Become a reef project master!!! Have you made any DIY items for your reef lately?

[Peace River]

Become a reef project master!!! Have you made any DIY items for your reef lately?

Sometimes we DIY items for our reef to save money, sometimes it is because we need a custom item, and sometimes it is because we can! At times these DIY projects can be a simple hack or other times they can be a well-designed project. Whether the item was quickly assembled or was far more demanding in time and resources, have you made any DIY items for your reef lately? Let us know what opportunity that you had and how you went about addressing this issue. We encourage you to share any tips or recommendation on how you approach possible DIY projects!

Image by @HeyJay


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.tidalgardens.com

“The goal of Tidal Gardens is to offer the highest quality corals to those seeking a piece of that world without destroying it. We hope to instill a deep appreciation for the natural reefs and help develop a self-sustaining hobby that no longer requires the collection of fish and corals.”

 

[Troylee]

I build everything from the ground up.. stands, sumps, tanks, canopies, lighting, skimmers etc lol. Last one I just did for a buddy..

 

[drolmaeye]

Oh man, lots of stuff: rolling RODI/salt mixing station; many 3D printed holders for probes, float switches, controllers, etc.; control board; Arduino module for measuring temperature, salinity, ATO level; frag tank stand from 30mm extrusion (thanks to thread/article on this forum); adjustable height LED mount from 20mm extrusion; new 15A circuit with outlets in the utility room so I could put my frag tank back there; new recessed lights and drop ceiling tiles in the utility room as long as I had to do the electrical work. I may exit the hobby just to get a break from making stuff . . .

 

[Kraig]

If I can DIY, I usually do. One of my favorites is my sump.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I have made about 10+ tanks over the years. My 1 year old 40G cube aio tank and stand is all made by me.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I made a Battery Back up, for minimal water flow from a Watch Dog Back up Sump Pump. Three Spot Light LED Fixtures, with Dual 30Watt LED’s Heat Sinks and Fans, a Ten Minute Time Delay, to match the Ten Minute Delay on my Pumps, for the UV. Built out a Power Supply Cabinet for my LED Strip Lights. Made a Wet Catch Bucket, for picking up Saltwater. It’s rather crude compared to the ones at work though. Does keep the Saltwater out of my Wet Vac if careful. Built a Couple Spill Trays for my Sump Cabinets. I want to Build Two Old Time Wood Single Pulleys, to raise my Canopy. Can’t find someone with a Floor Stand Drill Press to cut the Blanks out of 3” Oak with a 4” Hole Saw.

 

[Timfish]

Tanks and stands . . .

 

[shakacuz]

I'm a DIY'er myself, but only when it comes to things not involving woodwork, or machining.

 

[Reefer Matt]

I made a couple stands for my tanks, and also repurpose things sometimes. I always look at the time/money balance. But the older I get, the more I value my free time.

 

[fr3n0z]

Got a laser cutter and plenty of stuff can come out... Skimmer cup extension with alarm when full, ato alarm when empty, automatic filter for sock chamber, feeding portal for net, repurposed a old aquarium to ATO reservoir, balling reservoir

 

[zonyl]

Our aquarium has kept my CAD skills and 3d printer very busy lately.

Currently prototyping a self-sustaining In-Sump brine shrimp farm.

 

[michealprater]

a large percentage of my build is 3d printed. check it out here. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/apex-neptune-themed-planet-crystalline-build.1016139/

 

[zonyl]

If I can DIY, I usually do. One of my favorites is my sump.

Wish I could find a good source of acrylic sheets around here that dont cost $$$

 

[MarcosTacos]

Got a laser cutter and plenty of stuff can come out... Skimmer cup extension with alarm when full, ato alarm when empty, automatic filter for sock chamber, feeding portal for net, repurposed a old aquarium to ATO reservoir, balling reservoir

What laser cutter you got? I was thinking about getting myself one to go with my 3d printer. Also, you build your own electronics?

 

[Troylee]

Wish I could find a good source of acrylic sheets around here that dont cost $$$

Find a local sign shop I’m sure they would sell scraps to you for dirt cheap… we throw so much away here it’s insane! I have like unlimited supply for my projects haha..

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I make most of my own stuff.

CaRx

DIY CaRx 8"X24"

I've been running a Bubble Magus CaRx for the longest time and it's on it's last leg. I have always wanted to make my own reactor so instead of spending lots of money I'm going to make my own. This required a lot of thought because there are so much I wanted to change with my current reactor and...

humble.fish

Ozone Reactor

DIY Ozone Reactor

I have 2 friends with fairly large systems that've been having great success with ozone reactors. Over the last few years they've been proclaiming how great they are for organic breakdown and water clarity. The pessimist in me goes straight to all the negative stories I've read about them and...

humble.fish

Coral Wetsaw

The Start of Something Good [3D Design]

I don't fancy myself a "Fragger" but due to recent events which caused me to pull all my acros and put them into a hospital tank because my tank got a case of the AEFW's. I needed a tool to help remove all my colonies off the tiles and get them back into the tank. I haven't completely finished...

humble.fish

5' Kalk Reactor and Controller

DIY Kalk Controller

For about the last 4 months, I've been tinkering with a controller that will adjust the effluent through a kalk reactor based on input from a pH probe inside the tank. It all started as a conversation about pH being the parameter that we need to be focusing on instead of DKH. At the time I...

humble.fish

And if you click on my build thread, you'll see that most of my build is DIY.

Engineering is my passion!

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I made a couple stands for my tanks, and also repurpose things sometimes. I always look at the time/money balance. But the older I get, the more I value my free time.

I did HVAC Work, and I built UL Control Relay Cabinets. I really enjoyed that part of my work. Liked doing the Nuts & Bolts part of Control Work. I like building Electrical stuff, and it keep my mind Sharp, in Retirement. Won’t say, I haven’t let the Factory Smoke out of something, luckily it was a Cheap Power Supply.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Find a local sign shop I’m sure they would sell scraps to you for dirt cheap… we throw so much away here it’s insane! I have like unlimited supply for my projects haha..

Wish I could find a good source of acrylic sheets around here that dont cost $$$

Check with Stores, they throw a Ton of Acrylic out. A little 3m Polish and it’s as good as new.

 

[nano reef]

I never made anything but use my Fish acclimation box for my shroom box and it works great!

 

[MarcosTacos]

Our aquarium has kept my CAD skills and 3d printer very busy lately.

Currently prototyping a self-sustaining In-Sump brine shrimp farm.

That's cool! Brine eggs don't have a hard time hatching in reef tank salinity levels?

The Start of Something Good [3D Design]

I don't fancy myself a "Fragger" but due to recent events which caused me to pull all my acros and put them into a hospital tank because my tank got a case of the AEFW's. I needed a tool to help remove all my colonies off the tiles and get them back into the tank. I haven't completely finished...

humble.fish

5' Kalk Reactor and Controller

DIY Kalk Controller

For about the last 4 months, I've been tinkering with a controller that will adjust the effluent through a kalk reactor based on input from a pH probe inside the tank. It all started as a conversation about pH being the parameter that we need to be focusing on instead of DKH. At the time I...

humble.fish

And if you click on my build thread, you'll see that most of my build is DIY.

Engineering is my passion!

What do you cut your acrylic with?