Equipment Bank Suggestions Needed *Updated*

[justahobby]

MAAST Board of Directors has expressed interest in adding useful items to the Equipment Bank. I would like to hear suggestions from everyone. These items will be available to Charter Members (in good standings) in times of need.

Currently, the MAAST cart is our only item currently and it gets a lot of use! So let's hear your ideas!

Ideas will be brought to the Board for review and consideration. The equipment bank can be found in the Library section and rules may be found here: http://maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=54377

[Gseclipse02]

lights and premade saltwater would be cool

[Europhyllia]

I think odd balls like a diatom filter would be great. You might only use it once so it's not worth buying for one person but can be very beneficial when you do need it in an emergency.

[allan]

32 gallon buckets with wheels. I'm thinking when a large emergency water change is in order... also for tank moves where old tank water is being saved and transferred... low budget investment that can (I think pay dividends later on).

One or two pumps that can be used when one of ours goes out in between paydays.

A few bags of Salt Operational Readiness Float (ORF) hardship strikes WC is needed no money to buy salt to effect WC they can ORF a bag of salt to be replaced PD.

I would recommend a couple of bulbs for the ORF program too, but lights out probably isn't a deal breaker, or can wait till payday.

A 55 gallon acylic to be used in an emergency when tank crashes so that inhabitants can be kept with the owner while 100% water change or remedy is taken place. Acrylic for ease of movement and use. Doesn't have to be pretty, just functional.

I can think of a few others, feel free to discount any that are just stupid. Going home now. :)

[CoryDude]

Second the idea of a few spare pumps. A diatom filter, as said, would be really good for an emergency. A few spare heaters incase of a cold snap.

I'd like to add that some glass cutting bits would be nice. 1-3/4" and 2- 3/8" would be great. You could even charge a rental fee on something like that to cover wear/tear.

Lastly, glass suction cups would be great to have also.

[hobogato]

good idea on the glass cutting bits.... i just so happen to have a few that i will donate.

i will also add an acrylic fish trap to the list. i just made one for jose to use and when he is done it will become part of the equipment bank.

as far as the acrylic holding tank, if maast wants to buy the acrylic, i will build one for free.

a hiatt torpedo and pump with right now bacteria would be a good addition as well as a media reactor for carbon and phosban.

also, an external skimmer that could be used in a pinch should someone's skimmer quit working.

[justahobby]

Great ideas guys. Keep em a comin'

I made a mistake in my wording. The BOD hasn't approved a set amount yet. They have had other stuff on their plates, but it will be in future discussions.

I will still be bringing the ideas to the BODs for consideration so nothing else really changes.

[txav8r]

Suction cups and large tubs to go with the maast cart to aid in moving tanks.

Thanks for starting the thread Justin. You are a great help to the club!

[ErikH]

Return pumps for water exchange during an emergency WC.

I also think that a 75 and 125 would be sound investments.

Tubs.

Spare lighting rigs, ie. some 250w halides that are in a small pendant to fit in various canopies.

Bulbs, even if they are shot, someone may be able to use it.

HEATERS.

A wet dry vaccuum and possibly some large blower fans that they use for moonbounces to help dry someone's place.

Bags of dry sand, just in case. The person that uses them would have to replace them.

[cowboy572]

What about another maast cart? I work for a millwork-lumber company and getting the materials shouldn't be that bad. the only thing I would need are wheels. With two carts it would free up the one and you can keep them of different sides of SA.

[allan]

A salifert test kit to help confirm erroneous member readings?

Additionally, how about one of those light measuring devices? You can rent one for a returnable 250 (refundable) fee, but it would be nice if we had one to use for members

[kkiel02]

Since so many people move tanks or upgrade what about trying to piece together a 55 gallon tank that can be setup to allow the maast member to use his existing equipment without stressing the fish out so bad when the new tank will probably go through a mini cycle. Maybe a small hob skimmer, heater, light and powerhead to support the occupants?

[Gseclipse02]

A salifert test kit to help confirm erroneous member readings?

Additionally, how about one of those light measuring devices? You can rent one for a returnable 250 (refundable) fee, but it would be nice if we had one to use for members


par reading ?? that would be cool ...

[roscozman]

How about a chiller? We hear every summer of an AC going out and the tank temp rising. I don't know if the budget would allow...

[Gseclipse02]

i dont mind lending mine out if need be as long its some one who has been around and not some joe smoe ( a few people have used it but most were under a 150g of water)

[txav8r]

Thase are all great ideas! Maybe we can get a list of all of these things together and let the members vote on which one they would like to add to the equipment bank first.

[justahobby]

Great minds think alike and weak ones seldom differ :p


Thase are all great ideas! Maybe we can get a list of all of these things together and let the members vote on which one they would like to add to the equipment bank first.

[allan]

Great minds think alike and weak ones seldom differ :p


:-) I like that, sounds like a quote of the day.

[Roo&Lis]

+1 on the chiller.

Maybe even a small generator for power loss. I've seen some pretty cheap ones at Harbor Freight.

[Mr Cob]

Refractometer

[swiatrek]

I am willing to donate a cpap 1800 for a return pump, not much but should help out in a bind. Also I am pretty sure I have a 55 gallon aquarium sitting in my inlaws garage that we can add. Just have to make sure it still holds water. All other ideas sound great.

[justahobby]

Very generous offer. Txav8r is in the charge of the library and anyone wanting to donate can shoot him a PM.


I am willing to donate a cpap 1800 for a return pump, not much but should help out in a bind. Also I am pretty sure I have a 55 gallon aquarium sitting in my inlaws garage that we can add. Just have to make sure it still holds water. All other ideas sound great.

[alton]

Par Meter and a couple of Foot Candle/Lumen Meters. And on someone donating an item like a pump if a board member determines the value is more than $50 for the item, the person gets a one year free charter membership to MAAST.

[hobogato]

..... And on someone donating an item like a pump if a board member determines the value is more than $50 for the item, the person gets a one year free charter membership to MAAST.

great idea alton

[ErikH]

Could we start an equipment bank section for people to post what they have to lend? Of course the lending would be at the discretion of the lender. I know it would be valuable to those of us that are trusted friends. That way people can lend rather than donate. Items would need to be listed in seperate threads for ease of browsing. Also, in an emergency it would be simple to search the appropriate "lender" forum for the item they are in need of. Frags would be the only allowed payment. :)

Either way, a set specified time must be set for the item's return in all cases.

[Mr Cob]

Could we start an equipment bank section for people to post what they have to lend? Of course the lending would be at the discretion of the lender. I know it would be valuable to those of us that are trusted friends. That way people can lend rather than donate. Items would need to be listed in seperate threads for ease of browsing.


Pretty much the same concept as the book library. Cool suggestion.

We may even consider having multiple equipment bank custodians for the different cities...Austin...the Coast...kind of like hubs.

[txav8r]

Some great ideas here! We do need to open a forum for things that members are willing to loan out.

Keep the ideas and suggestions coming!

[Aquarium masters]

100 to 200 feet of noncollapsible 1in hose for draining and refilling tanks during moves etc. I use it all the time and those of you who were involved in the setup and tear down of TMAC may remember it.

[txav8r]

So basically we will create a MAAST tank moving kit.
I like it!

[ErikH]

We also need a "crash cart".

[txav8r]

We also need a "crash cart".


CLEAR!! Bzzzzzt!

[Mr Cob]

So basically we will create a MAAST tank moving kit.
I like it!

Love it!

[justahobby]

This has been a great thread. I've consolidated the list to make it easier to find what's missing or been thought of. The list is in the order they were first suggested. If I missed your suggestions please re-post, it was my mistake. Here's what we've got so far:

1. Lights
2. Premade SW
3. Diatom Filter
4. Buckets Lg. on wheels
5. Salt by the bag (ORF)
6. Tanks
7. Pumps (external and internal)
8. Heaters
9. Glass cutting bits
10. Suction Cups
11. Media Reactor
12. Hiatt Torpedo
13. External Skimmer
14. Shop Vac
15. Blower Fans Lg.
16. Sand
17. MAAST Cart 2nd
18. Salifert Tests
19. Par Meter
20. Chiller
21. Generator Sm.
22. Refractometer
23. Lumen Meter
24. Tubing noncollapsible
25. Microscope

I added a microscope to the list. I know I would love to bring stuff to the monthly meetings to look at on a cellular level. What else could we have at the monthly meetings?

The "moving kit" and "crash cart" are great ideas. Is there anything not mentioned above that they would need to consist of?

[allan]

Being a noob myself I would imagine that I'm off target here referencing the crashcart, but this is what I think of.

An external micron filter HOB to quickly clean/polish water.
Ozone reactor to crank out some serious nutrients in a in-need tank.
A large phosban reactor that can handle a larger amount of water volumn.

This would be an effort to quickly reduce the problems in the water when a WC can only do so much (limited by how much water you carry with you).

Additionally, and this is just my new guy's opinion, I would steer away from premade salt water over RODI standby. Here's my reasoning. What do you salt at? 1.022? 1.025? It only takes a few moments to mix, indeed it seems bringing the water to the proper temperature is what takes more time.

In addition, how long can you keep water sitting in a container before those elements that are impossible to completely keep at bay are not allowed to find a home in these buckets of water?

Just an idea, feel free to shoot down or destroy at will, but how about this. Take all volunteers that are willing to toe the line and keep on hand at all times a five gallon bucket of RODI. A pledge really to always be ready to contribute a bucket or two, therefore to always have one on hand. This will allow us to constantly First in First out these buckets to keep them fresh.

If you had a group of 20 members willing to standby chances are you will at any time have access to at least five members who can respond. So perhaps with fifty members of the Bucket Brigade (suddenly I'm hungry) we would have twenty buckets in a time of crises. Five gallons each (ten for some) and you have 100 gallons of RODI at the ready.

A simple phone roster would be enacted rather than a call to arms over the Internet. I thnk in the civlian sector it's called a phone plant or phone tree.

Anyway, it's early and I'm just thinking out loud. Sorry about being so wordy. :)

[txav8r]

You are on the money with the premade saltwater. It will begin it's cycle after some time. You reaally don't have to add anything to saltwater to make it cycle.
I do not let mixed saltwater set for more than a week after I mix it.
This is one of the reasons I stopped buying water in stores.

By the way I almost always have 15 gal of fresh RODI ready to go if needed.

[corruption]

Yep -- I've always got about 30 gals of RODI ready and waiting -- if anyone ever needs any, just let me know :)

As long as the saltwater is being stored in a light tight space with a bit of circulation, there shouldn't be much/any aging occurring in just straight mixed saltwater... the cycling/consumption of biominerals only really occurs once something is actively growing -- if the conditions prevent this, it can be stored indefinitely, the buffers of the salt notwithstanding :)

Natural sea water, of course, is a different situation -- no real buffering agents per se, so the chemistry can shift pretty quickly..

Edit: this should not be taken as an endorsement of keeping premixed saltwater -- I think that mixing on the spot likely makes more sense, especially if we're talking a bucket brigade type water sharing offer... The water may be coming from multiple sources, makes more sense to just bring forth pure water and mix to needs on the spot..

-Corruption

[txav8r]

Large insulated Ice Chests for moving live rock with corals attached to them.

[justahobby]

Portable/ battery air pumps for fish w/ an extended visit to bucket-land.

[saabtech]

generator for power outages. (hopefully its only one MAAST member out at a time)