93 Cube for under a grand. It can be done... I think. UPDATED GRAND TOTAL! :)

dantimdad · Oct 19, 2018

Well, an update on me.

The new job is going very well. I really like it here.

I haven't had an episode in almost two weeks. (I should knock on wood).

I believe they were brought on by stress now more than ever.

Nothing has been done on the tank this week except cleaning some stuff up.

I am hoping like heck to get some stuff done on it this weekend.

I am really considering selling my A1P and going a different route with the lighting but staying in the same budget.

dantimdad · Oct 31, 2018

The decision has been made on the lighting. I will definitely DIY. The A1P is for sale.

I also have made a decision on the nano. It will be a display refugium with a frog fish and be tied into the main display for sure.

This will take stuff out of the stand and give me more working room.

The tanks will be in opposite corners of a 12 foot wall so not too far away.

I will get under the house and plumb it as soon as the go into place.

dantimdad · Nov 8, 2018

I'm sorry. I haven't posted in a bit here.

The tank is sitting waiting for decent weather so I can sand and final paint the outside of the stand.

The 150 project is drawing to a close. (Thank God!)

I sold the A1P for $130 but lost my backside from shipping and paypal fees.

So, I ended up with $108.

I took that money and bought a Jebao DP3. It's on it's way to the house. Now, for the good part: I thought I was just ordering the doser for $58. Turns out, it is a kit! It comes with a triple 1.5 per chamber dosing container and a mounting shelf! Woohoo!

So, I had $50 left over and added $8 to it and ordered an open box wattshine black box fixture that I am going to mod. It was an open box return but has a warranty. Plus, it's white not black which I was hoping to find so I didn't have to paint it.

The mod plans are to remove all but a few lenses, swap out all but two reds and two greens for 420nm and a few white for them as well (total of 10x420nm). I will hard wire white cords to it so the black ones don't show as bad and they exit out of the back instead of the top (what a stupid design element!) while I have it open. I have a couple 14 gauge grounded extension chords that I will butcher up for this. They were on clearance at Wally world for $3 ea. (I actually bought 4 of them but use 2 of them for the leaf blower).

I may also swap out the fans I have for some really quiet ones I have on hand as well.

I got an early Christmas present of a Jebao 0w25 power head so now, I will have plenty of flow.

dantimdad · Nov 8, 2018

Oh, and I am going to add moonlights to the fixture as well. I haven't seen anyone do this stuff in a thread with step by steps so I will start a thread, detailing all the steps for the above.

I will take plenty of pics

dantimdad · Nov 10, 2018

The stand is sanded on the outside, ready for it's final coat of paint. We brought it inside to warm it up so the paint would work.

While it was sitting there, I couldn't leave it alone so...

It lights it up quite nicely!

It will look better when I clean up the wires and add a switch.

This project cost $0. The leds were the tail end of a roll I got for my son for a longboard project and the connectors and aluminum fixtures were sample requests from a manufacturer.

dantimdad · Nov 10, 2018

So, other than the doors and top trim, the stand is complete. I am not going to mount the switch panel until after I plumb in case I have to make changes.

The customer was not in today to deliver her tank and stand.

I really want to give it back to her and get $. It's funny how much of a rush she was in and now.... crickets.

dantimdad · Nov 11, 2018

Last coat of paint on the stand itself.

I have to rebuild the lighted trim panel for the control panel. It didn't fit properly and the EL wire transformer is noisy!

I put the little cube in place to check fitment and cleaned the tank. I will go ahead and tidy up the light wiring and replumb it as much as I can this week.

Finally, we are back to some progress!

Oh I forgot, the customer texted me at 11 last night and said they were sorry they forgot about me and took a last minute trip out of town to a dog show! UGH!

dantimdad · Nov 11, 2018

First door done. Got too dark to take pictures.

I will finish the other one this week and post.

dantimdad · Nov 12, 2018

OK, so it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind. Why can't it be a man's? LOL!

It was decided last night that the stand has to match the nano cube stand so it will be covered with luan and stained gray to match. The door will need a better sanding and stained as well.

It's nasty here so no woodworking but, the light came in a day early! Funny thing is, the fan made a noise. I emailed the seller and he gave me back $25 of the money. YES! I popped the back off of the light and discovered the fan is actually off center in the frame. I have NEVER seen this before in my life. Luckily, I was able to pull it and stick in another fan I had laying around. Silencio! I may just very well replace the other fan as this one seems to move more air. This is quietest black box I have heard yet.

The only thing missing from this light is violets IMO. It really does look nice. And it's very bright.

I might just build some LED bars to run along side it with a 420nm bulbs in it them and leave this fixture alone. That would mean finding a really cheap deal on another one and modding it for a build thread. Hmmmm.....

Brew12 · Nov 12, 2018

dantimdad said:
OK, so it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind. Why can't it be a man's? LOL!

It was decided last night that the stand has to match the nano cube stand so it will be covered with luan and stained gray to match. The door will need a better sanding and stained as well.

It's nasty here so no woodworking but, the light came in a day early! Funny thing is, the fan made a noise. I emailed the seller and he gave me back $25 of the money. YES! I popped the back off of the light and discovered the fan is actually off center in the frame. I have NEVER seen this before in my life. Luckily, I was able to pull it and stick in another fan I had laying around. Silencio! I may just very well replace the other fan as this one seems to move more air. This is quietest black box I have heard yet.

The only thing missing from this light is violets IMO. It really does look nice. And it's very bright.

I might just build some LED bars to run along side it with a 420nm bulbs in it them and leave this fixture alone. That would mean finding a really cheap deal on another one and modding it for a build thread. Hmmmm.....

Maybe she will change her mind on your budget, next!

dantimdad · Nov 12, 2018

Brew12 said:
Maybe she will change her mind on your budget, next!

I highly doubt that!

dantimdad · Nov 13, 2018

Someone messaged and asked how I was doing. I realized I hadn't kept up with that part of this thread as much as I said I would.

Almost 5 weeks without any seizure like activity. I changed doctors because they weren't helping anything. Turns out it was a good call. They had me on a ton of medicine that the new Dr. is going to have to wean me off of. My cholesterol was so low it was not measureable. That is bad on many levels but it's a wonder how I didn't have another stroke from lack of electrolytes. Sodium was way too low as was calcium. Good news is the A1C is down some (not enough) and BP is in the normal range.

I have lost a few but have to get 35 more off by the wedding. I will weigh less than I did my freshman year of HS. LOL.

My job is great. I really love the people and schedule of it.

Had a few $ setbacks around the house and with vehicles but, we will survive, we always do.

I ran into a couple people who haven't seen me since before the stroke. They were shocked and claimed I look better than before. Now, either I looked like total crap before or strokes can somehow improve your looks. (I am thinking the first one. ;Smuggrin)

So, generally, things are headed the right direction.