DIY Ideas
I know this is a contest but I just wanted to share an opinion, most people will either think this is the best DIY idea or the least helpful thing they ever read.
My DIY idea is to DO EVERYTHING YOURSELF. I started a real interest in aquarium keeping in college, before I had any money to speak of to spend on a hobby this expensive. I was in an automobile accident that left me w/ a lot of free time on my hands (about a year without walking). To keep busy I read, a lot, and thought about how I wanted to built my first reef tank. Well, with no money and some idle hands, I started to tinker. Fist creation, a wonderful wet dry filter built out of a 10G aquarium I bought for $8, add a little glass divider, and some egg grate from fluorescent light fixtures and viola! (The Bio-Balls were the most expensive part). I built it in 1995, and that same trickle is running my reef as we "speak" here today.
Next, ya gotta have a protein skimmer right? About $15 worth of PVC, and a little creativity, is all you need. Fluidized bed out of a plastic soda/water bottle? Done it, works great, all you really need is the silica sand and a cheap $15 power head. I built a custom light/lid for my 20G XH, out of $10 in wood and some ready made ballast at the hardware store (just because everybody said, "You can't have a reef in a tank that shape...")......whatever, you can do anything. And that is my point!
I would say that because I have built all my own stuff, I have learned more, experienced more, and understand better the workings of my tank more than 80% of all the hobbyist out there. Not to mention its very rewarding when people ask, "What are you running, your tank is so clear?". I believe its something to be proud of, and I am (can you tell).
I just want to share this concept with people because I don't think a lot of people think about it. It's fun, you learn a ton, and its quite rewarding.
PS- The one thing I run that I did not build is a UV sterilizer, I am sure that I could....but I'm sure I could burn my house down too.....some things just are not safe.
May 2008 Advanced Aquarist is Now Available
International Marine Aquarium Conference '08