<My New Fuge!!DIY

Thanks for the diagram and description. Makes sense to me now. Just to let you know, there will be a small plaque on the front of the fuge crediting you with the design! ;D I guess I need to start gathering the parts now. Thanks again!!

Mike

 

Very nice sump! I love to see the DIY stuff!!!

 

Thanks Mike, if you need more info, just let me know. Oh and my name is spelled just like it sounds. (pronounced "I'm full of my self right now ;D " LOL Thanks for the praise, I'm glad I can help.
Chris

 

8) Ok here is the finished product, well the plumbing any way, as you can see I need to put walls on this thing. But first things first. I had to be happy with the way things ran so, the way I first built the pump return to the tank I think I went elbow crazy and had like 5. and boy did that put a restriction on my pump, Even for a mag 1800, I was less than impressed with the flow. :-/

So I went with a straight shot flex tubing with just one branch, and that was for supplying the skimmer. Much better flow.

So next, I grossly underestimated the velocity in which the water would return. It shot out of the elbow at the bottom of my return and shot way past my filter media and was bypassing the fuge and going straight to the sump. WOW!

So I had to harness that and drastically reduce the flow noise that this created. So I got a 5 1/2" piece of 1" PVC and drilled holes at an angle so the bite would catch the flow as it went past. and then drilled an similar pattern about 30 degrees rotating around the pipe from the first set, and caped it on the end. I adjusted the length of the down pipe to place the new Silencer ( I was Modeling it some what like a gun silencer that allows the expanding gases to escape with little resistance) directly on the filter media and slightly underwater.

WOW 8) This really almost cut the flow noise out and the gurgleing. and then I cut out a custom fit top, which further dampens the sound, and finally when I enclose the cabinet, I dout I will hear anything. Any how here are the pics of how it is now and forever. LOL

Thanks for your interest.
Chris

 

and more! :

 

Wow you went all out. That's great!
I like the silencer. Very gun like.
How thick is that lid? Are you worried about warping?

 

Hey Chris! Niiiiiiiiccceeee! Cheato should be there tomorrow...I sent it USPS so it won't be sitting in the heat on some UPS truck....Let me know how it arrives!

Should have some feather dusters and bristleworms so be careful with the bare hands ;D

If you dont want the bristles just pick em out with tweezers. There should only be a couple. I love my bristles!!! ;D

 

Matt, I wasn't worried about warping until you mentioned it, now I'm scared to death of it. LOL

Seriously, I didn't think of it before. Are you saying that because of its length with no support in the middle it will eventually bend or sag down? if that is what you mean, maybe I should glue a plexi glass spine acroos the middle from front to back to compensate. What do you think?

Chris

 

Thanks so much BL. They will all have a good home.

That Mantis Shrimp I caught in my tank even went to the LFS, where he got him to a good home with someone who will raise him as if it were his own. LOL I guess it is his own now.
Chris

 

Well I can't tell from the pics, but how is that light supported? If there is a lot of weight on that lid then it may sag without support. I would think a thick plexi spine would definitely help.