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Taz
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 14:22 
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Joined: Jan 13th, '09, 09:42
Posts: 240
Gender: Male
Location: Tasmania, Australia
Hi guys,

While I’ve been patiently waiting for an IBC to use as a fish tank in my large system, I went ahead and built a small bench top CHIFT PIST system in my garage. Majority of the parts I’ve used were purchased from our local EcoSalve store (AKA the tip shop) or bits and pieces I had lying around (did my best to use recycled or free stuff, you’d be proud of me F&F). It’s only in its early stages and I’m yet to get a test kit so I’m fishless cycling and just winging it at the moment.

Consisting of;

60l fish tank (freebie)
40l Sump (container I had lying around)
Pump is an AquaPro750 set at lowest flow rate (new from B’ings. $ to much)
Grow beds are 2 lengths of Ø150 PVC pipe (care of Eco salve) + 4 new end caps.
Grow bed drains are 25mm electrical conduit (lying around) is this safe plastic?
NFT is 1 length of Ø100 PVC (freebie)
Net pots (recycled from a local Garden Centre although I had to pay $3 for 10, were used for transport seedlings)
Gravel media (freebie)
13mm poly pipe (freebie)
32mm PVC pipe. Plumbing from FT to GB (Eco salve)
All timber work for supports etc. is made of Melamine and Marine ply (left over’s I had lying around)
All other fittings i.e. elbows and T’s (new from B’ings)

Now for the good stuff, some pics and running commentary!!


Attachments:
File comment: Grow beds. This was one length of pipe I chopped up.
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File comment: Marked out ready for cutting. Still got all my toes left!!
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File comment: One down one to go. The little cross brace I left on there isn’t really necessary, now that I’ve filled it with gravel it holds its shape really well. Credit for this great idea for a GB has to go to AaronJ from this thread, and I remember seeing a similar one a while back on a YouTube video. Anyway cheers guys.
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Taz
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 14:25 
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Joined: Jan 13th, '09, 09:42
Posts: 240
Gender: Male
Location: Tasmania, Australia
more to come yet :D


Attachments:
File comment: The pieces I removed from the GB I drilled out and siliconed in placeto make a great shield for where my drains will go. I think ? used a some sort plastic grid mesh?
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File comment: Knocked up some stands from left over melamine. Half round cut-outs divided in two made for nice little legs. Fish tank ready for the overflow plumbing to be added. Can you grow Beam stubbies in AP?
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Taz
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 14:27 
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Joined: Jan 13th, '09, 09:42
Posts: 240
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Location: Tasmania, Australia
still more :)


Attachments:
File comment: My hole saw size range is a bit limited but I had one that cut a hole just small enough for press fit to the point where a test run on the seal showed no leaks at all. I realise it’s not under any pressure but I still siliconed it up anyway!
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File comment: Trial fit the pipe used to draw the solids from the bottom of the FT. That elbow had a hole drilled in it (to stop a possible siphon, not that my pump could make the water level rise fast enough) and will later be replaced with a T piece to pretty it up a bit.
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File comment: NFT pipe in place but not drilled out ready for pots yet.
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Taz
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 14:31 
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Posts: 240
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Location: Tasmania, Australia
more :shock:


Attachments:
File comment: Looking from the other end. Found an old container that will do for a sump, however it’s a bit tall for the GB’s and I don’t really want to chop it up (I thought about placing it under the bench?). That shot was taken near on sunset, the window faces directly north so gets a lot sun all day especially coming on winter now the sun will pass lower in the sky. The NFT might miss out on some light due to how high it sitting so I’ll wait and see.
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File comment: Now this was not planned but turned out to be really handy little idea. Once again due to my limited hole saw sizes this time I found myself having to go over size on the hole I could drill for my stand pipe drains using the elec conduit. But what I could was drill a hole to match the larger diameter piece on the very end of the length of conduit. I’m not sure what the correct name of it is? It’s the little flared female end that would normally be used join two lengths of conduit.
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File comment: So I cut 2 little pieces and siliconed them in place to act as a sleeve for my stand pipe drains (although they were a press fit anyway I didn’t want them slip out).
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Taz
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 14:33 
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Posts: 240
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Location: Tasmania, Australia
getting there :cheers:


Attachments:
File comment: This made for a snug fit for my stand pipe drains
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File comment: Under side. The silicone is only on the small sleeve. The longer length is free to slide up and down.
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File comment: Four small paint tins did the job of lifting the GB’s up above the height of the sump.
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Taz
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 14:38 
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Location: Tasmania, Australia
few still going :P


Attachments:
File comment: Drilled out the shields to let water through to small drain cavity and then silicone in place.
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File comment: Washing gravel the Synaptoman way. Thanks for the great idea mate. Step one was shake the $hit of it to remove most of the dust. Step two was rinse it with the hose and when there’s enough water in the half barrel just give it a good shake in the water. Step 3 was one last rinse with hose to see how clear the water was. I realise that I didn’t have to wash all that much gravel so I can appreciate the amount of effort that goes into washing larger amounts!!
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File comment: GB’s full and bucketing water over the gravel to clean out any more dust. Note the colour of the water in the green sump.
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Taz
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 14:42 
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Posts: 240
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Location: Tasmania, Australia
nearly done :mrgreen:


Attachments:
File comment: Marked out the 10 holes and drilled for the net pots. Got the thumbs up and an “aaaahh” from the supervisor!
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File comment: Drilled out the net pots and filled with gravel.
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File comment: I found as the water flow slows it would dribble back along the underside of the pipe and drip everywhere. Because I didn’t want to heat up and bend the bottom lip down because I might want to put an end cap on their one day so I went with the “Duct Tape And Cable Tied In Place Piece Of Plastic” trick, aka DTACTIPPOP (I know how much you love talking about acronyms). Works a treat anyway and also meant I could move the pipe back a bit on the support too.
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Taz
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 14:44 
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:D


Attachments:
File comment: Distributing the water to the 2 GB’s. Can easily adjust the flow between the 2 by swivelling the lower assembly about the top elbow (I haven’t siliconed any of these last 5 joins yet)
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File comment: Drain assembly. The slotted sleeve stops it from falling through the sleeve in the bottom of the GB into the drain below. Once I filled the GB to the height I wanted and set the sleeve where it had to be I took it out and drilled a drain hole.
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Taz
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 14:49 
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Joined: Jan 13th, '09, 09:42
Posts: 240
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Location: Tasmania, Australia
last ones :cheers:


Attachments:
File comment: Drain back in place.
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File comment: slowly draining through the small hole. Although the GB on he right looks looks like it might be full because it'is flowing a bit quicker.
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File comment: Complete, now just cycling and on an el cheapo $10 timer from Tandy. 15 on 45 off (plus or minus 5min. I did say el cheapo). Didn’t realise how far off they could be!!
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Taz
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 14:54 
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Joined: Jan 13th, '09, 09:42
Posts: 240
Gender: Male
Location: Tasmania, Australia
So let me know what you think guys. Open to any suggestions. I've got an idea to move the sump in under the GB's. Might have to build a box and line it with some pond liner and put a lid on it. Wait and see what the weekend brings.

Cheers Taz.
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monya
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 15:33 
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a thing of beauty :cheers:
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Food&Fish
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 15:53 
Seriously, this cant be healthy.
Seriously, this cant be healthy.
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Just enlarge it 20 times and you are on a winner
nice workmanship
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MrOrange
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 19:09 
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Joined: Apr 26th, '08, 08:02
Posts: 210
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One of the best things I love about this site and BYAP in general, is the resourcefulness of people in constructing their systems. Not everyone has the money, time nor space to run a large scale setup but it's awesome to see people getting in on BYAP with whatever means available to them.

Taz I reckon that's a great little system! Would like to see some pics with fish and plants too :P Well done.
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synaptoman
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 19:12 
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Great work, keep us posted.
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tamo42
PostPosted: Apr 17th, '09, 22:16 
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Very clean. Great job. :cheers:
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