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Help PicO Aquariums build a better mouse trap!


cdelicath

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Nice man. I like it.

 

I just got my hydor pico pump. Plan to install it sometime soon so I'll let you know if my display overflows, lol.

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Nice man. I like it.

 

I just got my hydor pico pump. Plan to install it sometime soon so I'll let you know if my display overflows, lol.

 

For your 9 gallon tank? What made you switch from a koralia nano to a pico pump?

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New cut outs for fuge and water level as requested

5433951499_1b281b9450_z.jpg

 

 

New media baskets as requested

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New ATO kit as requested

5433951705_7293d53f6e.jpg

 

 

Setup today for testing

5434584110_67c255ff5d_z.jpg

 

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One of the benefits of building these things is the test unit also means I get a new aquarium at home. :happydance: I am working with a member glazer regarding skimmers for some of the smaller units and all units 15"+ will have a 4.25" x 4.25" first chamber for skimmer placement. I have a Hydor skimmer due in Monday for testing on the DB15 pictured here.

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Yep that be the Mixing bowl MH :P

I should have the rest of the tanks redesigned and prices here in a few weeks and then I will open the site again.

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5429112447_49459ac612_m.jpg5429716872_5088d0b604_m.jpg5429112425_47d5d6cbb3_m.jpg

5425697849_8cd46982ab.jpg

 

Loving your design here! Makes me want to get one of your tanks now. Just curious, depending on the skimmer selection (mame style or hydor nano slim skim) will you be able to fit a heater in chamber one? if not where would you plan on it being?

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Wow... I've been thinking of setting up a Pico to fill the desktop void of my dearly departed BC14. Seriously, if you build such a lovely looking little tank, what reason do I have not to buy one?

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Someone had already mentioned it, but what about this skimmer? It has a smaller footprint and may be able to fit the shorter tanks in your lineup. Reviews seem good, and it's relatively inexpensive...

 

http://www.amazon.com/AquaticLife-Internal...g=5336653614-20

 

I will look into it thanks for giving me the heads up!

 

Wow... I've been thinking of setting up a Pico to fill the desktop void of my dearly departed BC14. Seriously, if you build such a lovely looking little tank, what reason do I have not to buy one?

 

No reason at all! :lol:

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Here's the new down and dirty for the Barracuda's for those interested.

There will be a MAME style skimmer for chamber 1 and the ATO unit on these will be seperate not built in like the larger units.

5437736856_c242757f06_z.jpg

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This wont help then....

I am considering making all the units in Starphire glass only from this point on.

It is at this point still just a consideration but we will see.

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Hey Chris! Now that you're done planning everything... how about a cover for the refugium? I got the glass cover for the display to hold down evaporation, but I've been thinking that I should probably throw a scrap of acrylic over the refugium too - I'll get to that eventually. If I was buying a Barracuda all over again I'd probably buy a refugium cover too, especially if it was cut glass or black acrylic (which my local Home Depot & Lowe's don't have).

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Hey, Chris.

 

I started reading this thread a week or so ago. I haven't read the whole thing. However, I have one idea to both save you money, and remove chances of debris settling at the bottom of chamber 1.

 

The current design (or atleast it was on page 3 or 4) Had the water overflowing chamber 1 into chamber 2. I saw the adjustment idea and kinda liked it. However, if you put the media rack in chamber 1 and the overflow in chamber 2 this would eliminate the need for 2 walls between chamber 2 and 3.

 

OK, that was kind of a confusing description. I'll try to better describe it. Water flows to the bottom of ch.1 then up ch.2 and the adjustable overflow into ch. 3. That would eliminate the need for 2 acrylic pieces from ch. 2 into ch. 3. The media tray stays in ch. 1 behind the intake grate, thus catching debris before allowing it to accumulate anywhere.

 

I don't know if this idea was mentioned yet. However, it saves you time and product. Less cutting and less acrylic = more profit margin. Granted, it's minuscule.

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Actually I have been researching CNC machines all day and I finally found one to fit my needs I think and they just so happen to be based here in Peoria so I am going to set up some time this coming week to get more info. I will have many more options for design If I get a CNC and it will save me time measuring and cutting by hand which equals less production cost :D . I am really trying to bring the price down on these without sacrificing anything. I want everyone to be able to own a PicO aquarium. And hell maybe one day I can actualy pay myself for doing this "double :D"

My main reason for having the second baffle between 2-3 now is to add rise for any debris and to keep chamber 2 static for the fuge. I may add a sponge at the top right of chamber 2-3 baffle to catch any remaining deris from entering chamber 3 and at the top it will be easy to remove for cleaning.

The problem with chamber 1 is there needs to be a secondary baffle to regulate the display height. Without the baffle from 1-2 the display height would be set by the flow through the slats which is much much harder to calculate and regulate.

One of my ideas with the CNC would be to add slats to the bottom of chamber 1 much like the Biocubes to add vertical flow through chamber 1 making it more functional.

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