Making things that other people buy in this hobby..

What's the main reason you take on DIY reefing projects?

  • Save Money

    Votes: 141 34.7%
  • You Like To Make Things

    Votes: 152 37.4%
  • Necessity, you want it a certain way

    Votes: 93 22.9%
  • Time, you need it quick

    Votes: 7 1.7%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 13 3.2%

  • Total voters
    406

Kfactor

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i think the fun of the hobby is making your own custom stuff / also here in canada we dont have alot of stuff to pick from . i build ppl stuff alot and dont charge anything for it but cost of the stuff to build it i just like helping ppl out
 

Nate Chalk

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My entire tank!
Build thread in my description.
 

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Reefer Reboot

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I DIYed this device to alternate the flow in the tank to create more of a surge than a wave action.
20170114_172137.jpg


Of course right after I completed it I found Oceans Motions. DOH;Facepalm, I could have just bought something similar and saved myself the time and trouble.
 

AlexG

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I wish this was a multiple answer poll. I choose other: Save Money, I like to build stuff, and necessity to make it the way I want it. Just a small part of my fish room but I think it speaks to why I go DIY. I built the 700 gallon refugium (Stand, tank, canopy) in the left back. The skimmer is all DIY gravity fed with custom needle wheels, and a cup larger than a 5 gallon bucket. 265 gallon HDPE sump stand and mounting boards is all DIY. Plastic on the ceiling is my DIY for moisture proofing. Plumbing everything together is just fun. I don't even want to ask what someone would charge to build this for me but when its all done I might ask some custom builders just for fun to see what numbers are in their head. I enjoy the engineering of building these structures, and integrated systems. In my case I need it all custom to fit the space and the best way to do that for me is to build it myself.

20210804_220316.jpg
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Gingernjuice

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Im not a finish carpenter but this tank I had lots of diy.
Own stand, wanted it taller to use 55 as sump and oversized skimmer and was going to do display sump.
Custom sump for Bean Overflow with return pump in center of sump with huge refugium on far side to slow down flow through it and a hang on filter to add different media like carbon instead of full carbon reactor.
custom top, again not a finish carpenter, but the inside was awesome and the whole front opened up and held itself for working inside.
Custom Heater controller for 4 smaller heaters. Lots of redundancy.
and enough room to fit a 10 gallon ATO
 

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WallyB

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DIY isn't always cheaper....

However if done right DIY can be exactly (Dimentions/Features) you want if not better than off the shelf.
Plus fun to design and build....

Few of my DIY projects:

Tank Stand for (In-Wall 110G Basement Office tank)


110GalTankStand.jpg


Installed...Stand/Tank
BasementOfficeSPS-Tank3b.jpg


Tank Stand and Canopy (90 Gallon Kitchen Tank)

2017-09-20_2002_TankStandFirstFish.jpg



Few Basic DIY Controllers

DIY-CentralCommand.jpg



Frozen Food Feeder (4 Tank)

2020-08-09_FeederCoolatron-2.jpg


Feeder-Internal-Components-s.jpg



Complex DIY Controller (3 Tank Alk Monitor - Autmoated Hanna Tester )


2020-05-16_HannaHolderForAquaMonAlkMonitor.jpg



Advanced Doser (Web Controlled / Ardiuno-RaspberryPi)

2020-05-02_DoserPlusIQ-ManualCompleted.jpg



FRAG TANK (With Built in Algae Scrubber)

2020-06-02_FragTank-OriginalBuild.jpg



55G SUMP (With Built in Algae Scrubber & Refuge)

2016-08-26_Sump-Installed-SUMPviews.jpg



Fish/Equipment Room ((Two Tanks))

BasementOfficeSumpRoom.jpg


I'm iching for a new project...
(Temporarily-retired="Lost my Job")
 
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ilawis

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I custom designed my tank (tho I have built tanks in the past) I built my stand and hood and roller matt I'm going to do my lights soon as well as a water change system (might do that this weekend) also planning on a enclosed refugium soon also built a bucket with portable air stone and a tool for picking up objects like rocks from the bottom of the tank and a stand for my skimmer so a few things so far .
 

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Firstreef20

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I just 3d printed a knockoff version of the VCA Salinity Probe Stability kits. I'm sure it isn't as nice as the one they sale, but for the 20 cents it cost me in plastic I'm sure it will be good enough. I still haven't installed it yet though.

Almost all of my diy projects are to save money. It allows me to justify spending more on coral and fish.
Can I see that file?
 

Gtinnel

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Can I see that file?
I just got it from thingiverse. I still haven't installed it, well technically I tried to install it and I broke the inside piece so I need to reprint it. If you make it remove the inner piece until you get the thing shoved onto the probe.

 

Devaji

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yes sir i DIY my money so I can go buy the stiff I need and in the process I give Ryan more money to acquire the next company. win WIN eh?

all jokes a side i have DIYed a few stands, sumo skimmer stand, controllable LED lights.
my latest project is a gravity feed AWC stand for 50 gallon barrels.

some times I enjoy it, some time not
some time I save money some times not .
some time its out of necessity some time not
 

Sparrow1617

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Diy’d everything except the stuff inside my sump.
Display tank, stand, tank cover, sump, plumbing, wiring, everything.

multiple reasons.
1: It’s a lot cheaper
2: Custom built to fit the spot exactly
3: I like building stuff.
 

Firstreef20

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I just got it from thingiverse. I still haven't installed it, well technically I tried to install it and I broke the inside piece so I need to reprint it. If you make it remove the inner piece until you get the thing shoved onto the probe.

Thank you
 

abitsalty

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I just 3d printed a knockoff version of the VCA Salinity Probe Stability kits. I'm sure it isn't as nice as the one they sale, but for the 20 cents it cost me in plastic I'm sure it will be good enough. I still haven't installed it yet though.

Almost all of my diy projects are to save money. It allows me to justify spending more on coral and fish.
Any chance of the stl files for this or link please
 

Paul B

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My evaporative chiller.


Brine shrimp hatchery shell seperator.


Skimmer.


Plaza Hotel roof lights.


Most of my rock


Mandarin feeder


Glass cheaner.


Roatating algae scrubber.


a million of these including my book and to many more to list. I love DIY

 

Gtinnel

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Any chance of the stl files for this or link please
I put a link to the thingiverse website on post 91. As I've already stated I haven't used it yet so I'm not sure how well it works, the person who posted it on thingiverse said its a work in progress. If you print it and start using it let us know if it works.
 

dbowman5

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I started out to save money the i did it because it is fun and now after seeing all the wonderful, beautiful, artistic, and master-craft level results that others have produced i think i did it for the embarrassment.
i have made a stand, a PVC pipe overflow, and two custom sumps. functional but crude. I can see another sump in my future. thank you for all of the examples of how to do it right!
 

Fish man

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I made my own stand, sump and ATO. Cheaper, I could make it how I wanted it and I like to make stuff.
 

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Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 37 54.4%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 37 54.4%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 15 22.1%
  • None.

    Votes: 15 22.1%
  • Other.

    Votes: 6 8.8%
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