onefang

wow.. the DC really is almost invisible.

onefang

I made a quick, basic video on bending acrylic tube for you.
Please don't leave comments on youtube, I will not respond.

If you have questions, please post them here, where we all can learn from them

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o4Hh_uDm3o

Duckweed Hunter

Vary cool stuff!!! what do you use to cap off you intakes and spray bars ?

onefang

I buy acrylic solid stock to match the inner diameter of the tubing, and cut little 1/8" plugs. I then use Weld-On #4 in a blunt hypo needle. It's tricky because the Weld-On takes advantage of the capillary action between the plug and the inside of the tube. You have to get just enough in there to fill the gap, but not too much that it runs down the tube.
I've used little dome ends to cap them too, but they don't stay stuck quite as well.

wabisabi

Great vid. Thank you for taking the time to put that together. I really appreciate it!

I gotta try this out. A glass lily pipe is like a time bomb waiting to happen when you have kids playing in the house. But you just can't beat the aesthetics of a clear lily pipe.

How did you fabricate the adjustable spraybars?

Tex Gal

You have done such nice work. I just watched your video. Is there a way to clean the intakes? Does the bottom come off so that you can get a brush in there? I can picture debris getting caught in the holes.

onefang

No problem! I understand about the kids, I have a 5 year old, and my tank is in the living room

For the adustable spraybars, I bend the general shape of the spraybar, then I cut the tubing after the last bend that goes into the actual "bar" portion. I then take a small piece of 10 mm tubing and tap it into the connection tube. To get the bar to slip over the new little joint piece I just tapped in, I very lightly heat the end of the bar, and push it over the connection. Then I let everything cool in place. If everything is done right, the bar should be tight enough friction wise, to stay on the connection while still being able to rotate with some effort


The bottom plug on the intake is glued in place, so there isn't really a way to get a brush in there(unless you have one of the bendy ADA brushes for lily pipes). It usually just takes a bleach dip, thorough rinse, and then a dechlor dip to get them looking like new again.
The advantage to holes, is that anyone could easily adjust the diameter. If I make a set of pipes, and they are clogging excessively, you can just use a hand drill, and whatever diameter drill bit, and the holes wide like butter. I've also made several pipe sets with a certain margin of shrimp safety by drilling a large multitude of very small (1mm or smaller) holes, making a sponge on your intake less necessary.

baldy1970

like the spray bar was thinking of something like that for my 55g

Chea

Hi, i am new in this forum , staying at selayang, batu cave, n interested in doing a diy co2 inline difuser, anyone can tell where to buy this acrylic tube - 50mm and cap ? Thank you.

Zapins

I can't see the first 6 pictures, anyone else see a problem with them too? Youtube link was removed by user as well.

By the way, you can embed a youtube link by typing [ youtube ] Link [ / youtube ] if I remember right.