Hi Guy's, better make that Gal's too! My name is Gary V. Deutschmann, Sr. from Reef And Invert Aquarium Resources, tonight I will be speaking on The Tips & Tricks of DIY!

Rather than discuss the actual building techniques associated with the various components used in and around the aquarium, I felt it would be more beneficial to explain the little nuances often overlooked when constructing a Do-It-Yourself project and/or purchasing major components.

TANK: Our first item of concern is the Tank, when purchasing a tank, closely examine all seams & joints, reject the tank if any airbubbles are apparent in the seams. This applies to both glass and acrylic aquaria. Before first use in a saltwater environment, a new glass tank should be reglazed at the top and bottom where the reinforcement trim is located. Start by turning the tank upside down and from the bottom, seal the plastic to glass trim completely around the underside perimeter. This is a good place to start since it will not show and you can become accustomed to working with the silicone. Turn the tank on it's edges and seal the plastic frame to the

This will prevent that aggrivating salt creep that appears from under the plastic frame on the viewing glass below. I also work from the outside of the aquarium, sealing all voids and seams between the glass and the frame, then trimming the cured silicone flush with the edge so it is unnoticed.

SETUP: Most glass tanks are supported only around their perimeter, whereas acrylic tanks must be supported across their entire bottom, select your stand accordingly. I suggest placing a layer of thin high density polyethylene foam under all tanks. On acrylic this will be a full sheet the size of the aquarium, on glass, only the perimeter need be protected, but do not overlap the strips on the corners. The foam can be trimmed away after the tank is filled

LEVELING: You can place a small amount of water in the tank to give a reference to the bottom trim in order to get the stand level. Do not just stick little shims under the legs of your stand, they will eventually crush, only use whole pieces of hardwood stock veneer, formica pieces, etc. under the legs. Then fill the aquarium with tap water to check for leaks and insure the tank stays level, this also helps to rinse out the tank.

OVERFLOW: On drilled tanks, I suggest using neoprene gaskets rather than rubber and coating the gaskets on both sides with silicone before assembling the bulkhead fittings. A few turns of teflon tape will also prevent leakage and salt-creep through the threaded portion of fittings. Overflow/Syphon type box systems seem to be the most prevalent in the hobby and in many cases offer more versatility than drilled tanks. Contrary to popular belief, the size of the overflow boxes are of little importance. The inside overflow unit can be made compact and inconspicuous, while the outside box or trap should be sized to hold a standard readily available pre-filter pad, which should be changed daily by the way, so have plenty of replacement TIP: A little hydrogen peroxide placed in your used pad holding container will keep anaerobic bacteria from growing on the pads. The mistake most often made by aquarists is using a syphon that is way to large for the amount of water passing through it, thus the flowrate is not sufficent to pull the air through the syphon and it slowly fills with trapped air at the top of the syphon, if this air is not bled of frequently, the syphon can break and the aquarium will overflow. By the same token, you can undersize the syphon and as bacteria and detritus build up in the syphon, the The answer, buy a syphon that is just slightly oversized and if trapped air does become a problem, slide a 1/4 or 3/8 inch tube through the syphon only for the purpose of taking up space, in effect, this makes the syphon smaller. Water should not be passing through the installed tubing. A well constructed overflow/sypon system will contain these features, or should be incorporated into the system you are designing. The input and output of the syphon should be at an identical height. The overflow exit tube should be a minimum of 1 inch below the top of the exterior overflow box and two full inches above the syphon outlet. If the unit was designed to hold manufactured pre-filter pads, the pad should fit into the exterior box so that it's top is either; a. 1 inch below the top of the box, or b. 1/2 inch below the top of the box if a separate emergency or indication overflow tube is installed ahead of the pre-filter pad and routed where you notice it daily. TIP: Although primarily dependent on flowrate and overflow tube diameter, water in the exterior overflow box will Long runs of large diameter exit tubing tend to echo and/or gurgle. This can be eliminated completely by making and installing a vented P-Trap on the underside of the overflow box. If you are using soft vinyl tubing, the tubing itself can be formed to make a trap, but if you do not install a vent after the trap, a syphon effect will drain the trap causing the same problems. Overflow systems can be constructed very simply from vinyl bottles, tupperware containers and the like. I even use micro-miniature overflow systems on my freshwater tanks to assist in automatic daily water changes. These are constructed of pill-bottle size components and 3/8 inch overflow exit tubes. They also help remove oily film from the surface of freshwater aquariums. But I'm getting off-topic so let's move on to the next component.

PROTEIN SKIMMERS: Although there are advocates for every type of foam fractionator ever devised, I will stick with the basic countercurrent models that most do-it-yourselfers tend to construct and what features to include in your design. Let's start with the body of the unit. Clear looks nice, but increases cost exponentially, white PVC pipe is cheap, and there is nothing to see inside but bubbles flowing around anyhow. Whether you run an exit from the bottom, or by The important part is normally to keep your bubbles out of the exit. This is accomplished in most cases, by installing a sleeve of about 4 inches in height inside the center of skimmer base. Whether you opt to use a finicky venturi or use the tried and true airwoods and replace them monthly, the air should be directed into this center riser tube. Needless to say, the exit intake should be at least two inches below the top of this riser tube. The input is located at the top of the unit. I prefer to place an elbow inside the unit to force the water to spin in a counterclockwise direction for North America, Aussies will want to run the water clockwise. More on this in tank input. Both the input line and exit line should have a flow-control valve (ball-valve), except on units fed with the overflow from the tank the input line valve can be omitted. Many of us prefer to drain to waste, rather than empty collection cups. However, the majority of skimmers utilize collection cups, with good reason. A properly designed collection cup can prevent an overflow of your skimmer with one simple little modification, if it is not already present. A sleeve sized larger than the foam riser tube is affixed to the cap and extends about 1/4 inch below the top of the foam riser tube. Should your skimmer go crazy some night, when the water level reaches the sleeve, no more water can enter the collection cup, backpressure is increased within the skimmer forcing more water out of the exit line, eliminating a mess. TIP: Drill a small hole, aabout 1/4 inch in diameter in the lid of the collection cup, outside of the large sleeve, but still inside of the collection cup area. For those that use ozone, a small carbon cylinder can be pl

RETURN PUMP: A water pump returns the water to the aquarium, there are many things aquarists do with the water input to their tanks. Some use spraybars, some vertical feed bars, and yet others feed the water into the bottom of the tank with headers. No matter which method you select, it is always wise to drill a small 1/16 to 1/8 inch hole in the underside of your input, either at or just below the normal water line of the aquarium. In the event of a power outage, as the tank water lowers, syphoning back through the pump, air can enter this little hole and break the syphon, preventing a sump overflow. As suggested earlier with protein skimmers, I recommend that the input water to the aquarium be directed in such a fashion that the current within the confines of the aquarium is circulating counterclockwise for North America, clockwise for the Aussies. Doing this keeps your aquar try changing the current in your tank to counterclockwise, if it is not already turning in that direction and see what a difference it makes.

SURGERS: Many times, water is taken from part of the input to supply a surge-bucket. A surge-bucket can be any size or shape container that is fitted with a self-starting syphon to empty the surger into the aquarium when it fills. This cycle is repeated over and over, creating turbulents, waves, etc. in the aquarium. Time does not dictate I get into the actual construction during this part of the discussion, but I will be glad to do so during the following

LIGHTING: The types of hoods fixtures and light quality varies too greatly among aquarists and merits a whole evening just on those topics. However, I would like to address some of the problems associated with flourescent fixtures that many aquarists constantly loose sleep over. Currently the primary problem encountered seems to be trouble getting Actinic lamps to start. I'm not a fan of rapid-start ballasts as most of you are aware, I think they are detrime However, if you use rapid-start ballasts and have trouble getting your lamps to start, you can try placing a self-adhesive strip of aluminum or copper foil to the back side of the lamp and grounding this foil strip. Also, if your ballasts are remote mounted, you may try replacing the wiring with a heavier guage wire that also has a better insulation cover. On starter driven fixtures, oftentimes a capacitor is included inside the starter can, you sh Clip off the capacitor and reassemble the starter can. If you would like to use a timer and your fixture is push-button start, you can place a starter lamp in place of the push-button switch and then use your timer. And don't forget my Plasti-Dip-Your-Grip version of keystone end caps! SUMMARY: Before opening the question and answer period, I would like to quickly name a few fast and simple do-it-yourself projects. Airwoods are simply Basswood (same thing as European Lime) a 24 inch long piece of 3/4 x 3 inch lumber that sells for $2.99 from Woodcraft will yield approx. 32 three inch airwoods. Almost any sealable container can be utilized if it had an inlet and outlet. You can quickly construct leakproof input and output lines from almost any container by simply drilling a small hole the size of your available tubing at each desired location, the hole should b But the trick to a really leakproof seal is simply installing a short 1/4 to 1/2 inch long piece of rigid tubing inside the tip of the tubing that will be on the inside of the container, then pulling back on the tubing from the outside until the drilled hole is centered around the rigid tube, one-half in and one-half out of the hole. And last but not least. If you hate lugging water as much as I do, you can connect a saddle valve to your nearest water pipe and run a 1/4 to 3/8 inch flexible line to a miniature faucet at your aquarium site. TIP: Drywall is easy to repair, floors are not, if you need to make holes for any reason, do it in the drywall. If you need to drill a hole from upstairs into the basement, use a long drill and go first through the drywall then drill downward through the 2x4 footer Waste can be handled the same way.

Thank you all for bearing with me! The question and answer period is now open!

Q: will ozone adversly affect pvc?

I know it affects silicone and vinyl tubing, but have not had problems with PVC.

Q: Why do we need to swirl water counterclockwise? - text got cut off

Above the equator, the natural rotation of the earth makes water flow in this direction, you can verify this by watching your sink or toilet drain. By working with nature instead of against it, everything works better GVD> Aussies will want to run clockwise.

Q: What height recommends for DIY ventury with a RIO 800 pump and at what level you drill the ventury input???? ( 24 inches tall for 2 inches wide)

It depends on whether the venturi input is your only water input or if you have a separate input. If it's your only input, near the top, forcing the jet downward. If it's a secondary input, near the bottom. You can use a jet here also to spin the water in the direction with earths rotation. GVD

Q: Do you have any tricks for finishing the edges of clear cell cast acrylic before assembling with Water-Thin Glue?

I lay a sheet of 600 grit wet sandpaper on a solid surface and run the plastic along this. Until smoothe and then flame polish the edge using a blowtorch, you need to do this fairly fast to keep from getting ripples You can also mix some plastic shavings with the solvent to make it thicker. GVD

Q: > Does that aluminum foil trick worth with metal halide ballasts too?

Have not tried it on MH! I wanted to add something to the plexiglass reply. Those of you who want to bend plexi, you can take the wire from a heating element and stretch it out straight to make a line heater.

Q: any particular air pumps recommended for tall column skimmers? ie. 5ft +

Airpumps are usually the aquarists choice, many are good, and depending on your hip-naational-bank, some are better. I use AREA brand air-pumps by Modern Aeration, Inc. They are not quiet but they handle a number of tanks.

Q: do you have any plans available for an o/flow box setup? Not drawings, being as cheap as I am, I use whatever bottles or containers I have available on hand, Hi Hi...

Q: Any tips on DIY Calcium Reactors?

Yes, in the crafts department of many variety stores are sold plastic canvas rounds, these make good holding sections in the reactors. They can be easily cut with scissors, when the calcium rocks get tiny they do fall through the bottom, but this helps keep the units cleaner and allow the CO2 to blend around the rocks smoother. GVD

Q: would u suggest adding a small extra compartment to a skimmer to act as a bubble burster, before water returns to tank?

That would cost more to make than adding a taller sleeve at the bottom, or on venturi skimmers, double sleeve the output or exit line. Some skimmers just naturally dump air, no matter what you do, but if the exit is to the sump, this should not effect the aquarium.

Q: Remind us how to build your Plasti-Dip-Your-Grip version of keystone end caps!

Keystone caps can still be affected by salt-creep. Thus I use little slip on wire crimped connectors to affix to the pins, on the lamps. On starter type lamps I also wire only the starter bulb from the starter can at the end of the lamp at the same time. A single wire runs across the lamp to the other pin Then one wire goes to ground for all lamps, and one wire from each laamp to the ballasts Once the lamps are wired I leave a nice long connecting wire on the hot side and a short wire on the ground side, then dip the ends of the bulbs in the Plasti-Dip-Your-Grip stuff from the hardware store and allow to dry. If you do several bulbs at once they will be ready to go the next time you need a lamp. GVD

Q: Can you explain a "double sleeve" please?

Most skimmers have the exit at the top, but inside of the skimmer is a tube that extends to the bottom of the cylinder this is where the water enters the exit tube. By adding a larger tube around this, you can many times eliminate the air that is getting in the exit tube. GVD

Q: Can you make an overlflow with kitchen plastic conteiners???? what kind of glue can you use???

If you use vinyl containers, rather than polystyrene or polycarbonate, all fittings hsould be installed bulkhead style. Polystyrene can be glued successfully with oil-of-mustard type airplane glues. Poly carbonates should be glued with dichloromethane (methylene chloride) Also if you use the rigid to vinyl tube method of barbing it seals tight enough. GVD

Q: as far as downdrafts diy goes whats the best way and components to build a diy injector cap from? By downdrafts do you mean the ETS type skimmer feed. Your local hardware store carries a nelson hose sprayer nozzle in plastic, this works extreemly well, is cheap and easy to utilize with PVC fittings. It is sometimes cardded as a sweeper nozzle, don't use brass!

Q: do you have any tips on DIY lighting hoods? Also, better than bio-balls in the cylinder is gutter gard screening.

The cheapest lighting hood you can make is simply a cardboard box covered with contact paper. Allow the lamps to sit in racks. on the tank cover, held down with cable ties. If you take a piece of wood or plexi and drill holes spaced properly and then saw the board in half along the holes, you have a nice matching pair of lamp stands. They can be connected at the ends to form a box also. This in turn can then be held inside of a wooden hood with wing nuts for easy removal. The biggest problem with hoods and lamps is that the lamps always equal the length of the aquarium where the hood needs to set. In this case, you build the hood in two identical pieces. U-shaped pieces that is. Then keep the hood pieces separated about two inches by adding a 1/3 piece of lumber around the perimeter joining the upper and lower halves of the hood. This gives an area where the flourescent tubes can be slid into and the hodd will fit the tank perfectly. GVD Also - If you make a top for the hood, line the inside of the top with reflective material. Cheapskates like myself use potato chip bags, mylar. I just placed two 17,000K tubes from Japan on my aquarium I was surprised at how much higher the output is on these little 20 watt lamps than all previous lamps I have used. Adding these two lamps, removing two NO white actinics, showed an increase of 2,000 footcandles on the floor of the aquarium. GVD.

Q: can you give us the specs on the 17000k tube? They are 1/2 inch shorter than normal 24 inch long tubes, size of the tube is T-8 or a little larger. They are standard spaced bi-pin tubes. And very very bright for 20 watts. A slightly blue cast is evident. GVD

Q: Where'd you get the 17k bulbs? Marine Monsters

Q: Do they have other wattages/lengths available?

Also a new type of UV system. Since I only use NO type tubes, I did not inquire about HO, or VHO. URL for them is: http://www.marine-monsters.com

The UV I purchased is designed only for 24 hour continuous operation. Turning it on and off will kill the lamp. Zap dosage is controlled be adjusting the flowrate.

Q: Any thoughts on a Power Compact DIY hood and where to buy the encaps? I only just received the new lamps this week, so not enough time has elapsed to see their effects on the aquaria. Sorry, I havn't done anything with the power compacts except on a small tank, and that was a single unit, actually, I didn't think much of the design, too much hidden light, hard to get it reflected downward. GVD

I can comment on some Triton tubes I purchased. I found they rapidly deteriorated escalating to the red spectrum causing sudden unexpected algae blooms.

Q: How much are those 17k bulbs?

Hmmmm. Price, what where they, around 20 bucks I think.

Q: How about a DIY mantis shrimp trap?

Get a cigar tube, drill ahole in the closed end. on the input cap, using an exacto knife, cut several slits in the cap removing about 1/2 of the triangles, bend the others inward and thin them as much as you can so they are soft. The mantis can enter, but can't get out. You can also use a beard of wheat, only the hairs, all along the input end For you non-farmers, wheat beards have tiny hairs that only go in one direction. a piece of double face tape can hold them in place long enough to do the job. GVD Oh, bait I use little pieces of boiled shrimp finely chopped as bait for the mantis GVD

Q: Q: Is h2o2 equally as effective as ozone in combatting pathogens and problems such as RTN?

Most everyone here knows that after I killed my last ozonizer about 6 years ago, I have been using H2O2 with equal effectiveness, by dosing it inot the skimmer. My redox is set to hover between 398 and 405 I have had no problems from using H2O2 even after all these years. And I still have not spent what it would have cost to replace the ozonizer. on the H2O2. GVD

You can dose it in any aquarium skimmer at 1cc per gallon without a redox controller or meter. use 3% solution, even if you can get stronger, dilute it with DI water first. back down to 3% for dosing purposes. GVD

Q: do you have to run skimmer output through carbon as with ozone?

No, in fact you don't want to as H2O2 also raises the oxygen level of the tank, my tank runs between 105% and 110% oxygen level most of the time. I also dose iodine for those that want to make their own. You can use either Potassium Iodide or I use Sodium Iodide, 5% solution mix 50 grams of the 5% solution to 1 liter of pure water, like DI water then use about 1 Tsp per 100 gallons twice a week. GVD CO2 DIY CO2 brings up a lot of formulas on the newsgroups Hydrogen is outgassed from the aquarium quite readily also. Excess hydrogen that is. On the CO2 formula - yeast version. If you use anywhere from 1-1/2 to 2 cups of sugar in a 2 liter soda bottle, along with 1 tsp of yeast AND 1 Tsp of baking soda, it will usually run at a slower rate, about 3 bubbles per minute for over a three week period, you can run it for four weeks if you run double bottles, alternaiting them every other week.

Q: Q: how does h2o2 compare to kmno4? why is h2o2 preferred by you, whereas kmno4 is preferred by certain supplement manufacturers.

Nitrate eleveation can be a side effect of kmno4 I have not used it so cannot verify this!

Q: Is there anything you shouldn't DIY?

Actually several, some might seem rediculous. Tanks 55 gallons and under, the individual components cost more than manufactured tanks. Skimmers that will be run with Ozone, most homebrew jobs will start leaking, even though the plastic is OK, the glues are not. I would not suggest making your own ozonizers, even the bulb type, nor UV units. Everything else used in and around the aquarium can be manufacture by most aquarists for very low cost. Especially airwoods if you use them. GVD