Floating Plant Corner Barrier for Rimless Tanks

A straight blade that cuts off a triangular corner of the water surface to keep duckweed and other floaters in one place, hung on two clips over the glass.

Duckweed drifts across the whole surface and ends up in the filter. This barrier pens a corner: a blade runs from one glass to the other, 100 mm out from the corner along each glass, hung on two clips. The blade reaches 43 mm below the top of the glass, so it still dips about 8 mm into the water when the level is 35 mm down. Where the blade meets each glass the gap is about 0.4 mm.

What it fits

• Rimless glass 4, 6 or 8 mm thick, with a bare top edge on both glasses of the corner.

• Water level 25–35 mm below the top of the glass.

• The outer legs run down the outside of both glasses as far as the blade goes inside: pick a corner with nothing against the outside.

What you need

• PETG filament.

Print settings

• Material: PETG

• Nozzle: 0.4 mm

• Layer height: 0.2 mm

• Walls: enough to fill the blade

• Infill: 100% — a sparse infill can trap air and float the part off the glass

• Supports: None

• Orientation: Upside down, as in the file (the clip plates go on the bed).

• Bed: 120 × 120 × 46 mm. Fits 180 mm beds. Use a brim and a gentle part fan: the outer legs are thin fins.

Files

• floating-plant-corner-barrier_glass{4|6|8}mm.stl — three files: pick your glass

Fitting

• Slide each clip over its glass by hand; it should sit flat on the edge.

• Use a corner away from the filter intake.

Limits

• Watermeal, the narrowest new fronds and fronds tipped on edge can slip through the gaps at the glass.

• A lid resting on the glass edge will sit on the clips.

How it was checked

Checked by simulation, not printed by us yet: the geometry is checked for fit (clearances), wall thickness against a 0.4 mm nozzle, bed size and overhangs. Loads are not simulated. If it does not fit, a comment with your measurements helps.

Safety

• Use PETG for parts that sit in the water.

A parametric version of this part is on mislastudio.com: https://mislastudio.com/m/barreira_flutuantes?utm_source=printables&utm_medium=free_model&utm_campaign=barreira-flutuantes

Designed by Misla, a small studio of engineered 3D-printable parts: https://mislastudio.com/?utm_source=printables&utm_medium=free_model&utm_campaign=barreira-flutuantes