3D printed - reef safe?

[shiftline]

Is ABS or any of the 3D printer filaments reef safe? Aka for in tank mounts and what not

[mcgyvr]

You must use ABS... The PLA will dissolve in water after a while..

[CafeReef]

yes ABS is safe for saltwater reef tanks. PLA is is a biodegradable corn based product, but there are individuals on here who have used it for more than a year with no issue. I would recommend ABS though.

[shiftline]

Awesome thanks guys!

[805reef]

petg also works great

[shiftline]

I'll have to get a roll and try it. Should have my new printer next week :)

[CafeReef]

what printer did you get?

[shiftline]

Tevo tarantula with dual extrudes and the large bed :)

[CafeReef]

very nice. I have a da vinci 1.0a, bed size is ok, can do 200x200x200

[lifeoffaith]

What are you printing (if you don't mind me asking)?

[mrhasan]

I bought a tevo too but its regular bed, single extruder and auto level. Getting mine from a Canadian supplier.

I read somewhere that only natural white ABS is fine because the pigments in most (if not all) coloured ABS are toxic (someone used it in a test tank and the inverts died).

If PETG works, that would be ideal since printing ABS seems to be a PITA. Does anyone has any experience long term with PETG printed stuff in saltwater?

[Vinny Kreyling]

http://printedreefingsolutions.com/
These guys use ABS

[shiftline]

Well i ordered a roll of petG to try it out. Printer should be here Monday!

I'm excited!

What am I printing? Well first project is to make a little plate that molds to the bottom of my mp40/s so they quit making sand dunes front he under tow

[shiftline]

http://printedreefingsolutions.com/
These guys use ABS



That's promising

[shiftline]

So ABS or PeTG. What do you figure is safest for in tank ?

[CafeReef]

ABS would be safe for a reef tank, as well as PeTG. I spent hours researching when I started printing and personally settled on ABS. Fish have been eating out of the ABS Nori grazer I made and have had no issues at all. This was primarily because it is what my printer handles best.

MP40 diffuse'er is one thing I thought of as well. Would be a good idea for any directional control of a Vortech. One recommendation, if you have a nem, don't stick it out further than the front of the vortech so you don't give a shelf it may try to move into.

[jrhupp]

I have been printing in ABS for my system. I can't speak for long term results. But everything I have looked at suggest ABS is a excellent choice.

If you have an interest in printing and desk top manufacturing check out my build thread (link in my signature). I'm doing pretty much all my equipment on my printer and making all the source files available.

[shiftline]

Very nice. I'll check out the link when on the computer later

Does Color matter for ABS. I was reading once with out pigments are safer (white or clear? ) however black is the obvious choice for a lot of prints in tank. .... Does it matter?

My pla prototype of my anti sand dune mp40 attachment turned out pretty well. I'll have to make an abs version once I figure which one is best. (So black abs is safe?! )
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160614/cc593f1f334e97028691877fe8dd3cea.jpg

[shiftline]

Would pla be okay for short term use? Alana few months

[jrhupp]

I have seen similar comments on "natural" abs being the safest bet. I suspect that this is overly cautious and not based on any sort of knowledge about what is actually used to pigment plastics (don't take that as me suggesting I have any great knowledge of this either). But from what I have seen around the printing forums, the predominate pigment used to color black abs is finely ground carbon (which can make it more difficult to print with). I don't know if this is true in all cases, but it fits with what I have seen with the abs slurries I have made with the black filaments I have used.

For other colors, I stay away from metallic filaments. I believe there is the potential for these to contain metals. Other then that I have not worried too much with colored filaments.

[CafeReef]

I know companies like printedreefsolutions will use any color of ABS. I have products from them in black and have had 0 issues. not even a ****ed off polyp for a day or so.

[shiftline]

Awesome. Thanks guys. Well I have a roll of clear so I'll try it for my anti sand dune mode :)

[Gorgok]

Black is most likely just carbon black. We put enough carbon in tanks as it is to say its pretty darn safe. White seems to be CaCo3, or calcium carbonate... so yeah not a big deal either.

[JonezNReef]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2547305

This guy is doing some cool stuff with his 3D printer for his tank. Makes me want to go out and get me a printer but I would probably get rediculous with it LOL

[CafeReef]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2547305

This guy is doing some cool stuff with his 3D printer for his tank. Makes me want to go out and get me a printer but I would probably get rediculous with it LOL

knew before I even clicked the link where it was going to go haha. He's not to far from me. Been thinking a drive down to Lincoln would be fun :)

[jrhupp]

knew before I even clicked the link where it was going to go haha. He's not to far from me. Been thinking a drive down to Lincoln would be fun :)

I saw you were Elkhorn and was thinking I should send an open invite. If you are headed down this way PM me, I'll send contact information and we can set something up.