+1. You just cant mount it too low in the tank. Maybe 1/4'' below side of tank.

Sounds like a good idea as long as it doesn't disturb the surface of the water.

how is my tank comming

I'd rather have a 12x12x12 glass AIO cube. I want the Deli's product for a more reasonable price than $250.

Standpipe >> checkvalve. If you needed more flow, you could always do a closed loop through additional bulkheads in the bottom for suction/return.

Even if it's not on the stock design, at least design the collection tray so that it can be done by the purchaser.

Okay!




That is my feeling as well. How would you say do so. Let me post the sketchup.

Moto you tank is coming along. I am about 2 weeks from getting the prototype up in pics.

Taster.

The overflow will be the dual durso style. The bulkhead with the pvc pipe in it will be used as an overflow. The other bulkhead w/o any pvc will be the main drain. Purchaser will be liable to purchase a ball/gate valve to place on that drain and adjust the flow of the drain.. Zero edge with silent drain.

The box directly beside the drain box is left dry for the purchaser to drill, plumb if they ever choose to do so so that plumbing for a closed loop can be done.

Yall like this yet?

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I can't wait for one!

I thought the drain was supposed to be hidden under the tank.

any idea on a price point yet? I know, I know, I'm impatient, but this looks pretty cool.

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I dont know. I have never seen one b4. I know this would work if its a design that folks like.

an LFS around here has 3 zero edge tanks that they use as coral flats. the drains are to the side of the tank in the stand, almost exactly as you have pictured. only difference is that they use a recessed drain, kind of like an acrylic box that drops down in the base and then has a bulkhead in the bottom so the water level doesn't have to rise inside the tray to go into the drain. they also use dual 2" drains, one on each end of the 5x2 tank, so they don't have to worry about clogs.

Bird you jabber on and on
Now I am all like

Seriously you made me think way to much. For easy filtering a sponge could be placed in the water trough b4 the drain. Just like a AIO only horizontal and not vertical.

I know this. The more neato stuff this tank has the more $$$ it takes for you to has one. That is why I am trying to keep this tank on the KISS method. Something that looks good and is functional. This is one major reason that I am opting out on the under tank drain style. I mean how many of you are actually gonna have a micro tank in the middle of a room for full 360' viewing? That known the rear chambers I thought were a decent trade off for a little less expensive tank.

One change that has to be made. If you all want the dry box for the diy closed loop then the back edge of the tank cannot be a oveflow style. This is gonna make this tank a booger to set up correctly.

That said. I am almost thinking that the dry box is gonna get cut from the idea.

Thats one of the main things that worried me, also scratching the acrylic, and not having the the water flow over the zero edge evenly.

Other than that the plan seems pretty solid to me. How are you going to do the tank itself, like will the rim have a lip or anything?

I made one of these for fun and ended up selling it to another reefer. It was a 5 gal and had a 10 gal sump. Only filled the sump 1/2 way and the return in the tank was about 1/2 way up. Had a check valve that frequently failed due to the low water volume, but it didn't matter because the sump could hold the total water volume drained from the tank if the pumps were off.

Used (2) return pumps (mini-jets) for redundancy and they were on battery back-up. It was pretty much fail safe, but the check valve didn't work very well.

Made the tank to see if I would like a bigger one. Determined they were a PITA. Everyone did like playing with it and putting there hands in it though.

Good to know. I wanted the water to pool there. With such a small tank I felt the additional water volume in the tray would be a positive to the system.

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This is why I incorportaed the dual drain. One is straight through, then the other is gated to adjust for the exact flow of the pump. If it gets cloged then the secondary kicks in. No overflow to be skerd of.

I hope to build the first tank next week. The rim at first will be 90' edges. If it needs to be chamfered to render the proper overflow pattern then that will be done.




Way to cool the mojo man. lol.

My bad. Now I saw that you had only planned 3 sides to overflow.
I thought the Zero Edge had 4. My mistake. Sorry.

I think were shootin at the same bird. It has a trough all the way around. The one side of the drain box has teeth and that will drain all the water to the sump throught the two drains. One is a master the other is an oh $hit drain. The return will be in the center of the bottom of the tank.

Maybe this will help.


They buyer will have the job of setting up the sump and making the area for all the hardware and where it goes.




Its okay. I updated the pic. Z edges do have 4 sides overflow. This one will as well. After realizing the bad design of the dry box it is scrapped in my head just not the pic, All is well.

I don't understand the point of the dry box. I was suggesting to leave access to the bottom of the tank for a closed loop. All four sides would still have cascading water.

Edit - I also think the tray should be narrower - closer to the tank.

I like it so far! I do agree that the trough should be closer. Maybe on the front and 2 sides make it closer and leave it on the back for bulkhead room?

The dry box will not be there. That was a quick idea to allow closed loop plumbing to pass through. But it wont work so it wont be there. The tray will be closer on the front and sides. I left it wide just for illustrative purposes.

You can make it look nicer if you have a piece of acrylic that goes on the top of it.
Like add a lip(or pieces of acrylic) to hold a piece that goes around the tank's "Pan" and leaves a 1 inch gap between the tank and the piece.
It would hide the overflow and make the tank look neater over all.
basically take a square piece of acrylic then cut a small square that's an inch bigger than the tank out of it.
It would be a loose piece.
Sorry I'm trying to explain myself,
without a 3d model or sketch it takes a lot of words lol.

I understand exactally what your saying. Its a great idea. One that may actually be an addon that will be offered after the tanks are finished. Little extras like that add up to alot more on the price. Think of all the wasted acrylic just to make that piece. The entire center would be cut off that would be scrap/trash. Gets spensive when you buy by the sq. ft.

Got any ideas about what approximately this is going to cost ?

Well to save money I'd have it be 4 separate pieces then
I wouldn't mind in my situation, I'd rather save money and have separate pieces.

Not yet. My wife is gonna be the biggest hinder to this project. She is dead set on moving within the next few weeks. Me Her Whateva.




Your correct. I guess if it were made out of 1/8" acrylic the four pieces wouldnt look all that bad.

Keep the updates coming. I am thinking if you can have one of these by the summer for me, when I have plenty of cash, I will use this tank, and Evils LED 12.3 fixture and have a pretty sexy set up.

After reading through this I must say, this is a great idea! As others have stated. LOL As far as cutting out the side paneling, couldn't you use the "inner" cut piece as a lid of some sort for the tank? I know that the air exchange and temp would come in play, but you can lip the corners and this would stop pests, and hairs, and b/s from getting inside. Just an idea. I haven't been around long enough to say if this would even be a thought to you. But something I was thinking about. Take care

whats your sump design? the pump section has to hold alot of water to fight evap.
or a mandatory ATO is required.

with that much water surface area touching the air at 78F+ temps in a 10g u might lose a liter a day.

I built a little .5 gallon zero edge FW pico a while back. It worked OK, but it did evaporate a lot of water and my sump was on the small side. I had an air pump ATO setup, but it was annoying loud when it came on. My wife unplugged the ATO while I was out of town for a couple of weeks and dried up the tank. Here's the link: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumap...rnal-0-5-a.html

thats a cool tank rick

Thanks,
I'm thinking about setting it up again as a Pico Reef using Evilc66's new MR16's. http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...t&p=2744691
Needs a few mods to be reliable and it's using a tall return instead of a check valve.

I have to sigh.

This little project is gonna have to be put on hold for a little bit. I am hoping not for long. Any time that I can get to it I will so dont think I am just junkin it. I think moto would kill me with the force if I were to do that.

Here is the rub why! I also have a lawn/landscaping company. It scored a 5 figure contract about 2 months ago. Not the first contract with this company actually its the 3rd acct. Last Thrsday I get a call that the contact is being nulled b4 the actual begin date of 4-1-10. WTH. Then the hamster starts running, contracts get looked at and the 30 day in/out clause has been violated. I had to enforce that, folks got really mad. Head director of the area is now looking at a mild sexual harassment charge, I am being accused of gaining contracts due to inside friendships. "not true at all" Its said I am being forced upon the 3rd company, and that the person that has hired me doesnt know me at all. Not true as well. As I have been doing her personal property for 2+ years. That is as I just was informed a violation of company rules as well.

So needless to say this is all up because she did somehthing illegal, to gain power. And is doing anything and lyin just to save her arse. Sadly she is ruining my companys 14 year spotless reputation as well as the regional directors name and reputation in the process. As you can see this will end up in court and will not turn out well.

Hopefull you all understand why I have had to make the decision that I did.

If I get anything post worthy done I will let you know.

Thanks.

This is also the reason that I will not be on much in the next few weeks. So if you see anything as in TCK sucks and isnt responding to his pm's just point them to this section of this thread.

That stinks.

Good luck.

That's a bunch of BS!!!

Good luck, and keep us informed how things turn out Josh!!!

TCK sucks.






Good luck getting that all straightened out. Sounds like a real mess.

Hey i have dealt with similar situations. Keep your head up and stick with it. Dont get taken advantage of. And tell that dumb tard you got fish tanks to build!

Good Luck ...

some people disgust me, sorry to hear about the troubles dude.

I wanna see how this thing turns out in the end.

good luck & kick there bleepedy bleep.

Figured I'd check in. Still in the middle of the wicked storm. All is at that pivital standstill. It could go any way. Hopefully in the favor of the innocent folks. But we all know how that goes. CEO's and business owners now have been brought in to man the forefront of the investigation. All the name calling and spitting is still flyin. But when the proverbial fertilizer hits the rotory distribution device it will all clear up. I just hope we all dont go down with it.

Tank. Nothing new. Stress and acrylic dont mix. I will not put out a subpar product and waste your time and money. Thanks for all the support and thoughts.

JP

Makes me rethink owning my business... why cant we all live in a star trek kinda way

LOL go ahead and do it. This is my first major problem in 14 years. I would rather be the Man than work for the Man any day.

BUMP?

I've got acrylic in my shop!

Fall is finally around the corner. Yall know what that means. All legal stuff is finished. Landscaping season is coming to a close.

Needless to say a little prototype should be coming soon, that is if there still any interest.

i didnt read the post through out. but i just sold my zero edge a few weeks back.
heres a vid of it zero edge long ass download

download takes forever.

any how the back of the tank in the drain tray falls into a 6"x4"x4" box that has a sponge in it, the bottom of the box has a 2" bulckhead that i then split into 2 1" pipes. the return is a 1" bulck head that had a check valve on it. (rubber flap, i have many if need one let me know. there not cheap). there was a picture of one on the second page. there the only check value that wont restrict flow to the tank. if have any question shoot me a pm.


over all my zero edge ran for 7 month. worst tank ever. it was 20Gallon i lost 6 gallons in evaporation a day. had a 30 gallon sump and ran a mag 9.5 on it (barley worked.) never would stay clean... would i get one again yes!, just so i know id never want one again lol:)