Alternative uses for old equipment?

Jon Fishman · Nov 22, 2019

So, I guess if anyone is using an old skimmer to make coffee, or turned a return pump into a professional bubble machine, this is the place for that..... but I have a question specifically for my old LED lights.

Chinese black-box lights...... no nibbles on trying to sell them since I have no boxes and won’t ship, so it got me thinking....... they are some really bright lights..... so maybe I can use them for something else!

Current idea I am kicking around, is making an enclosure and using them as lights for an outdoor pergola/deck..... but even with an enclosure I live in NE Ohio, so I would be lucky for them to survive a full calendar year outside.

I have ZERO plans of ever setting up more tanks, so I am just looking to repurpose these. Thoughts?

X-37B · Nov 22, 2019

Yea not sure. I have a 18" Aquatop nano cube. Nice stand, black box led, sump, coral box skimmer, heater, return pump, sock holder, complete setup and cant sell it for $100.
It sits in the garage collecting dust.
Oh well may just give it away as I have more extra stuff than I need.

Crabs McJones · Nov 22, 2019

Skimmer to make coffee ;Vomit
If you had an old controller you could use it as a timer for lights or other things around the house I suppose :)

Joshua Kerstetter · Nov 22, 2019

Grow systems? I have a older AC pump that's my 2nd emergency backup sump pump for my house in case the basement sump fails.

fish farmer · Nov 22, 2019

Joshua Kerstetter said:
Grow systems? I have a older AC pump that's my 2nd emergency backup sump pump for my house in case the basement sump fails.

I was thinking the same thing....do you like to grow plants?

Greybeard · Nov 22, 2019

I had a 250w DE Halide pendent over my work bench for a while. Eventually, someone approached me about using it for their tank, and I gave it away :P

Joshua Kerstetter · Nov 25, 2019

fish farmer said:
I was thinking the same thing....do you like to grow plants?

I have many house plants, I'd love to do some sort of elaborate salt water mangrove via a frag tank, but that's in future plans.

Dom · Nov 25, 2019

You could use the lights indoors for plants. In the summer, my houseplants go out on the deck. In the winter, I bring them in and use grow lights to maintain them as I don't have good natural light in my house.