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Well it holds the bait on my hook when I cast out but apart from its designed purpose, bait elastic comes in white, black or clear and is very stretchy, self locking and is easy to use while affixing plants….. not much else to tell…

What you want is fishing bait elastic, nothing else will come close!

I was in my locale builders supply shop yesterday and took a couple of photos, the tubes range in price from £3.50 - £22.

I loved the old stye mats that came with a thermostat and seemed more powerful, they were made from rubber with an almost visible wire running up and down the mat. However they also seem to be sort lived, maybe one or two years max and there was no way to get them out from a fully stocked tank.

Well I have quite a few pictures of my immersed set ups on the forum if you can find them! However I am just taking down this large 90x 90cm x 10cm tray, it has been running for a couple of years with two 90 x 30cm heat mats. In the winter the surface temp was never more than 18c and the base...

I use heat mats under my immersed set ups, I find they really struggle to get past 20c. As it happens that suits me for my use but I doubt if the ones I have would heat a tank full of water In an unheated room. Perhaps if the tank is really shallow then I would expect they would be fine. One...

That is a good question and a good analogy too! I dont know the answer but it can most certainly last more than five year in a fish tank, I have had tanks running for 10 years. There may be some circumstances that make a difference, perhaps being permanently submerged and not being disturbed...

So most people would use a syphon to hover the bottom while doing a weekly water change but you want to re cycle the water through a filter?

Ah ok I can see the issue more clearly now, in that case you will have to seal from the inside. I think the repair defiantly needs a patch over the damage, I think it needs to be thick enough to adhere to the side and bottom. The area needs to be very clean and dry, I would think a 2-3mm piece...

I would not try to stick anything on the inside as there will already be a silicone seal running along the two panes. Fresh silicone does not stick well to old silicone so to be effective you would need to remove the existing silicon seal but then where do you stop? So I would attack it from...

Great light bracket, with such a small hole and a relatively small tank I would try a repair as suggested by Hypnogohia.

Wow that is crazy who or why would anyone do that in the first place?

Yes lots of folk use or have at least tried an auto water change. So much will depend on your personal circumstances, tank setup and position ….. For instance where is the nearest drain, do you have auto top up fitted, do you use water straight from the tap or through a filter, does you tank...

Just my opinion but I would not use any cement based products in any of my tanks, there will be safer alternatives.

Difficult to answer without seeing exactly what you mean but I think I know as you can get different wall thickness pipe. Well more accurately there are two different size wall thicknesses available ie 16mm x 18 or 16 x 20 .

You can use super glue just make sure its the gel type. It will set extremely fast once it hits water so you have to work fast.

Yes you can! I have done that very thing before but there are risks and complication. I cut two inches off a 6mm thick 800 x 350mm tank, I cut it outside in my garden useing a good quality glass cutter. Normally you would cut the glass sheet lying down and snap off the cut in one go but, with...

Go ahead, I am sure lots of folk will be interested.

The bottle shape I use is pictured on page one, the flow rates are mentioned in the video but once set up the reactor will work with low or high flow up to 4500 lph in my case.

If you watch the video on page one you can see there is no need for an extra power head, the design is based on mixing the gas and water near the top of the bottle neck. The bubbles are being aggressively and repeatedly agitated until they beak down and dissolve. Unfortunately, to get it...

I used to love acrylic tanks but that was a long time ago when I was more into marine tanks but more to the point it was at a time when they were far more readily available..... I have not seen a large acrylic tank for sale in many years!

I can’t think of any benefits myself but you can do so if you wish. Just bear in mind that if you are running a genuine 4-5 tank volume down the overflow every hour then you are exposing the contents of you display to air 5 times every hour and I very much doubt if you will need more oxygen...

I have never actually got around to it but at one time i had this idea about tuning a biorb into a sump driven marine inviroment . Anyone who has taken one completely apart would of discovered there is a ‘O’ ring sealed hole in the bottom! I think it would be quite possible to fit a central...

I made this one into an outdoor garden light for last Christmas.

They are fantastic for growing orchids and ferns.

Andrew, if you just want that one small component perhaps you could just get one made on a 3d printer? I am always cutting Perspex for various projects like router templates, it does crack sometimes but if you hold it firmly in a vice or such like and use a fine blade hack saw it should not be...

I am not sure exactly what you mean but skin fittings are readily available in most sizes for a few £

You definitely need a solid base to sit the tank on and the base should be at least the same size as the tank. However you can bring your sides up to act as part of the base as long as your carpentry skills are up to the job! The sides will have to be a structural component, well glued and fixed...

Yes solvent glue but you have to make sure you buy solvent weld pipe and fittings, in the last few years there is also a soft plastic push fit product and that is not what we want. If you go to a B&Q ... best ask a staff member for solvent weld pipe. To be honest I buy all my plastic from a...

Boney, you should be able to find 21.5mm elbows in any B&Q or similar store, it is just standard kitchen sink overflow pipe and very common. The threaded fittings are also standard overflow fittings, generally used as a tank connector. So first is a tank connector screwed in with sealing tape...

Yes it worked but not any better than the original design.

Most swimming pools have self adjusting skimmers and some koi pond design have auto adjusting weirs, you may get some inspiration from those designs . I know we would be just turning a big circle but the obvious tried and tested method would to run the filter compartment without the slots and...

Andrew, I think you will be fine with your set up, it is not a normal configuration but I see no reason why it will not work very well for you as long as you keep an eye on it. Have you considered feeding the pump with C02?

There are two key words ... overflow and sump... neither of those apply as you dont have either in your system. If the slots were not there then the thread would all make sense and in fact you would of had a sump and overflow! Certainly a lot of misunderstanding.... So the only real issues you...

Ha ha ... well In that case the filter is in fact joined to the tank until the water level dropped below the slots and in fact you do not actually have an overflow . It looks like you can afford around 50mm drop in water level before the baffles start to actually overflow.

Perhaps your overflow has slots and is not actually an overflow? Or perhaps it is well below the waterline and not actually working as an overflow? You can’t deny the laws of physics of defy science so if your water levers are remaining the same there must be a reason. Maybe some photos would...

May not be a day .. might be a week might be a month but the simple and unavoidable physics dictate the inevitable . Unless there is some factor we are not aware of ?

Well I have always used sumps and a 6mm float valve from the mains water. I like using a sump for my filter and hiding equipment but the whole sump is hidden from view. However I am a practical sort of guy, I can build what I want and just how I want. Under tank sumps with overflow supply are...

if there was a small hole joining the pump compartment and the main tank .....when the pump was turned off the water levels would equalise but as soon as the pump is tuned back on, the pump chamber will return to the same state as it was before. Joining the two is not really the answer, all...

There are ways to rectify the issue.... Install a mini top up valve in the pump chamber, a 6mm mains water RO supply would work. Install a micro float switch in the pump chamber that powers a small pump to top up from a reservoir. Change the inlet from a surface skimmer to a bottom drain...

So this is the problem ... any and all evaporation will only be noticeable in the filter pump compartment. That means if there is 1mm of water loss in the main tank that with only be noticeable as 20mm in the pump chamber. (Just an approximation )

If you fitted a cover glass then evaporation would be very low, it might only need a bit of topping up every week or so.

Unfortunate not, you can equalise the water level by making a direct connection from the last compartment to the main tank (ie as Marcel suggest via a small hole) or you can fit a micro top up valve to the last compartment or an float switch to a reserve water tank. However if you connect the...

So the main tank will always have the same water level as long as the pump is running but any evaporation will lower the last compartment ten fold ? That is fine if you are home every day to check it otherwise you will need an auto top up?

That is a great thread and I still think that acrylic cement creates a chemical reaction that physically bonds or welds plastic!

Well Perspex has always been the most common trade name for acrylic in the U.K. Good on you for wanting a challenge all though keeping a planted tank is enough of a challenge for most of us! I am also not convinced about your logic with kids and acrylic due to the ease of scratching. However I...

There has been a few builds documented on here, you need precision cuts because the glue is not gap filling.

You would have to disguise the visible part of the foam packer and it might not look very nice but high density foam will have no problem supporting a few hundred kg. The pink foam used for underfloor heating or the blue under concrete insulation foam are both designed to bare mass loads and...

The problem is I can’t see how your design is working, where is the Co2 entering? Where does the flow exit?

That sounds interesting, if I understand you are saying small bubbles are sticking together and forming a large bubble and that is being sucked down the eye of the vortex?. I can’t really make much from those pictures....

If it was easy to get a feed pipe entering at a tangent , I think a lot more folk would do just that! It is quite possible but you need the tools for the job. The main problem is the massive variation from one setup to another ie ... the size of pipework, the power of the pump, the amount of C02...

Well vortex designs are my favourite to work with, I have made many versions but not for a few years now. However my base model, made from a 12” vessel is still working as well as any reactor I have seen or read about, so I have not bothered to try and improve on it. Vid in my signature of it...

You might not find much choice with the size, standard water treatment vessel is either 10” or 20”. The 20” are quite expensive and the 10” only work on pretty small tanks. Having said that I am not actually up to speed on what is available, some guys are useing different types of vessels but...

Epoxy mixed with wood dust would be good but if you don’t have any to hand it is pretty expensive depending on the size of the hole. Silicone mixed with wood dust might give you a better colour than plain silicone, you can buy brown or black silicone although it might have an anti mould...

A few year old now but I made a DIY reactor that worked extreamly well in a 200l tank and 1200lph There is a complete thread in my signature links...

If you want to make your own then it is not that differcult to build a small one like you want. It is much more differcult to build a show tank with neat silicone but as the guys say it is a lot easier to buy one. You would need a decent silicone gun and a tube of aquarium silicone, that could...

This is a good question, mine have never lasted that long, three years maybe but many have failed long before that.

They certainly look pretty serious...

Ha Ha posted together mate...

Some folk use them (PH controller) but not many. What we want is a steady, non fluctuating consistent supply, not and on off supply.

I have come across folk who have built polystyrene or expanding foam backdrops & covered them in certain types of tile cement. Normally epoxy based and inert when cured, this method I popular in vivariums but. I cant say I have come across anyone using Portland cement. I don't think that is a...

I would think at lot depends on the tanks dimensions. Not many surfaces are really flat so I would ulways use something under the tanks base to feel safe. Polystyrene wall paper backing is about the thinnest you can easily find. Do you have a problem using something underneath the tank base?

If the atomiser is fitted vertically bellow the flow as in my first diagram (first and second picture) I think the gas would be forced into the flow. I don’t actually know because I have not tried it but I can’t see where else it would go? You could fit a single valve between the atomiser and...

I don't know if you need to flow water through the atomiser for it to work, I think my first diagram would work? The problem with fitting an inline valve is the restricted ID, I always use an upsize valve & use reducer inserts. I have many years of experience using PVC pipework & associated...

Lots of ways, here are a couple that won’t effect flow...

Umm no I don’t think that is a good way! Every right angle you use will put a heavy restriction on the flow, you need to keep the main line as straight as possible with just a simple bypass.

I think acyclic has lots of trade names, Perspex is the UK name I think .... https://perspex.com/product-ranges/perspex/clear/

Ah I see, I better get my facts right in the future! Funny thing is I have been worked with epoxy resins and associated products for around 40 years now... and I thought I knew a bit about it!

Epoxy would be good although although it is primarily a glue but have you seen the price of epoxy!

Yes I think so but I can't say for sure! You could also use self adhesive mirror film to line the inside with a little silicon over the joints.

I think most common paints like interior emulsions or water based matt or eggshells will be safe once fully hardened. If money was not an issue then two pack marine paint, like polurathane 2pac would be the best but it does cost £38 a litre.

What do you mean by the bulkhead? The fitting that goes through the bottom? If so, and it is 40mm then you need a 40 - 32 reducer, it looks like solvent weld PVC but it is impossible to really say from the picture. You might have to wait until it arrives before you order any parts. I buy all my...

I would say a lot depends on your engineering skills & facilities? The wattage of the heater will also depend on ambient room temp? There are both external heaters and heated canister filters available.

I don't think my reactor design or any other empty chamber vortex designs will restrict flow that much but a single elbow can reduce flow by up too 25%. obviously the pump and the size of the fitting will make a difference to flow rates as well but, it will help flow if you can use bends or even...

I can't see your pictures but if you have a sump and a mains water supply connected to an auto top up ball valve, then water changes should be extremely easy using a variety of pumped or syphon methods. I use an RO 6mm mains water feed to a RO ball valve, they are very small, neat and cost about...

It wont be an open top if you cover it! Is there some reason why you want to cover the top?

I don't think you can cut bowed glass very easily! a better way might be to fit 100mm of polystyrene in the bottom & build off that, you could modify the cabinet to sink in the tank.

Ha Ha, yes to drill accurate holes without a pillar drill and drill vice is going to be extremely difficult! What will help is a piece of masking tape over the pipe with a straight line drawn on it, but the biggest help will be by using a brad point drill bit. 21mm overflow pipe available...

A build up of gas is quite usual and is in fact not an issue at all unless the bubble is very large. First question is ... does the reactor do its job, is it supplying enough dissolved C02 into your tank without micro bubbles? Second question is ... how long does the collected gas take to...

Not really low power although it is still cheap to run, you probably wont fine a more robust and long lasting pump than a Grunfos ... http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/central-heating-pump-conversion.26709/

Yep, plywood box, glass fibre inside, cut out for front (and sides if you want) silicon in an acrylic or glass panel (panels) I have built loads of them up to 2,000 gallon.

Well it will be structurally sound but, do you really want to be taking down a two month old tank just when it is starting to settle down?

Cool stuff, please give your idea a try.

If you can tune the reactor in, then they work very well. It is the continuous motion of the C02 bubbles that dissolve the gas. However it does seem they are not always easy to dial in! All I can suggest is too keep trying out new bottle shapes. As I have stated before I think the popular 10"...

From my experience 16mm acrylic OD tube will fit snugly inside 16mm ID plastic flexible tube - if it is loose fit then surly the product must be a different size than quoted?

It can't be a loose fit if it is the same size! You will need to glue it on or use a screw clip to hold it on depending on the piping arangment.

That is a very neat looking alterinitve to the bottle. :) When I was experimenting with the design, I started off with a straight lenth of acrylic but found that a bottle with a tapering neck produced less build up of gas within the chamber but it must be very dependent on the flow rate. I...

This type of stepped drill is great for drilling clean holes http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-3-PCS-4-12-20-32mm-LARGE-HSS-STEP-CONE-DRILL-TITANIUM-BIT-SET-HOLE-CUTTER-UK-/201130734169?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item2ed4537259

I have built some very large tanks but they have been either fiberglass coated plywood or concrete block work with an acrylic front pane. I was also involved with building two ceiling suspended koi ponds with glass panelled bottoms, the glass used in that case came from aircraft windscreens! If...

I use cheap plastic overflow pipe & drill holes based on a guess, then use different size drill bits & electrical insulation tape to close off or enlarge certain holes etc until it works as I want.. Then once I am happy, I make a final version from my chosen pipe work... if that makes any...

I have never purposely applied that formula..... just experiment until you get what you want!

The wattage vey often tells you more about the pumps capability than the quoted flow figures. This might not always be the case but generally low powered pumps suffer with the slightest restriction.

You don't need a high pressure atomiser, I ran mine with just the tube but found a basic cerimic diffuiser worked well. Fine tuning is a bit of a pain but it seems each aplicatsion requires a little setting up to get the reator running at it's best. The flow rate and bottle neck shape seem to...

Well done for having a go Bert! The internal bottle plays a big part in the reactors efficiency... do you have any pictures?

The impellor thing! Might not be an issue for you but is was for me :)

They are quite noisy!

These units are meant to be run internally but I did run one externally for years without any problems! Not saying I would recommend doing so but it worked a treat for me. I had to glue the unit together with epoxy & it was above my sump so any leaks would of been caught in the sump.

If you take out the balls they work very well, the spinning action makes a vortex inside the tube.

It would seem my original video on this thread is no longer imbedded so here it is again .....

With a tank that size you will need a lot of C02, I doubt if you could pump enough through a 10' reactor! A 20" model would do it easy though. First of all you need to do a PH profile.