DIY or DOA

[simon garratt]

Ok, time for a new one..

Just want to get some ideas of how ingeneouse we all are (arnt) when it comes to building a reef set up.

Knock yourselves out folks.

[Tristan]

My tank was built for me but i built my stand and did all the pipework......

[instantsquid]

I've built little tanks, top-up reservoirs, modified sumps, etc. - but I wouldn't have the confidence to build the main display tank. I am a naturally paranoid person!

The rest of my build was all DIY - stand, plumbing, wiring, and so on. I wouldn't feel like I'd acheived anything if I just paid someone else to do it all for me. In addition, by building it myself, I can be satisifed at the level of build quality, and more importantly - if anything goes wrong, I'm going to be much likely to know how to fix it! :D

- Ian

[simon garratt]

I am a naturally paranoid person!


Guess whos behind you right at this moment....

BOOOO...


:D :D :D

[instantsquid]

Gawd, I thought you meant ****** for a moment there!

[EDIT] - Name removed to prevent offence. ;)

[jemram]

I designed everything (though the closed loop idea was'nt mine) and I built everything other than the tank.

[Corsetts]

I voted Im a walking death-trap with a screwdriver... 'cause its the truth :d

I didn't build my tank or any of the reactors, but I "designed" it and put it all together :)

[simon garratt]

I like polls like this, you learn so much about people...:D

[MrFish]

Wasn't sure what to put here as the tank was a shop purchase but i've heavily modified it, and external kit is DIY or modified.

So went for 2nd one.

[AlanM]

Well, previous planted tanks have been a mix of off-the-shelf tanks with much bodging going on.

My RIO is currently almost off-the-shelf apart from the fact that the stand is my workmate (as I though it was only going to be a few weeks back in October!)

The Trigon 350 currently being installed (when kids allow me the time) will be off-the-shelf tank and stand, tank drilled by LFS (before delivery at their risk), weir installed by me.

I'm going to build the three/four sump tanks from scratch, sump stand will be industrial shelving (galvanised steel), plumbing is VDL-type by me, holes in the wall for plumbing by Black and Decker, etc etc.

Sump is a tower configuration with

Fuge fed by pump from overflow
Overflow fed from tank
DSB fed from Overflow
Return including skimmer fed by gravity from overflow
Nothing off the shelf would do it so forced down the DIY route.

This will be the biggest DIY job on aquariums I've done, but it can't be as bad as having to replumb the central heating in January soon after we moved in and found it was a pile of poo. No valves at all, no thermostats at all, just a simple single channel timer trying to run the hot water and the central heating! I went S-Plan mega plus with each radiator on it's own zone!

[SCOOB]

i voted walking deathtrap given the lack of my own personal option :D :D :D

[simon garratt]

Shame you cant vote in both sections....Mr.C should be in 1 and 4....;)

[Lucky Eddie]

I voted 2, but designed the tank(s) and had them built.

Made the stand, designed and fitted the pipework, built the reef racking, built the plug board etc.

I've not gone so far as making skimmers and stuff tho'.

[zimreef]

A lot of fun to be had in designing stuff and finding solutions to unforeseen problems - my current tank's a heavily modified & sumped Chromis (and probably looks like it from the back). :D

The one bespoke tank I had built by professionals was disappointing to say the least. They obviously hadn't thought about it any further than it was a glass box with another glass box underneath, so I thought I could do better next time (and I was right ;) ).

Voted 2

John

[allans]

Tank and sump purchased.not that brave 90"x26"x18".built stand and cabinet/hood.Pipe work is done by my own hand.I took the blame for 2 leaks.Not bad on about 30 joints.

[zpyder]

I voted deathtrap even though the Filter/Fuge is a DIY conversion, and my lighting set-up uses gutters and plastic pipes. Only because of my lack of safety sense!

[MaidstoneMarine]

All tanks built by keith, all equipment purchased as whole item except for tank top up & ro reservoir top up but all other building, plumbing and electrical work completed by me!


(edit-scoob-i voted death trap but it was all diy'd either by this man or by pavlo :D :D "i get by with a little help from my friends, woooo.......")

[cajen]

There should be a section: "I do what I can"! Know your limitations is my motto - I got a prof made tank / cabinet / sump, but do endless DIY tinkering on the little things....

[~JayK~]

Tank purchased - all new items being added are / will be made by yours truly (sump, reactors etc).

"The one who must be obeyed" has given me the ok for a new Hole in Wall tank through the lounge wall (once all house mods are done first), which I will design / build + install everything (taking a lot of ideas from off of UR and tweaking slightly to fit my system) :o

So I suppose I am a bit of Shop bought and home grown.

Regds

Jay

:)

[neilharris]

Voted for the first. Based the design for my tank on jonnocks great reef system. Had help from both Jonnock and Kevin on the design and Kevin helped (by this I mean did most he work:D ) with the tank and sumps assembly.
Tank, sumps, swing away lighting frame, stands, shed(housing fuge) and some other minor kit all designed and built by me with the help mentioned above. Just waiting for the system to balance now before adding my livestock from my 6'6" reef.

Here is a link to a few pics I posted a few days ago. Scroll down a few posts.

http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=197809

[filiperosa]

DYI rocks! I always try to do before the things by myself before buy.

[Burkey]

well seeing as the tank i bought fit perfectly in te space provided, and i wasnt going to have a sump on a small tank, i just bought my mates tank, very high quality build (better than my own skill) though i could build a tank, a sump and that stuff, in a tank only 4 by 2 by 2 its a very small sump, though i added to the tank alot :)

[mikeadams1985]

built all my tanks, stands, sumps, lighting, etc
excluding the new 5x2x2 :) just couldnt get the glass cheap enough

id say i was quite handy, but just cant manage do that 'proffesional' finish on stuff. Im to impatient :(

[sea_beaver]

Hey all.
Well I own one custom made tank for which I designed all the plumbing and electricals and equipment and put that together myself. Most of the equipment is bought obviously and then slightly modified to fit my ideas:p
I am having another tank built by Keith (as we speak:laugh: ) and I am building the stand and designing the equipment myself, I think - if you have the patience and time (which I lack though) - it is a lot more fun this way. Or so I tell myself:rolleyes:
I would like to eventually build everything by myself for the tank, I realise however that it is only an idea at present:)
:worship: to all those who do build their own:worship:
:thanks:
Paul.