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Thread: Version 3 ATS : Vertical, LED, bigger

  1. #11

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    Re: Version 3 ATS : Vertical, LED, bigger

    It will be interesting to see the cost difference between bins, and luminance at a more realistic 750mA.
    The XP-G-R5 is 139 lm at 350mA, which is not far off 160. (15%)
    While the extra efficiency will eventually pay for the up front costs, it may take quite a few years.

  2. #12

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    Re: Version 3 ATS : Vertical, LED, bigger

    Here is the "build instructions" for the boxes I am making. I am just about done, then I will add pics.
    I am including this for 2 reasons:
    1) To emphasize that with a little planning, you can get almost zero wasted acrylic.
    2) To show that you can use much thinner acrylic. Cheaper, lighter, better light transmission.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    # Plan:
    This will make two 22" x 16" x 6" boxes.
    Almost zero waste of acrylic pieces.
    Uses 1/16" for front/back. Cheaper, lighter, passes light better.
    But requires precise widths on end/bottom, and care in how the joints come together.
    The rest is 3/16, but can be 1/4. Really driven by what Lowes stocked.
    You can glue the edge of a 3/16" sheet, but the 1/8" edge is too small to bond.

    # Purchase:
    Available at Lowes:
    Acrylic: 1/16" thick, 32" x 44"
    Acrylic: 3/16" thick, 24" x 48"
    At the end, used all but about 1/2 sq ft, small pieces.

    # Front/Back: Two roughly 16 x 22
    Use 1/16" acrylic.
    4 * 15-7/8" x 21-7/8"
    Simply cut the big 32" x 44" sheet into 4 identical pieces.
    Roughly 16x22 each - saw blade
    Will be routed down later. Just make sure 1 edge of each is perfect.

    # Ends: Four roughly 6 x 16
    Use 1/4" acrylic.
    4 * 5-7/8" x 15-3/4".
    These are full height. Bottom actually goes inside ends.
    Cut 24" x 15-3/4" from end of sheet, then cut that into 4 * 5-7/8" wide pieces.
    Slot for pipe on top will be cut later.

    # Bottom: Two roughly 6 x 22
    Use 1/4" acrylic.
    2 * 5-7/8" x 21-1/4"
    Subtracted 1/4 from each side for thickness of ends. 21-7/8 - 1/4 - 1/4.
    Cut 5-7/8 off twice, then cut off ends to length

    # Top stiffener: Four roughly 1 x 24
    Use 1/4" acrylic.
    4 * 1" x 24"
    Cut 1" x 24" off four times)

    # Top Plate: Two roughly 7 x 24
    Use 1/4" acrylic.
    2 * 7" x 24"
    You should have about 14" left. Just cut that in half.
    A little more if you have a thin kerf blade.

    # Legs / Base:
    Use redwood 2x6 (1-1/2 x 5-1/2).
    4 * 12" x (2x6)

    # Cut notches for pipe.
    Target is top of pipe to be 3/8" below top of ends.
    Option 1: Cut pipe opening with drill hole cutter.
    Option 2: Clamp coupler to acrylic, cut small hole, route with flush cut to coupler
    Then cut straight up from hole with saber saw or router/fence.
    Do to all four end pieces, identical.

    # Clean edges
    You need 1 good edge on front/back.
    You need 1 good edge on ends.
    You need 3 good edges on bottom. (1 long, 2 short)
    Planer, sandpaper, scraper.

    # Gluing main box - step 1
    Set front on flat surface.
    Glue one end on. Make sure it is exact height on top perfect edge of front.
    . Bottom will overhang. Leave 1/64 overhang on sides.
    Glue bottom on, to front + side. Make sure it is level.
    . Will be excess front below bottom.
    Glue other end on, to front + bottom. Make sure it is exact height on top perfect edge
    . and parallel with other side. There will be excess on front.
    Stop and let dry.

    # Cut excess.
    Take a router flush cut bit, and cut off excess on front acrylic and
    any on ends where they meet bottom.

    # True up.
    The bottom and ends must be EXACTLY the same width to glue the back on.
    To do this, easiest to run it through a router table.
    Front acrylic against fence. Flip it 3 times.

    #Glue on back.
    Making sure top lines up exactly.
    Route off excess front/back. Same as above.

    # Glue stiffeners
    Glue stiffeners along top of box.
    Also made a few smaller stiffeners.

  3. #13

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    Re: Version 3 ATS : Vertical, LED, bigger

    Getting there.
    The two boxes of acrylic are glued up.
    Finishing one off first. It is almost done.
    Still need a base, insulation, lights, pump, rougher screen, and tuning the slot.
    But almost there.

    One thing I realized though: With the thin wall acrylic, it may not handle being full of water. But not meant to
    ever fill beyond 3/4 inch, and if it does, I have big problems anyway.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #14

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    Re: Version 3 ATS : Vertical, LED, bigger

    Here it is finally running.
    Too many distractions. Took a while.
    Still hooked up with temporary CFL lighting though. Need to order LEDs.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  5. #15

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    Re: Version 3 ATS : Vertical, LED, bigger

    Quick update:
    I ran it for a couple of days, and green started to appear.
    I shut if off, since it was only a quick test.

    I really need to work on something to shade the slot. It sure plugged up fast.
    My plan is to cut a 1.25" PVC pipe in half, and build some mounting brackets for it, so
    each half drops in as a shade on each side.

    I need more overflow holes on top. It actually started to produce a bit of a water jet when the slot filled,
    pushing the lid up enough to leak. Probably need to increase the slot a bit as well.

    I also need to work on the out-flow. Way too many bubbles, and super noisy.
    Right now, there are two 1.25" holes, that feed into a single 1.25" pipe.
    I prefer not to go with a huge pipe, so I plan to add a 1" pipe, in "full siphon" that should
    take most of the water. The little left should be fine in the original pipe.

  6. #16

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    Re: Version 3 ATS : Vertical, LED, bigger

    The slot:
    From another thread: The slot ended up being surprisingly tricky to get right.
    I went through a couple of pieces of pipe, trying different things.
    The slot is 21 inches long, and runs about 800 GPH.
    I ended up cutting a 1/8" slot, and then drilling small 3/16" holes every 1/2".
    The holes fixed two things: They added flow, since 1/8" was too small, and they roughen up
    the slot, reducing the horizontal velocity, making a more even flow.

    For the test setup, the slot is still not big enough, but I am waiting.
    But for the real system, the ATS will be a bit higher, so I will lose some pressure.
    Easy to make the slot bigger. Not so easy to make it smaller.

  7. #17

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    Re: Version 3 ATS : Vertical, LED, bigger

    Screen Clips:
    Not originally my idea, but worth writing up more carefully, since they work great.
    I have a 1.25" pipe for the slot.
    I cut small 1/4" long pieces from a 1.5" pipe, ending up with small rings.
    I then took a 1" chunk out of the ring. So ended up with a ring, with a gap.
    I then cut small rectangular 3/8" holes near the top of the screen for the clips.
    The rings clip over the pipe fairly easily.
    What you do is rotate the rings around the pipe, into the holes, to hook/unhook the screen.
    Super easy.

  8. #18

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    Re: Version 3 ATS : Vertical, LED, bigger

    A bit of a change on the lighting:
    I decided to save some money, and instead of going with the fancy deep-red LEDs, just buy some
    cheaper warm white + reds from ebay.

    I also plan on putting all the LED lighting details in a different thread.
    HERE:
    viewtopic.php?f=3&t=728

  9. #19

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    Re: Version 3 ATS : Vertical, LED, bigger

    Watching this with great anticipation, as I am planning a very similar build on a slightly larger tank. I'm glad you've done all the hard work of figuring out which LEDs are effective.

  10. #20

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    Re: Version 3 ATS : Vertical, LED, bigger

    Thanks.
    It is basically done, but sitting on the shelf gathering a bit of dust.
    A big tank is a LOT of work to set up. There are so many other things to do.
    Plus, between work and kid stuff, not that much hobby time.
    But I anticipate getting tap-water testing going in about 2 weeks, so might have something more to show.
    Target for fish was Thanksgiving, but looking questionable.

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