I am significantly upgrading my fish room and will have some larger 500g-1k gallon tanks. I am playing with the idea of DIY filters. Anyone have ideas on a easy to maintain mechanical filter?
Thank you
Thank you
DIY easy to clean mechanical filters for large aquariums
- Thread starter Charney
- Start date
If you want sth.with a lot of capacity you can built a "stacked sequential seep filter" (I have no idea how to call this in english)
The key idea is that once a mat is full the next one starts to fill up without affecting the overall flowrate. They are pretty easy to built and maintain, however you do need the ability to use some height.
If you want I can sketch it for you, I think thats better than trying to just describe it.
The key idea is that once a mat is full the next one starts to fill up without affecting the overall flowrate. They are pretty easy to built and maintain, however you do need the ability to use some height.
If you want I can sketch it for you, I think thats better than trying to just describe it.
im guessing you mean like drip filter? each tray with different things?
i did something similar for koi ponds and like ansorgii said - you need some height to make it work just something to reference like stackable trays
i did something similar for koi ponds and like ansorgii said - you need some height to make it work just something to reference like stackable trays
Somwhat yes somewhat no, it looks like a drip filter, is stacked like one and uses gravity, but the core way of how it catches and stores dirt is different.
And aren't drip filter more for aerobic biological cleaning ? Mine does not try to break it down, just store.
It looks and works like this:
As the fine sponge fills up with dirt, it lets less and less water through, so it passes through it further down until the sponge is completely full and the next repeats the process. Since there is very little force pushing the water through the sponge it can hold on to very fine particles. Once all spongemats are full the water will just flow more or less unfiltered back in your tank. With these fine sponges its usually the surface and not the volume that limits the capacity, this way you can maximize it. And since your pump only works against gravity the flowrate is independent of how full your filter is.
The coarse sponge is just there to slow down the falling water, a ramp might work aswell.
You can stack as many as you want and to clean it you just turn off the pump, take the units off each other, take out the mats and powerwash them.
As the fine sponge fills up with dirt, it lets less and less water through, so it passes through it further down until the sponge is completely full and the next repeats the process. Since there is very little force pushing the water through the sponge it can hold on to very fine particles. Once all spongemats are full the water will just flow more or less unfiltered back in your tank. With these fine sponges its usually the surface and not the volume that limits the capacity, this way you can maximize it. And since your pump only works against gravity the flowrate is independent of how full your filter is.
The coarse sponge is just there to slow down the falling water, a ramp might work aswell.
You can stack as many as you want and to clean it you just turn off the pump, take the units off each other, take out the mats and powerwash them.
Not DIY, but if you want easy, go with Ultima filters that you just purge. I REALLY like RTL filters (usually just seen with large reef systems). I was introduced to RTL filters by a person who sets up and maintains reef systems for businesses. RTLs are really great. Pore size of filter socks is about 100 microns. The cartridges for the RTLs are 20 microns. There are ways to clean the cartridges, but I'm too lazy and merely replace them....so it doesn't get easier than that....
myaquaticsolutions.com
BTW, there is only one other MFK member that I know of that runs RTLs...Oftalmos
www.monsterfishkeepers.com
Lifegard Aquatics RTL 100 SQ.FT Cartridge Filter
Aquariums, Zoos, Universities,Aquaculture, Filtration, Life Support Equipment , Supplies
BTW, there is only one other MFK member that I know of that runs RTLs...Oftalmos
My 765 gal tank...Part 1...
Hi to everyonebefore I start writing about my tank I just want to say that I dont speak or write perfect English... so I apologize if you see bad spelling. I want to start this article saying that for me was a marathon to make this tank work, it took me more than one year to finish it...
www.monsterfishkeepers.com
I think I will most likely end up with Ultimas but will definitely research this!Not DIY, but if you want easy, go with Ultima filters that you just purge. I REALLY like RTL filters (usually just seen with large reef systems). I was introduced to RTL filters by a person who sets up and maintains reef systems for businesses. RTLs are really great. Pore size of filter socks is about 100 microns. The cartridges for the RTLs are 20 microns. There are ways to clean the cartridges, but I'm too lazy and merely replace them....so it doesn't get easier than that....
Lifegard Aquatics RTL 100 SQ.FT Cartridge Filter
Aquariums, Zoos, Universities,Aquaculture, Filtration, Life Support Equipment , Supplies
BTW, there is only one other MFK member that I know of that runs RTLs...Oftalmos
My 765 gal tank...Part 1...
Hi to everyonebefore I start writing about my tank I just want to say that I dont speak or write perfect English... so I apologize if you see bad spelling. I want to start this article saying that for me was a marathon to make this tank work, it took me more than one year to finish it...
