Get any part you need, right here!

[Badguy]

If you reprint the Lid ,how would you measure for the grove where the lid would rest on the collection cap ..My caliper is to big to measure ...Sorry i didn't pay attention during Mechanical Design in University ...

 

[MaccaPopEye]

If you reprint the Lid ,how would you measure for the grove where the lid would rest on the collection cap ..My caliper is to big to measure ...Sorry i didn't pay attention during Mechanical Design in University ...

Do you mean your caliper is too big to fit into the little groove? Or was that a typo and you meant your calipers aren't big enough to measure the lid?

It looks like I am going to have to print a lid as I can't get the 'manual cleaner' (aka the squeegee I epoxied to the lid) off. So the way I have measured the lid is to use my calipers and measure from the outside of the lid to the little grove, then I measured the width of the grove and then the diameter of the whole lid. That should be all the measurements I need.

If your calipers aren't big enough to measure the lid you can either use a tape measure, or trace it onto a piece of paper and fold it in half and measure that. If you can't get your calipers into the grove to see how thick it is you can just measure how thick your skimmer cup wall is and use that (+ a little bit of wiggle room) as the width of the grove.

 

[MaccaPopEye]

And it's done!
So that I don't hijack this thread I made a separate thread to keep updated with how well it works and any changes I make. Feel free to head on over there if you have any specific questions about this project.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-protein-skimmer-swabbie-neck-cleaner.435982/

 

[mipstien]

Where can I find this float holder stl? I couldn't locate it.

 

[MaccaPopEye]

Where can I find this float holder stl? I couldn't locate it.

Whoever designed it might not have shared the file. If you can't find one like it that suits your needs maybe try modeling one in fusion 360 (it's free). It's a fairly simple design so if you are new to CAD it would a great first project

 

[mipstien]

Whoever designed it might not have shared the file. If you can't find one like it that suits your needs maybe try modeling one in fusion 360 (it's free). It's a fairly simple design so if you are new to CAD it would a great first project

I am not new 3d printing so I do understand how it works. I can design parts to an extent and have done so in racing quads. I just assumed if a picture was there someone might have a file to share also.

 

[mipstien]

I figured I would just recreate what is in that picture. I don't believe my sizing is perfect yet. I will fix it when I can measure the bucket i need to hang it on. If anyone wants to try to print this just pm me. Otherwise I will be printing this tonight.

 

[Jose H]

Has anyone printed a mounting bracket for Ocean Revive t247 LEDs?

 

[Nfd552]

I'm looking for overflow cover for a waterbox. basically a copy of the glass one that comes with the tank but I need it to have a notch in the back side to accommodate a rms mount since I'm center mounting one light on the tank instead of two on either side....anyone able to help?

 

[sbash]

Sorry guys, I haven't been on much in the past few months to chime into my own threads, lol...

Where can I find this float holder stl? I couldn't locate it.

I designed this part, after many iterations, this is a very stable piece. However, it has to be perfectly fitted to each trim it is being attached to (I have used this design on several of my various sized tanks). The force from the 'float' causes a lot of stress on the part and with any other design I tried, they would eventually break or fall off.

The theory behind this part is that it literally clamps onto the rim using the float as the nut and bolt. The left part (outside) is form fitted around the outside of the trim. The right piece is form fitted inside the trim and they couple together perfectly to ensure there is no play.

The one pictured is on my ZooMed Low Boy tanks, which I have an STL handy and can PM it to you. However, if you have a different tank, I would have to send you a SketchUp file for you to modify to fit your tank. Either way, PM me and we can take it from there. Worse case, you can just send me the details and I can modify it (however I don't have a lot of spare time to do so).

I figured I would just recreate what is in that picture. I don't believe my sizing is perfect yet. I will fix it when I can measure the bucket i need to hang it on. If anyone wants to try to print this just pm me. Otherwise I will be printing this tonight.

How did it go?

Has anyone printed a mounting bracket for Ocean Revive t247 LEDs?

What kind of bracket?

I'm looking for overflow cover for a waterbox. basically a copy of the glass one that comes with the tank but I need it to have a notch in the back side to accommodate a rms mount since I'm center mounting one light on the tank instead of two on either side....anyone able to help?

Sounds pretty straight forward, post some pictures and see how the responses go. I am only able to work on paying projects right now. However, have you considered doing this with a piece of acrylic? Acrylic is easy to work with for the most part.[/QUOTE]

 

[ajhudson15]

My father in law just got a 3d printer and wants to build me a corner frag rack. He only had pla. Can anyone tell me if the pla will be ok or had this actually been decided on yet. Also don't want it to Leach anything

 

[MaccaPopEye]

My father in law just got a 3d printer and wants to build me a corner frag rack. He only had pla. Can anyone tell me if the pla will be ok or had this actually been decided on yet. Also don't want it to Leach anything

Still up in the air as far as I am concerned. I have 2 PLA parts submerged in water, my nitrate reactor has been in the sump for over 6 months now and a feeding ring in the DT for a bit over 3 months with no signs of anything happening to either print.

I've seen reports of people who have been using PLA in their tanks for over 2 years with no issues, yet I have recently heard of others who had issues after a month or two (the PLA getting soft). So it could depend on the brand, the colour, the print itself, exposure to UV or a million other things.

I think concerns about leaching are pretty minimal (but that is just my opinion!) so if you want you could try it out and just check the print every couple of weeks to see if it's degrading at all. Otherwise just buy some plain white PETG as it's very inert.

 

[theatrus]

Still up in the air as far as I am concerned. I have 2 PLA parts submerged in water, my nitrate reactor has been in the sump for over 6 months now and a feeding ring in the DT for a bit over 3 months with no signs of anything happening to either print.

I've seen reports of people who have been using PLA in their tanks for over 2 years with no issues, yet I have recently heard of others who had issues after a month or two (the PLA getting soft). So it could depend on the brand, the colour, the print itself, exposure to UV or a million other things.

I think concerns about leaching are pretty minimal (but that is just my opinion!) so if you want you could try it out and just check the print every couple of weeks to see if it's degrading at all. Otherwise just buy some plain white PETG as it's very inert.

I think controlling for violet and UV would be interesting. UV will destroy many plastics.

 

[Vivid Creative Aquatics]

Still up in the air as far as I am concerned. I have 2 PLA parts submerged in water, my nitrate reactor has been in the sump for over 6 months now and a feeding ring in the DT for a bit over 3 months with no signs of anything happening to either print.

I've seen reports of people who have been using PLA in their tanks for over 2 years with no issues, yet I have recently heard of others who had issues after a month or two (the PLA getting soft). So it could depend on the brand, the colour, the print itself, exposure to UV or a million other things.

I think concerns about leaching are pretty minimal (but that is just my opinion!) so if you want you could try it out and just check the print every couple of weeks to see if it's degrading at all. Otherwise just buy some plain white PETG as it's very inert.

I would agree with this - at least for certain brands/kinds of PLA.
Ive had a few misc parts printed in eSun PLA Plus and have had them in my personal tank for at least a few years with no visible signs or issues. However, I don't know if that would be true for all brands of PLA. It would depend on what''s mixed it with.

I think the main thing you want to watch for is to stick to colors who's pigments do not contain any compounds you may not want in your reef tank. Personally, i stay away from yellows and reds.

 

[Miguel Medina]

Here I show you a BCN probe holder for sinks with 20mm input and high rear output so that the probes are always submerged and with a rear ramp to avoid water fall noise

 

[Miguel Medina]

U.FLOW 3D

 

[Edward Harevich]

*subbed*

 

[neoGeorge]

3D printing is nothing new to the hobby, however, I do not feel it is getting the traction it should. That said, as seen here: https://www.reef2reef.com/search/2447484/?q=3d+printing&o=relevance, there is a

good amount of discussion and ideas. Including, 3d printed live rock, filter sock replacements, mounts, frag carriers, the list goes on! The focus of this posting is to poll the R2R users to get our own 3D Printing forum and a central place to discuss such things.






Information on 3D printing is not in short supply. There are also many companies that offer design and printing services, but there seems to be very little in the way of reefing communities

supporting each other in 3D printing efforts. To jump-start things, I have created a ThingiVerse collection specifically for Reef2Reef (https://www.thingiverse.com/sbash/collections/reef2reef). Please PM me if you want anything added to it. The collection includes a fully printable skimmer, overflow box, pump and airline fittings, and more!




Admittedly, 3D printing is not as developed as I would like, however, if you are new to 3D printing, the process is quite simple. First, the part needs to be measured and designed

in a 3D design program (Sketchup, Solidworks, Autocad, etc). Depending on the part, there could be some meticulous measuring invovled as part of the design process. Next, the design needs to be converted into something the printer can read (we call this 'slicing'). On more advanced printers, this can be done on the printer itself. On more hobby-grade printers there is a pre-processing step to slice the design into machine code which the printer can read (and thusly, print).


This is where community support and discussion comes in. Due to the steps invovled, and potentially the varying expertise required, we can work together to break further

ground with 3D printing and reefing. It will give us a place to request designs and parts, help with printing problems, discussing new ideas and so on. So, take a quick look at the Thingiverse link above and get inspired!


All the pictures are from my own personal printing adventures. The full light mount for a 5.5 gallon tank and ATO float mount are part of my various systems. I also have many other 3D printer parts, including a convenient cup holder (as seen below), various mounts and spacers, other ATO designs, part of my DIY auto feeder, and so on.

Thanks @sbash - what a great thread!

 

[drbogger]

I'm going to pitch in for those of you new to 3D printing...

One of the most easiest 3D modeling software to learn I think is www.tinkercad.com

Check it out! It's easy!

 

[Aheinz]

Something I'm curious about I know it would end up costing a pretty penny but design of a rough and relatively porous block to house back think reef safe plastic 3d printed marine pure blocks just a random thought