DIY Thread - Let's see your "Inventions".

[perchie.girl]

Quote: Excellent, hopefully that keeps your pump covered with water too because if it runs dry there's a good chance it will fry too.


Wonders how warm the thermocube and the aquarium heater will keep the water?
Good suggestion someone made to put a thermometer in the water to keep an eye on how it functions.

Jimmy Walt, it would be cool if you started a new thread with this set up so you can update how it works out ;-)

If Jimmy Walt is using an air stone like it appears in the photo water level wont be an issue.... Though those airstones do have a end of life so to speak they need to be looked at periodically to make sure they arent getting clogged. The water here is so hard the shower heads form stalactites .....

I gave up on air stones and just buried the air line under the gravel and sat a rock on it... Even the stupid airline grew calcium in it I had to trim it with scissors periodically after cleaning stopped working.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: If it were just a bucket sitting there I would say most definately the smaller parts would freeze first. Hot water rises cold water falls.... similar to air currents. Agitating the water will help that with a Mechanical assist.

i remember one year our pipes froze when we were living in Roswell NM. The only water we had was from a spigot serving the dog bucket in the back yard. It had a continual drip so we used it to keep the dog bucket full. Only faucet that didnt freeze.

Of course it was not like the winters you get in Michigan.... for sure.

Never lived in a place as cold as you get....

deb

 

[jimmywalt]

Nope it's not an air stone, it's a "92 GPH Miniature Submersible Fountain Pump" from Harbor Freight.

I can connect an airline to it if I choose and shoot that down my PVC pipe, but probably won't do that. I figure if the water moves (as it will in such a small bucket) it should work fine. I can always adjust if needed.

http://www.harborfreight.com/92-gph-miniature-submersible-fountain-pump-68389.html

 

[perchie.girl]

Nope it's not an air stone, it's a "92 GPH Miniature Submersible Fountain Pump" from Harbor Freight.

I can connect an airline to it if I choose and shoot that down my PVC pipe, but probably won't do that. I figure if the water moves (as it will in such a small bucket) it should work fine. I can always adjust if needed.

http://www.harborfreight.com/92-gph-miniature-submersible-fountain-pump-68389.html

Oh wow I did not know they made them that small.... Me needs to get to harbor frieght more often.

deb

 

[jimmywalt]

Oh wow I did not know they made them that small.... Me needs to get to harbor frieght more often.

deb

Save 25% on it with this coupon.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I used a glass submersible aquarium tank heater (50 watt) all last year with no trouble. It had a thermostat on it. Worked MUCH BETTER than the birdbath heater I first tried that was 250 watts!!!!!

The one I used was this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Submer...2313261&sr=1-1&keywords=aqueon+50+watt+heater

 

[aart]

I've got pumps smaller than that...55 gph and only 1-1/2"L x 1-1/2" H x 1-5/8" tall...use them for my small tabletop fountains.

I will be real curious to see if the water in that small leg stays thawed.
The water in the bucket can be kept moving but it's not going to move the water in the pipe much.
What size pipe is that, looks like 1/2 or 3/4"?

I think if the nipple was on a pipe loop, it would have a much better chance of not freezing up.
Yeah Baby, it gets cold in Michigan.......it can stay below freezing, day and night, for weeks!

 

[aart]

I used a glass submersible aquarium tank heater (50 watt) all last year with no trouble. It had a thermostat on it. Worked MUCH BETTER than the birdbath heater I first tried that was 250 watts!!!!!

The one I used was this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Submer...2313261&sr=1-1&keywords=aqueon+50+watt+heater

Where's the water level need to be on this thing?

 

[Leahs Mom]

I used the mini cups on a bucket last year. I LOVE the mini cups, but the necks did freeze. Even with the warmer water from the aquarium heater. But the necks are much smaller than the pipe on the nipple waterer above.

You can read the saga here if you're interested. I love 'em for summer, but not using for winter again. This post does show the bucket and the heater I used: http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2013/02/poultry-cup-drinkers-waterers-winter.html



I did make an ALL GLASS waterer (I hate plastic) that I'll do a post on in the next few days. Was inspired by mlowen. I will be using them year-round and will sell some to other folks if they want one but don't want to invest in the tool or are afraid of working with glass. Will post soon.

 

[Myrth]

Oooo I want to see your glass waterer!!!