DIY Raining ATO idea

I'm currently setting up an ATO and about to build something to house and hang my led kits... I really want to try at diy version of that german rain system. I am in a great position to experiment.. I'm single, live alone, and have funds... I also have a neptune controller, AI leds that have the lightning storm, vortech pumps that could switch too, and an open top tank!. Soo..... Besides the normal float switches, all I need is a stronger pump (to over come the 5-5.5 feet vertical and 4-5 90s) and then how / what would I use to create the rain effect?

I'm thinking I could us a pvc with a T and run from the middle and down each way on the inside front of my light enclosure. Drill holes along the bottom and close the ends. Backup will just slow the pump down... Or am I missing something.

 

I'm not going to be much help here, sorry. BUT, I am going to subscribe to see where this goes.

Good Luck!

 

What happens when a fan or AC is on? Seems like the mist wuld cause rust.

 

Cool idea Grim. I've had the same thought - I'd love to see this played out. Good luck!

 

It would only run once-twice a day.. I guess the key is to have enough pressure to fill the pipes but not so much it comes spraying out. To keep a slower drip. I wonder what options are available to use rather than pvc... Maybe like lawn drip hoses.. But I'm not sure if my ATO needs will be high enough since I'm not using Halides..

 

Sounds like a fun endeavour. I think you are right about the plumbing, a tee or even a cross (4 way) to create 2 or 3 pvc runs across your tank.

Offhand, I dont know if I'd want the pump "pumping" water through the pvc. You most likely would get a stream of water coming from the rain holes instead of drips. Perhaps some sort of reservoir at the end that you can pump water up into, and then the water falls into the pvc lines by gravity.

I'm guessing you will just have to experiment with hole size... might need some very small drill bits.

 

2 storms a day? Seems like your fish would get scared. Couldn't you just tee off and have water going to the sump like a regular ATO, and then rain when you turn it on. I think you'd just get jets from the PVC. Perhaps mont an acrylib board with holes in it above your tank, and mount the AI under that.

 

Why not just use a type of closed-loop like setup, with holes drilled in the bottom of the pvc pipe laying horizontally above the tank. The pipes would return to the reservoir that they are fed from, losing a bit of pressure form the holes. Try to mathematically figure out head pressure that would occur to get the slow flow you are trying to achieve.

 

Hmm.. That should work fine... A little more plumbing to hide. but that's not a real big deal... This could be really cool if I can pull it off right. I'm thinking more and more about using a garden drip hose.

I'm worried that if the pvc get slanted it could easily run down the tube to one end instead of dripping out..

 

May want to see if a garden hose could leach anything from the rubber, synthetic etc.