Automatic Nori feeder - Page 3

zachts · 07/08/2014, 10:10 PM

I want one, when's it going to be up for sale? my tang hates that I forget to feed him his nori all the time and make him scavenge around the tank for algea growing in the cracks of rockwork.......he actually gets mad at me and will attack when I do maintenance if I've neglected his veggies for too long!

kenman345 · 07/30/2014, 10:54 AM

Any updates on this?

garydan · 09/22/2016, 05:55 PM

It's amazing how long the patent process takes, but I'll have the patent number Oct 4th, yay.

One thing I've been struggling with is build quality. Up to this point I've been doing everything with a tabletop mill and table saw. Without a lot of labor the seams aren't very good, the glue up isn't very good, and dimensions aren't consistent enough for reliability. Overall, it looks like something someone would make in their garage, but once everything is tuned it works pretty good.

So, I've decided to take the plunge and buy a laser cutter. This way I can make it more consistently and with higher quality, and who doesn't like toys? It'll be a few more weeks, but eventually i'll need some ~~guinea pigs~~ beta testers.

PM me if you're interested.

ramasule · 09/22/2016, 06:18 PM

You cant glue laser cut acrylic, it needs to be cnced / machined. Nice idea, a lot of people looking for this.

moosehead · 09/23/2016, 01:07 AM

When will they be for sale?

Medic755 · 09/23/2016, 05:23 AM

This is great! I can't wait to see you on Shark Tank! They could definitely get you in touch with an Asian company that would be able to make a 'nori cartridge' I know I would buy one in a heartbeat form you!!

SantaMonica · 09/23/2016, 02:04 PM

Congrats. My first patent took 5 years to the day, if you include the provisional filing date.

Flippers4pups · 09/24/2016, 09:16 PM

Make it controller ready and your golden!

laverda · 09/25/2016, 02:26 AM

Great idea. Sent you a pm.

garydan · 09/27/2016, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramasule

You cant glue laser cut acrylic, it needs to be cnced / machined. Nice idea, a lot of people looking for this.

I think I can work around this, using the laser cutter to cut the details and then simply cleaning up the flame polished edges that will be glued using the mill. That will still give the nice flame polished edge for the exposed cuts, and it's easier to clean up straight lines with the mill than make the complex cuts needed for the rest of the mechanical of it.

Also, I think I'm going to start with black acrylic, which from what I've read should be fine with laser cutting and gluing. If there are any micro cracks from the glue up of a flame polished edge, they won't be visible with the black or affect the structure. It also shields the nori from the tank lights.

garydan · 09/27/2016, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flippers4pups

Make it controller ready and your golden!

I've been using a synchronous DC motor in the ~3rpm range and then gearing it down to turn the feed mechanism at about 1 rpm. It's the same kinds of motor used in many of the peristaltic dosing pumps.

It feeds a fairly consistent inch or so of nori into the tank per minute of running. The power supply is simply plugged into the controller and set on a timer. Nothing is directly measuring the nori fed in, but it consistently feeds in the same amount of nori for a given amount of time run.

insomniac2k2 · 10/02/2016, 09:10 PM

My gosh. Try filing a software patent right now. I've had one in process for years. I feel you pain!

If you need a guinea pig, let me know what i can do to help. I have a few hungry tangs that can put that thing to the test.

FullBoreReefer · 10/03/2016, 08:47 PM

Can you use a basic controller and have it for example do 15 steps forward, wait (custom)mins, and then like 5 steps back.

So then basically it would enter into the water, wait for the fish to feed, after feeding it would raise back out

4Hummer · 10/04/2016, 12:07 PM

You should have purchased a 3D Printer instead, and 3D Printed all the parts.

But Laser cutter is cool too.

SantaMonica · 10/04/2016, 02:46 PM

3D is not too easy for someone the first time; usually takes a few years to be able to make everything you need. Of course you could always go to MakeXYZ.com and find someone who can print them for you.

Farmreefer · 01/09/2017, 04:35 PM

Sign me up, I've been looking for an automatic feeder

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SantaMonica · 01/09/2017, 08:22 PM

It's kind of like a Thieling roller mat, in reverse.

Farmreefer · 01/09/2017, 08:22 PM

I want that too

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/22/2016, 05:55 PM	#53
garydan Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 180	Patent filed. :) It's amazing how long the patent process takes, but I'll have the patent number Oct 4th, yay. One thing I've been struggling with is build quality. Up to this point I've been doing everything with a tabletop mill and table saw. Without a lot of labor the seams aren't very good, the glue up isn't very good, and dimensions aren't consistent enough for reliability. Overall, it looks like something someone would make in their garage, but once everything is tuned it works pretty good. So, I've decided to take the plunge and buy a laser cutter. This way I can make it more consistently and with higher quality, and who doesn't like toys? It'll be a few more weeks, but eventually i'll need some ~~guinea pigs~~ beta testers. PM me if you're interested.

09/23/2016, 02:04 PM	#57
SantaMonica Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Santa Monica, California, USA Posts: 2,511	Congrats. My first patent took 5 years to the day, if you include the provisional filing date. __________________ Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843

09/24/2016, 09:16 PM	#58
Flippers4pups Home made abyss Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Lake Saint Louis, MO Posts: 2,047	Make it controller ready and your golden! __________________ Don Reefing since 1993 Current Tank info: 125 gallon DT , 125 gallon basement sump. Rw 15 & Rw 8. Panworld 150ps return. Reef Octopus 150 skimmer, 3 165w mars aqua led.

09/25/2016, 02:26 AM	#59
laverda Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 6,902	Great idea. Sent you a pm. __________________ 240G mixed reef, 29G SPS/LPS clam tank, 50G mixed reef Current Tank Info: 300g mixed reef, 50g cube

10/03/2016, 08:47 PM	#63
FullBoreReefer Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Wooster, OH Posts: 1,862	Can you use a basic controller and have it for example do 15 steps forward, wait (custom)mins, and then like 5 steps back. So then basically it would enter into the water, wait for the fish to feed, after feeding it would raise back out __________________ 60x36x24 mixed reef. 40b sump. Regal 250int Varios. 4xHydra26HDs+t5s. 4xMp40wes. Apex2016.

07/08/2014, 10:10 PM	#51
zachts Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: St. Louis, MO. Posts: 3,259	I want one, when's it going to be up for sale? my tang hates that I forget to feed him his nori all the time and make him scavenge around the tank for algea growing in the cracks of rockwork.......he actually gets mad at me and will attack when I do maintenance if I've neglected his veggies for too long!

07/30/2014, 10:54 AM	#52
kenman345 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 381	Any updates on this?

09/22/2016, 06:18 PM	#54
ramasule Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 55	You cant glue laser cut acrylic, it needs to be cnced / machined. Nice idea, a lot of people looking for this.

09/23/2016, 01:07 AM	#55
moosehead Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 256	When will they be for sale?

09/23/2016, 05:23 AM	#56
Medic755 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 38	This is great! I can't wait to see you on Shark Tank! They could definitely get you in touch with an Asian company that would be able to make a 'nori cartridge' I know I would buy one in a heartbeat form you!!

10/02/2016, 09:10 PM	#62
insomniac2k2 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: concord Posts: 1,280	My gosh. Try filing a software patent right now. I've had one in process for years. I feel you pain! If you need a guinea pig, let me know what i can do to help. I have a few hungry tangs that can put that thing to the test.

10/04/2016, 12:07 PM	#64
4Hummer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Kitchener, Ontario Posts: 379	You should have purchased a 3D Printer instead, and 3D Printed all the parts. But Laser cutter is cool too.

10/04/2016, 02:46 PM	#65
SantaMonica Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Santa Monica, California, USA Posts: 2,511	3D is not too easy for someone the first time; usually takes a few years to be able to make everything you need. Of course you could always go to MakeXYZ.com and find someone who can print them for you. __________________ Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843

01/09/2017, 04:35 PM	#66
Farmreefer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 151	Sign me up, I've been looking for an automatic feeder Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

01/09/2017, 08:22 PM	#67
SantaMonica Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Santa Monica, California, USA Posts: 2,511	It's kind of like a Thieling roller mat, in reverse. __________________ Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843

01/09/2017, 08:22 PM	#68
Farmreefer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 151	I want that too Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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