Wine bottle reef

[Kirin1]

I'm also looking at the aqua lifter pump. I think the aqua lifter pump could be plumbed into the wine bottle and used to make a closed loop. Of course if it work's then I won't need to add any air line. I'm going to test it on the cracked bottle that I have. And I'll let you know if it work's.

 

The aqualifters are tough little pumps. I've used one for ATO (I know that's not what you're doing w/it) and it ran dry several times with no problems. Should be cool, little to no heat transfer w/the external pump, and the aqualifter is made to suck/push water up several feet, so it should hide easily.

[distantfire]

Thank's Kirin I'll be drilling my new bottle as soon as it's empty. The specs on the aqua lifter look good to 3 1/2 gph.

[Kirin1]

Thank's Kirin I'll be drilling my new bottle as soon as it's empty.

 

Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!

 

On second thought, maybe you shouldn't drill it just *as soon* as it's empty.

[distantfire]

Yeah I'm test drilling the old bottle right now. Because I want to know if I can drill across the bottles seam. My new bottle will look better when it's finished if I can do that.

The little 18 watt light fixture is also beging to be moded. But I'm only going to open up one end of it and install a small solar fan. Then I'll drill some vent holes in the other end and cover the vent holes with screen.

I really like using solar fans because there quiet. And they only run when the lights are on.

[c est ma]

¿Por favor, where do you get your solar fans?

 

Gracias.

 

--Diane

[distantfire]

c est ma sundance solar.com and 3crm.com both sell the kit's really cheap. Radio shack use to sell the kit's to but I havn't bought one from them in years.

If the fan that come's in the kit is to big for your light fixture. You can trim the fan blades down with a razor. Or you can buy a model aircraft prop from your local hobby store.

[c est ma]

Thanks for all the info! You really know your stuff.

 

I've been enjoying lurking on this thread. It's fun to see your pico evolve!

 

--Diane

[distantfire]

Thank's I'm glad you like the project so far. It's more of a challenge really because the glass is all curved. And the usable LR space inside of the bottle is very limited.

[punk-o-rama]

Come on Distant we need some updates here!!!

[Nanoreef1]

New to the forums....

Question...? Just curious... what about having the bottle upright.

Cut the top off just below the handle. Cut a opening large enough

to put a small hang on filter...? Like this one.....

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...mp;N=2004+22769

 

You could then just set the top back on.

Also you could build a small pillar of live rock in the center

of the bottle by drilling a small hole thru the live rock and

sliding it down over a plastic rod siliconed to bottom center.

I did this with a 15 gal. tall. But I had a surface skimmer built

into the back of the tank. Looked sweet... I also had a 2 gal.

nano which had a small surface skimmer w/sponge prefilter.

Hooked it up to a small Fluval canister filter that was filled

with live crushed coral. Never had any problems with my

calcium levels.

 

 

 

New to the forums....

Question...? Just curious... what about having the bottle upright.

Cut the top off just below the handle. Cut a opening large enough

to put a small hang on filter...? Like this one.....

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...mp;N=2004+22769

 

You could then just set the top back on.

Also you could build a small pillar of live rock in the center

of the bottle by drilling a small hole thru the live rock and

sliding it down over a plastic rod siliconed to bottom center.

I did this with a 15 gal. tall. But I had a surface skimmer built

into the back of the tank. Looked sweet... I also had a 2 gal.

nano which had a small surface skimmer w/sponge prefilter.

Hooked it up to a small Fluval canister filter that was filled

with live crushed coral. Never had any problems with my

calcium levels.

[distantfire]

Of course I could have simply cut the top off the bottle and added a HOB filter. But I'm after a tank that has the old fashioned ship in a bottle look to it.

Joe:

I've already tryed differnt combination's of tiny pump's and uplift tubes. But the inside curve of the glass and the narrow working space. Made it impossible to obtain the finished look that I like to see. Even without a pump in the bottle, a small heater is still needed to maintain temp. after the light's are off. So even more space inside the bottle get's used up.

I can think of only two solution's to the problem {1} is to put the pump and heater in another bottle and pump the water up and let gravity drain it back down. Of course I could use a vase or a little 2.5 but I didn't see any fun in using them. Or {2} plumb the heater inline with a pump and hide it behind the bottle.

I know you want to copy this tank set up for your pool room. But I got another bottle to drink and a new stand designed. I just have to find the time to build the new stand. Working two job's is taken a toll on me and I now I'm off to bed.

 

PS. the fan's on my light fixtures are solar powered. And you can buy them online cheaper than what radio shack sell's there computer fan's for.

[BKtomodachi]

Whoa. Blast from the past.

[Kirin1]

PS. the fan's on my light fixtures are solar powered. And you can buy them online cheaper than what radio shack sell's there computer fan's for.

 

That's awesome, auto on/off and no power supply. got a link?

[distantfire]

Hi BK I know it's been a while but I've been busy working. I swear people are crazy they have a big tank built. And then they sit down and figure out that it's going to cost them there first born child's college education. Just to keep the tank running for a couple year's. But I shouldn't complain because crazy people keep me busy.

 

Kirin1 check out the kit's over at Scientificsonline.com Lot's of place's sell the kit's cheap even school's have them. A jr high school will sell you a couple solar fan's cheaper than what you can buy them online for. I change my solar panels every 2 years because there cheap.

[distantfire]

The Drs.are shiping me another set of light bulb's they are coming by camel. My email Fedx traker show's that the bulbs made it to Brooklyn Park yesterday. So the camels should get here this afternoon. I payed 12 bucks for the bulbs plus another 9 bucks to have them shiped by camel. I don't know why I'm awake at 3:30am but I am today.

I already know this pico is not going to have the clean finished look that I'm use to seeing. But I've decided to keep this project simple. By puting a tiny pump in the bottle and running it under 18 watts of light. The wine bottle should only swing about 10-15 deg.s temp wise during the night.

Anyhow that's what I've decided to do with my wine bottle so wish me luck. Also if you want it I have a 3 liter bottle that I can ship to you. You could make a dandy fuge or a very nice pico out of it. I was going to use it for a fuge myself. But after giving it much thought I decided not to plumb the two bottles together.

[distantfire]

Joe I can send you my drawing's for making the lovebirds fuge tank's. It's not to hard to put together you just need two 2.5 aga tank's. I cut the heart out in the glass with my dremel and added the lovebirds. I built it for the top of the seahorse tank because they like slower water flow. But you can use it for a fuge on any SW tank that you have. I don't have enough time right now to put another Lovebirds fuge together. But I will help you all I can. My light's left the Brooklyn Park station this mourning at 5:45am I don't know where the light's are now because the tracker dosen't say. With luck I will get them tomorrow afternoon or Monday.

[distantfire]

The light's got here late yesterday afternoon and they both worked. So today I finished drilling the new bottle the way that I wanted it the first time with the handle up. After that I lightly sanded a new cork and smoothed some clear aquarium silicone around it. Pushing the cork back into place with the added silicone created a solid water tight seal in the neck of the bottle. Then I leveled the bottle on the stand and glued her down with some super glue gel. After the bottle dryed on the stand. I put my level across the pipes on the back ground that hold's the light fixture. Using some wood glue I secured the back ground into place. Last but not least I put the pump into the bottle. Tommorow when I get home from my first job. I'll fill the bottle with water fire up the new pump and turn the light's on. More pic's will follow

[noobofreefs]

Cool tank and idea...hope it goes better this time

[distantfire]

Thank's noobofreefs and just to update today LS and 3 piece's of LR were added along with a blue leg hermit crab a frag of zoa's a red mushroom and a piece of xenia. Nothing real special I just wanted to get the bottle up and running. I snaped some pic's. but they didn't turn out the greatest for two reasons 1 my photography skills need major improvement. And 2 the frag of zoa's were being shy and stayed hidden. Also the little red mushroom wasn't happy because I used super glue gel to anchor him. I got few shot's of the hermit crab but I know I should be able to get better pic's of him. After I get my pc back together I'll upload the photo's to my photobucket account and then post them here for your amusement.

[distantfire]

Joe your going to want to move your back ground back at least 3 inches. Because you need room to get your hand behind the bottle with a cloth to clean off any runs or drop's of SW that end up there. With the bottom of my light fixture 2 1/2" above the bottle. I'm losing a little less than 1/2" of water per day to evap.

My PC is back together but I've run into a problem reinstaling the drivers that I need. So I'll work on fixing that tommorow between jobs.

[Mr. Fosi]

Been watching this thread a long time. Can't wait for new pics.

[distantfire]

Mr. Fosi you can see a couple of my new bottle pics under my name in the members gallery. I ran into a problem posting the pics on this thread. So that's the only place I was able to put them. There's a lot more work to do on it. But I got her up and running so I'm happy for now.