Jump to content

3D printing your aquarium parts


SantaMonica
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • SRC Member
3D printing your aquarium parts
For those of you serious DIY folks, you may be interested in how you can make your own plastic aquarium parts by printing them on a 3D printer. Just this year, costs for the 3D printers have dropped to under $500 USD for a pre-built one, and under $200 USD for a kit. 3D printing of your plastic parts works well when:
1. You are good with computers.
2. You like trying new designs or colors.
3. The part is small, or can be put together with small parts.
4. The part does not require great strength.
3. There is no easier/cheaper way to get the parts.
Some aquarium parts, such as simple boxes or tubes, are not suited to 3D printing because they can be more easily made with simple plastic or acrylic shapes. But some parts are so complex that there is no other way to make them except to print them on a 3D printer. I'll be using 3D printers to make the next version of algae scrubbers because of the built-in air tubing, magnet compartments, holes, and bubble pathways that make it impossible for the part to be made (in one piece) any other way.
Some things I've learned that pertain especially to 3D-printed aquarium parts:
1. Only use ABS plastic, not PLA or PVA. The ABS plastic is the same type of plastic used in kid's LEGO toys and is very strong. PLA or PVA plastic, however, will slowly dissolve when underwater or when subjected to high temps.
2. Only use FDM (also called FF) printers. These are the types of printers which use coils of plastic filament. These are also the cheapest printers. Other types of printers such as SLA (liquid) use a photo-cured plastic that will get brittle under aquarium lights, and "powder-printers" make parts which are not water tight.
3. The 3D printed parts will not be "glossy smooth". They will instead be more like carbon fiber, with a texture (or lines) running in one direction through the whole part.
I'm too new at 3D printing to be able to recommend a particular printer, but I'm sure each reef or aquarium club has someone who has a 3D printer, and this is usually a great place to start.
Happy printing!
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • SRC Member
Summary of 3D printing links:
Endless things to print:
General forum for all printers:
Massive forum for lots of printer kits and DIY:
Current lowest-cost assembled printer to print aquarium-safe ABS plastic:
Current most popular U.S. based assembled printer:
Low cost Chinese clone of Makerbot:
Another low cost Chinese clone of Makerbot:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share



  • Join us on the largest Reefing community in Asia!

    Sign up and share your reefing journey with us, make friends and get helps from the community .

     

  • Topics

  • Latest Update

    1. 0

      WTB fishes and corals

    2. 0

      瑞尔森大学本科毕业证成绩单ryerson硕士学位证文凭Q/微993398773办理加拿大大学真实学历留信认证留服认证教育部认证回国证明加拿大本科教育部认证硕士文凭诚招代理Ryerson University

    3. 0

      悉尼科技大学申请学校UTS毕业证成绩单信封Q/微993398773办理澳洲大学毕业证文凭留信认证留服认证教育部认证回国证明澳洲本科文凭硕士学位证毕业证University of Technology Sydney

    4. 0

      加州大学欧文分校毕业证丢失UCI毕业证成绩单Q/微993398773办理美国大学毕业证学位证留信认证留服认证教育部认证回国证明美国本科学位证硕士文凭成绩单 University of California Irvine

    5. 0

      渥太华大学本科毕业证成绩单Ottawa硕士学位证文凭Q/微993398773办理加拿大大学真实学历留信认证留服认证教育部认证回国证明加拿大本科教育部认证硕士文凭诚招代理UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA

×
×
  • Create New...