Update on the ultimate sorority project

[Smokey65662]

:) Well thankyou. I will gladly pour in as much information as I can when I upload pictures/videos, and answer as many questions as I possibly can. If this thread doesn't qualify to be stickied, then maybe at the end of it all I can write a detailed how to maybe? Idk who the mods are on this site. There input would be appreciated :)

[Smokey65662]

UPDATE: So today I cut the one inch strips that will hold up pieces of plexi, that way I can remove them for easy access to my different filter media's. I will also be cutting two one inch wide pieces and bracing the 40 gallon. I know this isnt required but it wiuld help me sleep better at night so im going to go for it. I went ahead and ordered this (http://www.amazon.com/Rena-702E-Mode...6481603&sr=1-9) To "boil" the biological media. Should me more than powerful enough to move, and bubble it the way I want. I also tried out the UV sterilizer today to see if I liked it before it got too long of having it to return it if some incident were to arise. Well...I took it back. It is poorly made IMO, and is a very poor design. Don't get me wrong im sure it works and for some people will do the job well, but for me it just looked too cheep and poorly made for me to keep it. I will later get something different when the time comes.

[adamxaotmic]

Not sure how thick the Acrylic your cutting is. But whenever I cut it, I like to use something like this. http://tinyurl.com/3sef4ha
Or anything with a high TPI. It makes the job a lot easier than scribing the Acrylic and trying to break it. It also gives you a lot cleaner edge.
This is a star I was cutting out for a side panel window for my girlfriend's PC.


Just make sure you use a piece of wood and a clamp on each side to hold it down or it'll flex a lot with the motion of the blade.

Looking great though! Can't wait to see the result.

[Smokey65662]

That looks like a great cutting job :) I am currently using one of those stupid tools you get from lowes to basically scribe it and break it...I would like to use something else but at this point (almost done cutting the stupid crap) I guess I will have to live with it. I recon if I ever start working with it again (im sure I will) I will go out and get the better tools to do the job. I have been using vice grips and a rag to clamp the T-Square to the plexi to keep it from moving on me and it has worked ok enough for this project. I think the next thing I will do involving plexi is possibly something when I order a new case for my desktop. Until then this little plastic grimlin tool will have to serfice lol. AS far as updates go I will be uploading a video late tonight to show the progress. I wanted to do a video since I can pack a lot of info in there all at once and give people a nice view of the project. Its a little ghetto, and its not perfect, but im not one to be picky unless its something im showing off...and the sump is just going to hide under the desk so im not to concerned lol. Anyways I will keep everybody posted as to when the video is up for everybody's viewing enjoyment :)

[Smokey65662]

I am now uploading the video to youtube. It will be 2 or more hours but when It is done I will post the link here.

[Smokey65662]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaFyk-GLbVs
Here is the first video.

[Smokey65662]

Ok all the pieces are cut and im ready to silicone :) I will post pictures later tonight to show what it looks like.

[Smokey65662]

UPDATE: So last night I got around to trimming off all the extra silicone that was around the edges of where the plexi meets the glass. It was a pain in the butt but in the end I think it turned out pretty good. I also got my pump, and the bio media (25L of k1) in the mail last night :) so I wasted no time putting both to work. I used the pump to drain the water from the tank once I had it leak tested and filled up and I made a homemade bio filter for my 10 gallon tank (I will make a diy guide in the next couple of days that I will post). I am very happy with both products so far, but the bio media is going to take a while before I can fully rate how well it works. Here are some pictures.

This is the 20 gallon long. I had already siliconed this 2 days ago and now it was time for the clean up (sorry there are no pictures of the siliconeing.....it was a messy job lol).




This was the second two chambers being leak tested after the cleaning. Im happy to say I had no leaks :)










And this is the entire tank filled up to the brim after testing the second chamber.


Here is a nice side view full of water.






This is what the mag drive 7 looks like




And heres the 25L box of K1 media (the biological filter)




Thats it for now. Will post more when it happens :)

[TequilatheBetta]

looking good!

[ollief9]

more please!