[EmotionalFescue]

I currently have lily pipes on this newish tank (~2 months since setup). While I like the look of the pipes, I'm a bit concerned about the flow pattern it's giving me. The plants on the right are doing better than the ones on the left and especially the ones in the back left.

Incidentally, I cannot for the life of me manage to take a decent pic of this tank!

I'm working up to adding fish, letting the hygrophila bush fill out first. The plan is to put a black, DIY mesh lid on when I add fish and that's already going to kibosh the pure rimless look. I figured as long as I'm doing that I might as well try out a spraybar too. I reserve the right to revert to the pipes, but I think it's worth giving it a go, so I'm going to make one and see what it looks like all put together.

Materials:

The plan is to make it like one I recently made for a smaller tank.

This one will be longer, but I'm also going to have the connection on the left going over the side of the tank instead of behind since this tank is clear through the back. Also adding a camlock connection for easy removal.

Hope to work in it some tonight. To be continued...

 

[EmotionalFescue]

I really should have dragged this out a bit longer to help kill more cold, dark February evenings, but I couldn't help myself...

Dry fit

One end piece is offset to grab onto the tank

Taped for alignment prior to cementing

All cemented and prior to hole drilling

Taped and drilled

Ready for installation!

All hooked up

 

[Bserve]

Looks great!

 

[AlexNillson89]

Wow looks really cool! How many days did you do it yourself? Is there an opportunity for a person who is not very good at doing something with his own hands to get out? Or is it better to go straight away and buy in the store?

 

[minorhero]

Nice looking setup! Its hard to keep things low profile on a rimless but I think you did it.

 

[sm1ke]

I like the design. Are those just basic PVC pipes you used for the hangers/elbows?

 

[EmotionalFescue]

Looks great!

Nice looking setup! Its hard to keep things low profile on a rimless but I think you did it.

thank you both!

Wow looks really cool! How many days did you do it yourself? Is there an opportunity for a person who is not very good at doing something with his own hands to get out? Or is it better to go straight away and buy in the store?

thank you!

once i had the materials, this just took an evening to assemble and install. as far as DIY jobs go, it's actually not too bad, though having certain tools (miter saw and drill press) makes it easier. i'd say the trickiest part is getting the holes clean and well-spaced. taping the pipe makes getting clean holes much easier, and you could do it with a hand drill if that's all you have.

i say give it a go, just follow that old maxim: measure twice and cut (or glue) once!

I like the design. Are those just basic PVC pipes you used for the hangers/elbows?

yep, standard 1/2" schedule 80 fittings and black pvc. i had to order them online though because nobody carried sch 80 (aside from unions) near me.

 

[ReeferRusso]

The spraybar is a nice touch, @EmotionalFescue . I have a couple of very similar spraybars on my 90g. However, I took the easy and cheap way out, because my tank set up is temporary right now, by using white schedule 40 PVC and painting it black with Krylon spray paint. Needless to say, some of the paint has come off the PVC.

BTW - you any relation to Fred Flintstone? (I do hope you have a good sense of humor!)

 

[EmotionalFescue]

The spraybar is a nice touch, @EmotionalFescue . I have a couple of very similar spraybars on my 90g. However, I took the easy and cheap way out, because my tank set up is temporary right now, by using white schedule 40 PVC and painting it black with Krylon spray paint. Needless to say, some of the paint has come off the PVC.

BTW - you any relation to Fred Flintstone? (I do hope you have a good sense of humor!)

ha! my wife is always teasing me for my 'flinstone feet'... my 8yo son has them too, though his feet have outpaced the rest of him considerably.

 

[ReeferRusso]

ha! my wife is always teasing me for my 'flinstone feet'... my 8yo son has them too, though his feet have outpaced the rest of him considerably.

Happy your sense of humor is healthy!.

Just wait until your 8 year old's body starts catching up with his feet. You'll have a tough time keeping the fridge full!

 

[EmotionalFescue]

so, i like the spraybar... the circulation is clearly better. you can just watch the water roll down the front glass and eddy into the central island of plants. the one downside i'm seeing now that the lights are on is that the shimmer has lost its organic feel. on balance, i think it's worth it, and i'll take the tradeoff in favor of better plant health.

 

[NotThePainter]

Nice job! Now pull it off and hit the grey plastic with some black Krylon Fusion paint, yes, it is fish safe.

 

[Deanna]

Although I don’t have a rimless, I have a similar setup where the spraybar traverses the length at the top. I placed mine in the front of the tank, pointing down, to give unimpeded sweep of the floor while not bending the stems in the back. I’ve maintained much of the ripple (mainly for gas exchange purposes), for the shimmer with my LED’s, by having the spray bar sitting slightly above the water line and pointing the outflow at the glass. This minimizes the sound, especially as evaporation occurs, but does disturb the surface.

One other thought: those right-angle bends do reduce flow through the return. If that becomes an issue, you may want to switch them out for curved bends.

 

[BOTIA]

Why not use clear for spray bar..?

 

[EmotionalFescue]

Why not use clear for spray bar..?

What am I looking at here? Is that acrylic tubing? Glass?

 

[EmotionalFescue]

The addition of the spraybar has definitely enhanced gas exchange.

With the lily pipe outflow I needed 73/150 on the co2 flowmeter with two half hour off periods in the afternoon to get a 1.3-1.4 pH drop throughout the lighting period. Yesterday I needed 90/150 with no afternoon blackouts. Much more like what I see on a similar sized tank with a sump.

 

[BOTIA]

What am I looking at here? Is that acrylic tubing? Glass?

Lee rigid aquarium rigid tubing . i use a heat gun and tube bending springs to make them.

 

[BOTIA]

The addition of the spraybar has definitely enhanced gas exchange.

With the lily pipe outflow I needed 73/150 on the co2 flowmeter with two half hour off periods in the afternoon to get a 1.3-1.4 pH drop throughout the lighting period. Yesterday I needed 90/150 with no afternoon blackouts. Much more like what I see on a similar sized tank with a sump.

To enhance gas exchange I prefer using a skimmer on my canister input. keeps fish and plants happy .

 

[EmotionalFescue]

To enhance gas exchange I prefer using a skimmer on my canister input. keeps fish and plants happy .

I have one of those as well!

 

[BOTIA]

I have one of those as well!

they work pretty well, I drilled two small holes in the bottom of the adjusting end So I can adjust it through the top with a pair of tank tweezers. I find getting into the bottom to adjust it properly pain pain in the ass