VIDEO!!! Freshwater LED Volcano Project

Final product Video!

Well I drank a soda that I didn't know had caffeine in it so I'm laying in bed staring at my tanks thinking...
I've been planning on theming my nano scape around Michael Crichton's Jurasic Park. I already have a good start on a tropical jungle and quartz crags. I am missing a volcano. I have some great pieces of quartz. Was planning on making into a rift volcano but I want observers to KNOW its a volcano.

My idea is to run an air pump air stone combo under the rift. For the lava effect I want to build a circuit with an led.

The led must be waterproof of course. I was thinking of running he circuit with a 9 volt battery. Assumingbim using one of the standard red LEDs from RadioShack what sort of resistor would I need? Also, it would be an extra bonus if he led could pulse like there's movement and bubbling coming from the magma. Is this possible and if so what would I need?
For waterproofing I was thinking of placing a small Plastic bag over he led and sealing it that way by either melting the bag sealed or using some other way. This however seems very messy and not optimal. What would a better option be?
Any suggestions on the project in general? Thanks!
I will upload a photo of the tank tomorrow when I'm on my computer and not my iPod touch.

 

Sounds like a really cool project. Would like to see a video when it's done.

The only suggestion I have is that you use a ready-made underwater LED. You may have to shop around a bit, but they do make them for aquarium use.

Good luck!

 

When I was younger we had a fresh water tank and we had gotten one of those plastic volcano decorations and hot glued an air stone inside of it so it looked like the the bubbles were coming from the volcano. Looked neat until the seems split on the tank and emptied in our living room.

 

I'm planning out the project out with my electrical engineering major friend. I think we will end up using hot glue to make the led waterproof because the dome of the led will be waterproof. we just need to make sure the connections are secure and that'll be simple enough.

I'm hoping to have this project up and started today but he wants to make thigns a bit more fancy with some microcontrolers for programability. I want this project done by Sunday when I head back to college but we will see...it may be a project I do in my spare time.

My camera is out of batteries but I'm charging it and will get a picture up later today.

 

They have them on amazon for like 35 bucks. Red light n bubbles and all.
Just saying before you make this one check it out.

 

Marine land makes a led bubble bar you could look into

 

DIY i so much more fun than purchasing an ready-made-item.

I went out and purchased everything I would need for the airpump and got taht into the tank. I'm talking over plans with my EE friend about the best way to make the circuit.

In the meantime here's some pictures.FTS



This is the most recent rock that'll be used in the formation of the volcano. I'll go in and mess around with the actual landscape once I have the circuit built.


The star of the tank! I still haven't come up with a name for him.


Side angle view with the betta.




I believe the current plan is to have a 3 way switch. Off, Pulse, and Full. The circuit will consist of two LEDs, one RED and one Yellow/Orange. On full both leds or just the red, I haven't quite decided yet, will be fully illuminated. On pulse, the RED Led will stay at full brightness and the Y/O LED will be pulsed at varying brightnesses through an RC circuit. Off is of course off

I believe pulsing the yellow/orange LED will give a lava like effect.

 

Here are the images of my current layout. can someone please check them. I'm not certain if this circuit will work.

One of my concerns is with the switch. I'm not sure about it's location because I'm not sure if current will still be flowing through the batteries when the switch is off.

Is there any issue with using Infrared or UV LEDs in an aquarium?





The resistors labeled 1 just before the RED leds on either path will be the same. The pulse path for the Secondary LED will go to a resistor that will determine how quickly the capacitor charges. I believe this will give a pulsing effect on the Secondary LED. The second resistor on that path is to drop the current to prevent blowing out the LED.

Will this work?

I'm also not sure about which LEDs to use. Any suggestions there? After I have the LEDs I can back track and calculate the required Capacitor and Resistors.

 

Ok well after working with one of my best friends and visiting radioshack the design has been worked. We are now going to use a 555 Timer to pulse the secondary LED. Also, instead of using an UltraViolet LED we are going to use a yellow one (RadioShack was out of stock).

Sadly, I don't have a breadbox but I'm going to try and piece the circuit together and see how it works.

 

im pretty sure petsolutions.com has red led's built into an airstone for this very purpose.

Marineland LED Bubble Wand, LED Aquarium Decorations | PetSolutions

there you go.