# Super easy "Tank Cam" hack



## AirWreck11 (6 mo ago)

This was so easy. I thought I was at least going to get the Dremmel and some epoxy out to do this, but this "hack" took me all of 30 seconds! 

I wanted to have a camera looking at the tank while I'm out of town for vacation for a week. I thought I'd need to rig something up, to mount the lens directly to the glass, as I knew already (partly from previously being in the security system industry) that the camera would otherwise be fraught with issues from reflections and even self-inflicted issues if I tried to use an IR illuminator feature for "night vision". After pondering the Dremmel and epoxy route, I figured I'd sacrifice a magnetic algae cleaning tool as a quick and temporary way to create a mounting base for the camera, holding the camera tight up against the glass. Holding it all in my hands, mocking it up, I made an interesting discovery. Not only does the camera have a metallic mounting plate, but the armature allows for the camera to be flat on the glass while the plate is held by a magnet inside the tank! This project was finished before it even started!

I can't say I wholeheartedly recommend this camera brand. They seem a little heavy-handed on getting you to sign up for their subscription-based cloud storage service. Brands I've used in the past give you a little storage for free. But, one Micro SD card I had laying around later, and I'm still able to access recent video remotely.

Parts list:









Amazon.com: YI Home Security Camera, 1080p 2.4G WiFi IP Indoor Surveillance Camera with Night Vision, Motion Detection, Phone App, Pet Cat Dog Cam Works with Alexa and Google Assistance : Everything Else


Amazon.com: YI Home Security Camera, 1080p 2.4G WiFi IP Indoor Surveillance Camera with Night Vision, Motion Detection, Phone App, Pet Cat Dog Cam Works with Alexa and Google Assistance : Everything Else



www.amazon.com












Amazon.com : Aqueon Aquarium Algae Cleaning Magnets Glass/Acrylic, Small : Aquarium Cleaning Supplies : Pet Supplies


Amazon.com : Aqueon Aquarium Algae Cleaning Magnets Glass/Acrylic, Small : Aquarium Cleaning Supplies : Pet Supplies



www.amazon.com





video: https://vimeo.com/user167618359/fish-cam


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## FishTankExpert (Jun 19, 2021)

Oh wow! A camera on your fish tank is such a great idea, honestly! I would be able to monitor them when I'm on vacation and get a neighbor or somebody to help if it was an emergency.


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