# DIY: Breeder box.



## Kurare

Story: Platys breeding. Big Al's prices for a well designed box = NOT nice. Went to dollar store to home depot for tupperware/mesh. and the positive side to all this: the container is BIGGGGGGGG. Big breeder boxes = $$$

Supply list: Exacto-knife, aquarium sealant, tupperware (2+), mesh, tulle, a sharpie and PATIENCE; good god you need patience.

Note: cut plastic slowly, going to fast forcing the cut causes the plastic to break and snap making it unusable depending on crack and just ugly holes.

How to:
-Cut out a lid. trace that cutout to bottom section. cut that out too. cut more holes wherever you want, i suggest keeping the bottom container hole-less, as this is where the fries are to end up.
-measure and cut the mesh with excess to silicone.
-silicone mesh to lid, silicone container to lid. 
-find something heavy (like a 6-pack + some) to weigh it down
-silicone tulle to top container as required for however many holes you decided to have.
---Silicone on some suction cups if you want, I plan to just leave it sitting at the bottom of the tank.

End result should look something like this.

























*notes:
-Tulle is bought at michaels for wedding decor. Buy the plain one, some of them are coloured and got sparkles. The mesh is SUPER fine, good for letting plenty of water through to keep mother fish happy, and its not as ugly as thick plastic mesh. Also, just incase a fry want to escape, with this type of mesh/design the fries are contained 100%.
Hope I helped some cheapskate out there that also think a plastic box should not cost upwards of 30$, or some who lives DIY =)


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## Fishfur

You can get tulle at Fabricland too, better colours as well, and craft net, which is a bit less fine.

I will be interested to see how the silicone holds up. I tried to make a box like this, but the silicone just did not stick to the plastic for long. There is another glue that does work, but is, sadly, quite expensive. Small tube is more than ten bucks. Aquarium safe. I also found that two part epoxy putty, at least one type made for plastics, would also stick but it's a bit more effort to work with. Also not cheap, but tank safe.

Good luck.


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## Kurare

The for heads up fishfur. How long did your silicone hold up so I can start testing ...

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2


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## Fishfur

When I put a bit of pressure on to replace the box lid, most of it came off, right then and there. Never even got wet, sorry to say. I'd aimed for a big net covered opening on top of the lid, holes in the sides and end much like you have, all covered with net, and siliconed down. Pretty much as soon as it started to flex a bit, it started to come off. So I ended up looking for other glues and found this epoxy and the other one, both costly, but both work. If I look around I can find the name of the tube stuff.. I'd have to go check Cantire for the epoxy, I used it all and no longer have the package.


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## bob123

The unit you made does it sit on the bottom of the aquarium or float? Check out breeder boxes at Angelfins.ca look under breeder supplies. Marina makes them and the large ones are around $20 and supply a constant supply of water from main tank.


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## Kurare

Fishfur: The aquarium sealant is holding up. I do not know which you bought; I bought the one from Big Al's.

Bob123: The unit itself can sink, but I have suction cups to hold them in place on the glass. In the event that I want it to sink and really be seated in place, I can just use some substrate in it to keep it from flying around (750 gph pump, works good). Angelfins has Marina stuff, which is big als; their application is not what I'm looking for. 
Their largest Hang On is only 1.9L; the total volume of each of my section is 6L (12L total, I don't plan on stressing out the fish in a cage). Since I have a 150g tank, creating something larger is possible for me, while others do not have such an option.

While I would love the "v-divider" in the 3-in-1 trap, I forwent that for now, modifying it can be done later if/when I see the fries going towards the mother-fish and getting eaten (LOL). Besides it's even smaller than the largest hang-on at 1L.

Honestly, the price I quote is for people who have nothing to start with. I have sealant and got fancy with the tulle. Skip the tulle and suction the thing above water slightly with the top of the lid off. Problem solved. Hell the tulle might be my downfall, i'm worried the fine mesh is still NOT fine enough. The whole thing cost like $8 for myself for a 12L capacity. Granted it was rushed and a tad bit ugly since I did not take my time, but it will serve its purpose. I rushed it, but my pregnant platy had already dropped her fry and I was very sad. I rescued 6 fries from my sump today. The rest were prolly eaten and died through my filtration setup =(

The next batch will have it good I hope. =)


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## Kimchi24

I wonder if there is a way it modify this DIY into a HOB breeder box. Helps out those who don't have a 150 gallon aquarium. I'll start brainstorming haha


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## Kurare

Kimchi24 said:


> I wonder if there is a way it modify this DIY into a HOB breeder box. Helps out those who don't have a 150 gallon aquarium. I'll start brainstorming haha


Hanging 6L of water will be tough from these types of containers, you need a SOLID handle to hold and if you silicone/make one, it will be hard. However, if you find cheap one with a handle, its should be fairly simple to do =)


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## Kimchi24

I'm thinking of making an HOB one but the flow of water is going to be an issue. I suppose I don't want such a huge breeder box but that big of a box would take up half of my 33 gallon!


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## Kurare

Did you want to have this box just to store the fries or is it a birthing suite as well? The Marina boxes provide a method to hang, and piping for HOB system. Pump will be required. But for 8$ for the smallest 0.2gal box, totally worth it IMO. cause designing and constructing both the piping and the handle to hand on (if you're just starting from a hanger-less box) isn't worth the time.


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## Kimchi24

Kurare said:


> Did you want to have this box just to store the fries or is it a birthing suite as well?


Both. I feel as if the best thing to do would be it have a separate box with the larger mesh to allow fry through


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## Kurare

Then I suggest you have a smaller tank, 10g or so and do my DIY type of build with a single box inside the tank, and let it the fries fall out (if you have mesh/tupperware/silicone. Toss in a cheap bubble filter and you'll have a growout tank, a quarantine tank too. I can see the total of this coming to like 30$ d/t size constraint of your current tank.

If you don't have all the supplies ready, then going 10g tank, + modified 3-in-1 breeder box (cutting hole at bottom for fries to fall into 10g tank), would be a much more viable choice money wise.


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## Kurare

Update of product in tank and awaiting its first whole set of fries; hopefully by the end of today =S


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## bob123

Looks very nice you should be able to multiply your stock in no time.


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## Fishfur

I'm pleased to hear your unit is holding up. I wonder if the plastic on the box I used was simply different from the one on yours ? They do use a few different ones, I'm sure they have varying properties.

I used GE 1, the same as I use for resealing tanks and repairs. I can't see paying the extra money for the stuff at Als.


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## Kurare

Ready for round 2: Will do fry pics this time (forgot last time).


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## MDR

I really like the design of this. I had one of the mesh box ones and the adult fish killed the fry by chewing them through the mesh corners. I now have an air pump powered HOB but it is just not big enough for the number of fry my fish can turn out. Will definitely be trying this.

Is there a hole in the bottom tub at the side to allow current to flow through?


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## Kurare

MDR: No. I did not want the fries to be blown around in my 150gal. The current is quite high at the top of tank. But perhaps you could do it if yours is less.


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## MDR

Kurare said:


> MDR: No. I did not want the fries to be blown around in my 150gal. The current is quite high at the top of tank. But perhaps you could do it if yours is less.


Understandable. Any youngsters yet?


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## Kurare

Not yet... she's gonna explode any second now... even her scales are pointed outwards... 
The longer she's in there, i feel like im stressin' her out. Shuda made a larger box LOL


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## Kurare

MDR said:


> Understandable. Any youngsters yet?


I let her out. I may try again tonight after some frozen brine shrimps, but I think she was stressed out or something =(

What a bummer, she was looking so big like 100 fries were due.


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## cichlid_mainiac

Just a thought for the problem of the silicone not sticking to the plastic, perhaps try scuffing the plastic with 100 grit sandpaper where you plan to apply the silicone. It may help the adhesion process if the plastic isn't quite so smooth.


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## Kurare

That sir is a very good piece of advice for those with troublesome surfaces. But mines still good ^^

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2


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