Home Made Gadgets

Koglin

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Anyone got home made Gadgets?

Since getting back into the hobby after a few years, I find myself creating random gadgets to help with tank stuff.

And I wanna know what other stuff you all might have concocted!

Here's what I've made (pics at bottom) that I find myself using regularly (excluding weird stuff I've done with the dremel to carve holes/cavities in driftwood):

I use a water gallon jug cut in half for brine shrimp, along with a portable AA battery air pump (in a different pic) and a magnetic clip on mini led light that is normally on my nano tank.

I also got a cheap magnifying glass and a pack of small felt pads to put on the plastic rim (both sides to switch between magnification) so I can inspect my critters (eventually I want one of those cool magnetic ones but this works for now)

My drip acclimater is a water bottle ($1 at walmart) that has a small cavity in-between the metal base and the bottom of the plastic bottle, so I removed the metal bottom and drilled x2 holes to run a small piece of airline through it (siliconed on both ends for water seal/hold) and an airline valve on the end to control water flow speed. To control excess air bubble production I use some thread tape for a better seal on the valve knob.

Next, I made a tiny vacuum (actually works) for my nano tank, as my bladder snails go poop A LOT (species only). It's a small plastic tube with an airline ran through and a sponge for filter (prevents my snails from getting sucked up, it's pretty strong for its size). Then I ran that air line through a small (and thoroughly rinsed) hotel shampoo bottle to act as a bladder, and yet another airline out the back of the bottle for drainage. Siliconed together.

When my 10 gallon tall was getting too much sunlight through the blinds for good temp. regulation, I took my old backpacking solar panels and hung them in the window with a hangar and bankline attached to screws to block out the sun (worked), 1 charges a battery bank that I use for my nano tanks clip on led light and a usb air pump in case of emergencys, and the other I use to charge my console game controllers.

Lastly, is just my old bait box for fishing with minnows. It's a styrofoam box my grandpa gets his insulan in the mail with, I just popped a hole big enough to hold the airline and pump clip. Now days this is a quarantine box for plants and drip acclimation and I usually use the usb air pump (used it to rinse some rocks the other day, they're still in there -.-')

For all projects, I use Dap's aquarium safe silicone from ace hardware and let it set for 36 hrs before testing stuff. If only I had taken pics of my failed projects lol - you would all think I'm insane.

And that's it!

So how about you all?
 

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How effective is your solar panel? I have been wondering about installing one to take some of the burden of electricity use from the tanks, not for cost reasons more environmentally
 
I made a diy rack for my API test tubes for testing and for air drying when washed as I could not find anything suitable online at the time for setting test tubes on without paying a king’s ransom :lol:

Works really well and was pleased with this, I still use it btw!

4B790BA7-4033-4394-9149-CF5FFF812C63.jpeg55E85714-8865-4705-9B8C-D221BCF976D0.jpeg40822F50-4A46-4C7E-8454-324EB9F97DD0.jpeg
 
How effective is your solar panel? I have been wondering about installing one to take some of the burden of electricity use from the tanks, not for cost reasons more environmentally

I'd say they work pretty well, but only with low demand. The package said I could run my laptop on it but that didnt work so well (I can charge it turned off moderately fast during daylight hours though). I did manage to trickle charge my jeeps battery with one a while back when the lights had been left on overnight, it came with a set of small clamp cables. I'll attach a pic of the wire accessories from my phone after this post from my PC.

Mine are brunton portable solar panels (the new ones are 26 watt, not sure what mine are/cant find info.). It has x1 usb port, a 12 volt adapter cord, a 12v car plug adapter (i have a separate inverter for a 12v car plug to plugin outlet that it handles just fine. If you get one of these, get one with a fuse), and a set of small 12v positive/negative clamp cables. Think the new models of my panels are around $300, but there are better quality ones available for far cheaper (brunton is just an expensive brand, not sure why with the reviews of their gear I've read). But I couldn't say no to $25 at an outdoor warehouse liquidation sale, but there are a lot of comparable ones in the $80-$150 range.

I can plug in my air pump with the inverter and it will do just fine during the main daylight hours until around 4pm (window faces east) and then it slows down without an additional battery source (with my 12v clamp cables, I could make a box with a lawnmower battery that it may keep charged enough to power an outlet plug overnight for air pump, havent spent the $ though and need to do some more math on the current first before considering, so im sticking with a 4 plug usb battery bank for now). Works on partially cloudy days but heavy overhead clouds really affect it. The one that charges my controller batteries always has 1 battery on it until I swap, from 0 to full, on that particular brand of battery, is maybe 3.5 hours (could be affected by the charging cable too).

I really enjoy them though, I charge my phone when I'm in the recliner off the solar power. The big key is a USB battery bank, big as you can get. If new, charge it to full with a wall outlet, then almost completely drain it charging your phone, then charge to full again. After I did that the solar panels keep the pack charged about 80% at all times, lowest I've seen it hit overnight was 65% then it recharged the next day. This is with moderate use (phones/nano tank led/headlamps & flashlight charging).

Kind of a balancing act, but I don't really pay attention to it anymore it just does its thing w/o issue so long as I don't overburden the battery bank.

*Edit - added pic of cord accessories
 

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I made a diy rack for my API test tubes for testing and for air drying when washed as I could not find anything suitable online at the time for setting test tubes on without paying a king’s ransom :lol:

Works really well and was pleased with this, I still use it btw!

View attachment 120396View attachment 120398View attachment 120399

That is too cool, I've been wanting to make something similar matter o' fact haha.

Are those bolts with sleeves over them and carved acrylic?? Really interested, it looks like something I could actually just buy - well made!
 
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It’s stainless steel bolts, less prone to rusting with plastic or acrylic sleeves and brass dome nuts to finish.

Drying rack at back was threaded plastic sleeves off something, cannot remember life of me from what though, cut to size and held with machine screws underneath to hold firmly in place.

The rack itself is Perspex, 6 or 8mm thick, drilled a number of holes and finely sanded over to give frosted look.

Pretty simple really but took me a wee while to achieve the look and design that I wanted.

Have had folks asking me to make the same racks for them in the past tbh but did not happen unfortunately due to time and sourcing the right parts etc etc
 
It’s stainless steel bolts, less prone to rusting with plastic or acrylic sleeves and brass dome nuts to finish.

Drying rack at back was threaded plastic sleeves off something, cannot remember life of me from what though, cut to size and held with machine screws underneath to hold firmly in place.

The rack itself is Perspex, 6 or 8mm thick, drilled a number of holes and finely sanded over to give frosted look.

Pretty simple really but took me a wee while to achieve the look and design that I wanted.

Have had folks asking me to make the same racks for them in the past tbh but did not happen unfortunately due to time and sourcing the right parts etc etc

Understandable, takes time to make good quality stuff too. That's awesome though, good advice and idea, if I end up rigging my own diy rack I'll prob. put it on this thread.
 
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