3D Printed Fry Tray / Breeding Box
Added 2023-05-19 17:24:19 +0000 UTCAttached .zip file includes all necessary STLs along with a copy of the EULA.
Key points if you didn't watch the video:
You must use an airline valve to control the air pressure supplied to this uplift. The flow of water and bubbles should be smooth, consistent, and nearly silent.
The most current versions of the lower uplift tube does not require an airline fitting. It connects directly to airline tubing.
The uplift tube is narrow in diameter, by design, to allow the flow of water to be reduced for small, sensitive fry. At maximum the uplift can circulate 18 liters of water per hour into 1.5 liters of internal volume. That is far beyond the needs of any fry small enough to be housed in a tray and would likely be harmful to many of them.
The lower uplift tube is meant to be covered with the pre-filter sponge for a Fluval Edge. They are widely available in both name brand and aftermarket forms. The pre-filter sponge is meant to prevent the accumulation of mulm or other free-floating debris within the tray.
Do not use the cap unless you absolutely need to. It is difficult to judge the water flow with the cap in place. It was designed to prevent splatter when running the uplift at maximum pressure which almost none of you should need to do.
The rigid tube mounts are meant to fit Lee's 3/16 thinwall rigid tubing. There is a slightly larger diameter version to fit generic rigid tubes that may be slightly larger in outside diameter.
The outflow is meant to be blocked by rectangular segments of foam or some other porous filter material. Choose your own favorite material and porosity and move to more porous materials as fry grow and food volume increases. The dimensions of the foam slot are printed at the bottom of the slot for reference.
Comments
Hi, ive printed like 15 of these bad boys and i love them so far, my only question is if you have plans for a shallow version or perhaps an insert to lessen the depth for those of us with shallower raising fry?
Porter White
2025-08-20 01:19:59 +0000 UTCThe supplemental aeration isn't so much for oxygenating the water. It is to run at a very low bubbling pressure to prevent the build up of protein film on the water's surface. It can also provide circulation within the space to move food particles through the water column.
Lowell Fishlab
2025-07-04 01:10:06 +0000 UTCLove the design and my prints are coming out just great. Question about need for rigid air line. Since you have an air line lifting water into the tray that should be pretty well oxygenated, is there really a need to have an additional air line (rigid tube into the water in the tray) as well?
Jimmy Barbee
2025-07-03 03:47:50 +0000 UTChi, i cant find the archive for the breeding box
Isaac Escorcia Montaño
2025-06-07 21:39:52 +0000 UTCThat would be awesome, we now have 17 (old) small trays running in 48" With the 6,5" version we can fit 'just' 7 trays. With a 4" version we could fit 12 trays. Looking forward to this 4 inch update 😉 👍
Bengy
2025-04-19 15:07:03 +0000 UTCWas watching an Aquarium-Coop stream and Cory mentioned maybe having a 4-inch version to be able to fit more in a normal 20L. Was wondering if you have mocked up any that size at all?
Devin Duerst
2025-04-18 01:16:20 +0000 UTCHi, I’ve just finished printing the 7W x 7L.stl, I was wondering which size uplift will fit the hole on that box please?
Kristoffer horner
2025-04-11 06:55:54 +0000 UTC
