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

[Fishoutawater]

You mean like this 

AquaGenesis Robosnail Automatic Aquarium Glass Cleaner: Amazon.com.au: Pet Supplies

WWW.AMAZON.COM.AU

---

AquaGenesis Robosnail Automatic Aquarium Glass Cleaner: Amazon.com.au: Pet Supplies

 

On 9/18/2020 at 4:25 PM, James V. said:

My dad had the best idea I have ever heard of!

Its a Motorized algae scraper. 
think of a Mag-Float algae scraper but the piece that’s goes on the inside of the tank (the scraper part) is a round very thin algae scraper pad with a some strong magnets. The piece on the outside would have a motor and some more strong magnets. You would turn it on and the magnets would rotate causing the inside scraper pad to spin, and clean all the algae on the glass.

The thin and round scraper pad would cause minimal water disturbance, and since it’s motorized it could scrub off even really hard green spot algae!

i feel this would be a awesome and a very easy way to clean your glass.

 

[Jeff]

Since I love the Aqua Clear HOB filters so much. One that comes in black....to blend in with my black background.

[starsman20]

On 7/30/2020 at 3:46 PM, Daniel said:

The set I have has 6 different graduations in it.

 

You can stack them because they nest

Find any gold lately?  I used to have a similar set we used for panning.

[jefferz]

Not a new product but one that isn't made anymore, the Whisper Diatomagic filter.  They worked great against free floating parasites.

[Streetwise]

 

On 7/30/2020 at 4:46 PM, Daniel said:

The set I have has 6 different graduations in it.

You can stack them because they nest

 

On 7/30/2020 at 6:42 PM, Daniel said:

@Streetwise Here is the inexpensive version. Here is the deluxe version

I finally ordered a set of these! I am thinking of redoing my Askoll 20 substrate to match what I have learned and applied to my newer tanks, and I would use these to separate the gravel, sand, and soil.

Edited November 13, 2020 by Streetwise

[RockMongler]

There are certainly various ion sensors out there for things like pH, kH, gH, NH3, NO2 and NO3, but, in my experience, they are finicky and require regular calibration.  I've mostly worked with digital pH sensors, and the sensor has to be kept in a special salt solution when not in use.  If they aren't kept in the special salt solution most of the time, the accuracy of the sensor starts going down because the ions inside the sensor can leach into the water being sampled, and eventually cause the sensor to become non-functional.

Good digital sensors for detecting water parameters do exist as well, they are just not for the layman.  They also aren't designed for 24/7 operation.  The brand of digital sensors (Vernier) I use in my classroom has ion-selective probes that can look at Nitrates, ammonia, and various other ions in solution, and the probe runs ~$250 (new with amplifier), and require constant calibration, and the actual detector is very time limited, so you might have to replace the detector electrode somewhat often (at a cost of ~$80 for a replacement electrode).  You also can't leave it running all the time, because it needs calibration, and leaving it immersed in water for long periods of time causes the electrode sensor to degrade more quickly from what I read in the instructions.  Even their pH meters, which are cheaper, still would rapidly degrade in an aquarium environment. Getting a set of them for sampling water in a fish room, or from a single tank would be cool, but you would be looking at upwards of $1000 for a full suite of sensors (pH, Nitrate, Ammonium, I don't see many specifically for nitrite), along with having to replace stuff over time as the sensors degrade.  I'm not familiar enough with their design to guess if they could be adapted to a constant reading situation like we would want for a fish tank, but I assume it's probably a bit tricky.  However, for those of you who might have issues with colorblindness, these kind of tests might very well be worth the investment for general periodic testing if you are into gadgets and stuff (and are willing to drop the cash).

[Fishnet]

 I wish they made some kind of prefilter for my Whisper 40i internal filter. I've got an unconventional tiny pond, made from an underbed storage container. I painted the outside of it black, and then I built a wooden box to set it in and stained it, with a wooden frame around the top that hides the edges of the plastic container. It's a view -from-above kind of thing. It's kind of Asian looking. I have a grow light suspended above it and an umbrella palm. Currently it's got a well seasoned Tetra Whisper i power filter, because a HOB filter won't fit over the wooden frame. It sits on an aquarium stand. I've watched Cory's videos on how to pimp your filter, and I'm trying to think of a way to add a pre-filter to my internal tetra filter. It sits right in a corner, as I couldn't hang it anywhere. All I have in it are some zebra danio glow fish, because I wanted something that would stand out against the black. 

[teenage fish]

On 7/21/2020 at 9:49 PM, DaveSamsell said:

How about an automatic, ultrasonic biofilm/algae scraper.  With fully adjustable parameters not to damage silicone seals, remove programmed levels of layers of build-up & an alert when completed.  Well, at least I can dream..  🤔😏

I believe we call those snails. . .😂😂😂

[DaveSamsell]

11 minutes ago, teenage fish said:

I believe we call those snails. . .😂😂😂

I fully agree.  One problem is that not everyone likes snails though.  If I couldn't keep fish, I would have multiple species snail tanks.  Wait, I have those now, lol.  Anyway, this original topic, started by @pedrofisk, is one of the best on the Forum, IMO.  Really makes people think.....

[Speakeasy]

On 11/2/2020 at 5:53 PM, clovenpine said:

I want a colorblind-accessible test kit!

Shop Indoor Color Blind Glasses

ENCHROMA.COM

---

Enhanced color vision at home and work.

 

[pedrofisk]

15 hours ago, Speakeasy said:

Shop Indoor Color Blind Glasses

ENCHROMA.COM

---

Enhanced color vision at home and work.

 

That's a really good one. I wonder if it could work in a similar way to test trips combined with some pregnancy tests. In other words could the colors reveal a number or  hash marks in addition to the color only.

Edited November 17, 2020 by pedrofisk

[Speakeasy]

30 minutes ago, pedrofisk said:

That's a really good one. I wonder if it could work in a similar way to test trips combined with some pregnancy tests. In other words could the colors reveal a number or  hash marks in addition to the color only.

What? 

 

[Brandon1433]

I read back a  bit and noticed the water parameter check automation. I am actually looking into this myself using raspberry pi application. My idea is a bit more... out of the box maybe. I am looking at using light reading technology. Where I pull in water sample. Use the test kit dropper solution. Then read the color and compare. Lastly create a report to send to your computer/phone.

 

Lots to learn still. But it is something in progress. Hopefully I can prove this out and make a really simple DIY product for everyone to use.

[Daniel]

4 minutes ago, Brandon1433 said:

I read back a  bit and noticed the water parameter check automation. I am actually looking into this myself using raspberry pi application. My idea is a bit more... out of the box maybe. I am looking at using light reading technology. Where I pull in water sample. Use the test kit dropper solution. Then read the color and compare. Lastly create a report to send to your computer/phone.

 

Lots to learn still. But it is something in progress. Hopefully I can prove this out and make a really simple DIY product for everyone to use.

You are on the right path. Seneye makes a monitor that uses light to track water chemistry readings. I was working with Seneye the other day to calibrate one of their monitors and I sent Seneye a photograph of the color changing slides they use to monitor water chemistry. So it can be done.

And just from the color, size and distribution of the color changing crystals in a photograph no less they were able to report back to me water parameters that I knew independently to be accurate, even though all they had to go on was this photograph.

And I do get reading on my phone, and computer from the Seneye device.

And I get texts and email when the reading go beyond set boundaries.

And it just got better!

Apparently I can hook my Seneye monitor up to a Raspberry Pi and capture the data stream that my Seneye device is producing and write the data to my own database.

Here is the info on the Seneye website about connecting to a Raspberry Pi.

If you can DIY this, I would love to be a beta tester for whatever you come up with.

[Brandon1433]

5 minutes ago, Daniel said:

You are on the right path. Seneye makes a monitor that uses light to track water chemistry readings. I was working with Seneye the other day to calibrate one of their monitors and I sent Seneye a photograph of the color changing slides they use to monitor water chemistry. So it can be done.

And just from the color, size and distribution of the color changing crystals in a photograph no less they were able to report back to me water parameters that I knew independently to be accurate, even though all they had to go on was this photograph.

And I do get reading on my phone, and computer from the Seneye device.

And I get texts and email when the reading go beyond set boundaries.

And it just got better!

Apparently I can hook my Seneye monitor up to a Raspberry Pi and capture the data stream that my Seneye device is producing and write the data to my own database.

Here is the info on the Seneye website about connecting to a Raspberry Pi.

If you can DIY this, I would love to be a beta tester for whatever you come up with.

Welp there goes my weekend coming up. This is superbly helpful. Thank you. 

[Shogun3041]

Easy drip acclimation kit so I dont need to twist knot clip and kink my tubings. 

[TWBRIN]

On 7/21/2020 at 3:33 PM, Bill Smith said:

You mean like this? 😉

http://smithpad.com/pics/external/CARE/filterheater.jpg

Not single plug-in, but effective!

you just made my day now i can get my heater out of the tank

[ADMWNDSR83]

6 hours ago, Shogun3041 said:

Easy drip acclimation kit so I dont need to twist knot clip and kink my tubings. 

Adjustable airline valves? 

[Bill Smith]

6 hours ago, Shogun3041 said:

Easy drip acclimation kit so I dont need to twist knot clip and kink my tubings. 

This exists:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009M3M37O

[pedrofisk]

I love how this tread is not only so great for collaborating and brain-storming ideas but also to help folks connect to existing products too.

Edited November 21, 2020 by pedrofisk

[AJE]

I want a heater that adjust its self to the temperature the fish want. You said doesn't exist right?

[Ali]

I really just want a digital thermometer that is precise AND accurate. Many digitals I've tried are precise, but comparing multiple units of the exact same model set up right next to each other (controlling for location, flow, etc.), I have yet to find some that agree within a couple degrees. Any good ideas? Please share!

[Coronal Mass Ejection Carl]

11 minutes ago, Ali said:

I really just want a digital thermometer that is precise AND accurate. Many digitals I've tried are precise, but comparing multiple units of the exact same model set up right next to each other (controlling for location, flow, etc.), I have yet to find some that agree within a couple degrees. Any good ideas? Please share!

Calibrated digital thermometers are $200-600 and require annual recalibration that costs $150-400.

I think a high quality glass thermometer only needs recalibration once though. Probably about $800 total.

[Kirsten]

On 7/21/2020 at 3:28 PM, pedrofisk said:

For fun, because I am genuinely curious and maybe to inspire @Cory, what's your dream aquarium product that doesn’t exist?

One that just occurred to me is a quick test strip for Ammonia.

OMG just today I was wandering around a pet store wondering if anyone  made such a thing. Not to mention it can be so hard to read liquid ammonia tests between 0 and 0.25ppm, like is this yellow-yellow or is this yellow very very slightly greenish? Considering how important 0 ammonia is to all fish tanks, you'd think they'd make an easy to read pregnancy test for it.

[Kirsten]

Speaking of wishes, I wish "planted" aquarium strata were actually "planted" as in full of seeds and spores to start nice carpets of moss and grass, with a few bulbs thrown in for fun. And I wish they sold root plants with a weighted root tab tied onto it to keep it in place until it roots. And I wish nerites reproduced (very slowly) in freshwater.