Bear with me...'advanced' gravel vac

[KaiserSousay]

If, and when, I can up the size of my tank, I`ve already got the filtration set in my mind.
Ran across this system and am going to use it, pretty much as pictured.

The biggest difference is the filter manifolds.
I would use the ones with built in shut off valves.
These are around $30 most places I`ve looked.
If a drain was added to the spin on housing, you could drain off most of the water so you could swap cartridges without spillage. Wouldn`t be a big deal to drill/tap the housing for a drain valve.
Biggest cost would be a quality pump.
I`ve spent most of my time in the bargain basement when it came to water movers.
Would like to be able to get something that would be capable of moving 1,000 GPH(more, but not less) at the tank, reliably and quietly. I`m thinking of $2-250 range for the pump I would like to use.
How long between swapping the cartridges, who can say.
A long list of variables makes even a guess out of the question.
But the ease of service and ability to remove particulate down to the 20 micron range would offset any service issues. The price of replacement cartridges and the ability to clean/reuse them makes a pretty attractive package even better.
This is a system that will keep a tank crystal clear, give good water movement, and is totally water tight.
One of these days, I hope to get this up and running.
BTW: Just a note to those that worship at the Bio Media Alter.
Yes, there is no bio media in this system.
Yes, you can run a healthy tank without a bit of bio specific media.

 

[Moloch]

I went and bought the parts today. Wound up about 1ft short on PVC & both long lengths are about 5" too short anyways:\ Pretty annoyed

I'm thinking about returning all the fittings and switching to 3/4" vinyl hose. At first in lowes I had gotten every thing to set it up fo 1" hose, but decided that was just too thick to have any sort of an advantage over regular pvc. But I think the possibly reduced flow of the 3/4" hose won't be too bad and will make setting this thing up much easier. Think I'll still have enough flow?

I was able to ghetto-rig it temporarily and I was able to get water to flow through, but not with any efficiency (not surprising considering how I had it set up).

 

[Mike King]

How long between swapping the cartridges, who can say.
A long list of variables makes even a guess out of the question.

timing between cartridge changes would be simple.. just put a pressure gauge before each filter manifold. When the pressure hits a predetermined reading change the filter cartridge.

 

[Moloch]

Yeh. Good idea but I've pretty much scrapped the project. I didn't realize how easy it is to use a magnum 350 for the same purpose with much less complication (didn't know you could buy an extra quick disconnect and hose and just pop that on the intake to do vacuuming.

So I'm returning the filter to lowes, using the pump for a sump on an upcomin sw tank and looking out for a good deal on a mag350.

 

[KaiserSousay]

Sometimes a few mods to an “off the shelf” product can be an answer to a problem, or need.
Nothing wrong with that.

 

[LoganBlade]

why not just pump your waste in to your HOB filter using you power head method? you have to clean that once in a while anyways.

 

[Moloch]

Sometimes a few mods to an “off the shelf” product can be an answer to a problem, or need.
Nothing wrong with that.

Indeed, I just didn't realize that the magnum was exactly what I was looking for in the first place. (even though you mentioned it on the first or second page )

Thanks for following along anyways.

 

[Moloch]

In case anyone is still following this...


I picked up a used magnum350 but haven't been able to find a gasket set for it (its missing all of them:\) so I haven't gotten it to work yet.

BUT, I also found a rena xp1 for 20$ that works great. So I decided to go for a little DIY yourself again instead of holding out for the magnum.

Just added a Y hose adapter with shutoffs & a quick disconnect on one side. I need to work a few small issues out, but it does work. With a few more easy parts and pieces I'll be able to pull the house out, open the valve & vacuum whenever I want And since its an xp1 cleaning will be EASY AAAND it already works great as a mechanical filter. After leaving it running for one night my water was free of all the little particles I had floating around.

 

[KaiserSousay]

Yup, still looking.

 

[Moloch]

Cool, well I've got it working pretty well now. I went and got another quick disconnect w/ shutoff, put that on the other end of the hose. I then got some flex tube sold in the sprinkler section and an adapter from that to FHT.

Essentially I now have a 24" rigid tube as a vacuum. To get it going I just attach the vacuum to the hose (which I've just been leaving attached to the filter), put that in the tank, reach down and open the vacuums valve then close the filter intake's valve. So long as there is water stored in the vacuum's hose it begins suction immediately. Its not ideal for getting underneath everything and getting into every nook & cranny of the tank, but I can hit all the major spots without problem (IOW: I can keep the tank looking nice and clean between water changes).

When I'm done I just reach down and close/open the valves in reverse order, then close the valve on the cleaning end, disconnect the rigid tube & let its water drain back into the tank, roll up the hose and stow it back in the stand. I can just about do all this without getting my hands/arms wet at all, where-as using the hose during the water change involves getting my arm soaked up to my armpit and water usually ending up all over the floor.

It might all sound a little complex (does it?) but its EXTREMELY simple. The only problems I've had so far are when I manage to let the water drain out of the hose. I haven't yet figured out the simplest way to re-prime it, but I can get it going again if I hold my mouth right and play with the thing for a minute.

I also usually end up with air in the filter after its all done, but all I do for that is unplug it, let the siphon force the air out, then restart it and all is well.

All in all, I'm extremely happy with this. Its not QUITE what I had in mind at the start of this little DIY journey, but its damn close. And besides...I think what I had in mind at first was just WAY too crazy (Especially trying to keep the thing hidden inside the tank at all times...hah)

Including 10feet of 3/4" vinyl tube, I think this thing cost me about 35$ + 20$ for the used xp1. Well worth it in my books. Not only do I get the vacuum I wanted, but I get a canister dedicated to mechanical filtration.

I'm debating removing all filter pads from my 2 xp3's and leaving them FULL of ceramic media in order to increase the time I can go between cleanings, but I'm not sure if that would be a good thing to do or not.