DIY Frag Bucket Mod for transporting frags

[rickyfins]

I have taken an idea from a fellow hobbyist that lives in NY. He came to the swap that our club just had, so I changed it a bit so the container helps eliminate loss due to lack of water flow and aeration. I hope you guys enjoy this one. You can keep probably close to 60 frags depending on size in this bucket for transportation to a swap. The center tube is an airlift, bringing water from the bottom of the bucket to the top for circulation and aeration. There is also an air vent hole on the 1/2" t handle that I put in the lid.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v709/rickyfins/fragbucketmod.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v709/rickyfins/fragbucketmod2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v709/rickyfins/fragbucketmod3.jpg


So what do you all think about this MOD/ Frag bucket?

thanks,

Rick

[bond007069]

very nice


you must have alot of time on your hands :)

[rickyfins]

LOL,yea I guess I do!

thanks though,

Rick

[bngowe]

only thing is. . if u wanna take out one particular frag, you wouldh ave to lift all 60 or so out as well?

[rickyfins]

Yes but with the old design it was the same way. Not a big issue really. Its original use was to store 2nds of on particular coral for the frag tank that was setup at a swap and to transport from your frag tank at home to a swap. So the needing one at a time wouldn't really apply here.

thanks,

Rick

[tekknoschtev]

I think for bringing frags to a frag swap what'd be nifty is to find a way to display them in the bucket. Or find a tank to bring along and pull them from the bucket and put them in the tank with a light. That'd make setup pretty easy for display corals that werent presold.

Excellent idea! I'm going to have to give something like that a try. I like the idea of the airlift being incorporated in the handle. Keeps things neat and clean looking.

[rickyfins]

Thanks, that was the idea I was going for. Also the tank for display was a part of the plan too. All you need is a good eggcrated 10 or 15gal tank and the frag setup is complete. I used 2part epoxy to hold the airline in place. I put it directly over the hole I drilled into the PVC after I put the airline in and just smoothed it over.

thanks,

Rick

P.S. any more questions about building or anything just holler and I will answer. LOTS OF TIME ON MY HANDS! LOL

[laverda]

Great idea! Now is someone can just find a clear acrylic bucket and lid, then you would be really set!

[rickyfins]

I think they make clear acrylic that large of a diameter. Only problem would be the lid seal, but DIY is all about that type of challenge. LOL Thank you all for the compliments.


thanks again,

Rick

[joelowrider]

how does this acutual move the water do you add a pump to it or what

[rickyfins]

The center tube is open at the bottom and the top and I have run an airline hose down to within 1/2" of the bottom of the tube. Then you just add a battery powered airpump to it and you have an instant airlift.

thanks,

Rick

[xtrstangx]

Nice idea.. But you have to have all your frags on frag plugs otherwise if you didn't pull it out straight, they could all fall out.

It'd be neat if you could find a bigger bucket that you can fit that salt bucket into and insulate it however so that it maintained temp well too.

[rickyfins]

Temp shouldnt be too much of a problem in my opinion. My car has heat and AC so I suffer to benefit corals. LOL Just ask any memeber of my family who has had to suffer a trip with me just so corals or fish would make the trip at the right temp!

Plus at the swap or place of destination a small heater could be placed inside to help control temp. With the current design I have the option of adding a heater to the bucket with minimal changes and I already have an AC/DC car adapter so the transition wouldnt be that great for me. Some hobbyists can pick them up at Radio Shack and if they look now, RadioShack is closing nearly 300 of its nationwide stores so they might get a deal depending on if they can find a closing store! Just a thought but the bucket Mod works great!

thanks,

Rick

[bassnman11]

If you are worries about temp change, use a 5 gal industrial water cooler, like a gott or igloo.

[monkeyreefer]

or just use a small heater, dc to ac invertors are cheap these days