Getting bored again. Need new project.

[Keith Wolcott]

I glued them together with construction grade glue made for floors and joists that I got at home depot (it comes in a tube made for a caulking gun). After gluing, I nailed them together, but that was really just to keep them aligned. The glue is supposed to be stronger than the wood. I think that the glue really helps them act as a single beam and thus makes it stronger. I hope that this helps.

[chefkeith]

I'm glad I asked. I didn't even think about gluing them together. That's what I'll do. Thank you.

[chefkeith]

After spending several hours in my crawl space it sure does feel good to be sitting in my office chair again. Sitting never felt so satisfying in my life. I'm still not completely done either, I got to back under for about another hour. At least it's not real hot outside today and it's not raining either.

This was the hardest work I've done in a very long time and it came with all sorts of problems. The crawl space is 18 - 25 inches high, so I couldn't sit upright without hitting my head on something. The first hole I dug I ran into a sewer pipe, so I had to move the hole to a new spot. I'm digging with a small garden hand shovel also so it went very slowly. I dug the second hole, then put the concrete deck block in the hole, then threw dirt on top of it, then I realized the deck block wasn't level, so I had to do all over again. It took forever to get the thing level.

Then I started digging another hole for the next block. Put the block in, leveled it, then I realized that the hole wasn't deep enough, so I had to start all over again.

Once I got done digging everything went pretty easy. I set-up some additional blocks to set the beam into place, then I installed the jack posts.

Building the beam went really well. I used 3- 8 foot 2x8's, liquid nails construction adhesive, a few clamps, and plenty of nails. I couldn't build a longer beam because a furnace and chimney is in the way. I used 2x8's because I didn't want to dig deeper holes. The jack posts only go down to 19 inches and beam was 7.5 inches, so I had to compensate somewhere because of the limited space I was working in.

I have some really cool upgrades for the tank. The water-bridge has been painted and is ready to be hooked up. The new overflow I'll be building is going to be one of kind.

Time for me to back into the crawlspace to finish up.

[chefkeith]

I think I'm done for Today. I read somewhere that I should only raise my sagging floor about 1/8" per week. It needs to be raised about 1" total, so I'll be tightening one of the jack posts about 7 more times before its set. It's shouldn't sag anymore than it already is because everything is tight. I should be able to fill the 190g tank tonight. I built the new stand an extra inch high so that I wouldn't have to wait until the floors are level and so that I don't have to shim the stand.

I'm really beat. My knees and elbows are really sore. Knee and elbow pads would of been good to have. My back is tightening up too. If my back brace was completely soaked in sweat I'd be wearing it right now. I did alot of lifting today, concrete blocks, the lumber, and what not. I wouldn't of been able to do all that without the back brace. Now I'm rambling. Beer does that to me. Time for dinner.

[bookpage]

Thanks for keeping us up to date. I feel for you. I am 67 and if I did what you have just done, I would be down for a week.

Keep the picture of the 190 after you get done in you mind's eye. That's the carrot to follow.

[Keith Wolcott]

chefkeith- You have done well. That is a really tough job. You had better take it easy for a bit and just plan your tank project.

[chefkeith]

Bookpage- You're welcome. I like to post my fish projects in detail so that I can see and remember everything that I've done over the years. I'm kind of in a rush to get this all done too. I might not have much time to do big projects like this again until next summer. I'm 38, but next week I'll be a full-time college student again and my bowling season starts.

Keith W. - Thaks, I'll taking it easy. I sitting down with a sawzall in one hand, a beer in other, and mocking up the overflow.

I'm trying the old idea I had, with clear 3" acrylic tube, so that I'll be able to see if the overflow is primed or not.


Nearly forgot, here's a pic of the water-bridge. The other is painted black, so I painted this one orange, in tribute to the clown loaches. I wonder if they'll be able to tell the difference by the different colors? I remember before, they would get confused and couldn't tell the water-bridges apart.


Here's a pic of the black water-bridge for those who haven't seen it before.-

[chefkeith]

Question- Does anyone know if Acrylic pipe can be bonded to PVC pipe?

I've got PVC purple primer and PVC cement. I also have acrylic solvents, Weld-on #3 and #16. Should I try one of these?

[chefkeith]

Quick update.
I put the plants back in the tank a few days ago. The heart- leaf philodendron's are in a pvc half-pipe just above the water-line. They are all starting to recover now.
I got the water-bridge up also. Only the plecos have swam threw it so far. I guess they wanted to reclaim their old home before the loaches discovered that the water-bridge was up.

Here some pics, I'll try to get some close-ups later-

[Keith Wolcott]

It's looking good. Did you try bonding acrylic to PVC? I'm curious about this too?

[chefkeith]

No I haven't, but I read somewhere that I should use Gorilla Glue.

I not sure if I'm going to hook the sump system back up just yet, so I might not need to re-build that overflow. Filling up the 190 tank has increased the water volume to about where I was before with the paludarium and sump combined.

The overflow that was in the sump that went to the floor drain is now in the 190g tank so that I can do the automatic drip/mist water changes. I'm doing the 1st water change now. I've had the drip/misting system running for about an hour now and everything is working OK. Actually things are much less complicated now.

edit- As I'm re-checking things out again, I realize that I'll probably want to re-build that overflow as planned and just run it to the floor drain for now. That old overflow from the sump just ain't cutting it. I need something that I can really trust. I'll try to pick-up some Gorilla Glue tomorrow and get working on it.

[chefkeith]

I got the new overflow built and installed. I used Gorilla Glue to bond the acrylic pipe to the pvc fittings. After about 8 hours of testing, there's no leaks.




I have to say this thing works great.

[Keith Wolcott]

Well done!

[bookpage]

I'll take your word that it works great.

I don't have a clue how all that stuff works. All I know is connecting a HOB or canister filter to the tank.

What you and others have done with their setups is amazing. Of course, before May of 2008, I thought everyone still used under gravel filters.

Because the last time I had aquariums was in 1985. It's a whole new water world now! But, I am trying to learn as fast as my old brain can handle it.

[chefkeith]

Bad news- The overflow has developed an air-leak. Apparently, Gorilla glue will not keep an air-tight bond. It only holds things together. I can understand why. Gorilla glue foams and expands when it cures. The foam develops little pin holes that will eventually leak air.

Good news- I'm using an Aqua Lifter pump to keep it primed. I'll probably try sealing it with something else in a few days. Hopefully a bead of silicone around the pipe joint will work. In the past, I used 2 part plumbers epoxy to stop air leaks, but that looks rather messy.