V's Mayan Cascade Tank - Concept to Completion

[V]

Ok guys, the concept has been born.

Sneak peak into the mind of a mental patent.

[Phurst]

V, you make my head spin

[Pat]

i like it
so when will we see some progress off the white board ??

[lReef lKeeper]

this is gonna be good !! following along

[CarmieJo]

You get creativity points just by the title.

[V]

i like it
so when will we see some progress off the white board ??

Ive still got to define all elements before i can start, as you can see, ive made a decent start already. I totally winged it on the last nano, however this tank is alot more complicated, so i'll make sure ive done my homework before launching.

This thing is going to rock, it will be a 360deg viewable centre piece with all the trimmings, & as such it will also have a self contained floating floor to hide the cables and everything.

It may not look like much, but this is a rather big undertaking, pure geometry alone is a chapter in its own right.

so the short of it, soon bud.

[Pat]

haha nice cant wait!

[THEJRC]

he he as a fan of everything wonderfully complicated... I'll be following this one for sure!! From the whiteboard I construe this as a "zero edge" top tank cascading into several underflow tanks and eventually a single sump. The idea of a single tall peice of rockwork for the centerpeice is an excellent one for sure but your right you've got a lot of mechanics to work out there.

I assume your going to attempt hiding all ancillaries such as inflow pipes / etc. in the rockwork as well?

hrmm wheres my D@*% whiteboard

[Phurst]

I think I see plans for a Flux Capacitor on the left side

[THEJRC]

its the "self power via cold fusion" note under Objectives Primary: that scares me....

not for nothing but this geek here picked up on the "server rail" notation with the motor rail system setup there.... I digress but look at the flat full pull top/bottom mount drawer rails at home depot and for motorization use a simple stepper motor and wire pull... least thats what I'd do, then you could integrate it in with an arduino platform like I'm attempting to with my reef system... if you want I'll toss you what I have as far as code and schematics... so far I've got temp sensors, Triac and relay controlled outlets, timing, and basic LCD functions running. Still a long shot before I deploy my little cube of craptastic notion though.

[rayme07]

V, this is going to be one awesome tank. I will be following.

[V]

Im glad your looking forward to it guys! the comments have been gold!

JRC, Your on to me, we have so got to talk bud.

Only its not a zero edge DT, Ive actually got a 2x2x2 cube (with bracing) sitting around, so unless i have to, Id prefer to conserve the extra $$ & put that back into the design, as its not going to be a cheap build.

Yeah, hiding as much as possible is the focus, the focus will be on the DT, followed by the cascade actions, where there will be 8 cascade reciprocal tanks, each with different duties. Or so the initial plan!

The power cube ive given plenty of thought to in the past, just never got off my @ss & actually built it or put pen to paper actually.

For this build (only cause its a true symmetrical project) a slimline draw type version might have to be on the cards, purely due to possible space concerns.

Massive amount of gear is to pack into a pretty small volume by comparison. Secondary to a draw type, I might chew on the idea of sacrificing a cascade tank, make the cube the same size, & have that a motorized component at the push of the button!

[THEJRC]

he he

nah stick with the cascade even if you compact it into small troughs (ponder that one a bit!) it would be entirely possible to utilize troughs with a serrated opaque partition, concealing equipment behind them in a small design (you follow so far?) this would give you a large amount of equipment space (4 sides, multiple troughs, unfortunately thin but long space) to work with within the enclosure. use the base itself as a final trough / sump with pump pushing water up through the center and into the cube.

crap... now I've got to dust off the drill press it's time for another project!

in edit... the slimline draw makes my head spin with ideas.... ugh this is a horrible horrible project.... it's going to cost ME money!! only you could pull that off...

Have you kicked any ideas in as far as fiberglass lined with plexi fronts? might be easier to stack the tanks (though I'm not sure what you've deemed the cascade tanks purposes yet so this may be mox nix) so you'd have a 2x2x2, with a 3x3x2 underneath then a 4x4x2, and so on.... the trick would be with the return... (back to the trough idea). hrmm now I see what you were going for with the motorized rails....

now I'm really curious as to what you've got cooking!!! The whiteboard alone has me thinking... hrmm multiple overflows maybe... or single overflow with a hidden manifold.. equilibrium would be tricky but obtainable.....

The whole project makes me think of tidepool dynamics with copepod populations... which makes it worse..... time actuated manifold activating each cascade level over a 24 hour period....

aaaaarrrrrggghhh

[V]

3 greatest sources for inspiration.

My Mind

Pic A)



Pic B)



stimulating the senses is what i do best bud!

I hear ya on the cascade & trough design. sweet idea, We're pretty close to the same wavelength i believe! Although lets call a spade a spade shall we. Im doing this because its not easy, so do as i did, & stop "thinking cheating"..lol

My vision: A new age cascade in a way, clearly defined (daughter tanks for lack of a better word) & that were more streamlined fountain orientated in design. Basically so it smashes the boundary we have between classic hobby look & stylish design, that leaves the mind assimilating the image long after looking at it!

[millerhogan]

Some more inspiration for you. These are the ruins at Tulum near Cancun, Mexico. Enjoy!

[V]

hrmm wheres my D@*% whiteboard

One day grass hopper, one day LMFAO

[V]

Miller, Thanx for that bud, they were sweet, I didn;t realise how much detail they have.

[phil47952]

V, I'm also looking forward to this complicated display.
I'm a DIYer with no talent..

Phil

[V]

well, im honored your posting the first here, welcome aboard bud.

I'm a DIYer with no talent..

Hey arn't we all, just tell yourself, "hey, whats the worst that can" and it usually does.! The end....lol

[V]

now I'm really curious as to what you've got cooking!!! The whiteboard alone has me thinking... hrmm multiple overflows maybe... or single overflow with a hidden manifold.. equilibrium would be tricky but obtainable.....

The whole project makes me think of tidepool dynamics with copepod populations... which makes it worse..... time actuated manifold activating each cascade level over a 24 hour period....

aaaaarrrrrggghhh

I relished this thought after scaling 8 stories down a sheer cliff beneath the racetrack with nothing but a DIY rope attached & possibly handed down through the ages as a safety blanket, to the best "tabletop" tide pool zone ive seen in driving distance. & all whilst collecting ONE single tide pool anem.

[THEJRC]

I relished this thought after scaling 8 stories down a sheer cliff beneath the racetrack with nothing but a DIY rope attached & possibly handed down through the ages as a safety blanket, to the best "tabletop" tide pool zone ive seen in driving distance. & all whilst collecting ONE single tide pool anem.

he he

sometimes all you non landlocked folks really get to me.... y'all really do. Freshwater copepods and trout just never did it for me

[rayme07]

Hi Phil Welcome to TR.

[V]

he he

sometimes all you non landlocked folks really get to me.... y'all really do. Freshwater copepods and trout just never did it for me

ive never seen the interior of the country..lol 95% of the population live on the coasts.

[THEJRC]

hah ...

now I'm really um peeved...

just for that youve got to post your next whiteboarding experience....

(oh and phil, welcome to TR, be aware that the random musings of geeks like V, myself and Raymond (yeah yer a geek too you know it) dont necessarily represent TR as a whole.............. he he

[V]

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