Getting off the floor with my plumbing

[Egon]

I have some canister filters on my 450 for mechanical filtration. My stand is completely full with sumps so I put the canisters next to the tank. This worked great for 3 years but now I'm getting tired of working on the floor changing out the filter cartridges and so on. So I built a shelf for the filters and it's such a simple upgrade it kills me I went three years with out. I wanted to let you guys know. If you can make maintenance easier, fish keeping will be more enjoyable.

Below are some pics of the before set up

 

[DIDYSIS]

I think most people are all about making it easier and more time spent enjoying the fish.

 

[Egon]

I put the two canisters at counter top level and it's so easy to work on now. Also an added benefit is I can drain the canisters into my drain that I set up for gravel vac-ing. Sweet.

 

[kevinfleming21]

Doesn't the height of the canisters affect the flow rate of them? Like how they suggest a certain level below the water level for other canisters?

 

[dxdx]

I like the sound baffling you have on the inside of your door. I was going to do the same thing using some spare carpet when I get around to skinning my stand.


...and yes, anything that can make maintenance easier makes the hobby more enjoyable. Funny how we put up with the way things are when they could be better with a little work. I do this myself a lot but am trying to change (see stand comment above).

 

[Egon]

Doesn't the height of the canisters affect the flow rate of them? Like how they suggest a certain level below the water level for other canisters?

Na, closed loop. I think you have to be below the waters surface to get the water to the pump and that's it. I did lose a lot of head pressure with the added plumbing but I couldn't redo the bulkheads with out draining the tank. If/when I drain the tank I can take 6' of plumbing out by moving the pumps to the shelf.

 

[kevinfleming21]

Yeah I guess not when it is the pump doing the work instead of an impeller on a traditional canister. Now you need to paint the self with 50's pinup girls though LOL

 

[Egon]

...and yes, anything that can make maintenance easier makes the hobby more enjoyable. Funny how we put up with the way things are when they could be better with a little work. I do this myself a lot but am trying to change (see stand comment above).

The thing about this upgrade is it never occurred to me. Three years I was bending over working on these filters and always saying I need a better way to drain these canisters. I always thought it would be nice to drain them in the main drain going around the base of all my tanks. I kept thinking I just need to drill a hole in the drain and shove a pipe in, all the time I had that gravel vac drain 1 foot away! LOL. Then finely I thought if I raise the canisters above the gravel vac drain....... You could hear an audible "click" from my head when the light turned on LOL

 

[Egon]

Yeah I guess not when it is the pump doing the work instead of an impeller on a traditional canister. Now you need to paint the self with 50's pinup girls though LOL

 

[CrimsonFog]

Atta boy, Slimer! Looks good!