SmallFry's first tank.. (27g FOWLR)

[SmallFry]

So I've not posted anything for a while, mostly because not a lot has happened - apart from my ballasts exploding. Really, they actually did explode..

Anyway after much messing around a new ballast from Canadian Tire has the fishes back in the daylight again. So there's time for my current project - the upgrade...

It's going to be the slowest upgrade ever as I'm buying bits as I go. I've fixed up the broken 75 gallon tank I got my hands on and now have finally finished building the stand.

I wanted to have all the sump, skimmer etc hidden out of sight so it had to be built as a cabinet as opposed to a stand. I wanted it to match the rest of our furniture so it's made of a mix of maple and birch faced plywood. Anyway here come the photos - angles are a little odd as it's in the smallest bedroom and I couldn't get far enough away from it for sensible photos.



In a fit of madness I actually made the door handles myself out of some scrap maple because I wanted them to match. Me? Obsessive? No!!!





And an out of focus one of the box beams that support the top.



There are a few things that I'd have done differently, perhaps not using hard white maple for the doors and the front of the cabinet. It's nice wood, but they're not kidding about the 'hard' bit - you could make car parts out of the stuff!
I'd planned on using ready planed dimensional lumber, but it was really expensive so I bought larger rough lumber, then re-sawed and planed it myself. In fact the price difference was so big that it actually paid for a thickness planer... So I now have a new toy as well!

[kylejordan]

I went with this type of design when I did my stand its mostly 2x4 construction with Maple Coverings and Finishes. Then i Just stained it to my preference.

I hope these Pictures work.

[SmallFry]

It's been a while again, but there's been quite a bit going on outside the tank - bought a house and had to halt the tank upgrade for a while. Also it looks like it's going to go in the basement, which needs a ceiling!

I have managed to pick up a few bit here and there though. A 30 gallon tank second hand for a sump is the latest. I'm currently in the process of tearing out the old wrecked silicone before re-siliconing it.

I have the skimmer, just the lighting and a load of rock from BRS to go.

It's a bit frustrating, but there you go, but that brings me to the main subject of the post. My current piece of crap hang on skimmer. Seriously it's a waste of the earth's natural resources - no kidding.
If anyone tries to sell you a Weipro skimmer, just say no...
Anyway, with the move to the big tank and the better skimmer on hold, I had to do something. I'm battling to keep the water quality up and getting no help from the skimmer. I left it running to boost gas exchange as I have a covered tank, but lately I reckon it can't be doing much for that either. No matter how much I clean it, play with it, cajole or curse it, it just seems to get worse. Something had to give, so I was left with a choice of buying another one (which would cost about half the price if the rock for the big tank) or rig something. I chose the second option.

A trip to Windsor Plywood saw me with a board foot of 1" basswood (apparently the same as limewood) which I ripped into a 1/8" piece of end grain. Then I got out the C/A and made an airstone that would fit down in the body if the skimmer by the inlet. It's about 1" square by 3/8" (sorry, didn't have the presence of mind to take a photo). I drilled the lid of the skimmer and fed the airline down through the neck.

The results are spectacular. If I block the venturi, it's much quieter or a start, and there's bubbles - lots of bubbles.

From this:


The skimmate and the foam you see is left over from running it with the airstone earlier. Check out the lack of bubbles!

To this:


For the first time (pretty much ever) it's skimming!

And the best bit is for 6 bucks I've got enough wood for about a hundred or so airstones.. It may be my imagination, but the fish seem to be more active too, perhaps the oxygen levels have increased.. Or it could be in my head.

But still - IT SKIMMS!!!

[Greenmaster]

Right on I'll follow along... and add any advice that I think can help.

[Skimmerking]

Hey where about do you live at . Give Doug a PM he has a great hang on Skimmer for that tank... love to see your tank too. I'm on Dennis Street too.

Originally Posted by SmallFry

It's been a while again, but there's been quite a bit going on outside the tank - bought a house and had to halt the tank upgrade for a while. Also it looks like it's going to go in the basement, which needs a ceiling!

I have managed to pick up a few bit here and there though. A 30 gallon tank second hand for a sump is the latest. I'm currently in the process of tearing out the old wrecked silicone before re-siliconing it.

I have the skimmer, just the lighting and a load of rock from BRS to go.

It's a bit frustrating, but there you go, but that brings me to the main subject of the post. My current piece of crap hang on skimmer. Seriously it's a waste of the earth's natural resources - no kidding.
If anyone tries to sell you a Weipro skimmer, just say no...
Anyway, with the move to the big tank and the better skimmer on hold, I had to do something. I'm battling to keep the water quality up and getting no help from the skimmer. I left it running to boost gas exchange as I have a covered tank, but lately I reckon it can't be doing much for that either. No matter how much I clean it, play with it, cajole or curse it, it just seems to get worse. Something had to give, so I was left with a choice of buying another one (which would cost about half the price if the rock for the big tank) or rig something. I chose the second option.

A trip to Windsor Plywood saw me with a board foot of 1" basswood (apparently the same as limewood) which I ripped into a 1/8" piece of end grain. Then I got out the C/A and made an airstone that would fit down in the body if the skimmer by the inlet. It's about 1" square by 3/8" (sorry, didn't have the presence of mind to take a photo). I drilled the lid of the skimmer and fed the airline down through the neck.

The results are spectacular. If I block the venturi, it's much quieter or a start, and there's bubbles - lots of bubbles.

From this:


The skimmate and the foam you see is left over from running it with the airstone earlier. Check out the lack of bubbles!

To this:


For the first time (pretty much ever) it's skimming!

And the best bit is for 6 bucks I've got enough wood for about a hundred or so airstones.. It may be my imagination, but the fish seem to be more active too, perhaps the oxygen levels have increased.. Or it could be in my head.

But still - IT SKIMMS!!!

[Skimmerking]

well get that 75 gal on this thread as a roll over come on ROB

you should take my 150 gal off my hands too

[SmallFry]

Originally Posted by Skimmer King

well get that 75 gal on this thread as a roll over come on ROB

If that darned rock would cure I would be making some progress. I'm going to start the overflow and drilling the tank as soon as I've done finishing the garage - taped the drywall today, so just the sanding to go..

Originally Posted by Skimmer King

you should take my 150 gal off my hands too

Ya, the thing is - I haven't managed to get the 75 off the ground yet...

[Skimmerking]

if ya need a help with the drilling Rob let me know ok. i have a dremel
and where my TV is now. That is where the tank will be going. Tammy says she wants a fake wall there to hide the tank ..