# 3D printing an entire tank!



## konton (Nov 17, 2010)

I just saw on kickstarter a 3D printer for the home that can print any object 24"x24"x24"!

Gigabot 3D Printing: This is Huge! by re:3D — Kickstarter






I'll probably wait to see if this get's funded and prices go down, but I just wanted to share. I can see building some crazy looking tanks in the future with background designs built directly into the walls with vents tubes, waterfall plumming, and false bottoms already integrated.


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## Hatmehit (Jul 9, 2012)

That's a really cool idea. Even if it doesn't pan out right away, that's where technology is headed.


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## jakemestre (Nov 3, 2009)

3D printers are an awesome tool. I've used mine to make quite a few custom nozzles for aquariums, as well as some fittings that could never be bought. Also did some custom spray nozzles , mounts, the list goes on and on. Though a whole tank may not be feesable.


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## konton (Nov 17, 2010)

Please post some of these. I'd love to see a custom spray nozzle!



jakemestre said:


> 3D printers are an awesome tool. I've used mine to make quite a few custom nozzles for aquariums, as well as some fittings that could never be bought. Also did some custom spray nozzles , mounts, the list goes on and on. Though a whole tank may not be feesable.


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## azn567 (Jan 11, 2013)

The possibilities seem endless. WHat do one of these bad boys run?


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## jakemestre (Nov 3, 2009)

Here's a good example of a waterfall I've made using the 3D printer. The tube is 5/8"ID and I created a fan so the water looks like it's flowing over a previous dam. 

Here's the 3D printed part to test the shape and function before I printed in a clear. I usually print parts in a bright color to see if things are working the way I want, then i print in a color that's a little less intrusive.

Here is the sump return from the water portion of the Palu. 


They were fairly simple parts to make.
The printer itself cost about $3,000, but I've done a ton of tuning to make it print professional quality parts.
Hopefully between 5-10 years people will have 3D printers like they have color printers.


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## Brian317 (Feb 11, 2011)

The possibilities are endless with a 3D printer. I've seen many videos about them and it is just crazy. Very cool that you have one. How large is the printer you have and what made you go out and actually buy one? Just curious. Hopefully in the near future like you said, they will be a household item. I sure as heck want one!!


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## jakemestre (Nov 3, 2009)

I wouldn't say the possibilities are endless. But I will say that 3D printing has it's distinct advantages. There are many components that can be printed which could never be made via conventional manufacturing. But there are also many parts that are impossible to 3D print at the moment. For example, these "hobby" printers do not support overhanging components very well. I bought the printer as a tool for my engineering business. The purchase was mostly to see if the technology stands as a useful tool for my engineering services. I will definitely be using my current printer for a while, but the difference between industrial and hobby is vast.


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## jakemestre (Nov 3, 2009)

Granted, if somebody has a 3D model of a rock I could try to print. The model has to be in .stl format and fit inside of a 6"x6"x6" cube. Just throwing that out there.


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## konton (Nov 17, 2010)

The gigabot 24"x24"x24" was going for $2,500 or $4,000 if you want it built and tested. But that's still in progress.

A low end solidoodle runs $499! But it's a 5"x5"x5" space. 



azn567 said:


> The possibilities seem endless. WHat do one of these bad boys run?


@jakemestre - Awesome stuff! Make some of the files available here for those who want them. I keep thinking someone will build an in-tank air circulation system this way. So far, no one has


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## Cuthbert (Mar 30, 2011)

After getting back into the hobby over the last few months and rehabbing an old viv I've been thinking a lot lately about the potential benefits of 3D printing. I'm starting to look into getting one. Anyone have any advice about the different brands? I know of Flashforge, Gigabot, MakerBot. Is there a clear front runner there? Any others I should look into? Any feedback would be welcome. Thanks.


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## Bjcg (Jan 4, 2013)

jakemestre said:


> Here's a good example of a waterfall I've made using the 3D printer. The tube is 5/8"ID and I created a fan so the water looks like it's flowing over a previous dam.
> 
> that's awesome!!! Are you willing to sell sum of your printed stuff to those of us that don't have a 3d printer?? would you/can you print stuff for us? make extra $$ perhaps?? lol i'd like to get my hands on something like that!^^^ and im sure others will too


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Does anyone know if they have material that can be printed and used as transparent viewing area? Seems like needing to lay down and build up the material in layers would make a uniform transparent surface difficult to make.


One thing you could do with vivariums though since we don't have to hold back much water is 3D print a frame with curves and then insert and bond thinner flexible acrylic/plexiglass panes into those frames. 

You could also print a box with areas you could insert a pane of glass into with magnets, or have a slot the glass slid into, and perhaps have a vent portion cut into the box and put foam or mesh over that. You could make it so all holes for drains, vents, and misting nozzels etc..etc.. is built in and then once you had the design rapidly make more. You might even be able to make modular kits that would be easily shippable... but I'm not giving my modular viv ideas away for free.


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## Bjcg (Jan 4, 2013)

What kind of 3d printer are you using?


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## jakemestre (Nov 3, 2009)

Bjcg said:


> jakemestre said:
> 
> 
> > Here's a good example of a waterfall I've made using the 3D printer. The tube is 5/8"ID and I created a fan so the water looks like it's flowing over a previous dam.
> ...


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## Bjcg (Jan 4, 2013)

Awesome!! And I'm wondering, does that thingiverse work for all 3d printers?


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## konton (Nov 17, 2010)

Three printers! Nice! I'm hoping once I get mine in I can duplicate the design and make 5 more. Although I'd also like a delta printer. I'd love to see those designs for vents and doors. I saw your other designs on thing verse. Very cool. What's your print area on those?

bjcg. Usually all the files on thingverse are the type that can be used for standard 3d printing no matter what 3d printer you have.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## jakemestre (Nov 3, 2009)

konton said:


> Three printers! Nice! I'm hoping once I get mine in I can duplicate the design and make 5 more. Although I'd also like a delta printer. I'd love to see those designs for vents and doors. I saw your other designs on thing verse. Very cool. What's your print area on those?
> 
> bjcg. Usually all the files on thingverse are the type that can be used for standard 3d printing no matter what 3d printer you have.
> 
> ...


Thanks! Printing parts for vivariums gives so much freedom. 

I put this track on the top and bottom which allowed me to hinge two doors just like the exo-terras. The tank is built of 1/4"MDF and 1/4" glass. The doors swing smooth and there's no flexing that I can see. I still need to clean up the silicone. I'm working on uploading the files to thingiverse as well.
Jake


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## jakemestre (Nov 3, 2009)

Vivarium Vents With Door Frame by jakemestre - Thingiverse


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## Pubfiction (Feb 3, 2013)

How small of a resolution do these have? IE why make a vent with round holes which would be something you could make a drill do. can't you make the vent almost like a sponge with thousands of cross intersecting droplets so you don't need to add a screen and its fruit fly proof while still allowing air through and being rigid?


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Pubfiction said:


> How small of a resolution do these have? IE why make a vent with round holes which would be something you could make a drill do. can't you make the vent almost like a sponge with thousands of cross intersecting droplets so you don't need to add a screen and its fruit fly proof while still allowing air through and being rigid?


I think most are around 0.3mm resolution or larger. So that's pretty small but a lot larger then the pores in something like this...
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...c-filter-foam-fans-vents-ff-lids-etc-etc.html

But you could easily design your project with a space to accommodate a piece of the foam in that thread, or mesh like most people use.

Also if you are willing to take the time/do the work in the 3d modeling software you c*an design many parts that might usually be solid to instead have a mostly hollow structure, something like honey comb, or cross brace*s inside. So you can make it appear solid from the outside, but it would actually be partially hollow which would save time and materials, so ultimately less cost to produce and probably less time to print. Of course you'd need to make sure the structure so it could still bear any load, or stresses that you need it to. Sometimes printing the part as a solid piece is just going to be more practical, but other times it will be worth designing its internal structure to be lighter and use less material, but still possible to maintain that look of being solid on the outside. 
--------------------------------------------------


I thought about saving this idea for myself, since I've kinda been thinking about doing this sorta thing myself for quite sometime, but since it will be awhile before I have the means, and I may never get the motivation I'll throw this out there...

You could design a completely modular viv and sell it as a kit with. Model a box that holds the substrate and false bottom water. You could even model it so that the false bottom is a part of this piece. Then print the support frame, print the lid, and makes these with interlocking groves, or something akin to lego like connection points that the buyer can make water tight with a little silicone or something. Chances are with the right connection point design even silicone would be acceptable to use on the plastic and still get a water tight seal and the structure to be strong enough.

Then channels could be incorporated into the support frame that allow pre-cut pieces of glass or acrylic that come with the kit to be slid into place as the sides of the vivarium, and the lid. And/or Inset areas for small embedded magnets in the frame would allow easy removal of the front glass, or you could do some kinda sliding door/lid setup. 

Most of the pieces could be designed to have that honey comb, or some kinda mostly hollow internal structure to save on printing time and amount of material used, yet still appear solid from the outside. This will ultimately save money and time. The nice thing about vivariums is they don't have to hold back the amount of water proportional to their size that an aquarium does so you have some leeway on design and material use to save weight, cost, time, and money.

Basically the design I have in mind could be made in a very dart frog usable size since no single piece would need to be more then 16x16x16. In fact if you wanted to do even much larger vivs you could make the substrate box and support frame pieces modular also, like tiles that interlock to form a wall, then a box, and frame pieces that snape together to increase in length/widgth (if needed) as long as your interlock design allows for some way to easily water proof the substrate/false bottom box and still maintain structural integrity. 

Then the whole kit could be mostly packaged in the false bottom/substrate box that is printed for it, the precut glass/acrylic panels included (which would probably stack and fit in the substrate box along with the support frame pieces), mesh or pourous foam (see duck brand foam thread above^^), a few magnets and/or a hinge or other miscellaneous parts and even a small tube of silicone. *Then the whole thing could be assembled with no tools, easy to follow instructions, and minimal time/effort.*

It would be similar to those plastic framed chameleon cages that you assemble, only it would be capable of holding water at least in the base, and have glass/acrylic panels instead of screen. If anyone steals this and makes a bunch of money, some credit and few % in royalties would be really appreciated


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## konton (Nov 17, 2010)

Jake - Awesome stuff! I'm amazed at what you've already done. I can wait to get to work on some of my own ideas. What software do you work in for the designs? I'm just using sketch up.

Pubfiction - It's pretty hard to recreate someone else's designs let along make your own. Plus remember you're still printing as a slave to gravity. So you do have certain limitations. The nozzle on your printer determines detail and speed of printing. And not all printer work great for all tasks. I'm looking to get a .5 dual nozzle so I can print with wood should I desire, and print fast. The second nozzle is to drop support material for types of prints that needs it. And that can be a big added expense.

Dave - I have a few ideas I'm working on you'd provably love, which is why I'm looking for people to help me design in my other post (hey, didn't I start this post?). For the same reasons you mentioned I'm getting a printer that is 16x16x9. Hard to get a 16x16x16 these days. Few people make them and those that are made don't look like great quality. But I'll keep you updated on any design progress. You're welcome to help!

Jae Le 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

konton said:


> Dave - I have a few ideas I'm working on you'd provably love, which is why I'm looking for people to help me design in my other post (hey, didn't I start this post?). For the same reasons you mentioned I'm getting a printer that is 16x16x9. Hard to get a 16x16x16 these days. Few people make them and those that are made don't look like great quality. But I'll keep you updated on any design progress. You're welcome to help!
> 
> Jae Le
> 
> ...


LOL, I think that is the thread I thought I was in, but I'm jacked up on allergy meds, just off work and probably coming down with something... 

Anyways cool, I'll try to sketch something up when I'm feeling more motivated. Basically the joint I had in mind was similar to a dove tail. like one long vertical dove tail that slid down into another, or something I don't know... seemed like a joint like that sealed with silicone or something would be structurally sound, yet kinda lend itself to working with the sealant to keep the substrate/false bottom box water tight even though it was kinda a puzzle piece like construction. Since there'd be at least 3 (???) points of contact top to bottom within that dove tail slot it should leave a lot less chance of a bad seal ever giving way to water.

I'm sure epoxy or some kinda adhesive for acrylic or other plastics would be more ideal, but most of us here are very familiar with silicone so I was thinking for that reason it might be good to make a kit silicone friendly, and since the box doesn't have to hold a massive amount of water weight back that silicone could work. You could even print a textured area around the seams so the silicone would adhere better where 2 or more pieces join. 

I just like the idea of modular/easily shippable vivs... Some people out there make some great glass or acrylic vivs, but shipping seems to be the hurdle to really getting them out there to the masses if you aren't some big name like exo terra who deals with the big box stores (petco/petsmart). 3d printing seems like it would be ideal to enable some individual or small business to get a clever design out there to the masses at a reasonable cost, and much less shipping risk then usual for a viv.


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## mordoria (Jan 28, 2011)

I just picked up a Makerbot and LOVEEEEE it. Ive only printed a few things but i cant wait to print stuff that is actually useful. Thanks for the link to the stuff youre making. Cant wait to try it out


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## konton (Nov 17, 2010)

Make anything with those 3D printers yet? I'm still waiting for mine to arrive. I didn't think it was going to take so long just to ship. I plan to start with just tank parts. But once I can mod out the tank for a 16"x16"x16" build space, I'm going to try to build an entire tank out of t-glase.

Jae Le


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## garryforster (Jun 18, 2014)

I have bought PRUSA STARTER PACK 3D printer..I am just starting out with printing. I can't wait more Thank you for the video.


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## konton (Nov 17, 2010)

Took me a sec to realize you were not talking about my printer video here:
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/186393-3d-printing-frog-cubes.html

So what size will your printer do? I'm working on increasing my height, but am wondering if it's worth it.

Jae Le


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