diy

This is an update to yesterdays post... I have a conceptual design of what i am looking for or need created... My tank sits in a cove in my living room between two walls, which looks great… until it’s time to clean the side panels. (See attached image) There’s very little room between the...

My tank sits in a cove in my living room between two walls, which looks great… until it’s time to clean the side panels. (See attached image) There’s very little room between the sides of the tank and the walls (6" to 8"), so cleaning the glass—especially with a magnetic scraper—is a pain...

My husband and I are starting another new tank project (on top of the big 55 gallon that we're setting up too) but this one will be much cheaper, way lower maintenance, and quicker to set up. We're having a waterplace. Instead of a fireplace, it's going to be a saltwater tank. The...

UNS has made a great crystal clear tank. They have an all-in-one system which I bought into. I bought the 40 a model. It’s only about a 16 gallon nano tank. I also purchased their ATTO auto top off system that sits on top hiding the protein skimmer all the other wiring, which makes it really...

Anyone have DIY media setups they feel are as good or better than Chemipure. If so mind sharing? Esp if less expensive to put together. Thanks.

I had this tank running for years, back in the late 2010s. Sat for about 7 years, and now it’s back! Like a zombie. Took a crack at creating my own stand cause the Coralife one is cheesy imo. Coralife 32g Biocube (Tank started 6/28/26) Lighting VipraSpectra v165 10 White LEDs swapped Power...

I'm considering creating a sump out of a 40G breeder, but they don't seem to be around anymore. Petsmart doesn't have them online at all and Petco is out of stock across southern California. Been out of the hobby a couple years and getting back in. Are they no longer in fashion?

I recently have bought a Neptune Apex and have made some DIY compatible solenoid valves and posted the .stl files to Cults3d if anyone is interested in making one for yourself. They are a direct replacement for the SV-1. As far as I can tell the solenoid body is the same used on the SV-1 so the...

Hello Everyone! It's been 2 years of being into the hobby with a whole bunch of ups and downs, but one thing I still haven't really been able to get a solid grasp/stance/opinion on is sumps. I know they're used as a replacement for typical filtration (like cannister filters/HOBs), but I don't...

The short and skinny: it works! Scroll down for instructions, the first part is me waxing philosophically I've been working on my first build and have been trying to strike a nice balance between affordability (whatever that means in this hobby), reliability, and most importantly -...

Recently picked up a large ~200ish gallon Waterbox Peninsula for cheap, came into it knowing it needed a full reseal. Has a small bubble in the upper front corner seam; both interior and exterior faces of the seam are intact, bubble is approximately 0.2"×3" (half above waterline, half below)...

I wanted to start this discussion now because I have some ideas that I would like to bounce off some folks before I start cutting lumber. I have a 8x2x2 acrylic tank with dual overflows. I’m going to build the stand, which by itself isn’t very complicated. This is where it gets tricky. I am...

I would like to make my own frag rack. I have done many DIY projects myself however, I am pretty paranoid about magnets rusting in my tank. I am writing this post to see if anyone has any advice and actual experience of the proper way to seal magnets so they do not rust and leach into the tank...

Equipment/Specs: AIO RS Nano Mat RS Desktop Skimmer ReefLED 50 with 3D printed shade RS ATO+ system Jebao SLW-3 Wavemaker LANDEN BIOSMO 1000 DC Return Pump Sicce 13W UV-C Sterilizer canister plumbed into the rear chamber with a LANDEN BIOSMO 700 DC powerhead Cobalt Aquatics 150W Neo-Therm Pro...

Small startup out of Texas thinking about an aquarium controller and want to gut-check before I waste a few months on it. Idea is a small touchscreen with temp/pH/TDS probes, a smart 4-outlet power bar to switch heater/pump/light, and a mobile app to check on it from anywhere. No subscription...

I've been running Noo-Psyche K7 Mini lamps for a while and wanted proper schedule control without relying on the app, so I built a small open-source controller that runs 24/7 on a £3 ($4) ESP32 board. Thought it might be useful to others here. What it does A tiny ESP32-S3 board sits on your...

I’m pretty new to all of this but hopefully I’m on the right track. I started in the Hobby in November 2025 with a Cobalt AIO 45g cube. Immediately fell for it and wanted to go bigger. I have put together some pieces from marketplace but wanted to see about my plumbing and/or plans for plumbing...

Hello everyone, Although I have been looking around R2R a lot, this is my first post here so let me know if doing something wrong... First of all I have not set up any aquarium by myself before, however have gotten to see and help with quite a few setups as my dad had multiple saltwater and...

Hello everyone. I have a mediterranean aquarium (300L, 250 Dt and 50L sump). I am currently running my two lominie pixie 150w reef leds, which i unfortunately cannot use their app for sunset sunrise, timer, color etc, so they run full spectrum full intensity all the time, and are being turned on...

Hi everyone — I’m building a DIY reef controller using an ESP32-S3 and could use some guidance from anyone with electrical/analog experience. pH measurement (Main Question) I’m trying to design a safe, robust pH input circuit that interfaces cleanly with the ESP32-S3 ADC, but I’m a bit lost on...

I’m wanting to know what I can do with my overflow box it’s starting to leak. Cut it out replace them? Is there a sealant that could hold it? I know they dnt make the parts anymore for this gen.

Hello everyone! Every time amino acids come up on Reef2Reef a small controversy arises. Some people find them beneficial and worth the cost, while others question their value or even consider them harmful. There are plenty of commercially available products: Red Sea ReefEnergy AB+, Fauna Marin...

one of the things i love about reefing is the technical challenges it presents and with that the mind gets working on new ideas and often overthinkin, now i know this isnt the fist time this has been done but i built one of the very first aquarium chillers back in 1990 for my 300lt reef system...

Hello, looking for files for anyone that has cut or created baffles with a water jet or printed them before. I have free material and access to a big printer and water jet. Also does anyone have input wether 316 stainless would be aquarium safe….i am absolutely not doing it but my brother is...

Hello fellow hobbyists, I’ve started building a DIY Reef Aquarium Monitor using an ESP32-S3 Waveshare display board, and I’d love to get your inputs and suggestions. Here are the main features I’ve planned so far: Temperature monitoring and control pH monitoring Salinity monitoring ATO (Auto...