Let's Talk About ~DIY Projects~

[NaH2O]

Let's hear about some DIY projects you have put together. It doesn't have to be some big elaborate piece of equipment.....it can include small things you have made to make life easier or save some $$$. I'd like to see what kind of ideas you all have come up with. This hobby is expensive enough, and sometimes DIY is the way to go. Let's see some! Closed loops, skimmers, Ca reactors, algae scrapers, fluidized reactors, stands, canopies, sumps, kalk drip conatiners, etc etc etc (of course if you have a thread about your project...feel free to link to it)

Here is a little project for my QT. It is a simple gladware container with holes drilled in. Bioballs fill the container, and a powerhead mounted on some PVC (drilled with holes, too) draws the water through the bioballs and out the powerhead. I keep a handful of bioballs (4-5) in the sump to add to the container when I need to use the QT. I used the design from: Simple Biological Filter

Here's the picture of it working:

 

[LakeEd]

I did a very simple DIY Kalk-Dripper. Easy, and works good!

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=43686#post43686

 

[NaH2O]

Ed - that's a good one for sure! Great thread you linked, too!

 

[bigdave]

Here is a thread on basic stand building with tools you can get from Lowes or Homedepot. Good luck hope it helps. Dave




http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7836

 

[Scooterman]

Good thread Nikki, I'm here to learn.

 

[NaH2O]

Thanks guys! I'm here to learn, as well. I thought this thread could compile some projects into one place, and provide links to other threads or show some pics. I hope to see more projects posted.

Dave - your stand project is a good one. Here are a couple shots from mine (I wasn't allowed to touch the tools though )

and the completed maple stand and canopy. The tank is now different than the one shown, as are the inhabitants

 

[Forestal]

nikki that qt bioball thing is fantastic...great idea..btw your stand is wonderful...

i mostly have copied others from plywood tanks initially and homemade stands (not very pretty tho)
to some functional yet ugly overflows...

my only original idea (its kind of lame...prepare yourselves) is a low pressure hand pump made from the soap dispenser guys...i used it to do water changes on my small incubators when i was attempting to raise seahorse fry...very tiny and delicate...

 

[bc_slc]

Not sure if this counts, but set up two fans in my canopy to cool the tank. I originally had them blowing into the canopy to hopefully put less wear-and-tear on the fans, but the canopy Dave made for me is so airtight that it wasn't effectively cooling. Now they work quite well.

Basically you take a DC fan, like a computer fan. I chose the biggest, cheapest, quietest fan I could find. Something around 30dB is a good loudness, the pushes as many cfms as possible. Which was this guy:
Kingwin, 120mm $7 each. 30dB sound 79cfms.
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811999965

Take an AC converter. You want a "DC to AC converter" that is about 200-300mAs per fan, cut the end off and wire the fan to the converter. I actually hooked up two fans since the current of the converter I had lying around the house was about 600mAs, this way both fans get about 300mAs of current which doesn't overdrive them and keeps them quiet. I had one lying around the house, they sell them at used computer stores for like $5.

There you go, cooling for like $20.

 

[NaH2O]

Mat - Yes the computer fans count! Thanks for putting that one up!

Dan - I think the hand pump is great. In the animal world, there are stomach pumps, which basically pump fluid of some sort from one place, and put it into another (like the stomach for instance) via tubing. I have always thought I could use one when performing small water changes....especially on the nano, or getting the last little bit of water out of the sump, but I have a concern with the stainless steel rusting. I think there are some pumps available that have plastic on them, but I haven't been able to find one. The picture of your hand pump may spark me to make one for the nano....especially when stirring up the sand a bit. A siphon on that tank pulls too much water out too fast, and I don't get an effective clean.

Here is what a large animal stomach pump looks like:

Keep the projects coming!

 

[bigdave]

Thanks guys! I'm here to learn, as well. I thought this thread could compile some projects into one place, and provide links to other threads or show some pics. I hope to see more projects posted.

Dave - your stand project is a good one. Here are a couple shots from mine (I wasn't allowed to touch the tools though )

Thanks Nikki just trying to give a little help in what I do good unlike reefing :lol: Thats why I have you guys. Oh by the way the stand looks
great and my wife doesn't like for me to touch the tools neither. :lol:

Great thread love this stuff