Red_Beard's 75 Tank Build

[Red_Beard]

How about High Impact PolyStyrene (HIPS)? —It might actually fit the bill perfectly here!

(In fact, the local plastic fabrication shop here keeps it in stock by the sheet for various marine research project needs! [such as scuba diver’s clipboards, for example])

This one is your friend...

PP (Polypropylene) 3D Printer Filament 0.8KG | SUNLU Online Store

PP - flexible material characterized by its low density and lightweight properties, effectively reducing product weight while meeting food-grade safety standards - making it perfectly suitable for food-contact applications.

store.sunlu.com

That was exactly what i was starting to look into, polypropylene filament. Chemically it should hold up indefinitely in that environment. PH range of 1 - 14 is what they claim anyways.

Polystyrene would be great too, but i dont have anything other than normal woodworking tools (no cnc router or mill) and was hoping to print all the intricate parts.

 

[Red_Beard]

I have one acro "bouncing" or blistering as you call it as well.. should I consider this a warning of something more sinister in my tank?

Yes! That is a sign something is out of balance. If it is a blister, that area will be soft and you can even pull it off with tweezers (not that you should necessary) of it is just a funky growth it will be more solid.

Last time, i went the whole ICP route with mine and it keyed me into a few things that needed to be addressed. But, to address them it was just a bunch of big waterchanges anyway. This time i have opted to forego the ICP and just start doing a couple big changes. I have 55 gallons ill probably use 30 or 40) i just mixed up yesterday, and did a 25 gallon change last Saturday. Between the 2, it should put everything back in line.

In the electrical field, when I go to buy em at the supply house, we call them "click its" and they work great and work slip. They have multiple teeth so as you tighten them you can adjust tension of the "bite"

Sweet! That is good news

 

[That Crusso Kid]

That was exactly what i was starting to look into, polypropylene filament. Chemically it should hold up indefinitely in that environment. PH range of 1 - 14 is what they claim anyways.

Polystyrene would be great too, but i dont have anything other than normal woodworking tools (no cnc router or mill) and was hoping to print all the intricate parts.

There are some other filaments that would also work. However, those would become cost prohibitive. Plus, I am sure the PP will work really well.

 

[UncommonSense]

Polystyrene would be great too, but i dont have anything other than normal woodworking tools (no cnc router or mill) and was hoping to print all the intricate parts.

HIPS filament is what I had in mind, just print the parts!

 

[That Crusso Kid]

HIPS filament is what I had in mind, just print the parts!

Hey, where did you come from? You lurker, you!

We're on to you now, mister, and don't forget it.

 

[UncommonSense]

Hey, where did you come from? You lurker, you!

Haha I’m known to pop in from time to time when I find a problem that needs solving!

We're on to you now, mister, and don't forget it.

Phew, took ‘ya long enough!

 

[That Crusso Kid]

Haha I’m known to pop in from time to time when I find a problem that needs solving!


Phew, took ‘ya long enough!

I also saw your comments over on the thread about the person wanting to make his own lid. Good pointer of the 45 degree corner cut. Then again, @Red_Beard told me that you like cutting corners.

 

[Red_Beard]

Haha I’m known to pop in from time to time when I find a problem that needs solving!


Phew, took ‘ya long enough!

It is good to have you pop in!

 

[UncommonSense]

Then again, @Red_Beard told me that you like cutting corners.

I mean, he’s not wrong!

Just look at my temporary vent hood for upcoming silicone work:

The important part is knowing when and where to cut those corners to save time without harming the final product!

 

[Red_Beard]

I mean, he’s not wrong!

Just look at my temporary vent hood for upcoming silicone work:

The important part is knowing when and where to cut those corners to save time without harming the final product!

That is some uptown redneck ingenuity right there! I love your light mount too

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Phew, all caught up! I can't believe how frequently your nems split! The tank is looking fantastic! Congrats on the pregnancy also! I'd have another if I could talk my wife into it...

 

[Red_Beard]

Phew, all caught up! I can't believe how frequently your nems split! The tank is looking fantastic! Congrats on the pregnancy also! I'd have another if I could talk my wife into it...

Thank you, on both counts!
I have a few extra nems if you want one or two. I think i will be out on the Wasatch front in a few weeks, we could meet up :) Hit me up with a PM if you do. Totally understand if not though, it's like a dude trying to give away kittens lol

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Yes! That is a sign something is out of balance. If it is a blister, that area will be soft and you can even pull it off with tweezers (not that you should necessary) of it is just a funky growth it will be more solid.

Last time, i went the whole ICP route with mine and it keyed me into a few things that needed to be addressed. But, to address them it was just a bunch of big waterchanges anyway. This time i have opted to forego the ICP and just start doing a couple big changes. I have 55 gallons ill probably use 30 or 40) i just mixed up yesterday, and did a 25 gallon change last Saturday. Between the 2, it should put everything back in line.

Sweet! That is good news

I never knew! I have an icp test i was gong to send out tomorrow but I'll start some water changes too! It looks very fleshy and not like a weird stony growth. Its had it quite awhile though... strange!

 

[That Crusso Kid]

I mean, he’s not wrong!

Just look at my temporary vent hood for upcoming silicone work:

The important part is knowing when and where to cut those corners to save time without harming the final product!

She's a beaut!

I also like how that, what looks to be, 12" duct is connected to exactly nothing.

 

[UncommonSense]

I also like how that, what looks to be, 12" duct is connected to exactly nothing.

Close, 9”!

it’s just a electric baffle wired in with the roof mounted vent fan’s switch, preventing hot air from leaking out through the open fan intake during the colder months, when the fan’s not in use!

— it’s currently being set up to be locked open, reduced to 6” with a ring of plywood, and plumbed to the high velocity inline fan over the hood! This way, I can run both fans in series when actually performing fume extraction!

(It also means I don’t have to get creative to get a 6” vent out of the garage temporarily, doing something like a strip of plywood with a 6” hole, laid at the bottom of a cracked open garage door!)

 

[Red_Beard]

Ok, after painstaking research and much back and forth (** read that 'I spent about an hour looking stuff up and decided full steam ahead in about 2 minutes' **) I have decided to continue with the stirrer. I know, I know, you all are waiting with baited breath to see it actually get wet (or exist at all...), but you will have to wait another few days.
All of my research lead me back to polypropylene. 2 reasons, 1.) it is chemically stabile from 1-14 pH and 2.) it is food safe and won't leech anything. I was heavily considering HIPS, but was worried about styrene potentially leeching out over time. So, with new-found determination, I have ordered a spool. It will be here Saturday. Hopefully with a little trial and error i can get it to print without too much warping.

 

[MegabiteOG]

Just read through a lot to catch up. Good luck with the PP for the stirrer. Curios how it prints as I didn’t even know about it.

 

[Red_Beard]

Just read through a lot to catch up. Good luck with the PP for the stirrer. Curios how it prints as I didn’t even know about it.

Thanks! Once i get it figured out i will have post up some tips for anyone else that might want to try. for now though all i know is it likes to warp and will only stick to other polypropylene objects, so either get a bed sticker or use clear packing tape to keep it stuck to the bed.

 

[tharbin]

Thanks! Once i get it figured out i will have post up some tips for anyone else that might want to try. for now though all i know is it likes to warp and will only stick to other polypropylene objects, so either get a bed sticker or use clear packing tape to keep it stuck to the bed.

I don't remember what printer you have but Prusa makes a PP-coated bed for their printers. Maybe someone else also makes them.

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Can we call it poly p? way too much PP talk in here tonight.