Your Craziest Invention or Idea

[ellebelle]

When I'm in the field, we use the smaller flexible solar panels to recharge our equipment. It takes 4-8 hours of intense sunlight to charge the battery on one laptop computer. On the other hand, if you just plug your laptop into the solar panels and use them, there is no excess power to charge the battery, but you can use your computer for as long as there is daylight (if that makes sense).

 

[House of Laughter]

Man, so many good ideas - on so many simple items like feeding, -

I like the way this is turning out.

I was thinking for E and JH:

if you use a peristalic pump from the tank (the tank water is already 78 degrees) you could dispense into the same holding container and have it spray for longer than it takes to defrost creating a cleanin effect - then once that compartment goes back into the freezing zone, it would be clean and ready for another frozen cube. It could hold cubes - come on - I'd be willing to splurge for the $100 on a nanachilller to make this happen

House

 

[jhale]

if some working prototypes can be made I'm down for splitting the cost.

I know the talent is on this site to make them. I think the talent is on this site to design and build just about anything

 

[Tonyscoots84]

lets make it happen :biggrin:

 

[Chongpark27]

I'm glad u guys like my idea. I should patent it, never know, it could be the next big thing in reefing. lol

 

[russianmd]

I want a 350 gallon cylindrical tank that rotates!

Oh, wait... That's been done already:banghead:

 

[meschaefer]

For the frozen food feeder, you don't need some fancy auto defrost. Just have the food drop into a small cup of tank water, then have the cup tipped into the tank. The auto defrost and rinsing features make it to complicated and to expensive. Perhaps it is a good idea for version 2.0, but not the beta.

As to the phospate issue, either make your own food or we come up with MR Brand Phosphate-Free Fish Food :eat:

 

[jhale]

For the frozen food feeder, you don't need some fancy auto defrost. Just have the food drop into a small cup of tank water, then have the cup tipped into the tank. The auto defrost and rinsing features make it to complicated and to expensive. Perhaps it is a good idea for version 2.0, but not the beta.

As to the phospate issue, either make your own food or we come up with MR Brand Phosphate-Free Fish Food :eat:

no cup no tipping, just drop it into the tank, in a four sided box in the water.
it will disolve and fall into the tank. keep it simple

all I want is a tiny freezer that spits out the frozen cubes controlled by a timer :idea: :cool3:

 

[cali_reef]

what does cost effective have to do with anything?

the cube could land in a little acrylic cube suspened in the water and melt into the water, that's the easy part.

I really want it lol, E send me an estimate. we can have them made in china

JH, a 22 year old college girl feeding your tank every night sounds more reliable and maybe cheaper:lol2:. A chinese 22 year college girl may be an extra bonus for you

Just think of the consequences of a compounding failure in the freezer unit and the motorized feed unit, 100 cubes of rotting food in your tank

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Hmmmmmmmmmm I like the CGFYT Idea quite a bit, don't think the wife would like it oo much :lol2:

 

[cali_reef]

Hmmmmmmmmmm I like the CGFYT Idea quite a bit, don't think the wife would like it oo much :lol2:

That's why you and I don't need this "craziest invention or idea".

 

[jhale]

the human fish feeder can have problems also.

 

[Josh]

Does anyone run a dehumidifier near their tank?

 

[cali_reef]

Solar backup battery

Have small solar panels inside a canopy that would store power from ur lights to a rechargeable backup battery.

A trickle charger will be more efficient than a solar array blocking light you paid electricity to power.

This backup battery will power ur lights and powerheads during a blackout, and since ur own lights can recharge the battery it will give u more hrs of power.

So you want to power your lights with the back up battery and the solor panel will charge the battery? :tired: The battery will last forever in you plan.

 

[cali_reef]

Does anyone run a dehumidifier near their tank?

yes, very bad idea over time..

 

[ellebelle]

I think having solar panels would be useful in incidences where there are power failures. You could use a solar panel to run a powerhead or two, and possibly a heater (in winter) or fans (in summer). Maybe one to run your things during the day and one to charge a big battery so you can run those things during the night.

I want something that can release big ice cubes of RO saltwater into my sump so I don't have to run a chiller. It needs to have a temperature monitor though, so when the temp gets too high, another cube is released.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

If you were going to do it, I would say do it all the way and make your house completely solar and get the tax refund for it too :biggrin:

 

[Harif87]

I want something that can release big ice cubes of RO saltwater into my sump so I don't have to run a chiller. It needs to have a temperature monitor though, so when the temp gets too high, another cube is released.

The problem with that might be that it may cause too quick of temp shifts. Also, can a conventional freezer freeze saline solutions, or would it have to be modded?

 

[meschaefer]

I think having solar panels would be useful in incidences where there are power failures. You could use a solar panel to run a powerhead or two, and possibly a heater (in winter) or fans (in summer). Maybe one to run your things during the day and one to charge a big battery so you can run those things during the night.

I want something that can release big ice cubes of RO saltwater into my sump so I don't have to run a chiller. It needs to have a temperature monitor though, so when the temp gets too high, another cube is released.

How about a chiller?

 

[cali_reef]

I think having solar panels would be useful in incidences where there are power failures. You could use a solar panel to run a powerhead or two, and possibly a heater (in winter) or fans (in summer). Maybe one to run your things during the day and one to charge a big battery so you can run those things during the night.

Useful? maybe. Practical? NO!! A small generator is more practical. Most common cause for power loss in homes is down powerlines from high winds rain storms, putting up a solar array is not a viable solution in those weather and light conditions.

You'll need a bank of batteries and transformer rectifiers to go with the pretty large solar panels in order to run a few powerheads and heater\fan, even for a 20 gallon tank.