Hye there gang!
I figured that I'd document my project here and share with you all.
It all started with a RIO 2800ss powerhead that I received with the Purchase of my 135gal Clarity Plus tank. The Pump was stored by the previous owner but unfortunately they didn't have the common sense to pull the impeller and rinse everything off and store the impeller and motor unit seperately. So I tried pullling the impeller but wasn't able to save it. Couldn't find another one so I put the unit aside. Ordered an impeller for a RIO HF12 and installed it into the RIO 2800ss. Works, but a little louder than I'd like for Sump...
What a better idea than to fuse it with a 5 gallon bucket and top to make a Pump. The RIO 2800ss is rated for just under 800gph (no media)... And with a Much better impeller in it (RIO HF12) it shuld work Very well and possibly pump more than 782gph!? So I plan on creating a canister filter that is comparable if not better to the FX5's filter power... Probably not so much for ease of use being that mine will have a "snap on" lid... Typical 5gal bucket style.
Anyway, here is the progress so far. I have to wait for the dual compound epoxy to fully cure before adding any of the media trays. Which I'm still brain storming about. my thought it to get a couple or three 2gal buckets, cut the bottom 3 or so inches off, cut wide slits on the sides, and holes in the bottom or cut out the bottom except fro a cross (+) pattern and place meash down there and stack them. The wrap 1 big sleave of medium-course foam around them all or each... That I will have to figure out. It's that or use egg crate to make 2 levels. Top 1/3 of the canister for (from top to bottom) course, then medium, the fine foam pads the width of the Top of the Canister and Biomedia to fill the bottom 2/3's of the Canister.
So I will be updating the thread periodically, so keep watching. This will be a good thread as I'm not a "half-***" type of fabricator...
First I started out by using the Bottom Grate of the RIO 2800ss to trace the needed cutout for the pump. I just used a standard ball-point pen.
As you can see, I didn't "roll" the grate as this would have created a larger hole than needed. I was careful to hold it still as I traced...
I then carefully used a utility knife to cut out the hole in the bucket. I had to fit the pump as tight as possible to avoid a "sloppy hole"! No one likes those...
Making repeat attempts and not cutting more off than needed...
It's not perfect and there were a few spots that weren't as snug as they could've been but overall, it was a nice fit.
Inside lok before sanding.
Next, I used some course grit sandpaper (200) to rough up the palstic bucket at the edge of the hole, inside and out. This is a must for smooth surfaces that you will be adhering to one another using epoxy or similar adhesives. Otherwise the adhesive will fail as it didn't have anything to "grab" onto (I learned this in previous small projects).
This pictures shows how far around I sanded to ensure that I didn't leave any unsanded area to be adhered to, thus creating a possible weak spot and then a leak.
I figured that I'd document my project here and share with you all.
It all started with a RIO 2800ss powerhead that I received with the Purchase of my 135gal Clarity Plus tank. The Pump was stored by the previous owner but unfortunately they didn't have the common sense to pull the impeller and rinse everything off and store the impeller and motor unit seperately. So I tried pullling the impeller but wasn't able to save it. Couldn't find another one so I put the unit aside. Ordered an impeller for a RIO HF12 and installed it into the RIO 2800ss. Works, but a little louder than I'd like for Sump...
What a better idea than to fuse it with a 5 gallon bucket and top to make a Pump. The RIO 2800ss is rated for just under 800gph (no media)... And with a Much better impeller in it (RIO HF12) it shuld work Very well and possibly pump more than 782gph!? So I plan on creating a canister filter that is comparable if not better to the FX5's filter power... Probably not so much for ease of use being that mine will have a "snap on" lid... Typical 5gal bucket style.
Anyway, here is the progress so far. I have to wait for the dual compound epoxy to fully cure before adding any of the media trays. Which I'm still brain storming about. my thought it to get a couple or three 2gal buckets, cut the bottom 3 or so inches off, cut wide slits on the sides, and holes in the bottom or cut out the bottom except fro a cross (+) pattern and place meash down there and stack them. The wrap 1 big sleave of medium-course foam around them all or each... That I will have to figure out. It's that or use egg crate to make 2 levels. Top 1/3 of the canister for (from top to bottom) course, then medium, the fine foam pads the width of the Top of the Canister and Biomedia to fill the bottom 2/3's of the Canister.
So I will be updating the thread periodically, so keep watching. This will be a good thread as I'm not a "half-***" type of fabricator...
First I started out by using the Bottom Grate of the RIO 2800ss to trace the needed cutout for the pump. I just used a standard ball-point pen.
As you can see, I didn't "roll" the grate as this would have created a larger hole than needed. I was careful to hold it still as I traced...
I then carefully used a utility knife to cut out the hole in the bucket. I had to fit the pump as tight as possible to avoid a "sloppy hole"! No one likes those...
Making repeat attempts and not cutting more off than needed... It's not perfect and there were a few spots that weren't as snug as they could've been but overall, it was a nice fit.
Inside lok before sanding.
Next, I used some course grit sandpaper (200) to rough up the palstic bucket at the edge of the hole, inside and out. This is a must for smooth surfaces that you will be adhering to one another using epoxy or similar adhesives. Otherwise the adhesive will fail as it didn't have anything to "grab" onto (I learned this in previous small projects).
This pictures shows how far around I sanded to ensure that I didn't leave any unsanded area to be adhered to, thus creating a possible weak spot and then a leak.
