Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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refrigerator-fish-tank combi

Combine the two and save some energy
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Have you ever thought of how could the heat generated by the refrigerator's compressor be used? No? Well, ever wanted to have a tropical fish tank? Instead of having one refrigerator and one fish tank, you could have a combinated refrigerator-fish-tank. Whenever the refrigerator's compressor worked, it would heat the fish tank. The fish tank's size would be chosen according to the heat output.
PauloSargaco, Apr 28 2003

Refrigerator/Freezer heatsink http://www.halfbake...fFreezer_20heatsink
a more generic idea for reusing waste heat from refrigerators by [joarvat] [krelnik, Oct 05 2004]

Freezer Geyser http://www.halfbake...ea/Freezer_20Geyser
...and another by [Trodden] [krelnik, Oct 05 2004]

yes, this one. http://www.halfbake...0with_20Back_20Door
[po, Oct 05 2004]

[link]






       Except when the fuse blew and you were left with fish sticks and turned milk. Besides, I keep (or would keep) fish tanks in my living room and the fridge in the kitchen.
DrCurry, Apr 28 2003
  

       //it would heat the fish tank.//   

       I'm no expert, but are you sure this is part of fishtank maintenance?
snarfyguy, Apr 28 2003
  

       Might be more effective as a snake tank heater, what with the coils and all.
thumbwax, Apr 28 2003
  

       DrCurry, Couldn't you just have a hole in the wall where the fish tank and fridge met if your living wall was connected to the kitchen as mine is. In fact...maybe I'll try this.
goober, Apr 28 2003
  

       Theoretically, yes, but only if we demolished half the apartment and swapped the living room around with the dining room.
DrCurry, Apr 28 2003
  

       we did that hole in the wall thing before, with the backdoor to the fridge idea
po, Apr 28 2003
  

       Enough fish tank ideas! Fish-tank bathtub, fish tank transparent couch, Fish tanks under the floor, real live fish screen saver over the monitor, cell phone with a fish swimming in it . . . please! You want a fish, you got it.
phundug, Apr 28 2003
  

       fish urinals - yes!
po, Apr 28 2003
  

       How are fish supposed to use urinals?
AO, Apr 28 2003
  

       [PS] Taking your idea seriously, your largest problem is that every time you open your refrigerator door and the compressor comes on you'd boil your fish. Fish like a nice constant temperature - something you're not going to get by hooking it up to a fridge.   

       [po] ha! yes!
Worldgineer, Apr 28 2003
  

       po ssibly something to do with me being pis ces, no am a capricorn!
po, Apr 28 2003
  

       [phundug] Wheew, aren't we touchy about fish tanks?!   

       [worldgineer] Does the fridge produce all that heat? Anyway, how about heating a second water deposit and then managing the temperature in the fish tank using a thermometer, a water pump and a heat tranference plate (much like a central heating system)?   

       [snarfyguy] Tropical fish need higher temperatures. Altough I must admit I am definitely no expert on the subject either.
PauloSargaco, Apr 29 2003
  

       Or you could double up the uses for the cooling function of the fridge and keep marines. Large marine tanks (esp. reef tanks) need coolers to counteract the heat from the lights. OR...you could keep temperate marine species which need a powerful cooler as well.
squeak, Apr 29 2003
  

       [PS] That should work. Sounds like it's getting complicated, but not overly so and I can imagine a custom installation working.   

       [squeak] Now I'm picuring 2 tanks with a heat pump between them, keeping the hot side hot and the cool side cool. You'd have to balance your system carefully, but it sounds fairly elegant.
Worldgineer, Apr 29 2003
  

       [WG] Brilliant! But you's still need some heater and cooler aids I guess.
PauloSargaco, Apr 30 2003
  

       //fish urinals - yes!//   

       Do fish pee? Can anyone answer me?
FloridaManatee, Apr 30 2003
  

       I think po was suggesting fish in a urinal, both for aesthetic porpoises and to keep them clean. I'm picturing a high-class male restroom with clear glass urinals containing (gmo?) urine-tolerant guppies.   

       As far as whether or not fish pee, perhaps we will never know.
Worldgineer, Apr 30 2003
  

       Wouldn't the fish be flushed down the tubes? You'd have to construct the urinal out of a clear material so that the fish would be seen swimming around, but avoid getting pissed on and flushed down. As for enough fish tanks, I echo that sentiment except with cats. I made the mistake of posting the idea instead of anno'ing it yesterday and jutta gave me a proverbial slap on the hand. So now I'll rant about cats here with the theory that anything about cats gets a croissant: cat, cat, cat....kitten, kitty, cat, cat...kat, kat, kitty kat. Thank you for letting me get that off my furry little chest.
goober, Apr 30 2003
  

       I was imagining the constantly running type. Water yellow... a while later water clear (fish happier).
Worldgineer, Apr 30 2003
  

       [FM] - not sure if they pee, but they definitely poo.   

       [WG] - how about genetically engineered fish that would feed on pee? Then we wouldn't need to flush, the fish would clear the water when feeding.
PauloSargaco, May 07 2003
  

       I'm not sure of the nutritional value of urine. Perhaps you could do some research.
Worldgineer, May 07 2003
  
      
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