What DIY tools have you made to make your hobby easier?

[AllFishNoBrakes]

Across my 2.5 year fish keeping hobby I’ve built tools to make my life just a liiiitle more efficient. I have 13 tanks, none of which are on auto water change, so I’ve built things to help that go faster. Simple pvc pipe with some elbows, a ball valve, a bit of sponge, and some tubing have made all the difference when it comes to taking water out of tanks. A small pump and some tubing saves time when putting water back into my smaller tanks. Python to refill anything 29 gallon and above. 
 

I also modified my brine shrimp hatchery stand to hold a sieve for me!

All of these tools make it so I can do more than one thing at once, making my maintenance days super efficient. Still takes time, but I can be draining tanks while filling buckets in the sink, drain tanks as I fill with the python behind me, and get my tools ready to freeze my baby brine shrimp while harvesting.
 

What tools have you built to make your maintenance easier for you? Show em off!

Edited September 21, 2022 by AllFishNoBrakes

[CJs Aquatics]

Oh I definitely gotta steal these lol 

[Jess]

On 9/21/2022 at 3:01 PM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

What tools have you built to make your maintenance easier for you? Show em off!

These are super cool! Thanks for sharing!

I was just about to make a post asking folks for a link to their favorite clip-on LED light for brine shrimp.  I have a Kasa power strip and I want a USB-powered lamp but I need one that will heat up the hatchery a bit (not just a book light, they don't get hot).  Not sure such a thing exists...I see you have a clip-on light on yours - does it heat your hatchery too?  If so, do you have a link/product name handy?\

 

I don't have any DIY tools yet...but one that I want to build is a fine, circular net the same diameter as a 5-gallon bucket, attached to a long handle.  I could leave it in the bottom and just lift it to harvest mosquito larvae more easily.

[A3M0N]

Can you describe some of those tools? Are the PVC tools hanging on the tanks siphons? 

 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

@Jess The clip on light in the photo is just to pull the brine to the bottom of the hatchery as they’re attracted to light. I found it on Amazon forever ago. 
 

As far as heating the hatchery goes, I use a different clip on lamp that has a normal light bulb. Works like a dream for me. I found a picture that kind of shows the light

@A3M0N Ya, the pvc is just essentially a hands free siphon. The tubing just gets clipped to a 5 gallon bucket to drain water 

[A3M0N]

@AllFishNoBrakes thanks! How do you start the siphon on those? I'm sure its simple, but so am I! 😜

[TeeJay]

On 9/21/2022 at 4:58 PM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

@Jess The clip on light in the photo is just to pull the brine to the bottom of the hatchery as they’re attracted to light. I found it on Amazon forever ago. 
 

As far as heating the hatchery goes, I use a different clip on lamp that has a normal light bulb. Works like a dream for me. I found a picture that kind of shows the light

@A3M0N Ya, the pvc is just essentially a hands free siphon. The tubing just gets clipped to a 5 gallon bucket to drain water 

Going to order the hatchery soon. Would love to get the specs and materials list for the stand you made.

[AllFishNoBrakes]

@A3M0N I just suck on the end of the tubing. The tubing is like 7 feet long so I have plenty of time to start the siphon and just clip it to the bucket. I have a rolled up piece of sponge in the end of the pvc that’s in the tanks so I don’t suck up any fish or plants. 
 

@TeeJay I think the hatchery is worth it if you can afford it. I hatch 1 Tablespoon of eggs at a time, but the majority of that gets frozen and used throughout the following week. I have a silicone mold that I got off Amazon that makes tiny cubes, so I fill that up and then feed the rest when I harvest. 
     -I used half inch pvc pipe, (8) 90° side outlet elbows, and (8) 90° normal elbows. I made the stand pretty tall, and then realized I could use the (8) 90° elbows to bow out the front sides of the frame to hold the sieve. As far as lengths of the square to hold the hatchery, I just measured the top ring of the hatchery and made em that big. The pvc connections have plenty of wiggle room as there’s like 1 inch or so between the outside edge of the elbow piece, and where it can go in all the way. (Hope that makes sense. If you’ve ever used pvc you know what I’m talking about). Allows you enough play to make it just right. Plus, the hatchery has the handle on the back, so you can use that to your advantage as well. 
     -So ya, ~8’ of half inch pvc,  (8) 90° side outlet elbows, (8) 90° elbows, a tape measure, a sharpie, and a pvc cutter and you’re good to go. 
 

I attached a couple close up detail pictures of the elbows and connections as well. Holler if you have any more questions! Happy to help

Edited September 22, 2022 by AllFishNoBrakes

[AllFishNoBrakes]

I guess I could show off this bad boy, too. 
 

This is how I filled water back into tanks before I had a Python. The pump would sit in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket, and has an adjuster for how fast the water runs through it. Water went in the pump, up the tubing, and then the pvc was built to hang over the rim of a tank. The caps on the end of the apparatus has a ton of small holes drilled in it, acting like a spray bar instead of just pushing water straight down or out the sides. Diffused the water to not disturb the substrate. Fill up the 5 gallon bucket with water and the pump, start filling a second bucket in the sink, turn on the pump, and then keep dumping water into the bucket with the pump until the tank is full. 
 

I actually just sold this apparatus to a co-worker who also got into fish keeping. Charged them a fraction of the overall price to make without labor, but felt cool passing on something that helped me early on to help out a friend. 

Edited September 22, 2022 by AllFishNoBrakes

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

 

Leftover food saver (top w/ tank water)

Great for hard food that crumbled when you tried to cut it into chunks (ie: nano block)

 

 

Hold the food in tank w/ aquascaping tongs til ice melts (30 sec or so) and the food falls in one spot.

 

Media bag (pantyhose)

 

 

Clutch remover:

 

 

Water dispersion tool (idea from Foo the Flowerhorn)

 

 

Testing station:

 

 

Baby snail transporter:

 

 

Stuff holder/fish holder:

 

 

Caves:

 

 

Breeder box locker downer (again, pantyhose)- prevents escape through slats.

 

 

 

Edited September 22, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Cowrabbit]

Wow these are amazing🤩!! 

I’ve only got container breeder box for tiny egg/fry. My Pygmy corydora eggs and fry keep slipping out of every commercial breeder box I had. These are the cheapest plastic containers with super thin walls. I poke ton of holes with a large needle and line the container top with foam to float on top. 

 

Super tiny fry, practically eggs with a tail.

[drewzero1]

I cut the bottom off of a 20oz soda bottle and drilled a hole in the cap to fit my water change tubing. I can start a siphon by scooping up a bottleful of water, then tipping it up to fill the tubing, then tilting the bottle back into the water. The bottle also doubles as a gravel vac.

My other diy tool is a 3d printed duckweed comb. Previously I'd been using a long-handled fast food plastic spoon, but kept scooping up water with the duckweed. I'm finding that a comb usually works better!

[AllFishNoBrakes]

@drewzero1 A duckweed comb sounds awesome! Even cooler that it’s 3d printed.
 

Post some pics of your tools! Might inspire some others to make the same, or even upgrade it 

[drewzero1]

Here's my duckweed comb.

Just got my printer so I'm pretty new at it. I combined two models I found online:
Duckweed comb: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3877708
Fish skeleton keychain (gives grip to the handle): https://www.printables.com/model/68044-superior-articulated-fish-bones

I left my siphon hose at work, so I'll add a pic later.

 

Edited September 23, 2022 by drewzero1
fixed incorrect link

[drewzero1]

Here's a pic of the siphon and a napkin drawing of the operation:

I'm sure I stole this from somewhere, but I don't remember where. I built a few about 5 years ago and haven't tasted my aquarium water since.

[A3M0N]

DIY modified fluid transfer pump from Harbor Freight, powered by two C batteries. Removed the short hose that came with the pump and siliconed a 1in slip to 1in threaded adapter, screwed in a 1in threaded to 1/2in barb adapter. Then warmed up and pushed the end of the hose into a length of 1/2in PVC pipe, this helps weigh it down and keep it in the bucket for removing water, and a spring clamp. For filling, a 1/2in tee fitting with two little pieces of pipe and two elbows. I added a suction cup to keep it still while filling. 

I've been using the pump for a while now, but only used the refill contraption once, but it worked well for me. I do plan on adding some kind of screen or filter on the intake of the pump, the impeller is at the tip and sucks up sand really easily as well as can grab on and mangle plants. 

[JettsPapa]

I've posted this here before on similar threads, but in case anyone who is interested hasn't seen it here it is again.

I drilled holes in the side of an acrylic measuring cup.  I hang it on the side of my tanks and pour the water in it during water changes to avoid disturbing the substrate.

[AndEEss]

Not necessarily a tool, but, I made my own 1" 304 SS jet pipes for my Fluval FX6 and FX4. No one makes them for BIG filters, just small ones that use 16/22 hose, so I went the DIY route.

[SandBkeeper]

These are all so cool! Maybe I'll have to hit the hardware store this weekend 😆

[Tommy Vercetti]

I have made a lot of gadgets but this tool is a game changer for water changes. 3d printed the diffuser to fit tightly on 3/4 inch pvc pipe. I also made one to fit my daughter's python hook hose setup.

Edited February 3, 2023 by Tommy Vercetti

[JettsPapa]

On 2/3/2023 at 1:41 AM, Tommy Vercetti said:

I have made a lot of gadgets but this tool is a game changer for water changes. 3d printed the diffuser to fit tightly on 3/4 inch pvc pipe. I also made one to fit my daughter's python hook hose setup.

What software do you use to make the models?  (I use Solidworks at work.)

[Tommy Vercetti]

On 2/3/2023 at 5:26 AM, JettsPapa said:

What software do you use to make the models?  (I use Solidworks at work.)

I use fusion 360 and Tinker cad. That model was made with Tinker cad.

[JettsPapa]

On 2/3/2023 at 10:09 AM, Tommy Vercetti said:

I use fusion 360 and Tinker cad. That model was made with Tinker cad.

I'm on a CAD forum that has a Fusion 360 section (https://www.cadforum.net/viewforum.php?f=8).  That section isn't very active since it's a relatively new forum mostly made up of refugees from the former Solidworks sponsored forum (they switched it to their own home grown "platform"; long story and a sore subject), but you might want to take a look some time.

[SandBkeeper]

On 9/21/2022 at 10:33 PM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

The pump would sit in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket,

What kind of pump was it? I'm looking for something similar as my faucets don't connect to pythons. 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

On 2/17/2023 at 8:04 AM, SandBkeeper said:

What kind of pump was it?

I don’t remember exactly. I bought it on Amazon like 3 years ago and have since sold it to a friend. 
 

I made sure the pump was rated to lift water from the ground to the top of my tallest tank (~7’). From there, I made sure the pump was adjustable (on the front it had a dial for less or more water and therefore less or more pressure/lift), and the outlet had several different sized barbed fittings so I could use whatever size tubing/pvc I wanted.