I Couldn’t Buy It So I Made It

[@crmeatball]

Bob, the process you desribe here (and in several other videos) is at the heart of systems engineering - formally identifying a problem, defining requirements, architecting alternatives, designing a solution, validating the design and verifying the requirements. Its an engineering discipline which can be applied to most issues in life, not just in engineering.

[@jeffmitchell5379]

It works really well in relationships too! Especially if you use lots of spreadsheets to track all the deliverables and related risks.

[@MrDmorgan52]

As a retired engineering and technology teacher, I used this daily. Tried to show the students how it was applicable to their daily lives,down to deciding what clothes to put on that day.

[@vidhill]

Bob used to work in software engineering..

[@TonyBullard]

I was going to say the same thing about design. It's all just a different flavor of a very similar thought process.

[@RGBrobot]

I’m 30 seconds into the video and I just realized a trend in your recent videos: you’re talking about making stuff, but you’re more talking about the process of making, and why you made the decisions you did. If this is intentional, I love it! It helps so much in my projects. Even if I’m not designing a fish tank cover, this video can help me work through my own projects. And now starting fish tanks! 😉😂😅

[@zacharyelliott7161]

I'm glad someone else noticed and decided to comment.

[@sharazar]

Yes it is more about how to work though the process and fix any issue when making something rather then just cut here, glue here. This type of thinking is missed by alot of people, but can be very helpful in understanding the full process.

[@a7xmaNga]

I don't know much about his latest stuff but I observed throughout the time I have watched bob's videos that this is his usual style

[@joel6376]

I really like it. Stopped watching years ago and watched one that popped up recently in my feed. Have watched all the recent stuff, its awesome.

[@inpectore5951]

The middle is sagging, that's why corners of the door are a bit proud of the opening. Try to add I-beam type of stiffener (the top cross member of "I" could be the lead itself) along the seam between the largest panels. You might want even pretension it in the opposite direction for best result.

[@Raderg123]

The issue is the water. Acrylic absorbs moisture and warps, so it wasn't the best choice for an aquarium lid.

[@anthonyalbanese1993]

@@Raderg123 Yeah this is definitely going to get worse over time unfortunately - polycarbonate might last longer, or excessively thick acrylic / specialty acrylic with low absorption but those are expensive and hard to source for hobbyist / one off projects. ABS sheets would work pretty well for this - and aren't too hard to get at local plastic / sign shops. Or if you live in the right markets, PVC sheets are great for this too. But for some reason I think ILTMS lives in Texas and PVC sheets are practically extinct here for some reasons..

[@bendavanza]

ILTMS is in Kentucky

[@DrDaveW]

I was thinking recessing some magnets in the lid and support to pull it closed. Would feel nice to open and close as well.

[@marnushuman2771]

The other thing is aquarium lights get hot so the humidity and the heat of the light would make the plastic sag over time and a tinted glass would help with the humidity but will break with the heat from the light. So the best option now is to have small strips run across the length of the canopy like an i-beam

[@kinnikuzero]

Nice, I'm a fishkeeper who also dabbles in shop stuff. Lids has always been a pain whether you get a used tank or for diy tanks. This is one of the nicest ways I've seen it done. But keep in mind acrylic will sag for longer tanks and might need ways of supporting it and adding stiffness.

[@TheStarkidForever]

This channel has been going back to its "Just Bob doing home projects and filming it" roots and I greatly appreciate that.

[@egrabe31]

I like the return to Bob on his own but I miss Josh and the office builds.

[@TheStarkidForever]

@@egrabe31 I get that. I just thought it was a bit too corporate and less like DIY stuff that was actually possible for an amateur

[@kenk8215]

In reference to worrying about glass blocking 10% of the light...most aquarium lights (except the absolute cheapest ones) provide more light than is necessary. In fact, most of them can be dimmed so you can dial in the amount of light that works for your tank. I definitely wouldn't worry about glass blocking light.

[@SomewhatAbnormal]

I love your work, you're very natural and easy to follow. One critique, which is not aimed at just you, but nearly everyone who has delved into 3D printing - "tolerance" is not interchangeable with "clearance". Tolerance is the allowable deviation from a standard; especially the range of variation permitted in maintaining a specified dimension in machining a component. For example, +/-0.2mm may be stated as the allowable derivation or tolerance for a part. What you're actually referring to is "clearance" which is the distance by which one object clears another, or the space between them. Anyway, it's semantics, but as a fellow educator and maker I think it's important.

[@MassiveReactive]

If you do redo this, you may want to consider a different material than acrylic. The issue with acrylic is that it will absorb water and potato chip due to the differential between the humid side and the dry side. I use ABS or UHMW for any aquarium parts that have exposure to moisture differentials. Acrylic is great when either fully submerged or heavily reinforced specifically for rigidity.

[@alysonmarie]

It turned out so good!! I really liked the messaging as well. Thanks for sharing your process

[@johncornwell9542]

Love this. Almost stopped watching when I saw it was a project about a fish tank but glad I kept going. Lots of learning that had nothing to do with the specific project and applicable to solving any problem. Great stuff as always. Thanks for sharing!

[@rockstarfan886]

I have 3 planted tanks and right now as I write this I'm having this exact issue with one of them. I have seen this video already but I'm coming back to get some ideas and I also gave 3d printers. Thanks bob

[@josephkrug8579]

Two things to watch for on your aquarium...one, LED lights (and other lights too) make a lot of heat. So enclosing the light inside like that may impact your tank temperatures over time in a way you do not expect and your fish may or may not appreciate. Another thing, keep an eye on if the extra humidity trapped next to the light now that it is all enclosed causes any extra issues for the light (ie while enclosed it may now be subject to near 100% humidity all the time and/or any that accumulates on the lid and drips down into the light from the top vs just spashing from the bottom...and if the heat from the light starts to warp/impact the acrylic. Also, the making process and explanation was great. I like the videos where you explain the logic and process, that I am sure will help a lot of people, as that same logic once you get used to doing it can help with any project you work on.

[@tamgaming9861]

What you write is absolutely right. I also have 2 aquariums and was faced with the same problem. However, I did inform myself in the aquarium store beforehand to avoid mistakes. That's why I found out that it's important to dissipate the heat from the lamp. In this case, I built extra aluminum ribs at the top so that the heat can't just radiate downwards. I also built a ventilator above the water layer to prevent the accumulation of humidity and thus the formation of mold and damage to the lamp.

[@dsiegel13]

Please share the mount or set up that you have for the double stacked curved monitors. I have been thinking about adding a second curved monitor and that looks super cool. Thanks! Oh great video, I am no longer allowed to have fish anymore after my dinner plate sized tiger oscar Brutus jumped out of the tank for the 5th time. Lol, he's fine, I found him a good home in a tank big enough for him.

[@apulo1]

It looks great! I did something similar for one of my tanks but the acrylic warped really bad with all the humidity. Polycarbonate fared much better.

[@jakejager]

I had a 20 gallon tank that had a lid with an open window towards the back that allowed for a fluorescent light to be set on top with a door at the front for feeding when necessary. I always kept my tanks as a living biome of sorts so adding food externally was much less frequent...anyhow, they at least used to make lids like exactly what you speak of. The one with the plastic over the opening can be removed so there isn't anything between the light and water...

[@pyranna2003]

You could definitely mount that light in a standard hood, just need to attach the light to the underside of the hood. The amount of light cut out by a glass lid wouldn't make a major difference if you went that route either. My tanks have almost full surface coverage from floating plants, one with a glass lid and one with a diy acrylic lid and they're both thriving. I dont even run the lights at 100% power

[@bunnysparklzbunnytime5117]

I have a hanging light coming from my ceiling. It is a full spectrum grow light for the plants growing in and out of the aquarium. I ended up building a shade for it out of walnut so it doesn't blast the entire room with all the light. Plus running the tanks without lids during the winter keeps the house air moister and during the summer the house air is moister helping out the AC. Only downside from doing that is more water top offs. That's fine because the water pump for the top off is controlled by a raspberry pi along with a bunch of other things like heaters. All i ever do with my tanks is trim the plants and feed the fish haha

[@stephenmoncrieff2056]

I have a huge 50 gallon tank that had no lid . So I decided to make one . I used a big sheet of plexiglass and attached strips of 1X2 pvc stock to make the frame . I have strips that are crossmembers in 3 spots so it doesn't droop or sag . I also have a section cut out for the filter . And to feed the fish I just cut a small opening large enough to feed but small enough so the fish can't get through .

[@AlisyaBurke]

Dedication and genuine approach make your channel a joy. Congrats!

[@mercutiojb]

Just wanted to say thanks for making this one, I know you were on the fence about it. Love seeing the problem solving steps, plus I end up picking up tips I wouldn't have otherwise! (Like working with acrylic, and mixing 3d printed parts with cut acrylic sheets)

[@bjsmithart]

Glad you decided to make this video. I have planted aquariums too. I’ve wanted a 3D printer for a while and your videos keep giving me reasons to save up for one. Have you tried floating plants in any of your aquariums? I use salvinia minima. My shrimp love it and it helps keep the fish from jumping. I still lose water to evaporation, but it gives me an excuse to add ferts when I top it off on weeks I don’t do water changes.

[@KnugLidi]

Glass. Tempered glass ideally, but it doesn't need to be. My tank is fairly close in size to yours. A clear top allows more light to pass through than acrylic (better than 90% transmission). Additionally, using flat plate glass that rests on the internal flange of the lid (which is why it is there) allows a lower profile. For the door, having either a hinge across the entire front of the tank and at least 1/3 of the depth of the top allows easier access for a net, vacuum hose for cleaning, etc. Most clear plastic covers utilize a horizontally sliding opening, but isn't very good in my opinion. Having the LED light bar above the glass (acrylic) also ensures that the inevitable algae film layer to form on the underside of the lid, rather than on the LED light itself. it also ensures that the LED light does not overheat, as the heat can escape easily. I have an overflow filter as you do, heater, and air bubbler, all of which easily pass through the cover.

[@cc_jmk]

(haven't gotten to the end yet but..) at 14:00 when you are figuring out the door, a fancier solution might be to cut the opening with a 45° angle inwards and the door with an inverse angle, so long as it's not heavy enough to overcome that part of thinner acryllic. But that would make the door sit flush towards the surrouding opening

[@eklevmyr]

A couple minutes in and I was wondering if you might want to vacuum form it. Then I saw the final product. It looks great. I enjoy these videos a lot. I have no need for a fish tank cover but I enjoy the thinking process I go through when I watch you do the same. Always cool to see how people approach their design problems.

[@JasonFornelli]

I am so interested in your monitor setup… Two of them, stacked, with a web cam in the center. Love it.

[@donwight5806]

Love the idea. It made me consider a floating sea farm. I noticed there are some out there. I just tied my idea to an oyster farm realizing the oysters are on piers and the piers can hold gardens that could get the evaporated water from the ocean and use some of the coverage for solar power at the same time. It must be the black acrylic and light that sent me down the rabbit hole of a solar farm that could collect evaporated water from the ocean to collect and supply water to a garden. Thanks for the nudge.

[@RuthlessMojo]

Instead of the hinge on the feeding door you could have constructed a couple of small linear rails and connected the door piece to that. Then whenever you want to feed the fish you could simply slide the door back, feed them and slide it back. If you wanted to get super fancy you could rig the door to an actuator, a tiny microcontroller and a proximity sensor that would slide the door back automatically when it sensed your hand getting near. The whole mechanism could be placed in a small 3D printed enclosure and could be powered by a very small lithium battery. We have a small fish tank but I think I might actually give it a go and see how it turns out.

[@JOEDHIGGINS]

The discussion you had near the beginning on 'tolerance' is good, and the concepts are correct, but there is an important distinction between tolerance and fit (or clearance). Tolerance describes the acceptable variation between your design and the finished part. Fit describes the amount of clearance between two or more interfacing parts. The 'tolerance test' you printed is really more of a clearance test (though it might indicate something about how far off your printer is with those print settings). But much of the time we see the word tolerance in 3d printing, we really mean clearance. For design and production both concepts are important.

[@jessegimbel]

Hey Bob, great video as always! I have what's probably a stupid question, which I'd really love to see explored in a video if it ever feels like a good fit - understanding placement for mounting hardware. Specifically where to place the pivot point for hinges (50% over each surface? more over one than the other?) and placing draw latches to get the right amount of pressure when they're closed (when using latches that aren't adjustable). I've used draw latches for a number of projects and had to remove them, fill holes, and redrill multiple times to get a latch to be tight when closed but not overly tight. Every time I do a project with hinges or draw latches I end up drawing out templates and doing some tests but I can never do it confidently the first time without guaranteeing I won't need to fill holes and redrill. Your ways of explaining things seem like exactly what would be needed.

[@WinstonMakesMore]

Whoa. My takeaway from this video is that solvent welding acrylic is an excellent trick to keep in your back pocket for building more complex shapes from flat panels. I always forget about it because I think about manufacturing subtractively...

[@flibblebot]

I'm loving your most recent videos, including this one, where you talk through your creative and troubleshooting process. More of these, please (and, of course, more of the car restoration as well 😉)

[@b3nny90]

I had to do a flush door for a similar project for my snake enclosure. However I printed a sleeve to go around the edges of the door that aren't connected to the hinges. The sleeve acted as a gap filler to seal the door and a small handle. But getting a fish tank soon I will definitely be doing it again.

[@Anguisette]

you might even consider looking into aluminum extrusions to build a frame that would support that lid to counteract the eventual sag. you could build it so the acrylic rests on top of the frame so it's not really disrupting the clean look of the top you designed.

[@JasonCarpentier]

Love it. Have had a planted guppy tank for 9 years and that's now turned into also having a saltwater. Love see your approach at a new hobby and building things just for the thing you need.

[@rafaeldfmelo]

Hi. Nice project. Just a little thing to improve light: put reflective cover inside the lid.

[@Luciferkrist]

That light is likely to overheat with that cover being completely covering it, and you may start developing 'hot spots' in your tank that can cause some algae blooms, and will definitely warp the acrylic eventually. Lexan would work better in a hot and wet application, and you should look into exposing the heatsink of the light to make sure it doesn't overheat. Still a decent looking prototype, that reminds me of the old lids that had the incandescent lights built into back in the 90s. There is definitely something there with that formfactor.

[@mrrickardmartensson]

Well done. Perhaps making the lid a reflector by vinylwrapping the inside white? Adding some more light for all of the hobbies beautiful algeas 😊 I would love more videos about solving aquarium issiues. Like hiding pumps, co2 etc.. what do you think?

[@davidrocha1719]

Bob is an aquascaper! That’s awesome!

[@HideyHoleOrg]

I bet the albedo of the acrylic gets more light to your plants, since it would reflect back what the surface of the water usually throws at your wall and ceiling.

[@michaelwagner3952]

Heard about this project on the podcast - I’m glad you decided to make a video on your problem-solving process. Cheers!

[@SaitoGray]

I had the exact same problem with my tank a few days ago. I have an old lid, silliconned to the glass, really didn't wanted to get rid of it because of my cat. My solution was to 3D print 2 bracket that i have screw in the plastic lid witch old the light up. It's janky and i'll probably do a nice wooden lid on the long run, but that work.

[@johnnyb95678]

Bob, an excellent solution/systems engineering primer. Thank you for taking us through the process.

[@jimserhant7741]

I had a 150 gallon African Cichlid acrylic aquarium, people underestimate the value of good quality lighting on their aquarium. When they find out how much I spent on the lighting system to replicate the natural habitat of Lake Malawi, I’m pretty sure most if not all wanted to have me committed. Thank you for sharing this video.

[@KamiInValhalla]

This is my new habby as well. Just bought my second tank. I have been looking for a solution to this same issue as well. Thanks.

[@WishintobeFishin]

3d printed a few screen holders with many supports for my cats. They work great and block little light

[@inspiringbuilds]

Great video and nice job finding a solution as that is what us good makers do! 👍

[@LinuxJediMaster]

A couple of ideas to improve: 1. Put the hinges on the inside to make it seamless. 1. Tiny strong magnets embedded on the edge to keep the lid securely closed and the sides from bowing out. 3. Also use magnets under the acrylic where the handle goes and embedded metal ends on the handle, so it is removable for a completely sleek look.

[@AzraelThanatos]

If you want a lot of things similar to this for fishkeeping, Joey, aka the King of DIY has a great channel that had several videos on that kind of thing as well if you want a lot of basic how to stuff for aquariums...though he has a lot of other general fishkeeping stuff more recently

[@vincemoser4636]

Great video. I like your solution for the door. My thought for the door was to cut the front,back and sides straight but on the front cut put a bevel on it with just a small finger hole to pull up the door. ..... would that have worked ?

[@lqqkout8214]

Great video as always, thank you for sharing your concepts and the design/requirements conversation. Storytelling/edit comment: introducing the fish tank hobby and context would be helpful right away. It’s not a huge stretch and “show, don’t tell” got the job done - it just didn’t feel like the typical flow!

[@Nuppfx]

Hey Bob, and ILTMS team! I've been combining my hobbies and 3d printing for a while. I've 3d printed rc car bodies, wheels, etc. for my 1/24 scale rock crawler. Also I've been 3d printing lens hoods, etc for photography and designing anti-theft devices for them and prototyping with 3d printing. Lastly, I've acquired a 2003 Land Rover Discovery 2 that I've been turning into an offroader, service road/camping car and have been 3d printing parts for it too!

[@MakerOnTheMove]

Great solution! I was thinking if you want to really optimize the light getting down into the water, you could cover the inside face of the acrylic with a reflective material. Sure the acrylic is already glossy, but it's also black. First thing that comes to my mind that would be really easy and cheap would be foil tape. Or spray adhesive and aluminum foil, but that would be messy and probably really frustrating.

[@crazykittenvideos855]

Beautiful end result! Great work Bob!

[@sharazar]

Since you are using a CNC you might have been able cut the "lower" side of the door at an angel that way it could have rested against that angle of the frame once you added the hinge

[@gfabasic32]

I love tinkering with code and getting a feel for what's "under the hood".

[@matthysloedolff]

I know it's literally just a lid, but it looks great and you had my full attention throughout the entire video, Bob. Thanks for taking me on your design journey.

[@Qoonutz]

I noticed that the ends of the hinged cover is warped. I had planted tank before. A 3 inch fan will be good to cool down the water.

[@sapelesteve]

Nice work Bob! Not sure what type of light that is but if it gives off any amount of heat, the tank water temperature will rise significantly. You may want to add a series of holes to the top to allow for heat escape. Just a suggestion. 👍👍🤔🤔

[@daledickey8400]

Your project came out awesome. Would it have been possible to notch out for the hinges and place them underneath? Or would need a gap to prevent friction.

[@robmills4709]

Fantastic results Bob. I use a syringe for the acrylic cement- can be a pain.

[@zeroomens9438]

Your perpetual problem solving attitude is an enormous inspiration, Bob. Kudos to you

[@coregeek]

Great solution. Enjoyed seeing it come together.

[@MrBrndin]

Im doing this exact thing today! I made my own light too, but am just laying the acrlic in the top with a hinge on the front third

[@ruizinho_ferreira]

great project and awesome way to get over your 'problem' but have you considered adding a sliding door instead of using hinges?

[@sgsax]

Process videos are great. Showing problem solving techniques is super helpful. Nothing fancy about that hood, but it looks great and we solved some interesting problems along the way. Thanks for sharing!

[@elijahgutierrez175]

Thank you for teaching me how to start and follow theough with my projects

[@jonblair5470]

Another option for the door is to have it cut out at the bottom instead of the middle of the sheet. Then you wouldn’t need a lip to keep it from falling it would hit the front vertical piece of acrylic.

[@LukeHoersten]

Honestly one of my favorite projects of yours. I love when you go multi-discipline.

[@c.a.g.1977]

That came out looking pretty professional, Bob! The way you tackle these 'problems' is inspiring. Awesome channel, awesome videos!

[@masterofnone]

This video sounds fishy

[@matthewchapman6309]

Looks fishy too

[@justingulick6747]

He did take a pretty good swim in it.. lol

[@patogordo2000]

😂😂😂

[@bader51500]

This video fish soundsy

[@David-kh2gk]

It smells fishy too

[@darrylwood2271]

a vacuum-formed clear hood with an evaporation-redirection curvature (think about the top of a heart shape) ?

[@carried9130]

Hi Bob, I appreciate this video bigtime! I love aquariums and have always hated the standard tank lid/light fixture. I also don't have a 3d printer and all that but I know some places rent their use- so I'd like to someday do something like this to have the best lighting and protection for the tanks and animals. What light do you use and what plants do you have with your fish? I saw some tetras, and is the smaller tank a betta tank? I love fish so I'm curious. Thanks again for a great video.

[@minutemark]

Tip: to remove the saw marks from the cut edges of the acrylic sheet, take a handheld torch and very quickly run the flame over the edge of the sheet.

[@AdvancedGeekery]

Can you point me to where to get the model for the tolerance tester? Is it something you downloaded or something you designed? Very useful idea.

[@richardcorcorran8965]

You could have put small tap on underside where door would meet no hinge side I think would be cleaner, and add tap on top as a.grab handle.

[@GapRecordingsNamibia]

Just a tip.... If you heat your tank you will need to make sure the cover sits on the inside perimeter of the tank for the water to drip off of back into the tank... Otherwise you are going to have water dripping over the outside of your tank... Nice video..

[@Lorddanielrushton371]

Thank you for doing this one. I have a need, but I could buy what I need. After watching this, I've changed my mind. Now I'll just build what I need.

[@thomaswilliams5005]

Dang that looks great. I love the thought process behind it.

[@rhodesbauer]

Project is great, not criticizing or anything; just an honest question. Isn't the light warming the acrylic in the middle? wouldn't it cause it to bow over time? or the lip for the feeding door is enough of a reinforcement to avoid that?

[@nowistime8070]

I am really enjoying Saturday mornings. I dont have the tools and supplies you have so I enjoy watching you create amazing things

[@steveslenderman]

Great process of working towards not just what works best but what works best in that moment and for that particular build! Awesome video as always!

[@sawyerparker8967]

This is awesome! I have the same issue with my tank! Great video as always!

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Thanks!

[@kevinmeachem2138]

Really enjoying these “design process” video builds

[@g.4588]

Im into woodworking and fish keeping. I love this video.

[@jimrosson6702]

Very cool it turned out great watching videos like this make me want a 3D printer more and more. Thanks for sharing

[@MCsCreations]

Brilliant work, Bob! It turned out amazing!!! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@INGIE32]

Even though you made it yourself, it looks very professional! I love your videos!

[@fadetounforgiven]

I actually thought of the final option for the door but the stop would be on the outside of the door itself instead of where it was finally placed. This way the handle could be welded to it as well, which is a matter of taste rather than anything else.

[@Wunderkammerdandy]

Thx for the tip on the acrylic glue! Always messing with that myself 😮👍🏻

[@abstractaquarist9637]

Love the video...now I need to know what fish or shrimp your keeping in the tanks

[@davidhorizon8401]

I like to make things too. I worry your light will overheat with no air vents. Hopefully it doesn't get that hot.

[@rockstarfan886]

Im glad your putting out the content you want thats what its all about and i know there are huge aquarium channels out there so this will appeal to most

[@JDS042]

This came out super good. These types of videos are gold to me.

[@jacobzepeda3930]

Dude. I think I may have to do this to my 55 gallon tank. That looked CLEAN!!

[@mszargiki]

Love your tank set up.

[@iamtheonewhoyoulove]

the light issue is alot less of an issue than youd assume. you dont need "grow" lights at all, just a decent full spectrum normal light and its fine. if i can grow carnivorous plants under basic shop lights, you dont need a special light for aquatic plants.

[@dsmmike95]

Iv been wanting to do this for year I have a 55gal but don't have the tool. Also love the planted tanks

[@johnfreegard4598]

Very cool video Bob!! Started watching you a couple weeks ago along with listening to making it! Keep up the good work!

[@ryanaltman4466]

I've been enjoying these problem solving videos SO much!

[@onlyfinsnyctest]

So excited to see you doing aquarium stuff! I'm a maker and a big fish nerd and breeder ❤