ctaylor3737 Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 I recently got the Alita-40 from Kensfish and love it. Saves lots of money and is pretty quiet for my small fish room. Powers thirteen tanks at the present time with lots of air left for double that easily. I heard good things about them, probably going to go with this brand. -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Just a quick update will be getting an alita air pump and running airline for it soon. I have also located a few water storage bins, 2x 55g and will have a 5g for sulawesi mix. I am thinking about doing one of my 29s as a sulawesi tank. Would be cool to do a large fully decked out tank. Getting the plumbing and the float valve for my storage tanks. Will be installing the plumbing and drains this weekend to. Want to start drywall but have a feeling all the little stuff with plumbing will take some time. Still have to wire up a few plugs and switches also. All my bottom plugs will be for filters and heaters. They all run to a switch so I can kill main power. Same for lights will have a higher outlet for different lights and equipment, also ran to a switch for easy shutoff. Hate having to unplug things so I can keep my lights going during water change. Also saving money for my NYC trip coming so will just work on little things this weekend! Probably will start on a 29g discus rack, the plumbing will include a drain in the wall, tanks will be drilled so a few flipping valves and auto drain! No messy hoses and running back and forth. Want to be able to drain the whole, rack at once. It will also be plumbed with lines from the water barrels so I can do a full water change that I do 2x a day with fry in a few minutes. Takes a lot longer the old way lol. -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hungle64 Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Looking at a few of my tanks and I will be able to bottom drill my 29s. This is what my breeders will be in and fry. Drawing it up tonight to post and see what you guys think. Thanks for the ideas, I found an awesome thread on the strip lights. Decided to order a set and begin tinkering with them. Others have used it for high light and med light. Should be easy for me to hit low light, conserve energy and cost. Will save me enough for new livestock......oh what to get. -Chris Hi Chris Is it possible that you can share the thread on DIY strip lights? I like to learn that as well ! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Sounds good, man. Most of mine is just jerry rigged. You blow me away big time. heh I have a large Alita air pump. It wil cost you more in the short run, but in the long run I think you will be very happy with it. When I first got it, I tried it out and it was LOUD! I was trying to find all kinds of ways to baffle the sound. But then I got smart and connected the hose running to the tanks to it and low and behold it turned as quiet as any regular air pump. ctaylor3737 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Sounds good, man. Most of mine is just jerry rigged. You blow me away big time. heh I have a large Alita air pump. It wil cost you more in the short run, but in the long run I think you will be very happy with it. When I first got it, I tried it out and it was LOUD! I was trying to find all kinds of ways to baffle the sound. But then I got smart and connected the hose running to the tanks to it and low and behold it turned as quiet as any regular air pump. Thanks! Mine is a Jerry rigged at the moment to. Trying to fix all those problems with this build lol. I never have enough time move things around currently without harming current livestock. So most of what I'm taking time on I've already messed up once lol. Thanks for alita advice I would do the same thing! I really helps starting bare bones down here. Get to choose,all the electrical stuff and lighting locations. Wanted to keep it nice as I'll have customers over to buy discus. -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Some people also add a bleeder valve to lessen the strain on the pump if you don't have enough air outlits. This is so the interior of the pump doesn't wear out with too much back force. I originally did that by adding a ball valve, but when opened it turned LOUD again. Then I added a multiple gang valve with hoses attached and valves wide open, and the sound went low again. Did that for a while until I had enough tanks it didn't matter anymore. Is did make a hissing sound, but you could probably even lessen that by adding air stones on the end to make "mufflers." Then again, with discus- you can never have too much air through multiple sponge filters, I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Also, you can add a "muffler" pvc pipe to the outlet of the pump, its just a bigger diameter pipe that reduces to the size you will be running around the room. Just something to consider ctaylor3737 and Soothing Shrimp 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 good point, Triton. :thumbsup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Also, you can add a "muffler" pvc pipe to the outlet of the pump, its just a bigger diameter pipe that reduces to the size you will be running around the room. Just something to consider For long runs is it best to use pvc then jump down to the airline size with a gangvalve? I want something that can be pretty permenant and will be easy to hide, I was even thinking about running it behind the wall, Ill see if I can put something together of what I am thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 I'd say you want to see the PVC, that way you can always add valves in... Make a PVC loop around the room, close to the ceiling. A guy I visit often has his exposed and its nice, when he wants to add a breeder box to a tank, if he doesn't have a spare line he just puts in another tap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 I'd say you want to see the PVC, that way you can always add valves in... Make a PVC loop around the room, close to the ceiling. A guy I visit often has his exposed and its nice, when he wants to add a breeder box to a tank, if he doesn't have a spare line he just puts in another tap Yea thats what I meant, want to run the initial through the wall and have it come out the length of the wall on both sides of the tanks. Will only be exposed behind the racks and will be easy to tap into. Going to be placing the airpump in a little storage room where my water barrels are. Should eliminate the noise of the pump and the initial run of the lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Good call, I thought you meant running the pvc through the walls... was a little concerned lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 I started with pvc on my rack and then got lazy and just used this per rack: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 So you just run PVC to each rack then split off with those. This actually was what I was thinking about going to, I dont like the idea of having to tap the pvc to add a line, just worried it may not seal properly or have a blow out. These would probably work great for me on each rack and would allow me to bleed off some if I need to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Yepper. I use these to seal up the end: 5/8" Baitwell plugs Model 18951 Leave one valve fully open and run the IN line for air through that. Then I can use the other valves to go out to my filters. In this way I can daisy chain to each rack. The con is you have lots of airline. But if you buy a roll of airline for $20 or so, it pays for itself very shortly. I'm thinking of using colored electrical tape to wrap each airline at the valve, and put on the corresponding tank for easy ID about which is which. I also found that if I plug an airline into a valve, and cut it about 6" away- and then use an airline coupler to reconnect the two pieces, it makes for easy switching around of airlines if I need to. It's really hard to pull the airline off the valve otherwise. Since I figured that out, it's made things much easier. They look something like these: But remember, mine isn't for looks. It's just spit and glue and practical for me- which is why I don't really post pics of my set ups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Could you get away with not plugging it and run the line to the next rack at the end? If its open on both ends could you just use it inline with another pvc to the next rack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Not with these. The other end is machined to be closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted May 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Havent made an update due to working and not getting much done on the room! I actually filled my 55g that I had down there and have it running at the moment, also put a few 10g down there for my killifish fry that I have. I plan on getting started on one of the racks this weekend. I am going to make something that I can fill with some 10gs. I have decided to use my rack that I got from lowes for my 20L and to construct something just for my 10g tanks. Will make them longways so that I can fit a few tanks on each shelf, I am going to make it the same size as my 20L racks and will be framing it in and using nice trim on it. I have also gotten all the wiring and plugs in, just need to hook it up to the box and test the outlets and it will be good to go. I plan on getting the 10g rack up and running and fill the tanks this weekend to get them cycling. I will be putting some drywall up to before I build them so that I do not have to move the racks when I am done. Been saving for my New York trip so I have not had much funds. Been staying out of there lol to keep my impulses in check lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted May 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Got a lot done today it'd awesome! So at first was,going to put just,the foam sheet behind the wall and that was it. Well realized there would still be a void in the wall so I came to the conclusion that insulation would be an extra barrier. All my outlets and switches, work great! All tested and 120v! About ready to drywall the back wall. I am also debating putting a few single outlets farther up the wall strictly for lights only. They will be tied into the over head lights. So a switch will turn on the whole room and a switch will kill just the lights. -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Comin' along, dude. ctaylor3737 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted May 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Comin' along, dude. Just sold my trailer today so getting some drywall and finishing insulation!!!!! -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metageologist Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 I would purchase some outlets high on the wall, are you using GFI outlets Have a gniess day. -Scott ctaylor3737 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted May 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 I would purchase some outlets high on the wall, are you using GFI outlets Have a gniess day. -Scott Yea I ran gfi down there. I ran 16 plugs lol. Putting a few more up near the ceiling ones 18, other row is 26. Still gotta insulate a bit then finishing up drywall on this main wall today. Looks great with the drywall up really brings the room together. -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metageologist Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 That's alot of plugs, you will be able to have your own store. Your right the drywall is bringing it all together. Have a gniess day. -Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted May 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Lol yea, figured why not while it was open. I'm sure I'll use them! -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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