My DIY projects..new sump, canopy, Phosban reactor...

mudskipper1 · 06/22/2008, 06:47 PM

I would just like to post a few pics and descriptions of the little DIY projects I have done just for comments on design, construction, or just so you can ask how I did it or for details etc. Thanks for viewing.

We will go in order of construction...first comes the new canopy when the PC lights jump in the water when 1/4" glass catostrophically fails. I bought a used 150w mh retrofit kit, so i needed a new canopy in two days (corals only had NO flourescent light) and it needed to be on a high schoolers budget, and look descent as it is in the living room, and my mother had to approve. I had birch/maple plywood skin laying around, and i had all the tools, I spent about $20 on 2x2's and 1x3's and $10 on paint, and $5-$10 on knobs/hinges.

And this is what I got
[IMG]

[/IMG]

Not too bad, for a first furniture type woodworking project in two nights of work
Pic makes it look dirty/dull, in reality not noticable, and looks a flat black
Has been on the tank for several months and I have no complaints, it allows good access, good range of heights for the mh, and the back is open for good ventilation.

Next is the phosban reactor. i realized I might need one because of my HA problem, and I had 3" OD Acrylic tube laying around, so I thought how hard could it be, and set to work. I picked up a PVC endcap and a test cap or something.... which has the threads so I could change media periodically. I Had tubing laying around, and I drilled holes in the top of the test cap for inlet/outlet, and attached fittings to attach the hoses to. I ran a tube from the inside of the test cap down to the bottom of the tube, and attach a spraybar. I used stiff mesh and sponge to keep the media in place, and I have water tested it, but I am waiting for my new sump to come online to bring it online as well.

All in all i spent $10 and used a few things I already had, I realize these are pretty cheap to buy, but for me it worked out...

[IMG]

[/IMG]

The final thing is my new sump. I had to upgrade since I am getting a much....much bigger/better skimmer(prizm to a recirc modded ER) New one is a 20L and has a drain/skimmer section, a bubble trap, a cheato area, and a return section. The egg crate separates the cheato from the return. Spent $15 on a used 20L, and used acrylic I had laying around. Bought eggcrate for $11, but only used an eighth of the sheet.
[IMG]

[/IMG] [IMG]

[/IMG]

Feel free to ask question, comment or whatever, and I thought I would enter the messiest garage compeition....
[IMG]

[/IMG]

and heres a nice setup going to waste
[IMG]

[/IMG]

Thanks again for looking

mudskipper1 · 06/22/2008, 06:48 PM

forgot that that pic was sideways....sorry

GaryR1984 · 06/22/2008, 08:45 PM

mudskipper1 · 06/23/2008, 08:31 AM

Thanks

MeuserReef · 06/23/2008, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mudskipper1
"...and I thought I would enter the messiest garage compeition...."

[announcer voice]

"And with one lap to go, mudskipper takes the lead!"

mudskipper1 · 06/23/2008, 11:27 AM

are there any other entries? so I am not the only slob....

barfish · 06/23/2008, 11:54 AM

im showing the pic. of your garage to my girlfriend, see mine isnt that bad honey. she thinks because you have to zigzag between tanks and motorcycles and sumps,and old wet drys and parts and... well you get the idea.thanks.

mudskipper1 · 06/23/2008, 12:05 PM

not a problem, always happy to degrade myself and my family to help out total strangers.....

Esquare · 06/23/2008, 08:53 PM

Whew, now I can put off cleaning the garage for likeâ€¦ever!

06/22/2008, 06:47 PM	#1
mudskipper1 Engineer in training Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,024	My DIY projects..new sump, canopy, Phosban reactor... I would just like to post a few pics and descriptions of the little DIY projects I have done just for comments on design, construction, or just so you can ask how I did it or for details etc. Thanks for viewing. We will go in order of construction...first comes the new canopy when the PC lights jump in the water when 1/4" glass catostrophically fails. I bought a used 150w mh retrofit kit, so i needed a new canopy in two days (corals only had NO flourescent light) and it needed to be on a high schoolers budget, and look descent as it is in the living room, and my mother had to approve. I had birch/maple plywood skin laying around, and i had all the tools, I spent about $20 on 2x2's and 1x3's and $10 on paint, and $5-$10 on knobs/hinges. And this is what I got [IMG][/IMG] Not too bad, for a first furniture type woodworking project in two nights of work Pic makes it look dirty/dull, in reality not noticable, and looks a flat black Has been on the tank for several months and I have no complaints, it allows good access, good range of heights for the mh, and the back is open for good ventilation. Next is the phosban reactor. i realized I might need one because of my HA problem, and I had 3" OD Acrylic tube laying around, so I thought how hard could it be, and set to work. I picked up a PVC endcap and a test cap or something.... which has the threads so I could change media periodically. I Had tubing laying around, and I drilled holes in the top of the test cap for inlet/outlet, and attached fittings to attach the hoses to. I ran a tube from the inside of the test cap down to the bottom of the tube, and attach a spraybar. I used stiff mesh and sponge to keep the media in place, and I have water tested it, but I am waiting for my new sump to come online to bring it online as well. All in all i spent $10 and used a few things I already had, I realize these are pretty cheap to buy, but for me it worked out... [IMG][/IMG] The final thing is my new sump. I had to upgrade since I am getting a much....much bigger/better skimmer(prizm to a recirc modded ER) New one is a 20L and has a drain/skimmer section, a bubble trap, a cheato area, and a return section. The egg crate separates the cheato from the return. Spent $15 on a used 20L, and used acrylic I had laying around. Bought eggcrate for $11, but only used an eighth of the sheet. [IMG][/IMG] [IMG][/IMG] Feel free to ask question, comment or whatever, and I thought I would enter the messiest garage compeition.... [IMG][/IMG] and heres a nice setup going to waste [IMG][/IMG] Thanks again for looking __________________ -Eric Kazyak.blogspot.com "The living world is dying; the natural economy is crumbling beneath our busy feet. We have been too self-absorbed to foresee the long-term consequences of our actions, and we will suffer a terrible loss unless we shake off our delusions and move quickly to a solution. Science and technology led us into this bottleneck. Now science and technology must help us find our way through and out." -E.O. Wilson- Current Tank Info: 11 gallon DIY acrylic cube in dorm room with DIY LED, external overflow, RKL, MP10

06/22/2008, 06:48 PM	#2
mudskipper1 Engineer in training Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,024	forgot that that pic was sideways....sorry __________________ -Eric Kazyak.blogspot.com "The living world is dying; the natural economy is crumbling beneath our busy feet. We have been too self-absorbed to foresee the long-term consequences of our actions, and we will suffer a terrible loss unless we shake off our delusions and move quickly to a solution. Science and technology led us into this bottleneck. Now science and technology must help us find our way through and out." -E.O. Wilson- Current Tank Info: 11 gallon DIY acrylic cube in dorm room with DIY LED, external overflow, RKL, MP10

06/23/2008, 08:31 AM	#4
mudskipper1 Engineer in training Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,024	Thanks __________________ -Eric Kazyak.blogspot.com "The living world is dying; the natural economy is crumbling beneath our busy feet. We have been too self-absorbed to foresee the long-term consequences of our actions, and we will suffer a terrible loss unless we shake off our delusions and move quickly to a solution. Science and technology led us into this bottleneck. Now science and technology must help us find our way through and out." -E.O. Wilson- Current Tank Info: 11 gallon DIY acrylic cube in dorm room with DIY LED, external overflow, RKL, MP10

06/23/2008, 11:27 AM	#6
mudskipper1 Engineer in training Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,024	are there any other entries? so I am not the only slob.... __________________ -Eric Kazyak.blogspot.com "The living world is dying; the natural economy is crumbling beneath our busy feet. We have been too self-absorbed to foresee the long-term consequences of our actions, and we will suffer a terrible loss unless we shake off our delusions and move quickly to a solution. Science and technology led us into this bottleneck. Now science and technology must help us find our way through and out." -E.O. Wilson- Current Tank Info: 11 gallon DIY acrylic cube in dorm room with DIY LED, external overflow, RKL, MP10

06/23/2008, 12:05 PM	#8
mudskipper1 Engineer in training Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,024	not a problem, always happy to degrade myself and my family to help out total strangers..... __________________ -Eric Kazyak.blogspot.com "The living world is dying; the natural economy is crumbling beneath our busy feet. We have been too self-absorbed to foresee the long-term consequences of our actions, and we will suffer a terrible loss unless we shake off our delusions and move quickly to a solution. Science and technology led us into this bottleneck. Now science and technology must help us find our way through and out." -E.O. Wilson- Current Tank Info: 11 gallon DIY acrylic cube in dorm room with DIY LED, external overflow, RKL, MP10

06/22/2008, 08:45 PM	#3
GaryR1984 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Chicago, IL (Lakeview) Posts: 997

06/23/2008, 11:54 AM	#7
barfish Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bradenton Fl. Posts: 1,258	im showing the pic. of your garage to my girlfriend, see mine isnt that bad honey. she thinks because you have to zigzag between tanks and motorcycles and sumps,and old wet drys and parts and... well you get the idea.thanks.

06/23/2008, 08:53 PM	#9
Esquare Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Lorain, Ohio Posts: 1,783	Whew, now I can put off cleaning the garage for likeâ€¦ever! __________________ Eddie Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon All Glass, 2 DIY 36 LED pendants, Tunze Wavebox 6208, Water Blaster HY-7000W return pump, 70 Gallon DIY Acrylic Sump, Vertex Alpha 170 Royal Exclusive Skimmer