Stuff you use that was never intended for aquarium use

[Bob Loblaw]

Digital meat thermometer. This thing is awesome when it comes water change time.

 

[cracker]

My Ex's micro food processor , well " she" never meant it for aquarium purposes .

 

[DarkTang]

This stuff makes a great dehumidifier a few bucks one with holes full of this stuff to drop the moisture into the bottom empty bucket

Can you explain please

 

[DarkTang]

I'm a Physician. Nice to meet you, nurse.

Shots fired lol

 

[DarkTang]

CAUTION. If you add a hammer, you may get Leeks.

But why!

 

[Erica-Renee]

Can you explain please

there are a lot better people to explain how it works then me. If you google Rock salt Dehumidifier you will find many examples

 

[DarkTang]

there are a lot better people to explain how it works then me. If you google Rock salt Dehumidifier you will find many examples

Does it have to be this exact brand

 

[Tastee]

Plastic soy sauce bottle for my homemade ATO reservoir for my QT.

 

[Jvesche20]

Not sure if this counts. They sell this at Home Depot. But I’ve seen them on brs called something else. If you go to Home Depot and look where the light diffusers are you should see it. Does an awesome job of holding my frags

 

[Paul B]

But why!

But Why Not!

 

[schprock]

Siphon detritus from sump

 

[Idoc]

I just throw a powerhead or an airline in my container of water and let the them do the stirring instead of me!

I do that as well, but it alwsys leaves some on the bottom of the brute can. Maybe because the bottom of a brute can isn't flat. By mixing with the paddle first, it all dissolves... then i throw in a powerhead and it keeps the water moving.

 

[jabberwock]

The top 1/3 of a 2 liter soda bottle to protect my frog spawn from my Royal Gramma when I target feed the coral.

I use it for my acan too. I thought the picture would be helpful...

 

[MMont]

Tupperware Bread container (shape of a full loaf) filled with rock rubble as a bubble trap for taming the water in the sump from the tank overflows

 

[MMont]

Tupperware Bread container (shape of a full loaf) filled with rock rubble as a bubble trap for taming the water in the sump from the tank overflows

 

[MMont]

Tupperware Bread container (shape of a full loaf) filled with rock rubble as a bubble trap for taming the water in the sump from the tank overflows

 

[Iona Skye]

Siphon detritus from sump

yaaaas I've always wanted to use a wet/dry vac in aquatics

 

[Iona Skye]

Coffee scoops, meat thermometer
Measuring spoons and cups, strainers and colanders
“Wands” from venetian blinds as poking/stirring sticks
Bottoms of plastic buckets with lots of holes drilled and pvc pipes with powerheads as DIY undergravel filters
Polyester fluff and quilt batting from sewing shops in filters
Sturdy plastic clothes hangers cut into rods to hold rocks in place
Eggcrate lighting panels to keep rocks from touching tank bottom
Fishing line
Zip ties
Old nylon stockings for nets and to cover filter inlets to protect small fry
Clothes pins
Hypodermic syringes for measuring and spot feeding
Turkey basters
Bulb pipettes
Rubbermaid bins
Tweezers
Plastic bottle caps as adapters to attach powerheads to odd-size tubing
Soda bottles cut to make funnels
Various plastic or nylon screws and bolts
Plastic-coated twist ties from bread bags to hold wires in place
Plastic trash bags taped on back of tank instead of painting glass tank backs
Milk carton with holes for frag rack
BIC pens without their innards for tubing or stiff rods
Plexiglass tank covers/dividers
PVC “caves”
Rubber bands
Paint brushes/tooth brushes/bottle brushes/dish washing brushes
Kitchen scrubbing pads (no scratch, non-metallic, soapless) as filter pads
Glass beads (for flower pots)
Flower pot “caves”
Plastic and glass pitchers
Plastic coffee cans
Medicine vials

You are my kind of diy!!! Thumbs up for creativity

 

[Iona Skye]

Just wondering how you used the Saran Wrap & wax paper. My light just went out & I think it was the moisture.

I folded cling wrap so it was just a little wider than the light, stretched it (no wrinkles) across the top of the aquarium, used packaging tape to stiffen the sides, trimmed to size with scissors and taped it to the rim. It was actually pretty low profile and not very noticeable.

Now, when I did this, my fish (freshwater) didn't like the sudden intense light, and they started flashing. So I just stuck a piece of wax paper under the light while they adjusted to the new tank and light, and removed it after I added a bunch of floating plants and they were all happy as clams.

And yeah, moisture wrecks lights. And salt just eats up all sorts of metals!

PS - If you're having trouble with wrinkles in the cling wrap, you can also lay out your cling wrap nicely on the counter and tape the sides to stiffen it and make "handles" for yourself. Or you could roll one end in a dowel or a chopstick... The possibilities are endless

I also used ziplock plastic or I cut up those plastic clamshell packaging things for all sorts of things when I needed stiffer plastic. But be aware of the conditions you are using it for; i.e., don't used something that may melt under a light, and be careful of anything that will actually be submerged.

Plastic bottles of all shapes and sizes have a myriad of applications too! They are indespensible as diy polishing filters. Or fill with lava rock and add inline to make a bacteria farm for less than $1.

 

[Iona Skye]

This is a great thread. You guys are really creative!

 

[dugthefish]

Red Solo cups

Wedding veil on a deli container for mushroom gratings.

I'm sure that's what your wife was saving it for!

 

[dantimdad]

Red Solo cups


I'm sure that's what your wife was saving it for!

Not married yet. But, you should see the looks in the fabric store when a bald, bearded, 240 pound dude in work boots comes up to the register with toile and wedding veil.