Coral Hind August 26, 2013 Share August 26, 2013 A co-worker was telling me about an artificial reef made by a 3D printer. I thought that would be cool to use a 3D printer to design your own aquascape or even coral inserts. It looks like sandstone and you could design all kinds of caves or spots for fish to hide in. Maybe design in holes for frag plugs. Here is an article I found and some pictures. http://www.3ders.org/articles/20121030-worlds-first-3d-printed-reef.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 August 26, 2013 Share August 26, 2013 wow, are those sitting on 4' pallets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind August 26, 2013 Author Share August 26, 2013 I think so. I read they are over 3 feet tall. Must have been one large printer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohaverd August 26, 2013 Share August 26, 2013 wow, are those sitting on 4' pallets? nice catch... ya those are friggin big! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattiejay6 August 26, 2013 Share August 26, 2013 I was just reading a post on reef central or reef2reef about this... It seemed pretty awesome. They were more geared towards making un common aquarium parts and expensive things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime August 26, 2013 Share August 26, 2013 One of my coworkers was telling me how they are starting to use 3d printers to create food by using cartridges with basic ingredients like sugar and flour, etc. Crazy direction this technology is headed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind August 26, 2013 Author Share August 26, 2013 I've heard of the food printers. I read they used a protein based powder. A store could make colored frag plugs which would make pricing easier, one color for each price group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM August 26, 2013 Share August 26, 2013 That's pretty awesome. Wonder how strong the material is. With one that big you could print the whole tank with rock walls on the back, left, right, including integrated overflows and returns and just silicone in a front pane of glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami August 26, 2013 Share August 26, 2013 That's incredible. They must weigh... alot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pettyrd August 26, 2013 Share August 26, 2013 Awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k August 28, 2013 Share August 28, 2013 in 25 years, they'll be printing people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef August 28, 2013 Share August 28, 2013 in 25 years, they'll be printing people.As long as we don't make a copy or clone of you..I may be okay with that,lol If we could print food on a mass scale and feed all the hungry in our country I think that would be a true great use of this technology.. But printing some live rock is pretty freakin cool...wonder if they put calcium and other properties in it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind August 28, 2013 Author Share August 28, 2013 It was the "D Shape" printer that was used to create the sandstone artificial reef rocks. It has already built a house. Here is what it looks like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohaverd August 29, 2013 Share August 29, 2013 in 25 years, they'll be printing people. The Fifth Element! Print me out a Leeloo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidm August 29, 2013 Share August 29, 2013 only if you have a multipass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b August 29, 2013 Share August 29, 2013 It certainly looks cool but the trouble with artificial rock is it does not come close to the porosity of real live rock, aragonite. Without the porosity it can't hold beneficial bacteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM August 29, 2013 Share August 29, 2013 Seems like you could almost make it as porous as you wanted depending on the resolution of the printer. If you're spitting individual 1mm grains down, for instance, that's a lotta surface area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 August 29, 2013 Share August 29, 2013 in 25 years, they'll be printing people. Or maybe today... http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57600576/scientists-grow-human-brain-tissue-in-petri-dish/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind August 29, 2013 Author Share August 29, 2013 It certainly looks cool but the trouble with artificial rock is it does not come close to the porosity of real live rock, aragonite. Without the porosity it can't hold beneficial bacteria. There isn't much porosity once you get a nice layer of coralline algae or encrusting coral on a rock. I remember about ten years ago there was a bunch of research and debate on message boards about the topic. Basically once the live rock is covered and pores blocked you have decoration, not much filtration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 December 13, 2013 Share December 13, 2013 Here is a 3D printer I found playing on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/MakerGear-M2-Assembled-3D-Printer/dp/B00ELUOERA/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef December 13, 2013 Share December 13, 2013 Awwwwwwww still cool...we could make small tank sizes pieces! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime December 13, 2013 Share December 13, 2013 Here is a 3D printer I found playing on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/MakerGear-M2-Assembled-3D-Printer/dp/B00ELUOERA/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t What's awesome is that it has 6 reviews, all at 5 stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodreeef December 14, 2013 Share December 14, 2013 Did not know they had printers that big! I own my own cnc , and once owned a 3d scanner. I have read an article recently that said that 'the next technological revolution is on the horizon and it will be in industry because of the advent of 3d printing , 3d scanning ' and ' the ability of the femto-second laser to cut thinks so precise'! If you enjoy this kind of thing, read about the femto-second laser. I ran across this ,in one of my machining geek google searches, it has been used to do laser eye surgery(high end though), but now they have discovered that it cut metal more precise than ever before possible. I am looking forward to the day that 'if i need a shovel, well i will just print one on the family-owned 3d printer' ....no more going to Lowes or Home-depot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime December 14, 2013 Share December 14, 2013 I am looking forward to the day that 'if i need a shovel, well i will just print one on the family-owned 3d printer' ....no more going to Lowes or Home-depot. You think we will see it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Rhoads December 14, 2013 Share December 14, 2013 You think we will see it? Yes, I bet amazon has them in "redbox" like stations within 10 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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