Micro Drop Off

[inmate2716049]

Completely water-tight and includes push-to-connect fittings.

 

[blaxsun]

Very cool!

 

[inmate2716049]

For anyone interested, making the push connections is simple. However, a lathe or drill press with appropriate size milling bits is required. Using an acrylic disk (you can cut from a sheet) all you need to do is bore a hole where the Polyethylene tubing will fit snugly. Then bore a hole the width and depth of an o-ring where the o-ring protrudes just slightly, this will allow for full contact of the o-ring on both sides. Make sure every surface is smooth.

 

[inmate2716049]

To attach, use a small piece of tubing to align the connections and apply some acrylic bonding agent—make sure to clamp both pieces so the o ring is slightly compressed.

 

[inmate2716049]

You can even take it one step further and machine an acrylic disk to operate a bite flange (idk what its called lol) and weld this disk, with a spacer disk, to your connection. This will add an additional 1/2 inch in my case and is not necessary if you make your fittings snug. I’ve tested these on another similar tank for about 2 years now and as long as you’re not constantly removing and reinstalling your lines they should last leak free for a long time. The advantage to doing this at all is it saves a ton of space for tiny tanks and you can swap out locations for flow/drain.

 

[inmate2716049]

Made the top and bottom sections.

 

[Kodski]

Very neat! I'd love to try a slightly larger desktop tank like this for Zoa's and maybe a few blastos. I take it there will be a separate filter area with pump?

Also, what are the dimensions?

 

[inmate2716049]

Very neat! I'd love to try a slightly larger desktop tank like this for Zoa's and maybe a few blastos. I take it there will be a separate filter area with pump?

Also, what are the dimensions?

Thank you, it’s roughly 6x6x12”. You’re correct, I have a 5 gal sump I plan on using. I think reefcrest has a 9 gallon AIO drop off that would work beautifully for your plan, that might be the smallest drop off on the market last I checked.

 

[Kodski]

Thank you, it’s roughly 6x6x12”. You’re correct, I have a 5 gal sump I plan on using. I think reefcrest has a 9 gallon AIO drop off that would work beautifully for your plan, that might be the smallest drop off on the market last I checked.

Whats your plan for equipment? Skimmer, pump, flow, light, ect

The Reefcrest tanks are neat for sure, but it looks like they are discontinued. I'm a maker like you, so I'd probably end up building a custom on anyways.

 

[inmate2716049]

Whats your plan for equipment? Skimmer, pump, flow, light, ect

The Reefcrest tanks are neat for sure, but it looks like they are discontinued. I'm a maker like you, so I'd probably end up building a custom on anyways.

No skimmer for me. I like the Mightyjet desktop return pump for its low noise—I managed to achieve dead silence on version 1 of this tank (2 years running). I can swap the inlet and outlet lines to flow from bottom up or top down or any combo of 5 lines, I’ll play around with that. I’ll be 3D printing flow nozzles however, random flow nozzles don’t work as intended when they’re so small but I will test some out. My light is just a diy led setup, 12 leds on 2 channels. Other than that just a heater and gravity-fed ato float valve. For a small volume tank having a return section that is taller with a smaller surface area will create less fluctuations in salinity with an ato. I like keeping things simple so I won’t be getting any other equipment.

Thats awesome, making your own things gives you such a greater understanding and appreciation, I’d love to see what you end up designing!

 

[inmate2716049]

Final leak check at maximum pressure. Made an intermediate splitter for the pump, definitely lost a bit of pressure from the inefficiency of the box style split but it‘s not an issue. Leak check good.

 

[inmate2716049]

Setup in it’s permanent location, flow is perfect, no dead spots and silent. On to “miniscaping.”

 

[inmate2716049]

3d printed some rfg nozzles of different sizes at different flow rates. As expected, they barely work at such a small size. Of course they would work better if I smoothed out the parts and extended them out further but that‘s not something I care to do.

 

[danieyella]

Love this! Whats the approximate water volume?

 

[inmate2716049]

Love this! Whats the approximate water volume?

Thank you! It’s roughly 0.8 gallons.

 

[danieyella]

Thank you! It’s roughly 0.8 gallons.

Beautiful! Can't wait to see what you do with it

 

[Kodski]

3d printed some rfg nozzles of different sizes at different flow rates. As expected, they barely work at such a small size. Of course they would work better if I smoothed out the parts and extended them out further but that‘s not something I care to do.

I'm surprised that larger one doesn't work for you. I had a 20 gallon nano that I used a small 3D printed RFG about the same size as the larger one of your three and it seemed to work well for me. I wonder if it has more to do with your pump flow rate than the size of the nozzle.

 

[inmate2716049]

I'm surprised that larger one doesn't work for you. I had a 20 gallon nano that I used a small 3D printed RFG about the same size as the larger one of your three and it seemed to work well for me. I wonder if it has more to do with your pump flow rate than the size of the nozzle.

I think you’re absolutely right, its way too much flow for the nozzle size, but even the small ones look too bulky imo. The flow is great without them anyway.

 

[inmate2716049]

Made a new sump for the system. Hopefully the fleece roller design will work out, considering this is version 1. I made the sump sit 8“ high so I can gravity drain and store stuff underneath. Still finalizing the layout but my hope is that I end up with something simple and easy-to-use.