The new Lowe's and other inadvertent LFS

[johnrt]

I drove over to look at Lowe's new store in Gloucester. I can't say I saw much that excited me with regards to either price or selection. It was nice that everything was new and not picked over, but that will not last.

I guess I was hoping for dirt cheap Egg Crate, huge strong food grade barrels for water storage, bins of assorted bulkheads at $5 each and the like. Oh I went in with stars in my eyes and came out with a Submarine sandwich.

BTW: The Chandlery Marine (as in boats - they think) Supply, 367 Poulin Avenue, does have a small selection of cheap bulkheads. Seems some people like to put holes in the bottom of their boats then don't want them to leak. . . We know what bulkheads are really for, holes in windows to alternative universes, that don't leak. Other boat shops may sell them as well. Any experience?

I prefer the Home Depot and Canadian Tire near Terry Fox Dr. for plumbing stuffs over the Baseline Rd and Carling Ave stores. Anybody know of good sources PVC & ABS fittins where they let you select the stuff from the bins (i.e. you don't need to know the names of the stuff or even what you are looking for and don't need to get into long-winded discussions to justify your choices!)

Who has the cheapest 6 - 18 mm glass?

Other interesting fish stuff in unlikely places.

[Vincenzo.]

john, how big of a piece of egg crate do u need? i have a few pieces kicking around.

[johnrt]

Vince:

About a foot square or a bit smaller.

Thank you.

John T

[Vincenzo.]

Vince:

About a foot square or a bit smaller.

Thank you.

John T

Ill check after work.

[Tyler.L]

you can also use boone plumbing...theres one on algoma dr of star top, one on edgewater off of terry fox, and one on woodward.

they have full lengths of both abs and pvc and tons of fittings but...you got ask what fittings you want...schedule 40 and 80 fittings also

bulkheads, probably not never really asked them for them but i know they have abs and pvc...

pvc plus i've heard about it and heard good things but have never been there

[Rybren]

Lowes, Canus, Ottawa Inverts, and some hot-tub stores are the only places I've found that let you pick through the PVC parts bins.  Canus only carries grey PVC & I THINK they have some bulkheads.  

[Vincenzo.]

T & T Supermarket. - can buy live sea food there. also nouri (no offense, but its the SUPER store or all Asian stores) it's awesome actually & HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE.

[Vincenzo.]

Canadian Tire. -  so much stuff u can turn fish related. example buy regular magnets & this stuff that you would dip them in (it's the stuff you would re-grip a pair of pliers with) - boom homemade magnets.

krilon fusion - paint for tanks.

spray foam for rock walls ..

it's endless.

[Vincenzo.]

Rona & Homedepot.

they have plumbing. and tones of other fish related things.

[johnrt]

Thats the ticket Vince!

That re-gripping goop is a wonderful tip. krilon fusion - paint for tanks?? What type of paint? Decorative on the outside or waterproofing for plywood tanks? Asian superstore. . . I bet that people nouri is cheaper than the fish food nouri.

Lateral thinking time! Its not whats its for that matters, its what it does!

We have all found strange, wonderful stuff we've used sold by unsuspecting folks. Lets document it.

Share your discoveries.

John T

[Rybren]

I'll start.  Here's one of the probably more common ones that I'm using...

Fuge light:  Clamp-on work light with 8" aluminum reflector + 23W 6500K spiral CF bulb.

[criswallace]

you can also use boone plumbing...theres one on algoma dr of star top, one on edgewater off of terry fox, and one on woodward.

they have full lengths of both abs and pvc and tons of fittings but...you got ask what fittings you want...schedule 40 and 80 fittings also

bulkheads, probably not never really asked them for them but i know they have abs and pvc...

pvc plus i've heard about it and heard good things but have never been there

again you have to go through explaining what your using it for then they make you feel stupid

[Vincenzo.]

krilon can be used in water.

Made a diy carbon reactor form home depot

We've seen people hang lights by bending electrical pipe & use a few nuts and bolts.

U can turn a mini fridge into a chiller

Here a good frag tip....buy those plastic screw plugs, and use them as frag plugs.

[johnrt]

Thank you people.

If we get more stuff, I'll compile it ans see if we can get the "Where to get DIY materials in Ottawa" sticky tread re-opened and post the compilation there. It would be too bad if these ideas became irretrievable.

John T

[Vincenzo.]

u can take ceramic tiles and smash them/wet saw them for frag plugs.

like ive seen at OI, take metal suit case and turn into a case for all ur test kits.

Dollar store crazy glue u can use for fragging

U can buy moon light leds and re wire them to a plug and timer (all from dollar store)

U can buy a big tupper ware (rectangle) drill holes in bottom frag plug size. Glue magnets to it..and u have a frag rack. Or use the egg crate

Using pvc & a drill u can mod ur maxi jet same as the sure flow mod.

Cut the handle off a ice/snow window scraper and u have the best algae scraper..or just buy the small one.

[Snider82]

Great stuff!   you can put all that plastic/glue/magnets in your tank?

[Vincenzo.]

let it sit & dry for 24 hours. Yup

[Canoe]

...
U can buy moon light leds and re wire them to a plug and timer (all from dollar store)
...

Watch out for fake electrical certification in dollar store products. Counterfeit UL and CSA marks - no certification. Substandard list includes unsafe wire insulation, dielectrics, cases, strain relief & terminations. "Dollar" discount type stores have been caught a number of times with unsafe electrical products claiming safety certification. Not a safe source.

One of the quick giveaways: test the flexibility of the AC cord.

For example of a typical problem, a friend had a dollar store power-bar feeding his in-line filter heater. The power bar burned away for between a half inch to an inch around the heater plug, turning black and exposing bare wiring; the power-bar's built-in 15A breaker didn't trip either (nor did the house circuit breaker - therefore current draw under 15A). Fortunately the fire stopped there, although he nearly electrocuted himself reaching back to grab the power-bar. The UL certified heater's plug had the tiniest bit of surface melt.

I wouldn't touch anything from that type of source that uses, channels, provides or regulates 110 VAC.

[Vincenzo.]

^good call. And good to know.

[johnrt]

Merkley Supply Ltd, 100 Bayview Road
White & regular Portland cement for home made live rock.
Better selection of sand in the spring (April) including limestone
Enormous pumice stone
Lava rock