DIY projects

[slandis3]

Ok so we have a lot of talented people in the club. The idea of this thread is to come up with some diy projects we can do a workshop on. So lets throw out some ideas on things you would like to DIY and lets see if the club can do them.

[Reefd Up]

I can do a demonstration on DIY food, frag plugs, magnetic frag plugs, propagation, baking live rock to rid of pests, making 2-part solution, etc.

Will can discuss some woodworking basics.  We were able to make our stand with a table saw, router, small air compressor, nail gun, and a few other basic tools. 

[slandis3]

.

Will can discuss some woodworking basics.  We were able to make our stand with a table saw, router, small air compressor, nail gun, and a few other basic tools.  

What about that custom canopy you guys have?  lol  

[Reefd Up]

What about that custom canopy you guys have?  lol 

Grumble grumble grumble....

[slandis3]

Sorry I wanted to be the first to say it lol.  ok ok back on track. 

[HUNGER]

lets do  lumenarcs as a group

[slandis3]

Anyone, kalkreactor, calcium reactor, wave maker, sump, tank,  something, anything?  Just throw out some ideas.

[cyberwollf]

Im 99% sure we could do a standalone on/off wavemaker as well as a rampup/down wave maker.  Plan to eventually have one built into the diy controller we are working on.

Im also interested in a really crazy revolutionary DIY idea... What could make the hobby better/easyer that you cannot buy on the market today?

I dont know if its more of an experiment, but i have read some stuff on mounting frags on a titanium plate and using low voltage DC kind of like electroplating. You use the DC charge to attract the Calcium IONs to the coral and suppose to make them grow faster... if someone is bored they can google it let us know where the results are now...Thats kind of DIY....

[slandis3]

I can get small titanium plates hum.....

[jd]

I know this is a simple one but...

How about some RDSB? 5 gallon bucket, some play sand, couple bulkheads and BAM! No more nitrates. 

Something small at first could get new DIY-ers in to mood for bigger projects.

[wolfeden3]

english man rdsb? what's that! lol i'm not hip to the lingo dude.

[jd]

Remote Deep Sand Bed, sorry Garry

[wolfeden3]

how does that work?
 

[jd]

how does that work?
 

Pull up a chair...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=595109

[UDJustin]

hey mike how bout a DIY GEO calcium reactor that would be neat.

[cyberwollf]

hey mike how bout a DIY GEO calcium reactor that would be neat.

Josh, have you ever tried hooking up a DC Voltmeter to a PWM output? It you can get the correct reading all you would need it a AVR to read the pH (like we are about to begin work on for the diy controller) and use one output for the co2 solenoid and hookup a PWM output to a $2 voltmeter as a display

that's <$5 in parts

[Reefd Up]

I would REALLY like to see a programmable DIY LED light system.  I'd like to be able to set it on a timer (hence the programmable part) to match the cycle of the moon. 

[cyberwollf]

I would REALLY like to see a programmable DIY LED light system.  I'd like to be able to set it on a timer (hence the programmable part) to match the cycle of the moon. 

Just cheap 5mm Leds to use as a moonlight? and vary the total intensity on a ~1month cycle? That could be done in an afternoon i think. PWM out of a microcontroller through a BJT. inorder to save the $15 on a RTC, you could just have the uC increment a varible on boot. That way you could just have it on a normal cheap timer and everytime it came on it would change to the next intensity.  sound like it would work josh?

[jd]

Josh, have you ever tried hooking up a DC Voltmeter to a PWM output? It you can get the correct reading all you would need it a AVR to read the pH (like we are about to begin work on for the diy controller) and use one output for the co2 solenoid and hookup a PWM output to a $2 voltmeter as a display

that's <$5 in parts

Great Idea. I'm looking into it as we speak.

I would REALLY like to see a programmable DIY LED light system.  I'd like to be able to set it on a timer (hence the programmable part) to match the cycle of the moon. 

This is a project I've wanted to do forever, once I finish my class up next week I'll have some more free time.

Just cheap 5mm Leds to use as a moonlight? and vary the total intensity on a ~1month cycle? That could be done in an afternoon i think. PWM out of a microcontroller through a BJT. inorder to save the $15 on a RTC, you could just have the uC increment a varible on boot. That way you could just have it on a normal cheap timer and everytime it came on it would change to the next intensity.  sound like it would work josh?

That's a great idea Wes. Although alot of people run their moon lights all day for the added actinic. If you had a few cree stars it would make a huge differance....

hmmmm....

Firing up the AVR Studio now

[HUNGER]

i would love to have the moon lights like that but mine keep melting from the mh how about like 3 or 4 moon lights in a small metal box?

[Wall_Tank]

I have 3 small blue 5mm LED's.  When they are at full intensity at night, they provide a nice glow to the tank.  If your trying for a moon light, these are great.   In my case my controller has a Sun and Moon Table built in.

Here is part of it.

Date     Sunrise/set        Moon rise/set    Moon Int   Temperature
Jan 01   07:33/18:51   13:29/01:29   02   76.0
Jan 02   07:33/18:51   14:18/02:18   04   76.0
Jan 03   07:33/18:52   15:07/03:07   05   76.0
Jan 04   07:33/18:52   15:56/03:56   06   76.0
Jan 05   07:33/18:53   16:44/04:44   07   75.9
Jan 06   07:33/18:53   17:33/05:33   09   75.9
Jan 07   07:33/18:54   18:22/06:22   10   75.9
Jan 08   07:33/18:54   19:11/07:11   11   75.8

[cyberwollf]

I have 3 small blue 5mm LED's.  When they are at full intensity at night, they provide a nice glow to the tank.  If your trying for a moon light, these are great.   In my case my controller has a Sun and Moon Table built in.

Here is part of it.

Date     Sunrise/set        Moon rise/set    Moon Int   Temperature
Jan 01   07:33/18:51   13:29/01:29   02   76.0
Jan 02   07:33/18:51   14:18/02:18   04   76.0
Jan 03   07:33/18:52   15:07/03:07   05   76.0
Jan 04   07:33/18:52   15:56/03:56   06   76.0
Jan 05   07:33/18:53   16:44/04:44   07   75.9
Jan 06   07:33/18:53   17:33/05:33   09   75.9
Jan 07   07:33/18:54   18:22/06:22   10   75.9
Jan 08   07:33/18:54   19:11/07:11   11   75.8

Ohh yours does variable time and intensity... You'd need a RTC (real time clock) to do that...  Does the variable time aspect matter that much?

[Wall_Tank]

Ohh yours does variable time and intensity... You'd need a RTC (real time clock) to do that...  Does the variable time aspect matter that much?

Depends......If your doing if for effect, then no.  If your trying to match a moon phase spawn cycle, then maybe.

[Wall_Tank]

I really want to do some LED main lighting.  Although I think this is more of a group buy getting Cree Stars and BuckPuck drivers.

[cyberwollf]

Depends......If your doing if for effect, then no.  If your trying to match a moon phase spawn cycle, then maybe.

iv never notice the cycles before, but the moon is pretty crazy

heres a table for hawaii

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_rstablew.pl

I really want to do some LED main lighting.  Although I think this is more of a group buy getting Cree Stars and BuckPuck drivers.

Not for a tank your size i think anything over a 30breeder the cost is a pretty big turnoff.  I think it would have been about $200 for my 20H. Maybe Crees have come down in the last year? I know they are more reasonalby priced if you could buy the led and star seperate and do the reflow solder yourself....anyone have access to one??