yardboy Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 I've totally filled up all my frag tanks, but find a need for "just one more" temporarily to hold some stuff from a 70 gallon tank takedown I've done. Not wanting to commit any real money to the project, until the frags are ready to go, I decided to try and "make do" with what I could scrounge. So what does a frag system consist of? Tank - I have access to some 55 gallon plastic drums. I've used them for fresh water and salt water reservoirs on my water treatment plant, as sumps for liverock and refugium systems, and after seeing dtfleming's tub, realized I could make a shallow "tub" out of a barrel. Stand - I am such a terrible scavenger, I really embarass my wife. If I see a 2X4 on the side of the road, I stop and get it. Neighbors moving and don't want to carry a bunch of scrap lumber, I'll dumpster dive for it! So all the wood for the stand was free, but of course you end up making do with what you have, so here, is the first couple of steps in the project. One of the bungs had a 3/4" threaded section available, so I ran a male adaptor through it and added a female threaded ell to the inside, then a 3/4" to 2" adaptor with a short piece of 2" pipe notched as an overflow. Where did I get the 2" pipe"? Well, I ordered some T5 bulbs from DIYreef.com and they shipped the bulbs in the PVC pipe! Outside the tank I pulled some stuff from my PVC parts bucket, a 3/4" to 1" adaptor to 1" tee with pipe and 45d ells to run it into a plastic sump under the stand. Light. Redoing a road in town, they closed a used car lot. For the longest time I'd noticed some metal halde fixtures dangling from poles in the car lot, and when they ended up in a dumpster I dove in. I had to go it alone as Genie was totally aghast that I'd do such a thing. More of the 2" pipe from the T5 purchase and a $2.50 2" electrical conduit sweep ell from Lowe's (amazing how cheap that was and some 2X4's made me pendant light stand. A magnetic ballast mounted in a metal saltine cracker can and a cheap 250W chinese 20K bulb complete the ensemble. The light seems to be satisfactory. Here's the setup in the Backyard reef lab Link to comment
scalowag Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 Bad a$$! Nice work man! What's the estimated total cost? Link to comment
swtshpmillionair Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 Haha! Super Ghetto?!? Lookin good to me! Link to comment
yardboy Posted October 5, 2008 Author Share Posted October 5, 2008 Let's see: plumbing fittings - generously, $10.00 (not including the black return nozzle I got from a lfs junk table for $1.00) Chinese bulb - cost plus shipping - $13.00 (yep, I wouldn't have been shocked it it hadn't worked, but it does!) ballast - given to me, but had to buy a capacitor - $10.00 - New ballast cost $30.00 at the electrical supply. Sand - that's why the water is cloudy - cleaned up from the 70 - I call it free or if you want $10.00 Paint - Sears weatherbeater bought as miscolor for $5.00 - but I've painted everything in the lab made of wood with it and still have a quarter gallon! Hmm, what else? Oh, the eggcrate - half a sheet - $6.00 (but actually given to me.) Mag 7 pump, didn't work due to busted shaft and housing - new housing - $6.00, new shaft made from a 316 stainless welding rod - nothing Sump - $5.00 from Wal-Mart - but I've had it for years. Man, in these economic hard times we got to make do! Link to comment
Mischeif Nite Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 Nice freakin' job dude!!! I see an "HGTV" show in your future!! Link to comment
yardboy Posted October 5, 2008 Author Share Posted October 5, 2008 I'm particularly proud of the saltie cracker ballast can! Bob Vila ain't got sh~t on me! Link to comment
scottyreef Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 so whats the toatal gallon round 25-30 gallons i'm guessing aslo waht is yout turn over rate in the tub? I look reallly cool but if i get another tank my wife said i should start packing my bags Link to comment
Lalani Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 Haha, that is one sweet ghetto frag setup! Link to comment
dtfleming Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 Awesome ghetto frag setup. I like the drain that you made. I need to redo mine. Link to comment
yardboy Posted October 6, 2008 Author Share Posted October 6, 2008 so whats the toatal gallon round 25-30 gallons i'm guessing aslo waht is yout turn over rate in the tub? I look reallly cool but if i get another tank my wife said i should start packing my bags It's a 55 gallon drum, so about 25 gallons since it doesn't go all the way to the top edge, plus about a 10 gallon sump. It's shallower and more surface area than a 20L, so I should be able to get more frags in it that way. Mag 7 return with a 2 ft. lift, so about 550gph/25 gallons = 22X. When I get sps frags in it I'll add a Maxi-Jet 1200 and if I need more I've got a DIY prop mod. I had Genie help me move it out of the garage into the reef lab, she did make some little comment about "filling the place up soon" but I kinda ignored that. Fact is, when it gets cold all her orchids will be coming inside, so I'll have to make room for her then. It is a pretty cool place in the winter though, half jungle and half ocean. Now for a skimmer and maybe a ghetto fuge. Link to comment
BJK2 Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 pretty much amazing. you always seem to come up with the most inventive projects. any way we can see more pics of the "lab"? Link to comment
ddr_phish Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Dude that is soo awesome. Thats not ghetto in the slightest! Instead I would call it brilliant and cheap. Link to comment
yardboy Posted October 6, 2008 Author Share Posted October 6, 2008 pretty much amazing. you always seem to come up with the most inventive projects. any way we can see more pics of the "lab"? Thanks BJK2, I guess I'm "one of those" who gets as much pleasure out of tinkering with stuff as I do looking at the tank. I will get some pics of the full setup tomorrow. Lights are out now and I'm in the middle of a tank takedown so stuff is scattered all over the floor. Link to comment
MitchReef Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 I gotta hand it to you....that's not ghetto at all....that's BRILLIANT DIY at its best....I am deeply impressed....If you happened to grab more than one off those lighting fixtures I sure would love to talk you out of one....I never see any good stuff going toward dumpsters around here.... Link to comment
MitchReef Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Speaking of both Skimmers AND ghetto, have you considered a DIY 2 Liter Bottle recirculating skimmer? I was going to build one out of two bottles cut and put together to give like a 24 inch tall, 6 inch wide skimmer with a decent recirc pump. I kinda figured the curved top would make for a natural neck shape....just a thought...I first thought of it in response to people bashing ghetto DIY efforts.... Link to comment
plainrt Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 thats sweet.Very very well done.Change the name of thread. Link to comment
John7429 Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 I agree with the others: Nice work! Link to comment
Sergeant-G Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Very nice for using what you had laying around the house, it looks sweet Link to comment
babyjess210 Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Very nice work and unique!!!! One question, Why didn't you use the other half of the drum for the sump? Link to comment
onefish2fish Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Very nice work and unique!!!! One question, Why didn't you use the other half of the drum for the sump? shh... ... .thats for when the plants go inside... ......another frag tank. Link to comment
darcurr Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Maybe you should just build Genie a green house. That way you could start ploting for the other half of that drum!! Link to comment
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