Local DIY Projects?

[kenman345]

Hi Guys,

I am a fresh new member, so I hope to meet many of you at the next meeting, but I was wondering something in the meantime.

Does anyone have any interesting DIY projects they care to share their knowledge about? It would be nice if we can compile a list of some interesting projects we've each done and provide help to fellow members in trying to recreate such projects if that is something they are interested in having for their setup.

Please post pictures and/or share the steps involved in making the DIY project. This also can be a place for brainstorming new DIY projects and collectively helping each other out.Part of the reason I am asking this club is that we uniquely have the opportunity to get hands on help in some cases with large projects that otherwise might be beyond the abilities of 1 person by themselves.

I personally am interested in creating an automatic fish food feeder for my tank, but not entirely sure I'll be actually able to build such a thing for a few months-years. Would love to see what locals have going on though, so please share if you can.

Thanks

 

[jpitch]

Hi Ken. Welcome to RC. You touched on a topic that is so vast that there's no way this thread could keep all the info you're looking for. There's a whole DIY section on RC you'd be better off looking at. I'm still a guppy in this ocean of saltwater of reefkeeping and I know I've done tons of diy stuff. From plumbing, my stand, sump, float switch holder; it's all diy. If there's something in particular you're looking for don't hesitate to ask. I'm sure someone's thought of doing it also. You're sure to get more responses in the DIY section, though. I've had so much help there. GL

 

[cm11599ps]

I did a lot of stuff involving water changes and top offs.

1) I have two garbage cans on my garage. One is filled with top off water, one with new salt water. Each can has float valves to alert me when the cans are both full and when they're empty.

2) I have float valves in my sump. The float valves alert the pump in my top off garbage can to top off my sump. I love it.

3) Auto water change system. I have a pump in my sump that pumps right into a drywell I dug in my yard. At a pre programmed time, the drain pump in my sump activates to take water out of my system. The pump runs for a predetermined time and then shuts itself off when a float switch in the sump is triggered.

All of this is run via an APEX controller. I never have to manually top off, drain my tank or put fresh water back. All I have to do is make new RO water and make new salt water when my float switches alert me. Couldn't be easier.

 

[kenman345]

I did a lot of stuff involving water changes and top offs.

1) I have two garbage cans on my garage. One is filled with top off water, one with new salt water. Each can has float valves to alert me when the cans are both full and when they're empty.

2) I have float valves in my sump. The float valves alert the pump in my top off garbage can to top off my sump. I love it.

3) Auto water change system. I have a pump in my sump that pumps right into a drywell I dug in my yard. At a pre programmed time, the drain pump in my sump activates to take water out of my system. The pump runs for a predetermined time and then shuts itself off when a float switch in the sump is triggered.

All of this is run via an APEX controller. I never have to manually top off, drain my tank or put fresh water back. All I have to do is make new RO water and make new salt water when my float switches alert me. Couldn't be easier.

Very nice, I run a Reefkeeper Elite myself. I didnt realize I would eventually be spending the same type of money on my Reefkeeper as I would on the initial cost of the apex, otherwise I would have waited and bought the Apex.

I am using the Reefkeeper with a door/window sensor to turn on/off my stand lights when I open the stand door. I am also planning to add a security switch on the side of my tank so that it will alert me when someone that doesnt know to flip that switch tries to enter the stand.

I am also using an automatic feeder for part of the week, since I work all day. It's a varied mix of the best foods I've read about but I want to have more control. I am planning to add a switch to the side of my stand that I can flip to indicate that I will be manually feeding. I can then flip the switch in the morning before I go to work, or on weekends, and then never have to unplug my feeder for it not to be used that day. Yes feeders are not the best thing, but in my situation it's a necessary evil. I am very actively paying attention to the companies working on automatic frozen food feeders, though I might want to make one myself if I do not see any progress in the coming months. I am using a Super Feed ASF-1 which only runs when its given power, so the basic timer functionality of the reefkeeper is perfect and customizable.

Avast Marine is apparently working on one that we might hear more about at MACNA. Also, Digital Aquatics (Makers of the Reefkeeper) has a working prototype apparently in their office that they are experimenting with along with more traditional feeders.

 

[kenman345]

I figured some people might enjoy looking at a control panel with 7 switches available to me that I am working on right now for my tank. I won't have a use for all of these guys just yet, but with 7 slide switches, i have plenty of options to grow and make full use of my aquarium controller.

Anyone have a recommendation about what to use to get white outlines on the panel and label the switches?

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

I figured some people might enjoy looking at a control panel with 7 switches available to me that I am working on right now for my tank. I won't have a use for all of these guys just yet, but with 7 slide switches, i have plenty of options to grow and make full use of my aquarium controller.

Anyone have a recommendation about what to use to get white outlines on the panel and label the switches?

Use a p-touch label maker. There inexpensive and if you get the clear with white letters it will look almost silk screened.

 

[kenman345]

Use a p-touch label maker. There inexpensive and if you get the clear with white letters it will look almost silk screened.

Interesting. I believe my mom has one but it currently has the type that's black background, white letters. I will see if we have the cartridge for the clear with white coloring. Very nice idea, i may end up using that.

I want to outline the individual switches, and/or make horizontal lines between each to indicate the high and low points so i can easily tell if the switch is considered on or off.

That is how it looked originally, and I didnt like it too much as it was ugly and the metal took up a lot of space i felt i needed for labelling

 

[kenman345]

Here's a link to the latest post on the other thread I have going that talks about the aquarium controller switch panel. I got some work done this weekend.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=22949604&postcount=14

Basics are simple, I have enough done that I need to wait for more supplies so I can make it really really nice. I posted pics though that show some of what I did.

 

[gREEF stricken]

Hi Ken. Welcome to RC. You touched on a topic that is so vast that there's no way this thread could keep all the info you're looking for. There's a whole DIY section on RC you'd be better off looking at. I'm still a guppy in this ocean of saltwater of reefkeeping and I know I've done tons of diy stuff. From plumbing, my stand, sump, float switch holder; it's all diy. If there's something in particular you're looking for don't hesitate to ask. I'm sure someone's thought of doing it also. You're sure to get more responses in the DIY section, though. I've had so much help there. GL

Inclined to agree...I DIY everything I possibly can. It's what makes this hobby so flexible and affordable.

GS

 

[lnevo]

I modded my canopy this weekend. It was one of the crappy ones with a lid on the top. Was tired of having to pull it off every time i needed to get into the tank. I cut the sides and attached the section to the lid with L brackets.

 

[kenman345]

I modified a cheap automatic feeder to work with my Aquarium controller. Take a look:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=22984727