What's your dream aquarium product that doesn’t exist?

[Daydreamer311]

On 7/22/2020 at 6:18 AM, pedrofisk said:

Since my first dream product turned out to already exist (thanks everyone!) here is another:

An auto-dosing pump for planted aquariums that first measures for various fertilizer concentrations in the aquarium and then auto-doses the correct missing ferts. So I would probably just set up with Easy Green and Iron but for someone doing Estimative Index (EI) Fertilization Method it could be more options. Maybe throw in an auto-water change if the concentrations get too high for EI as long as I am fantasizing.

 

This right here!!!!

[Trish]

A gravel Roomba. 

[Eric R]

On 4/8/2021 at 3:58 PM, JohnT said:

I'd like a digital water parameters test. Just drop some ml's of water (+ maybe some 'reagent') in the device and get some numbers out of it. I'm colorblind and it's quite hard to read the color-based results... 😞

Checkout Hanna Instruments freshwater test line of products (they aren't cheap though!). They make quite a few of these, I use their alkalinity one.

[Bucolic_Buffalo]

I would like to see an all-inclusive probe and meter that read all the common aquarium water parameters; temperature, nitrates, nitrite, kH, gH, pH and conductivity. That would be really useful if you could read it remotely over a smartphone. It would have alarms for any aberrant parameters. Of course it would probably cost a zillion dollars😅

[Bucolic_Buffalo]

...and while we requesting this probe have it measure CO2 and O2

[Nancy K]

On 7/22/2020 at 3:54 PM, DaveSamsell said:

Might be easier just running two separate sponge filters in the aquarium.  One coarse, one fine.  You can always get inventive on your own, with a personalized design too; by fusing various sponge material together onto one sponge filter housing.  Lots of possibilities.  😊

Almost a year later and wow thank you for this!!!! I read it and realized I can take my coop sponge filter spare and remove the sponge and replace it with filter pad and rubber bands to run it and do some water polish  without needing to set the HOB back on it. How exciting!!!

[sudofish]

A test kit or strips that has easy to read colors that you can glance at and go yep it's this one. I'd also be happy with an affordable meter that reads the common parameters we test.

[Jeff]

Cordless HOB. 👀

Edited May 23, 2021 by Jeff

[Thomas]

1) Something that I think needs to be created is a tablet that releases Oxygen into the water once dropped in. This would be perfect for power outages. You could just drop in a handful or one at a time periodically. Thanks to modern medicine, we now have slow-release tablets. If the slow-release mechanism could somehow be implemented to the O2 releasing tablets, it would also make shipping fish a TON easier. You'd just have to calculate how much the bag will expand  once O2 is released from the tablet.  

2) Another thing would be an ultra fast UV light that can disinfect water, plants, and fish. It should be used at LFS's at the checkout, so the risk of bringing home a parasite or bacteria is extremely low. Because powerful UV bulbs are expensive, the LFS could charge an extra fee if you want that service to bypass the quarantine stage at home. It could be like a pen and you just shine it over the baggie in which you put fish/plants in. Then when you get home, make a cut right in the middle of the water level or anywhere that has been scanned, and pour in your fish/plants.

Edited May 24, 2021 by Thomas

[ITMike]

On 5/12/2021 at 10:28 AM, Nancy K said:

Almost a year later and wow thank you for this!!!! I read it and realized I can take my coop sponge filter spare and remove the sponge and replace it with filter pad and rubber bands to run it and do some water polish  without needing to set the HOB back on it. How exciting!!!

Pinky Filters https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018UWQVR0/ref=crt_ewc_title_dp_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1ZBBCYRG2UEM8 

 

Coarse Filter material fused with floss.

[CT_]

12 hours ago, Thomas said:

Something that I think needs to be created is a tablet that releases Oxygen into the water once dropped in. This would be perfect for power outages. You could just drop in a handful or one at a time periodically. Thanks to modern medicine, we now have slow-release tablets. If the slow-release mechanism could somehow be implemented to the O2 releasing tablets, it would also make shipping fish a TON easier. You'd just have to calculate how much the bag will expand  once O2 is released from the tablet.  

Just in case you didn't know, you can power the co-op usb air pump off of one of those USB battery packs for quite some time.  some of the bigger packs can in theory (if accurately rated) run one for days.

 

(Disclaimer: I haven't tried this)

If you want something pill-like you could try to fill up one of those old-style contact lens cleaners with hydrogen peroxide and drop that in the tank.  It has a platinum catalyst that converts the h2o2 to oxygen and water so it would give you pure oxygen bubbles for some amount of time.  I've also heard of people adding hydrogen peroxide to tanks during an emergency (I know you can add something like 1-3 ml/gallon safely) though I don't know under what circumstances that's actually warranted or how you diagnose a hypoxic fish though.

[Daniel]

1 hour ago, CT_ said:

Just in case you didn't know, you can power the co-op usb air pump off of one of those USB battery packs for quite some time.  some of the bigger packs can in theory (if accurately rated) run one for days.

 

(Disclaimer: I haven't tried this)

If you want something pill-like you could try to fill up one of those old-style contact lens cleaners with hydrogen peroxide and drop that in the tank.  It has a platinum catalyst that converts the h2o2 to oxygen and water so it would give you pure oxygen bubbles for some amount of time.  I've also heard of people adding hydrogen peroxide to tanks during an emergency (I know you can add something like 1-3 ml/gallon safely) though I don't know under what circumstances that's actually warranted or how you diagnose a hypoxic fish though.

I don't know the pro's and con's of hydrogen peroxide but not doing anything works fairly well too. My old school 1930's aquarium does not have a filter of airstone or anything that runs on electricity. The fish seem happy and the angelfish are breeding right now.

If my house was much cooler or it was winter time, heat would be what I would worry about in a power outage.

[Anita]

On 5/12/2021 at 8:28 AM, Nancy K said:

Almost a year later and wow thank you for this!!!! I read it and realized I can take my coop sponge filter spare and remove the sponge and replace it with filter pad and rubber bands to run it and do some water polish  without needing to set the HOB back on it. How exciting!!!

Brilliant! 🤩

[Marshall]

On 4/25/2021 at 7:32 PM, Trish said:

A gravel Roomba. 

That elusive item is called a snail 🐌 lol 

[Marshall]

On 5/24/2021 at 3:10 PM, CT_ said:

Just in case you didn't know, you can power the co-op usb air pump off of one of those USB battery packs for quite some time.  some of the bigger packs can in theory (if accurately rated) run one for days.

 

(Disclaimer: I haven't tried this)

If you want something pill-like you could try to fill up one of those old-style contact lens cleaners with hydrogen peroxide and drop that in the tank.  It has a platinum catalyst that converts the h2o2 to oxygen and water so it would give you pure oxygen bubbles for some amount of time.  I've also heard of people adding hydrogen peroxide to tanks during an emergency (I know you can add something like 1-3 ml/gallon safely) though I don't know under what circumstances that's actually warranted or how you diagnose a hypoxic fish though.

I ran the nano pump off a $7 WalMart cashier area rip off back up phone battery bank the size of a credit card . For three days . Just saying . I also charge that thing at work to get the maximum output lol .

 

[aehageman]

On 7/21/2020 at 3:02 PM, pedrofisk said:

Yes, I use those and they are great but they don't have Ammonia on them. In fact using one on my cherry shrimp aquarium was my inspiration for this thread.

 

 

 

On 7/21/2020 at 2:47 PM, Bill Smith said:

Tetra makes those! I use them all the time! Dip for 10 seconds, read immediately!

https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-EasyStrips-Ammonia-Aquarium-25-Count/dp/B0053PQZ9C

Okay, this is gonna be a GREAT thread. I sense more such "actually that does exist" answers will be coming.

Is this not??

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/products/aquarium-co-op-ammonia-test-strips

[Guppysnail]

Some cat litter boxes have automated mechanical sifters that swipe the box on a timer and remove the waste...so automated fish shrimp and snail safe gravel vacuum ROFL  

[Ken]

I want a fish teleporter. I just spent 20 minutes trashing my community tank trying to catch the 6 baby Pandas I told the LFS I'd bring them... caught one... felt bad about all the fuss and put him back. Time for plan B, whatever that is. 

[NanoNano]

I'll give this thread yet another necro bump - @Cory this one is for you as it needs to be driven from resellers back to manufacturers.

Industry standardization on a common power connector that is smaller than and allows for greater density than the standard 2 or 3 prong "wall plug".   I see way too many fish room videos with people that have reached the "prosumer level" of multiple tanks in a space that hasn't been rearchitected with extra wall outlets or industrial power strips.  Instead there's 8 outlet power strip daisy chained into 6 outlet power strip because that's the only current option.  

One of my other hobbies is electric guitar and the effects pedals used in that hobby have largely been standardized on 9V power delivered with a standard barrel and pin connector.  This allows you to send regulated protected power to as many as 16 devices from a single power supply with a single wall plug.  Some of my nano tank lights already appear compatible with this system.  Power via USB is another potential option (and starting to appear on aquarium products as well) that would allow greater density using off the shelf powered USB hubs.  I don't have any allegiance to any specific standard- I just wish the industry would come together and agree on one as I currently have 2 10 outlet power strips on every outlet in a bedroom and that is unsightly, difficult to troubleshoot, and arguably unsafe (or so I've been told).

[CT_]

59 minutes ago, NanoNano said:

I'll give this thread yet another necro bump - @Cory this one is for you as it needs to be driven from resellers back to manufacturers.

Industry standardization on a common power connector that is smaller than and allows for greater density than the standard 2 or 3 prong "wall plug".   I see way too many fish room videos with people that have reached the "prosumer level" of multiple tanks in a space that hasn't been rearchitected with extra wall outlets or industrial power strips.  Instead there's 8 outlet power strip daisy chained into 6 outlet power strip because that's the only current option.  

One of my other hobbies is electric guitar and the effects pedals used in that hobby have largely been standardized on 9V power delivered with a standard barrel and pin connector.  This allows you to send regulated protected power to as many as 16 devices from a single power supply with a single wall plug.  Some of my nano tank lights already appear compatible with this system.  Power via USB is another potential option (and starting to appear on aquarium products as well) that would allow greater density using off the shelf powered USB hubs.  I don't have any allegiance to any specific standard- I just wish the industry would come together and agree on one as I currently have 2 10 outlet power strips on every outlet in a bedroom and that is unsightly, difficult to troubleshoot, and arguably unsafe (or so I've been told).

I like this one.  I'd love it if everything was 12 or 24v dc.  It would make automation easier and be safer too.  Maybe heaters would be the one thing that needs ac.

Going DC would probably make some things cost extra that otherwise wouldn't need a power supply eg HOB or heater.

[Guppysnail]

An AFFORDABLE all in one digital water tester like the api spinner can’t remember the actual name that is way unaffordable to the hobbyist

[Cherish]

This is where everyone burst out laughing.

Don't get me wrong I love natural tanks. I own a few 😅

 

But glitter substrate.

So my thought was its going to make a mess or worse float. 

So it would have to be clear pearl sized substrate. So first thought was acrylic balls of glitter. 

 

Dont come at me lol he asked what I wanted. 🤣

[OnlyGenusCaps]

I have a new one that's pretty simple.  Now that @Zenzo has joined ACO, can we get a "Murphy" sticker of Zenzo's cichlid?  I love that thing! 😁

[smoore]

On 7/21/2020 at 3:41 PM, Daniel said:

I once put Endler's in my big tank and they bred like guppies! I regretted it but there was no way to get them out again short of draining all 500 gallons. I got one of these minnow traps

and within a few days I had captured the last female, which put an end to the endless Endler's population explosion.

I make a trap using two small water bottles, some fishing line, a stapler and a binder clip.  I use it to catch shrimp, fry, guppies and many other small fish.  it's very easy.

[RogueAquarium]

It is technically something I could probably MAKE if I wasn't so lazy.

I want something like a box I can stick on the side of the tank that would track all my parameters and log that info to a file on my computer for each tank. 

How much light, and for how long. Temp, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, KH and PH readings, Water level, maybe even "flow rate" as in how fast the flow inside the tank is on average. I WANT ALL THE DATA!!!!

My second would be a fish tank version of a "Game Camera" that is triggered for a series of photos or short video upon seeing movement.

Edited June 15, 2021 by RogueAquarium