From work to your reef: what is unique about your reefing?

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cb684

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Ok, this might be a fun thread... What did you learn on/for your job, that you use on your reef tank?

I have seen some great examples around. From people that use their wood work expertise building an awesome, unique stand and canopy for their tanks, to electricians that, not only have very safe and professional looking electrical work on their tanks, but also help people around with their setups.

From cool permanent work to stopgaps; or maybe it's an equipment that you do not believe is used frequently in this hobby... Share with us.
 
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Nutramar Foods
I will add some of mine as it goes. But here is one:
s-l1600.jpg

I cannot run the hanna ultra low phosphorus test without using this vortex mixer... lol
 
Lol. I've often thought about buying a vibrating mixer of some sort for all of the tests.

I'm a chemical engineer, so the wet chemistry background really helps with understanding how the hobby tests work and where they might lead you astray :)
 
Deltec
Every now and then I have a moment of: "why don't I use this at home".
This next one I first bought to keep refreshments suspended and cold, but now I use to mix any solution with total volume of 5 gallons or less:
71texqE2YQL._SL1400_.jpg

It is small but I make it work for my 5 gallon buckets...
 
In my work life as a biochemist I have a very good understanding of the limits of the test kits but also how to run them correctly. Also how to trouble shoot problems. I have frequently wished I could bring both a stir plate and a vortex home from work. A stir plate would be great for mixing two part. I do frequently bring disposable pipets and retired glassware. Watching for a 55 gallon barrel, we get culture media and some dry chemicals in those.
 
Lynn52 said:
In my work life as a biochemist I have a very good understanding of the limits of the test kits but also how to run them correctly. Also how to trouble shoot problems. I have frequently wished I could bring both a stir plate and a vortex home from work. A stir plate would be great for mixing two part. I do frequently bring disposable pipets and retired glassware. Watching for a 55 gallon barrel, we get culture media and some dry chemicals in those.
Click to expand...

For the tests I need to start making a good stable control solution using salt mix and spiking with NO3 and PO4. The only commercially available is sold in 100mL bottles and would last only a few days (I measure ALK almost every day) so the cost is prohibitive. I would also love to be able to use one of the hanna spectrophotometers to read salifert nitrate tests. A while ago I found a thread where somebody was testing it, but I did not follow up to see the results.

For lab equipments and consumables, most of what I got was from eBay with really good prices.

The next one is not exactly a pice of equipment, but more so a habit that I got from work:
IMG_1489.JPG


Reagents, salt mix, two part salts, medications (really almost everything) get a date of purchase (received) and when it was opened. I know... Can somebody be that nerd?
 
www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com
I'm a handy man and once home keep things bare minimal. Now when my attention is spiked, it's on lol If I can see it in my head, as long as I have what I need, it's on like donkey kong.
 
Duke4Life said:
I'm a handy man and once home keep things bare minimal. Now when my attention is spiked, it's on lol If I can see it in my head, as long as I have what I need, it's on like donkey kong.
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Please share if you have pictures of some of your projects! Or the links if already on other threads...
 
BRS
Elder1945 said:
I would have to say my CNC's have quite a few now seem to collect them :)

My whole tank came off this including my apex wall/sump/100000 other little items I can think of.
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If I had some of those it would be very, but very hard to do anything else. That is awesome. Please do share some pictures of your creations...
 
Opposite way :) I run recreational fishing boats in NY and have noticed correlations between fish feeding activity and salinity change. I always keep a refractometer on the boat :) Would have never know if it wasn't for reefing
 
WWC
cb684 said:
Please share if you have pictures of some of your projects! Or the links if already on other threads...
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I've been asked this a bit, not very fancy yet, simple and practical, working on more advanced stuff. Uploading a video I did of a few things. I'll post once done.
Elder1945 said:
Just a few quick things I could find..





Also everything on my build thread... I build stuff for a living so there is quite a library :).
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/16-foot-350-gallon-reef-build.204682/
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If I only had the time and gadgets hahaha
 
jackson6745 said:
Opposite way :) I run recreational fishing boats in NY and have noticed correlations between fish feeding activity and salinity change. I always keep a refractometer on the boat :) Would have never know if it wasn't for reefing
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Ha... That is perfect! I caught myself discussing LED light source on a inverted microscope at work, and that would not have happened if wasn't for this hobby. It doesn't matter why or how you learn something... That will change the way you see things around you! Awesome...
 
AS
Okay boring stuff for me. As a former cost accountant and financial analyst, I bring the analytical part of the reef keeping. I keep records of parameters, inhabitants, dates, deaths, causes, pretty much document way more than most. :)

Also from my vet tech background the ability to run testing accurately and some disease analysis. Microscope and necropsies are something I do too.
 
Duke4Life said:
Not very happy with this video compared to others I've done:
Click to expand...

I think this is great! Thank you for sharing...

DeniseAndy said:
Okay boring stuff for me. As a former cost accountant and financial analyst, I bring the analytical part of the reef keeping. I keep records of parameters, inhabitants, dates, deaths, causes, pretty much document way more than most. :)

Also from my vet tech background the ability to run testing accurately and some disease analysis. Microscope and necropsies are something I do too.
Click to expand...

I do not think it is boring at all. A great log book is invaluable, as for necropsy and microscope don't even get me started (to see why just check my "About me" below). :-)
 
Tidal Gardens
Here is another one:

IMG_5714.jpg


I got this 500 - 2,500 uL pipette about one year ago from eBay. It is like a smartphone, I am not sure how I used to live without one of those.... :)
 
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My organization and fabrication skills, from doing high-end car audio installs for the last 23 years, probably show up in my reefing. This was actually my very first time setting up a reef tank or doing plumbing of any sort... it was a lot of fun!

My "control center":

IMG_4008 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

Behind the control center:

IMG_5282 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

Sump plumbed with manifold etc:

IMG_5428 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

Mixing and water change station in basement:

IMG_4021 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr
 
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IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%

  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%

  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%

  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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