Stephensx04 Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 Thank you. I have started on the new one and will post some pics and drawings of whats to come. Link to comment
zemuss Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Subscribed.. I have a similar design for my next tank. Basically its a fuge tied into the return from the sump. So the return would go up to a stand pipe, flow into the fuge then the fuge would over flow into the tank. Same for the Overflow box. I wanted to do this with my Solana but that tank is going to be taken down soon. Link to comment
Stephensx04 Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 When I had my 55 thats what I did. I had a cube that sat above the sump. It overflowed into the sump. Link to comment
Stephensx04 Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Fixed all broken picture links in this thread. Now on to the new improved Fuge 2.0 I guess I will start with the plan first. I'm no good at digital 3d imaging. Actually I don't draw out much before I start working. Just like the last one I did it all in my head. For some reason I can draw out something in my head and create it without drawing anything on paper. Pretty self explanatory I took a AC that comes with small tanks. Its the clear one with that little replacement cartridge. Chose this for 3 reasons. One had it laying around, 2 its clear so should work with weld on to attach to my fuge, and 3 it has what I think will be a perfect flow through a fuge. So I started hacking away at it today and smoothing the edges that will need to be smooth to weld to the acrylic walls. That's as far as I got today. Hope to be able to start cutting the walls in the next day or so. I think using the old filter will give it a nice finished look. It will have a removable surround painted black and a lid to finish it off. The LR area will have a.........well cant tell you yet. Don't want to ruin the surprise. Got it pretty well thought out. Link to comment
blibo Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 you might have something here...tagging along Link to comment
glazer Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I took a AC that comes with small tanks. Its the clear one with that little replacement cartridge. Chose this for 3 reasons. One had it laying around, 2 its clear so should work with weld on to attach to my fuge, and 3 it has what I think will be a perfect flow through a fuge. So I started hacking away at it today and smoothing the edges that will need to be smooth to weld to the acrylic walls. As long as you use the right WeldOn you should be okay.... you might have to go with some of the two-part WeldOn. I'm not 100% sure but I think those filters are made from a type of polyethylene plastic that is thermoformed. If you're used to working with WeldOn 3, 4 or even 16 they may not bond the filter parts properly to your acrylic. Like I said, not sure but just wanted to give a heads up. Steve Link to comment
Stephensx04 Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Yes thanks I was going to try out a test scrap piece and see how it holds. If weld on 16 doesn't hold it then I will use a 2 part epoxy for that part. When I was cutting it with the dremil tool it smelled just like when I cut the acrylic. I will ruff up the surface prior to either welding it or epoxying it. Either way i will get it to hold. Link to comment
zemuss Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 What Epoxy is reef safe? Link to comment
Stephensx04 Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Dont quote me on this but I believe any 2 part epoxy is reef safe once its fully cured. Link to comment
Stephensx04 Posted January 29, 2011 Author Share Posted January 29, 2011 Ok did an experiment with the old filter. I took a scrap piece that I cut off and didn't need. Snapped it in half and used weld-on #3 on it. It melted and glued it right back together. So I think I will be good to go bonding the acrylic sheets to the old HOB filter parts. Got a few family obligations this weekend. Hoping to find some time to start cutting the pieces up. Link to comment
Stephensx04 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 OK had some time to work on it today. So far so good. Here is the table full of stuff to make it. I am building this, just like the last one with only a table saw, jig saw, dremel if needed, sand paper and file. Very minimal tools for this kind of work. A router would be nice. Cut my 5 main sides. Bottom, and 4 sides. Test fitted the main box. Now had to measure, draw and cut out the input area that will draw the water into the Fuge. Had to do the same with the return area. Finished the cut outs, here is how they will look. The pump I'm using is an external pump so I have to make a cut out on the side to have the pump mounted externally. This will also allow me to remove it and service it if needed. Then I cut the baffles. I changed up the original design a little bit. It just wouldnt work out the way I had it drawn out. What I decided to do was forgo the skimmer area in the left rear. Just not enough room and I wouldnt be able to make a big enough filter floss area. So the skimmer may go elsewhere, may not have one, or might do a HOB skimmer off the back of the fuge. So instead of the filter floss going the original way it will be turned 90 degrees. This will give me a much larger piece to run. The filter floss will be held in place by being sandwhiched between two pieces of egg crate. This will make it one stay in place and two, very easy to slide out and replace. That's where I stopped tonight. Still have to determine baffle height and exact location. Then the hard part. Figuring out what order it all has to be glue (melted) together. Baffle height is most important as that will determine the water level in each area. Water will enter on the far right. Flow through filter floss. Flow up and over first baffle Flow down LR rubble filled in first big chamber Flow under next baffle Flow up next compartment filled with cheato Flow up over next baffle Flow down through media basket area holding carbon, phosban, and what ever else I feel in needs. Flow under last baffle Flow up and over over flow back into tank. Hope I can get to start welding together in the next few days. Any comments or suggestions are welcome. Link to comment
spham24 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Good stuff man. I'd scratch the LR rubble in the back. Link to comment
Stephensx04 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Why would you scratch the LR rubble? I have a bunch in the one I have on the tank now and my tank is doing great. This new fuge will actually allow me to double the amount I can put back there. Link to comment
spham24 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I don't see the point in it. Unless you are going to clean the rubble it's just going to trap crap back there. I'd just use chaeto. What is the rubble going to do? it's like bio balls. But, it's your build and it looks great so far. Link to comment
Stephensx04 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Thanks. Its coming along good. I agree LR can be a debri trap. But thats why I put the filter floss first to trap and debri. Plus I got something in store for the LR area to prevent the build up. Should make it easy. I use the LR because its more surface area to help with the bio load. Link to comment
TinyGiant Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 i love how you scavenged a power filter for the pump/intake/cascades. great job! Link to comment
Stephensx04 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Thanks. Now im second guessing that I should have used a bigger old filter. Now that I see the size of it I hope its enough flow. It will be more than the currant one on the tank. I plan on getting another powerhead for in the tank to suppliment water movement. Link to comment
TinyGiant Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 what filter did you use? you might just be able to get a bigger impeller model to fit i know some of the Aquaclears are like that.. Link to comment
Stephensx04 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Its an old AC mini that comes stock with these pico tanks you buy. I wanted slower flow though the fuge to make good use of it but now that I see the size Im thinking I maybe should have used an AC 20. Link to comment
TinyGiant Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 the only difference on the impeller from 20-70AC is the size of the plastic fins on the impeller.. the magnet is the same from the mini (20) all the way to the 70.. they all use the same motor so just up the impeller if you find you want more flow aqua clear 20 and the mini are the same filter. they label the newer ones as 20's Link to comment
Stephensx04 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Thanks Tiny, I will have to look into that. I have an AC 20 on there now but this is smaller than the AC20. In fact it may not even be an AQUACLEAR. Its this one. http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/prod...amp;pcatid=9821 Link to comment
TinyGiant Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 yeah different company :-P just up the impeller it shouldnt be a problem Link to comment
Stephensx04 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Cool thanks. Link to comment
Stephensx04 Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 Did a little more work tonight. Started gluing, welding the thing together. Still need to figure out baffle height yet though. But I could at least get the intake area all glues up. Its going pretty good. The old HOB filter acrylic welds very good to the acrylic sheets. Enough talking here are the pictures. The Hard part is done......I hope. The intake area had some weird angles. As you can see in the last pic. Hope to do some more tomorrow but with the big snow there calling for I may be moving snow. Link to comment
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