BlueBlade Fish
If you have visited many fish rooms, you might have noticed several interesting gadgets and re-purposed items in use.
There are frequently unique needs that there is no commercial solution designed to address.
We make do with whatever works.
But when you add 3D printing to the mix, it opens a whole new world of better solutions.
Below are many of the products designed, printed, in use, and for sale by Blue Blade Fish.
If you have a 3D Printer, please feel free to print them for your own use.
We provide our .stl files for free on Thingiverse.
Or if you would like to buy them from us, visit our store on GetGills or contact us for a quote.
We use PLA or PETG for all our prints.
PETG is widely used for water bottles and food containers. It is considered aquarium safe.
PLA has only recently begun to see adoption in food safe applications.
For 3D printing it allows faster prints with better overhangs.
PLA has been used/tested in reef tanks as a potential alternative bio-pellets.
when it breaks down the starch and lactic acid it is composed of would be an ideal food for nitrifying bacteria.
It is frequently touted as Biodegradable. Unfortunately for that purpose (but fortunate for this) it doesn't break down fast enough.
Studies show that below 140 deg F it is stable for decades.
It is biodegradable in hot Bio-reactors above 140 deg F.
At standard Aquarium and fish room temperatures PLA is aquarium safe and sturdy.
In most cases, the color doesn't really matter - but if you have a theme, we can match it.
We offer our prints in 12 colors standard: Black, Grey, Granite, White, Natural (translucent), Pink, Red, Orange, Fluorescent yellow, Blue, Lavender, and Purple. Custom colors can be requested with larger orders.
This adapter measures roughly 2 inches at the base and 3 inches tall. We use it to form the water movement/current generator for Matten filters in our breeding and fry tanks. An air line attaches to the adapter, and a 1/2 inch PVC riser tube fits snugly into the top. The design allows small bubbles to form and rise up the sides of the tube with little obstruction, creating significantly more flow than seen with an air stone.
Each leg consists of one foot bolt, two mid sections, and one top nut. They are designed to fit standard 1/2 inch egg crate louver and can adjust from 2" to 4 1/2" height. These legs can be used to make multi-level racks. The top-nut allows the legs to be well secured to the rack, providing a sturdy base. A much better solution than the sawn and glued PVC pipe often used.
3D printed mushroom cages with lids. These baskets are designed to fit tightly around a 1 inch frag plug. The cages are designed to be used for discosoma/ricordia/mushroom or other corals that are difficult to glue. It allows the animal time to settle in and attach to a frag plug naturally without being swept away in the current.
3D printed mounting brackets for metal air control valves. These brackets are designed to secure metal multi-gang air valves into place on a wall or board. They will work with 2-gang or larger valves (tested with up to 6-gang). The top plate sandwiches the frame of the valve to the bottom plate, and the whole fixture can be secured with 2 to 4 screws to any surface which you can screw into. Fits most drywall anchors and screw kits, or standard 2-inch drywall screws. We use them for every valve set in our fish room. Having the valve well secured makes them much easier to adjust, and makes it possible to run very tidy air lines.
3D printed magnetic frag rack for one frag plug. Fits one small (1" plug with 3/8" stem) frag plug. The mount secures in place with a magnet on the outside of the tank. It is suitable for aquariums with a wall thickness of up to 1/4 inch and measures approximately 3x4x3 inches. The Inner magnet is encased in plastic as part of a 2 stage print.