Rocketman's New Dual 175g Bullnose Build Thread

Not as often as I should. Right now it's about once per month, but I'm overdue. Believe it or not, the chore of lugging the buckets of salt sixty feet down the side of a hill to my aquarium room is the biggest pain!

I've just submitted a patent application on an automated periodic system that will do this (along with all the appropriate fail-safes, alarms, ATO integration, etc.). I'm currently trying to find someone to build me the circuits for the test units. After I get that done I'm going to be looking for beta testers. If you're interested I can include you in that group. One aspect is that it's a power-on system where you apply power, it goes though the change then resets when you remove power. This allows you to control it with anything from a light timer to an aquarium controller. It also has an optional control module, but for most people that shouldn't be needed.

So now I've taken an exactly opposite view. I can easily do what I need through my Apex, but I look at that as "not quite as much fun"

That and not everyone has controllers. This will be a self contained, turn it on and it works, solution.

 

Could this be used on a smaller scale system? (ie 50-80 gallons?)

 

I'm definitely going to have it set up to do daily changes. I'll probably do 5 gallons per day. That will give me just short of a month of salt storage.

I said as I was putting all this together that if I could have done glass I would have. That sentiment hasn't changed, if anything it's been reinforced. I like the bullet proof nature of glass with regard to scratching. I'm worried every time I clean the sides of the tank that I'm going scratch them.

But then we also haven't had a big earthquake. I don't know how glass will do in one.

I did forget to mention that we had two magnitude 4.0 quakes centered less than a mile from my house. One of them knocked the pump out of my Bubble King and it sprayed salt water all over my fish room for who knows how long. Luckily I found it before too much sprayed out.

For the second one I was in my office, where my 75g quarantine tank is. The whole dang stand rocked. Much bigger and I may have had to explain to my wife why the carpet in the office was squishy. I think I need to anchor it to the wall...

 

It's been designed to work on any size tank. It uses temporary holding tanks for both water in and water out. The size of those tanks and placement of float switches determines how much water gets changed.

 

Ya, you have to do acrylic for quakes. I would sweat scratching it too though. Your tanks look great. Turned out really really well. I mean the whole room and eveything, looks great.

 

Another update:

I ordered three more Rics from Coral Morphologic. I've been very happy with them.

I also ordered three corals from WorldWide Corals, an orange/gold Pavona, a Tiera Del Fuego Acro and a red/green mixed cap.

All arrive Saturday.

 

Yeah, I don't have a controller right now. So having a device that will work with, or without one, is an excellent idea that I think many will benefit from.

 

Sounds awesome Rocketman! Good luck with the patent process and getting a proto-type built up. I will be really interested in seeing how this works out.

 

Great thread, incredible project, fantastic setup. Subscribed!

 

wow def best of luck on the patent, let me know how all that goes, I've been looking into getting an ato unit but I just haven't found one I really like.... yikes earthquakes + fish tanks do not mix to well :-/