DIY Trickle Filter

[mick11]

I have used this filter for several years and have had great results. Thought I would share if you were interested. Works great for wall tanks as you can hide everything behind the wall.

Picture 1. Backside of tank. Rubbermaid container is the trickle filter. Magdrive pump is located in the bottom left side of the tank and pumps water through the black tubing above the tank to the filter on the right. Water goes through a spray bar which then sprays the water onto the mechanical filter (held in place by egg crate). Water then falls through the pot scrubbies which act as the bio filter. Water then gravity feeds through two drains back into the tank.

Picture 2: Pot Scrubbies

Picture 3&4: Drains

Picture 5: Pot scrubbies in rubbermaid container with egg crate to support mechanical filter.

Picture 6: Spraybar with mechanical filter.

Picture 7: Gravity drain pipes to tank.

Picture 8: Filter up and running.

All comments and questions welcome.

I will be working on another DIY system to put in a stand under the tank soon. I will have pictures up when it's completed sometime this winter.

Mick

 

[crazy clowntang]

I like it but, does it keep the water real clear? Because I see that you only use pot scrubbies

 

[Roadblock]

also what happens during the power outage wouldn't you over flow? or are you not pushing an extra volume of water?

 

[ChannelCat]

looks cool. i want to see some front of the tank pics

 

[mick11]

There is a mechanical filter. See the blue filter matting below the spray bar in picture 6. You can actually see the filter is working with all the gunk. Water is very clear. Not as clear as with a polishing filter, but my chemistry is always perfect. 0 PPM Amonia, 0 Nitrate PPM, 0 Nitrite PPM. Fish load is two Motoro Rays. My plywood tank is in the works, so only temp home for the rays.

No possible way to overflow the tank. Total water in the system can be contained in the 125 gallon tank. When the system is running the only water not in the tank is in the tubing and maybe a gallon going through the filter. Tops maybe 3 gallons not in the tank while running. If power cuts off that may be a 1/4" level rise in the tank.

I do need some recent pics of the front. here is an old one.

 

[ChannelCat]

wow! tank looks great man. I always wanted one of those

 

[mick11]

Tank looks nothing like that anymore. Sand bottom and very few decorations as not to cramp the rays in their temp home.

Might make a 2nd plywood tank to replace this tank if the 1st plywood tank goes well. this is a standard 125 gallon. i want to add height and width. Get it around the 250 gallon mark.

 

[Druu]

I like the system, is this the only filtration you have running? I don't think I saw any HOBs or canisters in the first pic. Unfortunately, it's not as useful for tanks on stands

 

[mick11]

I agree 100% that it's not good for the regular tank on a stand. Just something to think of is someone is finishing a basement and wants to install a wall tank. This is the only filter I have running in the tank. It's been running 3 years straight with no problems. Power goes out sometimes qand no mess. power comes on and it goes back working as usual.

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

So the pump is housed in the tank? And if so do you have a prefilter on it? What kind of turn over do you have running? And do you have any updated pics?