Reef Discussion

[Sean81]

Hi all. I thought I would share my diy stirrer. Made with a 40mm fan I had sitting around and a 9volt battery connected to a variable resistor. Simply glue earth magnets to fan and adjust speed to suit. With a resistor for speed control its hard to get slower speeds as the fan can struggle to start with low voltage so a PWM control would be better but they are larger.

Before lid fitted.

 

[MagicJ]

Nice idea, but I can't actually see how it works :confused:

Is there something in the vial that is rotated by the spinning magnets?

 

[potatocouch]

I'm not following either ...

 

[Sean81]

Oh yeah critical part. Same as any laboratory magnetic stirrer there is a magnetic pill or stirrer

Made my ALK test so quick and easy. Just keep putting drops in while it stirs itself.

 

[potatocouch]

Aaaaaaah !!! now I get it

 

[Savage Henry]

Your ingenuity would be invaluable in a small laboratory.

I like your drying rack too.

 

[potatocouch]

I like your drying rack too.

I second that !

 

[MagicJ]

... so a PWM control would be better but they are larger.

Not necessarily :rolleyes

Although it might cost a few dollars more than the resistor.

 

[Sam Parker]

Love it!!! How much for a couple?

 

[Sean81]

Love it!!! How much for a couple?

Haha wouldn't be worth the hassle. Real easy to do with simple components from Jaycar. There are cheap stirrers out there, usually from pool shops. But I struggled to find some in Aus.

 

[MagicJ]

I have actually got a use for something like this in the future - I just need to remember this thread when the time comes :p

Once again, the benefit of being a member of a great forum :)

A search on eBay came up with a few good things :

$3.15 for 2 x 10mm

There are larger sizes available as well.

You can also buy a DIY kit for $59 with a PWM controller

There is also a website called StirBars.com which sell ... stir bars :eek

Thanks @Sean81 for this great idea :worship

 

[Sean81]

I found the 10mm stir bars can jump from magnet to magnet sometimes so I am waiting on some 20mm bars to come. But I think to 20mm will not fit in the salifert vials.

 

[Sam Parker]

Keep me in mind when your about to make yours @MagicJ - if it is cheaper to buy enough parts to knock together a couple more, I'd certainly be keen to pay my share of parts and your time.

Sam

 

[Savage Henry]

I use to run experiments in the same size vials using stirrer hotplates and the stirrer bars that were about 5mm long. I wouldn't use the egg shaped ones that you are using. I found that the stirrer bar tended to jump about if you turned the stirrer up too high.

One other use, but in a larger version, would be to make a carousel inside your tank. So, all your rockwork sit on a platform that spins around. An alternative to water movement, you can present to your guests, "rock movement"!

 

[Savage Henry]

Another suggestion is instead of using the fan, remove the fan and mount a small magnet or metal bar (about 1cm or 2 cm long) on the spindle. As this rotates it will cause the magnet inside the vial to spin. This would be closer to what the stirrer hotplates use. You may need to drill a hole through the centre of the magnet or metal bar to mount it on the spindle.

You could use any small motor that you can mount.

 

[Sam Parker]

Or we could just get @ReeferRob to send us a few of these (seeing as Amazon wont ship them to Aus....)

http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-9265-Magneticstirrer-Speedstir-Start-Uppack/dp/B004BGPC5W

 

[MagicJ]

I'm not sure what has happened to @ReeferRob :confused:

https://nqpooltestkits.com.au/products/kit-accessories/taylor-9265-speedstir-magnetic-stirrer/ have them for $25 but currently out of stock.

They look good though, but it's always more fun when you DIY :)

 

[Buddy]

Hmmm now I am going to have to get one of these to increase my reefing laziness :D

 

[Sam Parker]

yeah I contacted NQ pool test kits, will let you know when/if I get a reply.

 

[macca_75]

I'm loving this idea and thread, but would the magnetic pill affect the test at all? Certainly couldn't use it in a Hanna but the Red Sea pro kits - this has value....

@Rob - seems right up your alley.