Android based SDR!

Good news everybody! ^_^ Today I found a brilliant Android app called "SDR Touch": https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=marto.androsdr2, which when combined with the following RTL2832U driver: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=marto.rtl_tcp_andro, USB OTG cable: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/USB-OTG-USB-Cable-Adapter-for-Samsung-Galaxy-S-3-S-III-i9300-S2-i9100-/310422121131 and USB TV dongle: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DVB-T-T-Stick-SDR-FM-DAB-Tuner-Receiver-Stick-Realtek-RTL2832U-E4000-/370677800882 you can have a portable radio scanner! The USB TV dongle I linked to should get a working range from 50MHz to 2200 MHz (200 MHz shy of 2.4GHz). But you could always get an upconverter to play with (such as the Ham It Up).

It should work, from my understanding, but I'm just going to have to test it out! =3

The only drawback for those out there with older Android phones is that it needs a rooted phone if your version of Android is older than 3.1, but for those of us with newer phones running newer versions then we're all set =D You'll also probably need to run a powered USB hub to supply the TV dongle with power, but you should be able to hook the hub up to a battery pack thus still making it all portable =D

Vonrakohunde D Parker - Six Generations

This is my dog's pedigree, going back six generations:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pedigree for

ANKC 2100070472

Vonrakohunde D Parker

Born : 18.06.2012

Vonforell Rako	Vonforell Ernst	SCHH3 2+BSP Fax Vom Grenzgänger SZ/1965743	schH3, ZVV1 SG Dolf ze Zakovy hory SZ/1798811	SCHH3 Bero vom Friedersdorfer Flur DDR/141871	SchH3 V Held vom Ritterberg DDR/103314
					FH1 SG Ivett vom Fürstendamm (DDR) DDR/113814
				ZVV2 Centa Kanicky les SZ/9004982	ZM,ZVV2 V Brytt Sil-Spur CKSP/61643
					ZM,ZVV1 Bria z Kalasova dvora CKSP/80551
			SCH3 FH1 Fee am Pilgerbach SZ/1772452	SCHH3 (SG-BSP) FH SG Mink vom Haus Wittfeld SZ/1569341	SCHH3, 2*BSP Ylo vom Waldeckerhof SZ/1414452
					SchH3 SG Cora vom Haardblick SZ/1277952
				SchH3 Cindy vom Lelbacher Hexenteich SZ/1581286	V-BSP 1978, 1979, SCHH3, FH V Wicko von Meran SZ/1320207
					SchH3/FH/IP3 Pia vom Haus Touristik SZ/1483476
		Vonhargadain Bali ANKC/ 3100089212	Asa vom Haus Gebets AKC/DL532845/05	SCHH3 Candy von der Knappenmuhle DDR/145234	SchH3/FH/PSH1 V Grand vom Ritterberg SZ/9001354
					SCHH2 SG Aggi von der Datze SZ/1739715
				SCHH 3, FH 2 Kanzi vom Schutzengel DDR/152212	SCHH2 Quai vom Baruther Land SZ/1768556
					Trina vom Trappenberg (Ost) SZ/1773012
			SCHH 2 Gina vom Wimbachtal SZ/1956591	SCHH3 IP3 SG Quattro von Haus Antverpa LOSH/690167	SCH3, IPO3 Nessel von Haus Antverpa LOSH/638531
					SCHH 3, IPO1 SG Bella vom Kirchgraben SZ/1824587
				SchH1 G Fränzy vom Grüntal SZ/1777926	SchH3/PSH3 Veith vom Haus Iris SZ/9002620
					SchH2/FH Arit vom Schlegelsberg SZ/1848882
	Vonforell Fay	Agassi vom Schwarzhund	ZM, ZVV 2, ZPO 1 (OP 1), SCH H A, SCH H III, 4 X I SG Dares z Geradonu	SCHH3, IPO3, SVV1 Bob Hozmi CKSP/0851/92/94	IPO3 ZVV2 ZM V Bob Cega CS CKSP/80317/91
					ZM, IPO3, ZVV2 G Blackie Lesta CKSP/61892/92
				ZM, ZVV 3, IPO 3, OP 1 Zina z Ulicek	ZM, ZVV 3, ZPO, ZPS, IPO2 Odin z Ulicek
					ZM, ZVV 1 Xenna z Ulicek CKSP/51035
			Vonforell Abra I.I.U	SCHH3, DPO2, WPO, FH '00&'02 WPO CHAMPION Stormfront's Brawnson USZ/10612	SCHH3,IPO3, MS WUSW 1991 SG Arko Honest CS SHPK/70844/87/90
					SCHH1 Maja vom Fuchsgraben SZ/1838662
				Bella vom Rosenzweig DL/71570302	Quark vom Schutzengel DL/48748402
					Annah vom Haus Gebets DL/53284502
		Vonforell Matra	SCHH1 SG Hassan vom Grüntal SZ/1795397	SchH3/PSH3 Veith vom Haus Iris SZ/9002620	SchH3/PSH1 V Alf vom Körnersee SZ/1831928
					SchH2/FH Mira vom Haus Iris SZ/9001519
				SchH2/FH Arit vom Schlegelsberg SZ/1848882	SchH2/FH Dolf vom Bramberg DDR/102716
					SCHH3 FH3 V 24 Yette von Haus Kaiser DDR/118719
			Vonforell Derby	Vonforell Wynn	Quick v. Haus Antverpa (B) SZ/1962644
					Sastra v. Haus Antverpa (B) SZ/9105883
				Vonforell Tascha	Vonforell Prix
					Cendraise Baija V/1407072
Paskarla Kolby ANKC/ 2100209458	SCHH3 IPO3 Cliff vom fixen Dutt SZ/1982763	SCHH3 HGH FH V Jago von der Lindenhalle SZ/1747548	SCHH3 (SG-BSP) FH SG Mink vom Haus Wittfeld SZ/1569341	SCHH3, 2*BSP Ylo vom Waldeckerhof SZ/1414452	SCHH3/FH/IP3 V-INT CH Greif zum Lahntal SZ/1301939
					SchH2 SG Gabi von der Pollerburg SZ/1235991
				SchH3 SG Cora vom Haardblick SZ/1277952	3XBSP, V-BSP, SCHH3, FH SG Ignaz vom Oberscholvenerweg SZ/1133875
					SchH3 SG Dora von den Rixbecker Alpen SZ/1186340
			SchH2/FH Falka von der Lindenhalle SZ/1659790	SchH3/FH Santo von der Kopperpahlerallee SZ/1426054	V-BSP 1976, 1977, 1978, V-EUSV, SCHH3, FH, INT V Drigon vom Fuhrmannshof SZ/1296591
					SchH3 Cora von der Kolonie SZ/1314452
				SchH3 Anschi von der Lindenhalle SZ/1565170	SCHH3 (V-BSP), FH V Aldo vom Eltersberg SZ/1406963
					SchH2 G Ira vom Jägermeister SZ/1480341
		Freya vom kühlen Norden SZ/1811707	SCHH3,FH IP3,1°PLATZ WUSW 89, 2° PLATZ WUSW 90 1989 WUSV SIEGER Fado von Karthago SZ/1659724	SCHH3 (V-BSP) FH IPO3 V Harro aus der Lechrainstadt SZ/1550016	SCHH3 (V-BSP) FH IPO3 V Dax von der Kesmarker Tränke SZ/1439489
					SchH2 SG Elly vom Windachquell SZ/1390221
				SchH2 Afra vom Stoppenberger Land SZ/1451464	SchH3/FH V Olf zur starken Eiche SZ/1357429
					SchH2 Bessie vom alten Kauz SZ/1353749
			SCHH3 Annette vom kühlen Norden SZ/1732899	SchH3/FH Hurtig von Lünsholz SZ/1641750	SchH3 Greif vom Ritterland SZ/1548391
					SchH1 Dorle von Lünsholz SZ/1560181
				SchH3 Jule von Lünsholz SZ/1659310	SchH2 Cox von Lünsholz SZ/1548315
					SchH1 Eiche von Lünsholz SZ/1574837
	SCHH II Nicky vom Osterburg Quell SZ/2046333	SCHH3 (LGA) FH2 V Dargo von den Thüringer Kronjuwelen SZ/1909553	SCHH1 V Anne's Camillo DDR/0147092	SchH2/FH V Don vom Rolandsteich DDR/108760	SCHH2 KOR 5546/54 V Erko vom Turmpark DDR/61067
					SchH2/PSH1 V Dixi vom Rhodeberg DDR/74641
				SCHH2,FH SG Wicky von der Kippe DDR/0114184	SCHH2 Henk vom Porphyrbruch DDR/90967
					SCHH1 Nina vom Haus Lauch DDR/0100748
			SCHH1 V Nancy vom Schieferschloß DDR/151745	SCHH3 V Xandor vom Eichenplatz DDR/0103765	SCHH3 KOR.5547/33 V Ingo von Rudingen DDR/73841
					SCHH2 V Quirle v Eichenplatz DDR/76377
				SchH1/FH V Cessy vom Schieferschloß DDR/121333	SCHH3,FH,PSH1, KÖR.5545/55 V Golf vom Ritterberg DDR/99301
					SchH2/FH V Katy vom Bärenbruch DDR/103093
		SCHH2 Dolly vom Nordplatz SZ/1783567	SchH1 Iwan vom Rundeck SZ/9002701	SCHH3/FH Sascha von der weißen Taube SZ/1739714	SCHH2 V Igor vom Haus Assja SZ/9000910
					SCHH1 Quanett von der weißen Taube SZ/9000928
				FH Liz von Trafalga SZ/9002700	SchH2/FH V Don vom Rolandsteich DDR/108760
					SCHH1 FH V Tendy von Trafalga DDR/122377
			Zwecke von der Friesenklippe SZ/9003081	SCHH3 Quax vom Haus Leipzig SZ/9002024	SCHH 1 G Kliff vom Haus Leipzig DDR/98529
					SCHH1 SG Lexa vom Haus Leipzig
				Molly von der Friesenklippe SZ/1831012	Xit von der Wolfshöhle SZ/9002222
					Anka vom Haus Kaiser SZ/9002797

Planned curing/cycle for AquaOne Mirage 50 (43 litre) Nano Reef

1. Place AquaClear 70 on back of tank, with activated carbon and Hydor 50w heater in filtration compartment.
   • Set heater to 26° Celsius - Will aid in die off.
2. Place AquaC Nano Remora protein skimmer on back of tank.
3. Inspect live rock:
   • Mix up a higher salinity water with a specific gravity of about 1.035
   • Inspect the individual rocks for dead sponge and other dead/undesirable organisms.
   • Place rock into high salinity dip bath and shake to dislodge debris. Leave rock in dip for two minutes.
   • After unwanted invertebrates have evacuated place rock in tank for curing.
   • Repeat for all rocks.
4. Add enough Nature's Own Nutri-SeaWater to tank, as well as to the AC 70 filtration chamber, to cover rocks and turn filtration equipment on.
5. Turn Hydor Koralia Nano 900 powerhead on and face at rocks. 
6. Every seven (7) days submerge a simple pump with vinyl tubing attached and blow debris off the rocks, along with doing a 50% water change while siphoning out any organic matter and loose debris that accumulates at the bottom of the aquarium. Use Nature's Own Nutri-SeaWater for the first two weeks, then switch to Red Sea Coral Pro salt mix and RO/DI water.
7. Measure and monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels in the aquarium weekly.
8. When both ammonia and nitrite levels are zero, perform a 50% water change on the aquarium. After 24 hours, check the pH of the water and adjust as needed to achieve the desired level of 8.1-8.4
9. Add 2-2.5cm of Nature's Own Bio-Activ Live Aragonite Reef Substrate to bottom of aquarium. Continue cycle for a further week and then test water again. If levels are safe stock tank.

Refugium:

1. Install fixtures for a canister filter - the return of the filter goes into the siphon area of fuge.
2. Place two 50w AquaOne ThermoSafe heaters into the fuge (one in the returns chamber and one in the siphon area).
   • Set heater to 26° Celsius - Will aid in die off.  
3. Install an AquaOne Proskim G220 Protein Skimmer to centre chamber, HOB style.
4. Inspect live rock:
   • Mix up a higher salinity water with a specific gravity of about 1.035
   • Inspect the individual rocks for dead sponge and other dead/undesirable organisms.
   • Place rock into high salinity dip bath and shake to dislodge debris. Leave rock in dip for two minutes.
   • After unwanted invertibrates have evacuated place rock in centre chamber of tank for curing.
   • Repeat for all rocks
5. Mix up enough salt mix using Red Sea Coral Pro to fill fuge and add API Quick Start to mixture. Turn on equipment.
6. Every seven (7) days submerge a simple pump with vinyl tubing attached and blow debris off the rocks, along with doing a 50% water change while siphoning out any organic matter and loose debris that accumulates at the bottom of the aquarium.
7. Measure and monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels in the aquarium weekly.
8. When both ammonia and nitrite levels are zero, perform a 50% water change on the aquarium. After 24 hours, check the pH of the water and adjust as needed to achieve the desired level of 8.1-8.4
9. Add 2-2.5cm of a mixture of Nature's Own Bio-Activ Live Aragonite Australian Gold Live Sand and CaribSea Mineral Mud to bottom of aquarium. Continue cycle for a further week and then test water again. If levels are safe stock fuge with macroalgae.
10. Plumb refugium into AquaOne Mirage 50 nano reef.

Krylon Fusion for Plastic in Australia!

So, if you're into nano reef aquariums you may be familiar with the need to paint the rear of your tank black (or blue if that's your thing) to hide your filtration equipment and to make the tank look sharper.

Now, if you're like me and are Australian and also happen to live in a regional area then you may find it difficult to find the paint of choice for most of the community: Krylon Fusion for Plastic. It seems that it's the go-to paint for the American enthusiast and as such you run into flat recommendations of "Wal-Mart carries it", which doesn't really help you.

So after some searching I discovered that Crockers Paint stocks it and that they take online orders! I just bought a couple cans of the Flat Black for $12.95 a can and it cost me around $18.80 in shipping, which is a small price to pay when you have no other options xD

As soon as I get them into my hot little hands two of my work-in-progress tanks will have nice and black backs which will let me get on with the rest of setting them up.

!!UPDATE!!

They arrived today:

They were stated as being posted on the 09/11/2012 and today is the 12th, so pretty nice timing. I'll be taping and painting my 43 litre Mirage 50 tomorrow, after I finish work. Then I just need to get my AquaClear 70 (with an inTank media basket), AquaC Nano Remora, Hydor Theo 50w heater, Hydor Koralia Nano 900 and some live rock and sand and she'll be on her way to being my first nano reef ^_^

My DIY Pico Protein Skimmer... I hope

This is my first attempt at a pico protein skimmer for my All-in-One AquaOne Cube30 build.

It's  27.9 cm (11") from tip to tail and is made from 32mm  (1.25") PVC. The top is cut at a 45° angle using a mitre box and I'll be drilling a 10mm hole at the top and back of the pipe to attach some 10mm vinyl tubing that'll lead to the collection cup (or jar). I still need to work out a mounting bracket. I was thinking lasercut acrylic, cut out of the excess that is on the sheet from making my AIO back.

It's based on the pico skimmer made by Glazer (only a little less fancy as it's not acrylic). Not sure if it's going to work but I won't know until I get my tank up and running!

The Pico Display Refugium

I'm at it again it seems.

My AquaOne Cube 30 Pico Reef build is coming along nicely; it's had a few revisements and merging of suggestions from kind nano-reef.com-ers. One such suggestion was throwing a submersible light and some chaeto into the first compartment. I liked this idea but incorporating it made it look a little off.

That's when I decided to be all creative and build a little display refugium to sit next to the pico reef. This way I'll get to see my macroalgae grow and also add extra filtration potential to the tank.

The above image is my first attempt at a design. It's based around this design. In case of power outage there is going to be a couple PVC overflows in the main part of the tank and be plumbed to a collection resevoir underneath the tanks.

The tank measure 70cm (L) x 27cm (W) x 23cm (D) and holds 43 litres (11.3 gallons). The actual refugium chamber is 51.9cm (L) x 27cm (W) x 23cm (D) and holds 32 litres (8.4 gallons).

The tank will be all glass, 4mm. The baffling will be made from 6mm clear acrylic and the black parts in the first image represent what will be hidden by a nice stained timber cabinet (which will be incorporated into the cabinet of the AIO AquaOne Cube 30 pico I'm building).

At the moment I have ordered the following for lighting the fuge:

1 x 3w Cool White (6000-6500K)
2 x 3w Warm White (3000-3300K)
1 x 4w Neutral White (3700-5000K)
1 x 3w Blue (460-465nm)

I also got:

10 x 1w Red (620-630nm) - Only need three

Which I'll be soldering into the Coo and Neutral White bulbs:

They are all GU10 LED bulbs from Chinese manufacturers and cost very little to get (with free postage) off of eBay. I'm still experimenting with lighting, and I'm still reading through the GU10 LED Build Thread over at nano-reef.com, so before I finalise anything I think I'll post in the thread before manufacturing anything.

I'll be making a little cabinet for the fuge which will incorporate the hood, and also may be connected and incorporated into the AquaOne Cube 30 cabinet. As such I'm going to use the above IEC power socket (which I picked up of eBay for under $3 w/ free postage) as the power interface.

More to come as more gets done!

AquaOne Mirage 50 Nano Reef Aquarium

Another day another tank... at least that's the way it seems to be working out! Although I had been stalking this tank for a about two weeks before I pulled the trigger and bought it xD It's an all glass aquarium, with curved front corners, and it a little over 43 Litres (or 11 Gallons for those that aren't metric). It'll be staying as it is, with very few moddifications to the tank.

Measurements:

Length: 49 cm
Width: 29 cm
Height: 30.5 cm
Glass Thickness: 5 mm

Fish:

I'll be using Hang-on-Back filters and skimmers so as to keep it at that 43 litres / 11 gallons. By doing so I'll be given the opportunity to keep a pair of anenomefish! Either:

• Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) or 
• Percula Clownfish (Amphiprion percula)

And then I have room for one more little guy, so I'm deciding between one of these:

• Purple Dottyback (Pseudochromis porphyreus) or,
• Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus) or,
• Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto). 

**My stocking limits stemming directly from lgreen's "Fish Stocking Guide For Nano Reefs" article**

Invertebrates:

• Porcelain Crab (Petrolisthes galathinus)
• Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)
• Spiny Star Astraea (Astraea phoebia)
• Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit (Clibanarius tricolor)

The back of the tank will be painted a flat black in whatever I can find that will do the job as I'm yet to find Krylon for Plastic in Australia (at least not where I live), which will make the tank look good as well as hiding my filtration.

Hang-on-Back Eqiuipment:

Filter: an AquaClear 70 (if I can put my hands on one) with media basket, such as inTanks, running both Chemi-Pure Elite and Seachem Purigen.
Protien Skimmer: an AquaC Nano Remora (hopefully)

Lighting: 

QUOTE

3 x CREE XT-E 3UP (2x XTE Royal 1x XTG Neutral)
3 x True Violet 390-430nm w/ 120° optics(?)
1 x Ocean Coral White w/ 120° optics(?)
3 x Inventronics 40w driver - 700mA
3 x pots and knobs
1 x 6" MakersLED kit
1 x DIM4 Sunrise/Sunset Controller V1.0

QUOTE (uglybuckling @ Oct 29 2012, 02:38 PM) 

Costings:

AquaOne Mirage 50 - 43 litre Tank = $74.00
------------------------------------------------------------------
2 x Krylon Fusion for Plastic - Flat Black = $12.95
                                              Shipping = $18.86
------------------------------------------------------------------
Hydor Koralia Nano 900 = $69.00
Hydor THEO 50w heater = $35.95
Aquaclear 300 ( 70 ) Hang on Filter = $79.00
                                        Shipping = $7.95
------------------------------------------------------------------
AquaC Nano Remora Protein Skimmer = $199.99 USD
------------------------------------------------------------------
AC 70 inTank Media Basket = $43.99 USD
                            Shipping = $19.63
------------------------------------------------------------------
Lighting Fixture = $287.55 USD
           Shipping = $69.50
------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                Total = $931.32


I'll update this post with more information as I get closer to starting the tanks cycle.