask me.

nivek · 02-07-2004, 09:22 AM

Dang!! Our public aquarium doesn't even have the equipment you do dgasmd! That's definitely a big time DIY if you ask me

. Great job.

02-06-2004, 11:23 AM	#1 (permalink)
mojoreef Just a reefer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Washington State Posts: 1,176 View Gallery Karma Komment	~DOW~ DIY reefing projects Ok once again as voted by you the Discussion of the week is DIY projects. This shold give all those DIYers a chance to come out of the closet and show thier wares. Lets not restrict it to projects, but lets see some modifications and dodads that have improved the way your tank runs. MIke __________________ Make sure you check out The Fish Gallery The Coral Gallery The Equipment Gallery

02-06-2004, 04:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
Pro_builder DIY Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Oxford, Iowa Posts: 1,746 View Gallery Karma Komment	I will try to take some pictures tonight, of all my Doodads. __________________ -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!!

02-06-2004, 08:31 PM	#4 (permalink)
dgasmd Scopas Tang Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL Posts: 466 View Gallery Karma Komment	OK, so I don't ahve the know how a lot of you guys ahve to do my own stuff, but I do think about it. Does that count. For most of my equipment stuff, I would like to think of DIY as Design It Yourself. With that in mind, my entire tank and set up is a DIY Here is a couple of shots of things. This first one is the equipment section. __________________ Water is what keeps a ship floating, but it is also what sinks it.

02-06-2004, 08:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
dgasmd Scopas Tang Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL Posts: 466 View Gallery Karma Komment	Here is my DIY water purification plant. After I got approval from the FDA, I contacted the guys at ARS and designed this unit with ultimate conservation and longterm cost efficiency in mind. It has a pressure gauge, booster pump, dual DI, 100 gpd memebrane, adjustable flow restrictor, DI bypass valve, flush kit, yada yada yada....... __________________ Water is what keeps a ship floating, but it is also what sinks it.

02-06-2004, 08:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
dgasmd Scopas Tang Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL Posts: 466 View Gallery Karma Komment	The following is the 55g plastic drum I use for water changes. The RO/DI feeds into it to fill it up. A Little giant 4 MD pump recircultes the water inside to mix it well. It takes literally 5 min. for everything to mix. A heater sets in the mood. All I ahve to do is turn a couple of valves and it dumps 50g into the sump in front of it. This is own personal design. I came up with it during one of those late nights at NASA........ __________________ Water is what keeps a ship floating, but it is also what sinks it.

02-06-2004, 08:38 PM	#7 (permalink)
dgasmd Scopas Tang Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL Posts: 466 View Gallery Karma Komment	The following is what I call my hydration replenishment water plant. Others may call this a vulgar term like "top off" A Litermeter pump takes water from the 55g drum sitting there and puts it through the kalk reactor and from there to the sump. It is quite the complicated design as you can see. __________________ Water is what keeps a ship floating, but it is also what sinks it.

02-06-2004, 08:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
dgasmd Scopas Tang Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL Posts: 466 View Gallery Karma Komment	This is my refugium. A 100g Rubbermaid tub filled with 150 Lb of LR and tons of macroalgae. I put the acrylic lid on it during the winter to help with the heat loss. Lights are on 24/7. It drains by gravity and has ll the monitors in it. __________________ Water is what keeps a ship floating, but it is also what sinks it.

02-06-2004, 08:42 PM	#9 (permalink)
dgasmd Scopas Tang Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL Posts: 466 View Gallery Karma Komment	This is one of my most efficient pieces of equipment. It is a many HP chiller!! __________________ Water is what keeps a ship floating, but it is also what sinks it.

02-06-2004, 08:43 PM	#10 (permalink)
dgasmd Scopas Tang Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL Posts: 466 View Gallery Karma Komment	This is one of the best things I have in my tank currently. It is my Ca reactor. I did not do it myself, but I did designed it myself It is 8" diamter and 36" tall. It takes 50Lb of media to fill 3/4th of the way up. Has a little giant 2md pressure pump for recirculation. GEO, you outdid yourself on this one __________________ Water is what keeps a ship floating, but it is also what sinks it.

02-06-2004, 08:50 PM	#11 (permalink)
dgasmd Scopas Tang Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL Posts: 466 View Gallery Karma Komment	Last, but not least. As I was posting the previous pictures, I realized there was actually something I did do myself besides all the plumbing and such. I have a lifeguard 40 watt UV filter sitting in my sump fed by a mag 9 pump. I made a manifold to attach to the end of it so that by turning a couple of valves, I can use that same pump to pump water fromt he sump to the street via a long hose. I then turn the valve, and the water recirculates from the UV back to the sump. Makes water changes such a breeze that I can change 50g in literally less than 10 min. without even getting my hands wet. Just turn 2 valves, wait for it to drain, turn 2 valves, turn 2 more valves and wait for it to fill, and then turn 2 more valves. That is it. Sorry, but I ahd to post something since i know a bunch of you are going to psot all this cools stuff and I don't want to feel left out __________________ Water is what keeps a ship floating, but it is also what sinks it.

02-06-2004, 09:22 PM	#12 (permalink)
middletonmark Star Polyps Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 165 View Gallery Karma Komment	Great pictures/setup! What size tank does this all run? Got any pics of that beyond the one in your gallery? http://www.reefsanctuary.com/photopo...t=500&p age=1 Looks too good just to see the end of the tank! Thanks! __________________ smile smile smile

02-07-2004, 07:26 AM	#13 (permalink)
wooddood the wood dude Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: CARMEL. INDIANA Posts: 3,450 View Gallery Karma Komment	man i'll say you got some stuff.lol __________________ 120 gal/in wall tank/starboard substraight/2 250 watt 10k xm metal halides/ 4 55watt 03 actinics/150lbs lr/scwd on return/scwd on a closed loop/aquaclear aquatics 200 pro wetdry w/skimmer. ask all the questions you have if we cant answer it we'll make up some thing. remember patience is the key to a kick ass reef. dave.

02-07-2004, 09:04 AM	#14 (permalink)
Pro_builder DIY Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Oxford, Iowa Posts: 1,746 View Gallery Karma Komment	Looks good, you have some serioud time and thought into your setup, for the ease of use end of things. That is DIY if you ask me. __________________ -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!!

02-07-2004, 09:22 AM	#15 (permalink)
nivek Cabbage Leather Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Penang, Malaysia Posts: 367 View Gallery Karma Komment	Dang!! Our public aquarium doesn't even have the equipment you do dgasmd! That's definitely a big time DIY if you ask me . Great job. __________________ "Hey Yoda! Stop playing with my orange lightsaber!" - Master Nivek

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