melev

Over the past couple of weeks, little changes were made to adjust circumstances that resulted in better conditions with the 400g.

1) The water line was just under the plastic trim of the tank. I don't like that look since it usually cause "light leak" into the room. Rather than having to look at that beam of light, I prefer to raise the water level in the display tank. Taking a scrap of 3/8" acrylic, I placed it in the overflow behind the teeth and this increased the height of the water by 1/2". Problem solved. Cost: nothing.

2) The power cord on the Dart pumps were one foot too short to reach the DJ switches. I had 1' extension cords plugged in, but the wires hung diagonally in front of the skimmer's collection cup and were in the way. Last fall, I'd purchased three 15' black extension cords to run the MH lights over the livestock vats. Looking at their power rating, they were well-suited to replace the too-short cords. A few days ago, I changed out the cords on both Dart pumps under the tank, and replaced the cord on my back up pump at the same time. Now the cord runs adjacent to the sump, out of the way. Problem solved. Cost: nothing (since I owned them already).

3) The power cord to the circulation pump for the 265g saltwater poly tank was too short to reach the original outlet installed in the wall. However, I was given an on/off pedal. Plugging the pump's cord into the pedal, I was able to plug in the pedal's cord since it was longer. Problem solved. Cost: nothing (since it was a gift).

4) The Aquacontroller 3 has a bunch of plugs attached along the bottom of the device. It made it impossible to stand it up and there was the risk of straining or kinking those wires. Using a red Dixie cup, I cut out a makeshift easel for the controller to rest upon. Problem solved. Cost: nothing.

5) I needed a shelf for the new frag tank, and found the left over section from the kitchen counter tops I installed last year. They are 1" butcherblock. The piece I had fit perfectly. It needed to be sealed to avoid water damage. I found a gallon can on the paint shelf in my garage that was so old, it had crusted over. I broke the top layer to discover the stuff beneath had turned to rubber gel. It was useless. However, I found a smaller quart can that had less than a pint left. Just enough to do the job. Problem solved. Cost: nothing.

6) The phone line cord that runs from the DC-8 to the x-10 transmitter was hanging in the way. I needed something better which could stretch and later retract when the lightrack is back in position, and a friend suggested the coiled telephone cord used for wall phones. I found a black 12' coiled cord at Walmart that works perfectly. Problem solved. Cost: $5.75. I need to get one more to run from the lightrack to the Aquacontroller 3, which I'll get next week.

7) I needed a siphon break for the penductor assembly. I drilled two holes even though I was warned they would blast water and it turns out they were completely right. I fabricated a small acrylic shield that I could ziptie under the anti siphon holes. This stopped the sand from shifting around the bommie. Problem solved. Cost: nothing.

8) For the new ATO kit, I needed some aluminum crimp connections I didn't have, but rather than running up to the store, I used the gel-filled kind to complete the project. They are designed for low voltage systems and are very safe. These are used by phone line installers as well as alarm system installers. Problem solved. Cost: nothing.

9) I needed a spade bit to replace the one that looked discolored in the DJ Switch assembly. I had some that were too large. Before heading to the store, I noticed that the ATO kit had the right size and that they wouldn't be needed for that project. So I was able to take one to fix the DJ connection. Problem solved. Cost: nothing.

10) I needed to break the siphon from the feed line coming out of the Auto Top Off Reservoir, so I purchased a 3' piece of 1" rigid tubing at Petsmart. Using some acrylic and a 5" piece of 3/4" acrylic rod, I fabricated a base plate to help keep the tall rigid tubing upright. In this way, I could run the output line into the top of the tall tubing to assure the top off would drip into the sump in a controlled way. It avoided noise and spatter/splashing, and resolved the chance of a siphon occurring. Problem solved. Cost: $2.99

Try to think of solutions using things you own, even if they normally aren't fishtank related. Like for scraping algae off the glass, I like to use those fake credit cards that come with applications in the mail weekly. I also use hotel key cards. They don't scratch the tank and cost nothing.