DIY Filter (Comments Please)

[Vitaliy]

I have this 30 gallon tank that I use to grow-out all the fry, I constantly have tens of babies swimming around there.

Stock:
6 Neon Tetras (permanent residents)
3 Cory Cats (permanent residents)
1 Convict
2 Angel Cichlids
1 Golden Severum
+ next week will throw in about fifteen >1” Convict fry

The only thing is I only got a small AquaClear 150 running on it, with just a few fish it handles the load just fine. Lately I seem to have some extra fry and more and more fish go through my tanks, at this point the AquaClear can no longer pickup. I went to LFS looking for a filter that would be small and have some real power to it... did not find anything.

I started digging through my extra fish equipment trying to find things to put together to make a filter. I found this old pump that I got for free about half a year ago while working in a fish store. The impeller broke in it and we could not find a replacement for it so the manager gave the thing away to me for free. I started messing around with it and fixed the impeller in literally minutes. After that I went to look for something that would hold the media and something I would be able to attach to the pump. Regular water bottler fit perfectly! I just poked some holes in the bottle and filled it up with Fluval media. DONE!
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=2/diy_filter.jpg
This is one powerful pump, I am sorry I do not know the name of it (I believe it is Magnum something) but the flow of this thing is amazing! It seems to be much more powerful then a Fluval 403 I am running on another tank!
PS: I know these fish will not get along together as they grow, they are only there as fry when they are still not showing any aggression and are later moved to an appropriate tank.

[islander671]

im no expert but i like it. simple concept yet effective im sure.

[frontosa_man]

for a fry tank that works great! i might use that idea on mine :idea:

[repair]

Great idea...think I'll use it and take the cedit :grinno: JK...not really

[redtailfool]

cool idea... might want to put a sponge on the intake if u use it for frys

[Vitaliy]

cool idea... might want to put a sponge on the intake if u use it for frys
Yup, ended up doing that. :)

[redtailfool]

Cool youre all set then. Just watch and make sure the current is not bothering the frys.

[amatheum]

sweet idea, thanks! You've just got ceramic media in it yeah?

[guppy]

If this is your fry tank I be sure to put a sponge or cloth prescreen on the intake.

[dialphantom]

thats good diy

[I3u11he4d]

I built one similar to yours and it works great.I used a maxi-jet 900 and the same fluval ceramic rings you did,all just stuff just layin around.great idea and thanks. :grinno:

[rayman45]

yea i was thinking of something like this

but i hooked it up to an aquaclear filter

[I3u11he4d]

yea i was thinking of something like this

but i hooked it up to an aquaclear filter
Yeah,that would be good to. :)