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ATO Reservoir Ideas
- Thread starter CodyRVA
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kevyg
Active Member
See if you have a TAP plastic store near you. They might be able to sell you only what you need. Also, you don't have to fill the entire space from top to bottom. Using standardized sizes always makes things cheaper. Look into project sheets. This is one of the few items that are significantly cheaper to buy from a place that routinely brings in pallets of the stuff, most of the cost of acrylic is the moving it around part, not the materials.
I like #4. You could do something like I did on my reservoirs and use 1/4" rubber top hat grommets and some elbows with clear vinyl tubing. You can see a more precise measurement with that method. I got the idea from the brewery I work at with their fermenters. I used a 1 gallon jug and poured it in one at a time and took a Sharpie to the tubing to indicate 1g increments.
mfinn
likes zoanthids
I didn't see the 20" height before.
Even a $100 is high IMO.
You really should go checkout dog food storage containers. You just might be able to find a premade solution for under $20.
See if you have a TAP plastic store near you. They might be able to sell you only what you need. Also, you don't have to fill the entire space from top to bottom. Using standardized sizes always makes things cheaper. Look into project sheets. This is one of the few items that are significantly cheaper to buy from a place that routinely brings in pallets of the stuff, most of the cost of acrylic is the moving it around part, not the materials.
I like #4. You could do something like I did on my reservoirs and use 1/4" rubber top hat grommets and some elbows with clear vinyl tubing. You can see a more precise measurement with that method. I got the idea from the brewery I work at with their fermenters. I used a 1 gallon jug and poured it in one at a time and took a Sharpie to the tubing to indicate 1g increments.
that works too. I maybe doing this with my brute rodi container when I start building my mixing station someday. lol
kevyg
Active Member
It cost me less than $1 to add that little addition on.
needbiggertanks
Well-Known Member
Ive used the 10L Carboy in the lab and love them.
Btw the water jug i gave the pic only says BPA free, and dimensions are 5.5W x 14D x 9.5H
Btw the water jug i gave the pic only says BPA free, and dimensions are 5.5W x 14D x 9.5H
PaulPerger
Active Member
I would go to a Craft shop or a Home Decor shop and look for a tall thin vase that will fit in your foot print. I am assuming you currently have a small pump that is activated that pumps that water in when needed, as long as that pump fits into the vase you'd be golden. You might need to craft a "lid" for the vase out of some nice dense foam to keep airborne stuff from settling in there, but there have been tall square vases at the Home Decor store every time I have ever been in one...
TritonsGarden
Coral Farmer Wannabe
Search for potable RV water tanks. They come in just about every size imaginable.
https://www.amazon.com/Spouted-Gall...rd_wg=Slmrt&psc=1&refRID=S0RRWG20XJ6Y0HA9Q7NM
https://www.amazon.com/Spouted-Gall...rd_wg=Slmrt&psc=1&refRID=S0RRWG20XJ6Y0HA9Q7NM
OP
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See if you have a TAP plastic store near you. They might be able to sell you only what you need. Also, you don't have to fill the entire space from top to bottom. Using standardized sizes always makes things cheaper. Look into project sheets. This is one of the few items that are significantly cheaper to buy from a place that routinely brings in pallets of the stuff, most of the cost of acrylic is the moving it around part, not the materials.
I like #4. You could do something like I did on my reservoirs and use 1/4" rubber top hat grommets and some elbows with clear vinyl tubing. You can see a more precise measurement with that method. I got the idea from the brewery I work at with their fermenters. I used a 1 gallon jug and poured it in one at a time and took a Sharpie to the tubing to indicate 1g increments.
I order my acrylic from Tapp, considering i'll need 6 pieces, the cost alone seems a bit much even without shipping, but I will admit I would rather have an acrylic version vs a container. That being said, some of the containers are really inexpensive... and some are very expensive lol
kevyg
Active Member
I would second that possibility and expand on it to say the dollar store can have some decent non-lidded options. I have been frequenting them trying to find reactor containers that I can modify to grow chaeto. Alas, nothing with a lid except for a half gallon mason jar with metal lid.
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A vase actually popped up in one of my searches, the one i found was too small, but I haven't ruled that out either. At the end of the day I don't really care what it looks like. As long as it works, its safe, not overly expensive and clear enough so I can check volume.
kevyg
Active Member
Ill put it this way, if it were me, I would literally buy the pieces as I can afford them (there is a Tapp retail outlet next to where I have a sales route so this part is easy and I don't have to pay shipping multiple times). That way I feel like I'm making progress. Once I acquire the pieces then I put it all together and I have exactly what I want and didn't settle for anything else. I felt like I was making progress every time I get a piece of acrylic, but I don't have to fork out $100 all at once.
All that being said, mine is a Rubbermaid with a line running from the closet on the other side of the wall through a hole in my drywall so the only thing you see is a line if you really look for it.
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Daryl Yates
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Walmart has a 6 gal plastic Jerry can that is food grade is what I use
doughboy
Well-Known Member
if you are lucky enough to have a tap plastics store nearby, you can get scrap acrylic for cheap. cost can very easily get out of hand if you buy acrylic retail.
I built these dosing containers from $3 worth of 1/4" thick acrylic scrap from tap plastics
you do need tools to cut the acrylic.
a router is your best bet. I used a 1/8" straight bit to cut the acrylic, then use a flush bit to trim the edges flush. With a router, you can get fancy and route edges for lid like this
and you need a bunch of clamps you can get from harbor freight. the harbor freight plunge router is what I used. I had the tools before when I built my stand.
as others said, it is not hard to do. I've never done acrylic work before.
I built these dosing containers from $3 worth of 1/4" thick acrylic scrap from tap plastics
you do need tools to cut the acrylic.
a router is your best bet. I used a 1/8" straight bit to cut the acrylic, then use a flush bit to trim the edges flush. With a router, you can get fancy and route edges for lid like this
and you need a bunch of clamps you can get from harbor freight. the harbor freight plunge router is what I used. I had the tools before when I built my stand.
as others said, it is not hard to do. I've never done acrylic work before.
danielb333
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Same here 8 gallon fits perfectly in my cabinet next to my sump with a smart ato doing the rest simple and easy
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Think I found a winner.
PaulPerger
Active Member
I agree @doughboy. That looks perfect... I may grab a few of those...
William Norman
Active Member
Word of warning about using BPA safe dog food containers. I used one for awhile and found that it was leaching into the water. I didn't notice during normal usage but found when ever I went away for more than a few days I had a lot of cyano. I finally figured out using a TDS meter that my 0 RODI water was turning into 70-100 TDS over 5 days. I switched to a glass tank and no more cyano and my water stays around 0.
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