DIY Plankton Reactors

[John Easterday]

I have an 8' piece of 6" Diameter Acrylic tubing with 1/8" wall. I was considering making a couple of DIY Plankton reactors similar to the ones that AquaMedic sells. I wall also be making a large chaeto reactor to have outside the display.

Does anyone here know where to get Acrylic funnels like they have on the bottom of those reactors??? I was considering using an oven to form them but wanted to see if something like that was commercially available.

 

[TheEngineer]

That’s some expensive acrylic you’ve got there :)

Maybe @Floyd R Turbo or @cromag27 can help you source the part you’re looking for.

 

[John Easterday]

That’s some expensive acrylic you’ve got there :)

Maybe @Floyd R Turbo or @cromag27 can help you source the part you’re looking for.

When I called our local plastics place they quoted me something like ~40$ a foot i believe. I can't remember off hand now what it actually was. This was given to me by a client. I told him I wanted to do something crazy with it so why not do an obnoxious plankton/macro culture vessel.......

 

[Katrina71]

Any updates? I'm tinkering too.

 

[AlexG]

Some options to consider.

• Try to find a cone bottom induction tank or a funnel that is made from a reef safe material and create a flange with a gasket to hold it in place.
• Vacuum mold acrylic into a cone shape that can be glued to your acrylic tube or again create a custom flange with a gasket to hold it in place.
• Another option for molding acrylic into a cone would be to use a router to create the inside diameter of the acrylic tube with a couple pieces of wood and then heat the acrylic until it can be molded and then sandwich the acrylic between the pieces of wood and then shape the cone using gravity and a steel/wooden rod. The excess acrylic can then be cut away and fittings attached.

 

[John Easterday]

Any updates? I'm tinkering too.

Hey, I still haven't taken the time to work on this project at all. Since the original post I have established a relationship with a local cabinet maker. I have access to a CNC now that should make this idea a little more realistic. I have a few designs started in Sketchup, I will share them when i get a few completed.

 

[John Easterday]

Some options to consider.

• Try to find a cone bottom induction tank or a funnel that is made from a reef safe material and create a flange with a gasket to hold it in place.
• Vacuum mold acrylic into a cone shape that can be glued to your acrylic tube or again create a custom flange with a gasket to hold it in place.
• Another option for molding acrylic into a cone would be to use a router to create the inside diameter of the acrylic tube with a couple pieces of wood and then heat the acrylic until it can be molded and then sandwich the acrylic between the pieces of wood and then shape the cone using gravity and a steel/wooden rod. The excess acrylic can then be cut away and fittings attached.

These are great ideas. I think the idea of cutting a circle and setting it in a mold of some sort and heat forming a shallow cone will be doable. Any ideas on a petcock assembly for the bottom? That will be the next obstacle.

 

[Katrina71]

Hey, I still haven't taken the time to work on this project at all. Since the original post I have established a relationship with a local cabinet maker. I have access to a CNC now that should make this idea a little more realistic. I have a few designs started in Sketchup, I will share them when i get a few completed.

Please do

 

[damsels are not mean]

Any updates? Interested in designing such a thing myself.