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#1 |
Registered Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 744
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DIY Sea Swirl Thingy-ma-jig
So this design has been done before and it's not really a secret. However, I just wanted to make a log of it on here for people that would like to make their own one day. The only problem I encountered while making these arose before I even started. The diameter of the internal pipes of the spinning component is only 1/4". I have seen others online make these and they have claimed that they can handle 500 GPH or more each. This worried me because I was thinking there was no way that a 1/4" diameter hole could handle that much flow, but the guy at Lowe's made a good point. There aren't really sprinklers with larger diameters than that. So, maybe it's not quite that much per hour (physics can be unruly at times), but I think that two of them will be plenty enough to handle my ~350 GPH return. Anyways, here are lots of pictures for your visual entertainment!
![]() Items needed: -3/4" PVC Coupling (slip x slip) -Cheap, PVC sprinkler from any generic place -1/2" PVC Socket Cap -1/2" 90 Degree Elbow -1/2" PVC (only need a bit) -PVC Cement -Dremel -Torch The starting product. They are available at many places. ![]() The key to this project. ![]() Cut off the arms. ![]() Get rid of everything but the main pipe that water goes through. ![]() Isolate the spinning component. ![]() ![]() Done! Now the next step. ![]() Cut off the bottom (opposite of the spinning arm side) to expose the part that water goes through. ![]() Done. ![]() |
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#2 |
Registered Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 744
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Now to clean up both sides. Make sure that the fatter part (bottom part) isn't completely trimmed down like in the picture. It will make bonding to the 3/4" coupling a little more difficult because it will be too trim.
![]() Time to drill the 1/2" slip cap. Make sure to drill a pilot and then go in with a drill bit that matches the outside diameter of the top part of the spinning device (the one the connected to the spinning arms), or slightly smaller, and connect them. ![]() ![]() Now slide the 1/2" elbow on the 1/2" slip cap and PVC glue the 3/4" coupling to the fatter part (bottom) of the spinning component. ![]() Now, it's time to make spouts out of the 1/2" PVC pipe. Gentlemen, start you torches! Just bend some PVC, cut/sand it as you like, and connect them all! ![]() ![]() Finished product. Time to break out the Krylon and enjoy! ![]() |
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#3 |
Not afriad to admit wrong
![]() Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: South of WashDC in Maryland
Posts: 7,774
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Lets see it in action.
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Stock:LPS/SPS|1 hippo|4 OC Clown|4 Pepp shrimp|2 Brittle Star|3000+ Copepods|10+ MiniBrittle|8+ Bristle Worm|2 Anemone|100+ mini-feather|4 boys 14,21,22,22 Current Tank Info: Tank:300g Mixed Reef 300+lb LR|4" LS|5x MP40W|75g fuge|5x RadionPRO|RO DB250 skimmer|Apex |
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#4 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Fresno, CA
Posts: 83
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Ok...interesting....but how does it work in the tank? Anyone have these in their tanks or have a video on YouTube to watch?
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#5 |
Registered Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 744
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My project has taken much longer than I expected but it's slowly coming together. I will be gluing up the external/internal overflow box tomorrow then I just have to let it cure for a bit. I'll put a video up to report the results once I have the cycle started. I have full confidence in them. If anything, I'm afraid they might spin too fast. I made the spouts short and tried to make bigger holes (which should slow down the spin a bit), but I have a pretty mean angle coming out of the spout and the component spins when you blow on it.
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#6 |
Registered Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 3,907
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If it spins too fast a small hole drilled on the back of the arm should slow it down, bit like a siphon break hole if you know what i mean. You can always enlarge the back hole until you're happy with the spin rate. Looks good so far, thanks for the pics
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Andrew |
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#7 | ||
Registered Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 744
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Quote:
Quote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3iv39VA0ws After that trial run I don't think it's going to spin too fast. I think that between however many it takes to handle the return pump (two, maybe three), they are going to spin at a nice rate and get a lot of turbulent flow. I'm excited to get them up and running once my internal/external are completed. Last edited by crn005; 02/28/2013 at 01:49 AM. |
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#8 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 88
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ingenious! Will try this one out! My only concern would be that algae or detritus build up over time would hinder or stop movement completely.
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#9 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: CT
Posts: 670
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THATS GREAt. i would have never ever thought of that. Good DIY. I had to read it with the title you had on it.
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#10 |
Registered Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 744
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I don't think the algae will be much of a problem. You can push the spinning component pretty far down into the 1/2" cap to where the spinning part is almost entirely concealed. Plus, I'm just dry fitting them to the return so I can remove them and take a toothbrush to it with ease. The best part about these guys is that they cost about $5 or less to make if you have PVC glue and 1/2" or 3/4" PVC lying around. It doesn't take much. Plus, you're looking at a 30-45 minute build time for each, depending on how fast you work.
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#11 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 103
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I am definitely looking forward to a video of this working.
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#12 |
Registered Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 744
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Just as soon as I get my external and internal overflow boxes up and running, I will definitely post a video of them in action on the display tank. Feel free to expedite the process on this other thread so I can deliver on this one!
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...2261673&page=3 |
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#13 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 15
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Been following this
Ok I am in the planning stages of my tank and I am a DIY kind of guy. So much so that I would probably pay more to build it myself than buy it
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#14 |
Registered Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 744
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Sorry I'm so late to reply! I didn't realize You had commented. Anyways, I think that should be fine. They seem to restrict the flow a little more than just running a lock line but they definitely can move some water.
My build has been slowed down quite a bit due to money and time (story of my life) but its getting close to being up and running. I just tried a little dry fitting trial run with two of them connected to a pipe running across the front of my internal overflow. I'm going to give them a go real soon and see how both in action at the same time work. However, I'm only doing this to test their abilities. I will not be using them permanently due to how small my tank is. I feel like the pipe and rotating hands will right under my LEDs and it will cast annoying shadows. We will see but they're probably not going to be used until I do my next bigger build ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Last edited by crn005; 05/08/2013 at 12:21 PM. |
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